Background Check
When I saw that the topics this week over at Inspire Me Thursday (Action Painting) and Illustration Friday (Multiple), my immediate thought was to bring both topics together and share a little bit of the process behind my paintings.
Most of my paintings are conceived in a small 5" x 7" journal, the place where I go to play without the big elephant of artistic performance anxiety sitting on my chest. Although I rarely have any idea what I want a page to look like, I always start off with brushed, smeared or sponged-on leftover paint, experimenting with color combinations and application processes. As the background takes on a personality, I start getting an idea of what I want to do - perhaps add paper elements, drip some ink, paint a figure, stamp in texture, draw with pens, scribble with crayons. Sometimes I finish a page rather quickly, and other times I keep layering on the elements until the original background is pretty much obliterated. It starts out as an active, intuitive process that becomes more and more focused as I see what's appearing on the page. If it really speaks to me as the journal page above did, I decide to go forward and recreate the page as a larger painting.
Like my journal pages, I build my paintings from the background forward. The large painting at the top began as a wood panel my DH made for me a while back. After applying the gesso and sanding it smooth, I used my favorite Blick's mega-brush to paint a base layer of cadmium red and quinacridone crimson. I let it dry completely, and then used a fabric paint roller to randomly apply diarylide yellow, cadmuim yellow medium, and titan buff paint over the red. Between "rolls," I spritzed the surface with water and blotted with a paper towel. When I had added and subtracted paint until I had a nice balance of yellow and red, I spritzed again, sprinkled salt on the surface and dried it with a heat gun. Finally, I rubbed off the salt to see the little dots and star designs it left behind, and finished the background by using a texture stamp here and there.
Creating the background was a very active and loose process, in contrast to the very deliberate and focused work I did on the figure. The final stage of this painting will be to add the details – the floral designs, and patterns in her hair, and whatever little surprise elements I might think of before I feel it's done. I find that I lose my concentration after several hours, so a painting this size ends up taking a long time to finish! In fact, I am going to put her aside for a while and start the background for another painting.
Above is another example of page-to-painting. In this case, the backgrounds began with collaged torn paper. Below are two other page-to-painting images that I have already posted individually.
More Action Painting here... and more Multiple(s) here... Enjoy!
Great Carla . I love your work and your great feel for colors !
Posted by: julia | February 22, 2008 at 03:58 PM
Very nice. I enjoyed reading about your process. Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Cookie | February 22, 2008 at 04:13 PM
Very interesting post. I love reading how people get from idea to finished. Lovely illo.
Posted by: teriC | February 22, 2008 at 04:26 PM
It's been a while since I've been here, Carla. Your stuff is so vibrant! The colors jump out and everything kind of shimmers with energy.
(Your Idea Machines are in the mail.)
Posted by: Roz | February 22, 2008 at 04:45 PM
Love the finished article at the top, especially the background, thank you for the explanation of how it came to be .
Posted by: Gary | February 22, 2008 at 05:09 PM
This must be so much fun. Your work is (writtin with my icelandic accent) bjútífúl ....
Kind regards,
Posted by: zordis | February 22, 2008 at 06:21 PM
I love, love, love your work. I like the bold background against the somewhat vulnerable-looking woman. It gives me the idea to look beyond first impressions and that she has a lot of interior strength.
Posted by: Shayla | February 22, 2008 at 06:24 PM
Wow, I love each painting on this page, simply gorgeous and I love how you discuss your process.
Posted by: Robin | February 22, 2008 at 06:30 PM
just magnificent...thanks for sharing your process
Posted by: Nancy Lefko | February 22, 2008 at 08:21 PM
Wow Wow Wow!!!
Carla, it is wonderful to read about your process. I can just imagine you dilligent at work but having fun. It's quite a project. I love reading about how the work is done especially if I love the art. Great colors.
Posted by: Ces | February 22, 2008 at 11:06 PM
SUPERB Carla! Thanks for sharing--you rule!!
Posted by: steve | February 22, 2008 at 11:55 PM
your work is so lovely....and love how you define the whole process...
wonderful post...
Cheers,
Diana
Posted by: Diana Evans | February 23, 2008 at 12:04 AM
What a great idea to show the germ of the image & then the finished piece... perfect for the prompt, & fascinating to read & see.
Posted by: Curious Art | February 23, 2008 at 12:17 AM
What a treat -- and a fascinating peek into your process. Your figures always have these classically beautiful, somewhat sad faces. Her face is very mature for a little girl -- says a lot.
Posted by: andrea | February 23, 2008 at 01:00 AM
Amazing new piece - I love the shadows and highlights you added.
Thank you for sharing your process - it is so intriguing and wonderful to be a fly on your wall.
Thanks for stopping by my blog my friend.
Beautiful new banner you have!
Susan
xo
Posted by: Susan Tuttle | February 23, 2008 at 01:42 AM
I love the sneak peeks into your process..oh to be such a wonderful painter. Your talent with your brush is amazing!
hugs
marie
Posted by: Marie | February 23, 2008 at 01:49 AM
Hi Carla. Wazup? Thank you so much for sharing your process with us. Its such a joy to see the evolution of your ideas.
Lovely!
Sare-bear
Posted by: Sare-Bear | February 23, 2008 at 02:08 AM
Thank you so much for sharing your process! The way you play with color and texture is intriguing. I also love that your images have a unique atmosphere and a narrative element.
Posted by: Ella | February 23, 2008 at 03:54 AM
so lovely. Her face is so beautiful, and I enjoyed your sharing of the process. I admire your patience and love for details.
By the way, if you have the time kindly visit my site because you have been tagged. have a nice weekend.
Posted by: isay | February 23, 2008 at 04:06 AM
This is so beautiful..the colors..the flowers...the girls' vunrability...it is magical! xx
Posted by: linni | February 23, 2008 at 08:34 AM
I love this post and getting a glimpse into your create mind. When we allow our guides and intuition to take over our create play wonderful images emerge such as here.
Thanks for sharing Carla.
Posted by: toni | February 23, 2008 at 09:07 AM
I LOVED this post, carla! Although you have told me some of this already, it was great to read through your whole process. And it is so excellent to see your studies in your journals and the paintings they inspired! Thank you!
Posted by: Lenna | February 23, 2008 at 11:09 AM
Beautiful work. Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Lina | February 23, 2008 at 11:13 AM
It's always a treat to hear from the artist. The materials, the process and the working method is treasure for which no specific value can ever be assigned.
Posted by: Mick Mather | February 23, 2008 at 01:39 PM
Nice to hear about your creative process and to have this illustrated with examples. Great use of colour and texture in your work.
Posted by: Bee | February 23, 2008 at 02:20 PM