Painting step by step

I have been continuing with my feather series, as you can see from my Instagram feed, but, due to popular demand (drumroll, please), I will now describe the process by which I create the layered ones. Here’s one:

I started with watercolor on a piece of cold-pressed, 300gms paper.

 

Added random pieces of aluminum foil, glued on with a glue stick.

 

Which I painted over, with watercolor, so the paint is still transparent. Anything with foil is notoriously difficult to photograph, and I’m no photographer – I use my phone!

 

Then I added pieces of cut up newpaper

 

More paint

 

I glued on a sheet of crumpled tissue paper, which I painted over with white gouache.

 

Made a rough drawing of a feather

 

Added color, and another sheet of tissue paper. And now for the fun bit, gouging bits out with a cutter.

 

Ta-dah! (more drumrolls). You can zoom in to see more detail.

Original mixed media art by AthensLettersArt.

 

The process is quite random, since I follow my imagination and whim of the moment. I have lately been inspired by artists who use collage and layers, such as Anselm Kiefer, whose wonderful paintings I wrote about here. Sadly, I do not have the means to use molten lead, so I have to fall back on the humble aluminum foil.

Here’s a différend feather:


Original mixed media paintin by AthensLettersArt

 

In this case I used torn bits of pages from an old book, and glued a strip of red tissue paper on the left side. I’m tentatively planning to create more feathers to make a up a large mosaic.

Other artists who have inspired me lately are Romare Bearden, Derek Fordjour and Njideka Akunyili Crosby.  l was thinking of writing about them in a future post.

26 thoughts on “Painting step by step”

  6. What a fascinating process, Marina. I’m so impressed by the beautiful results. The finished art is stunning to see but each piece suggests the history of the bird that once flee with that feather.
    Can’t wait to see the finished mosaic. Very inspiring artwork.

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