2024 Art Experiment Part 2
I’m back to show off my latest experiment with my art and how it turned out!
I highly recommend reading part 1 before this so you know about my inspiration and what’s happened so far…
Latest update on here was that I had gotten the base painting layers of acrylic paint on the insulation board and it was rather… haunting. I usually love a good underpainting, but it’s been awhile since I had done a portrait this large so I kept finding myself unhappy with the results (Now. I loved that first photo, but not the second.). And with only a limited studio time, I was getting frustrated. Then something happened.
She actually starting coming together!
Back in college, my art friends and I joked about “magic fingers” days when everything you create turns to gold. Let me tell you, that was one of those days. I kept stepping back and saying out loud, “HOW DID I DO THAT? I guess I CAN paint!”
Shoutout to Royal News Network for being the best background while I painted.
The florals were the next part. Compared to portraiture, florals are easier for me. I was in my element and loved making them POP.
After fixing the bottom half - skin tones, pearls, and fabric - she was complete.
So what did I learn from this art experiment?
I LOVED painting on insulation board. I loved how thick, versatile, lightweight, and cheap it was. If I had to try and get a wooden panel like this, it would be expensive and heavy. I loved being able to take a paper collage piece and make it a painting with cut out elements. I already have plans to make more in this style so I think this experiment was an overall success.
I made more work for myself than I needed to. This is very typical me. Only after I completed this did another artist ask me if I used a hot wire tool to make all the cuts… Nope. X-acto knife like always. But as I type this, I’ve already ordered a hot wire tool and hope to use it on the next project. It will definitely get smoother cuts and edges rather than me sanding down every edge. At least, that’s the hope.
When outlining, not to use a pencil. I thought the gesso and paint layers would obscure the minimal linework I made in the insulation board. It did not. Next time, I will have to figure something else out.
I hope you enjoyed looking in my process with this piece. Let me know if you have any questions!