This is not actually my girl no 2, however, she is the second I will share so that makes her so. I think she is girl no 3 actually. Because it’s fun and easy to make the backgrounds, I did make a couple each time, and tried out lots of experimental techniques on them, and then afterwards I let them percolate for a while, and let the girls grow on their own. Some of these girls took absolutely weeks to finish. And because my studio was our kitchen table, we ate, and entertained, and lived with them half finished, while they waited for their turn for inspiration.
This girl was without a message for a long time. I have to admit, I was put off by her rather large hips. I have trouble getting the proportions right and balanced in my mind. However, once I decided who she was going to go live with, then the message became clear. I haven’t had a chance to deliver her yet, but I will have to get on that soon.
I experimented with some backgrounds cut out of magazines here, hence the flowers peeking through on the left side, and near the tree.
Her skirt was made from a piece of fabric, with layers of tapered strips shaded green to simulate pleats or gathers. Having a dressmaking background helped imagine the details…. Her cardigan is bordered with a funny kind of vintage ric-rac with a ready made edge strip. It made it really easy to manipulate with sticky glue.
I love this little vignette here. The pink flowers were actually made by painting a flower grouping on bubble wrap, then stamping it on. The bronze centres were added afterwards, then ink flowers stamped over the top to give more outline. Some pen parts were drawn in to to tie it all together.
Instead of painting on a canvas, I created her on a canvas covered board, 8×10″ size, so she will fit perfectly into a standard frame. It’s a bit better way to display than a canvas which can get damaged and dusty more easily. Although all my girls have had a good 2 or 3 coats of varnish as well. Man that stuff stinks!!
Hope you are enjoying these little mixed media peeks…. they are making me twitchy to put the sewing machine away for a while and get out some paint and play. However, these twitches are best teased and made to wait until they are a full-blown storm of inspiration, don’t you agree?
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