2016 Christmas Card: 5th State

I continue to write about the many steps involved in creating our 2016 Christmas Card. It is a process that I return to over time as I also work on other art projects.

After I scraped through the blue layer of tempera it was necessary to spray the artwork with several light coats of pastel fixative so that a coat of water based UV proof varnish could be applied without lifting the tempera paint. Once that layer was dry I made a 10 by 10 inch print of the digital photo I had taken of the mixed media distressed painting in its 3rd state. I tore that print in pieces and laminated some of those over top of the artwork.* Another coat of UV proof varnish was applied, and once that had dried I took photographs again.

I have at least 9 more layers to do before I can call the painting finished, so please stay tuned for the 6th  and 7th state of our 2016 Christmas Card.

*laminate – to glue two flat surfaces together using a continuous layer of adhesive

2016 Christmas Card: 4th State

Doing the following created the 4th state:

1. spray the painting with several light coats of pastel fixative
2. a coat of water based varnish was brushed over the latest layer of tempera paint
3. cover the painting heavily with oil crayon and rub it with an eraser
4. apply a new coat of light pthalo-blue tempera paint
5. scrape through the new layer of tempera paint after it was dry.

Stay tuned for the 5th state of our new Christmas Card