2016 Christmas Card: Third State

After 4 more layers the painting is now dominated by red-violet lavender instead of orange, though that is still prominent. The four layers are the following; 1) ultraviolet light resistant varnish, 2) laminated images, 3) wax, 4) lavender paint. After those 4 layers I subjected the paint to scraping, with various instruments, and finally sprayed lightly with fixative.* I have laminated a smaller image of the Madonna and Child by Ambrogio Bergognone (known as Borgognone) over the first, as I shall do again for the Forth State in an attempt to telescope that image. I don't know if that technique will work because the mixed media distressed process may cover all but the final image completely. But, then again, it may not. That is what makes working with this technique so much fun. It creates its own mystery and history. It is like an archeological dig of an ancient historical sight in reverse, each layer of detritus reveals and/or obscures various epochs. However, instead of cutting back through the ground, I'm building it one layer at a time.

notes

*Laminate - to fasten two flat surfaces together with a continuous layer of mastic or glue.
  fixative - varnish, usually aerosolized.

2016 Christmas Card: 2nd State

I promised to post the artwork as it progresses. Here is the panel with 4 more layers. It is now predominantly orange, but that will change. I know I want to telescope the Madonna and Child by Ambrogio Bergognone (known as Borgognone) so that the final image appears to be moving forward, however slightly that might be. Because the larger images will be buried in layers of paint, my desires for the painting may be lost in the process. As we must relinquish complete control over our lives more often than we would wish, so the mixed media distressed painting process mimics life.

The next time I post an image of the artwork it will include the following; 1) this digital photo will have been printed at the exact size of the painting/collage, 2) it will have been torn to pieces randomly, and some of these will have been laminated back into the painting either before or after l include a smaller image of the Bergognone, 3) Then the whole will possibly be covered in a shade of muted green, though I’m not sure about that color yet.* I haven’t thought beyond that state, and will not until the actual physical object has caught up to my imaginings. Ah, the mystery of it all is so much fun!

Note

* laminate - in collage/montage, a layer of glue is spread on the artwork itself and another on the back of the torn/cut paper to be glued in place. the new piece is carefully smoothed into place, rubbing from the center to the edges in order to remove trapped air.

"Harmony" Art Card Is In Process

I’ve been working on the next art card, “harmony.” At first I used colors that looked more like “Blitzkrieg!” So I moved on to cooler colors blues and greens. I still wasn’t happy, so I toned the colors and movement down more. The wavy lines are meant to represent tones. I doubled lengths so that the tones represented might be harmonious. However, it was necessary to keep all at low amplitude (no big zigzagging up and down curves) so as to keep everything harmonious visually. In the third image I added type, and the word "harmony" using 72 pt. bold Century Gothic font.

"Blitzkrieg Harmony"

“I – Yah-e – Yah-e -eye!” The active voice begins to sound so egotistical! But, to write from a passive perspective is too weak, so I’ll stop being a literary critic and keep on with the analysis of the process involved in problem solving the representation of “harmony.”

"Toned Down Harmony"

I like to hide things in the art card images, as I also do in mixed media distressed painting. So various definitions of the word harmony are layered into the artwork and the words fade in and out of colors and the wavy lines.

The best "Harmony" so far

It will be necessary to have two sides to the card, and I’ve only begun to think about a second side. However, I’m not sure I’ve found the right image for the first side. Perhaps I’ll move on to the second side and my concerns about the first will have been resolved subconsciously when I return to the first.