Happy Thursday! I had a workday at my school, and it was marvelous to spend the day working with adults! Of course, we laughed and played like our students, but it was refreshing, to say the least.
I believe that hanging out with my fellow arts folks at school is a big inspiration for my art. In the first place, they support my work in both music and art, and that encourages me to make more of each. In addition, I see the contributions of others in other art areas every day: visual arts, instrumental music, and dance.
Today I was thinking about painting. I seldom paint. As a child, I drew and painted a great deal, but I always quit trying to make things realistic after awhile, and enjoyed sort of smushing (artistic term) colors around, and particularly liked new, exciting, and unexpected results! So I wanted to write today about painting as a background for digital collage -- not painting with Photoshop, although that is another great method for making lovely backgrounds -- but rather, watercolor.
Now I was terrified to use watercolors. All my early attempts had seemed a muddy mess. But I discovered Zia's Chroma Sprays. I found them by taking one of Zana Clark's great classes through Art and Soul in Hampton, VA, but I see that they are now available on her website, stampzia.com, and they are gorgeous!
Once I wasn't so afraid to experiment with them, I went crazy creating backgrounds! I layered colors. I used a resist and sometimes a black marker or metallic paint to accent. So much fun! I scanned the painting into my computer and used it as a whole in some pieces, and portions of it in others. I found I could modify it digitally and create an entirely new painting at a touch. The piece at the top of this posting is "Trump"; the second is "Let's Play a Game". Both were made from the same background painting. The lower piece is "L'oiseau". I love these colors!
I leave for two days of state music association board meetings, and will post again when I return. Have an artful weekend.
Happy painting! Be brave. Be very brave.
Lynda
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