Attempt #2 at mixed media art, this time on a small canvas. And with molding paste!
First was just a few colors of acrylic paint (bought at the same time as the original watercolor set, the $7 one from Wal-Mart, nothing fancy) smeared on the canvas
Next, I added some white paint to tone it down a bit, trying to even out the lights and darks…
Here, I added some molding paste through a stencil along with a couple of pieces of yellow fabric that I had dyed with one of my experiments around Easter. Seemed to give it some needed spark, but the blue felt too blue to me. Or the wrong shade of blue. So I went in and touched that up with a very small brush and some violet acrylic.
After purpling the blue at the bottom a bit, and adding a few dots to try and lead the eye around, and unify the piece a bit more, I was about to call it quits, at least for the night, just to see how it looked (and felt) after drying, since I’ve never worked with molding paste…
and then I realized there were a few gobs of white acrylic paint left on my palette! So, added a few more dots, this time in white, which I feel improved it a bit more…
Then I decided to let it dry for the night.
Now the question: is it finished, or should I add more layer(s)? Maybe I should let the painting tell me in the morning. I’m curious what my artist friends would do. I may just hang this in my “studio”, which is my daughter’s old room, now the library/craft room AKA sleeping cave, because it’s the quietest room in the house. So much of A’s artwork is down there, it really gives the room an art-infused (and A-infused!) feeling, which is special. So this might just go down there and join her artwork. Or is it unfinished? What do you all think?
Well, today is the day we’ve been waiting for! I hope everyone in the US has a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Peace and blessings to all. ❤
So interesting to see the process. Fine work.
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Thank you! I’m totally feeling my way, but I do like to see the colors combine. Using yellow fabric underneath the purple keeps mud away, and I’m still happy with the way it looks. So that was cool. It’s all a learning experience. :))
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I love it just as it is – the white dots finished it off nicely for me. Just my opinion though. You should hang it somewhere you’ll keep walking past for a few weeks and if it’s unfinished then I think you’ll get an itch to take it down and add to it.
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That’s a good idea! Thanks, Nicola.
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This is so interesting – great fun to see how your creativity took this quiet violet piece to the ultimate level of depth, textures, and shapes.
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Thanks, Mary! I appreciate that. I may take this a bit further on a whole new canvas and just work mainly with the yellow fabric and the purple. They’re my two favorite colors.
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Oh Laura! I am late visiting this morning and busy catching up with work, but I had to at least come visit your site……. Scrolling through – when I got to the third photo, by jaw dropped and I let out a gasp! I’m not kidding. This took my breath away – I love it! Looks beautiful as is to me, but let it speak to you and decide what you want to do as it is yours. Happy Friday and LONG Weekend! Woohoo!
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Jodi, if you love it, I’d love to send it to you! It’s on a 5×7″ canvas. Would you like it? If so, and you’d like me to add anything to it, please let me know.
Or I could make you a whole new one – you pick the colors. I’d love to do something special for you right now. ((((Jodi)))) I’m so glad you love this!
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Oh Laura – HOW SWEET of you!!! Of course I would LOVE it, but you needn’t do anything special for me right now. Your friendship is the most special gift of all. Thank you so very much for your thoughtfulness! I wish I didn’t have so much work to catch up on and could play more right now and read blogs 🙂
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((((Jodi)))) if it’d bring you a smile, I’d love to do it.
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You are such a sweetie! I could sure use that smile. Being away was a nice distraction, but today at home was so difficult without my little buddy here….
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I work from home too, and I understand completely. I found lots of reasons to be away from home last May. How are the cardinals doing?
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When I got back from NYC baby is gone. I choose to believe she flew away as she was learning to stretch and flap her wings before I left. I had a feeling it might happen
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Awww. Man that was fast!!
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I was gone days 9–11 and Wikipedia says they fledge at around 11 days so I am remaining positive that is what happened 👍
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I love everything about this piece…the curves, the colors, the mood! I think it is about perfect as it is, but let your heart tell you when you next look at it.
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Thanks, Teresa! I’m so glad you like it.
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Very cool! The yellow fabric is a great idea, it pulls me helps to move my eyes around the art.
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Thanks, Sharon! Yeah, I wanted to add the yellow without making mud, then when I went down to grab my supplies, I happened to see that fabric scrap I dyed…
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Looks FABULOUS Laura! Wasn’t the molding paste totally fun?! And I think I have the stencil you used! LOL! I would not have thought to put fabric under the molding paste. A very cool idea! I think the white dots added a nice accent to finish your piece. Give it a couple of days and it will tell you if it is done or not. And you can always start another one too! 😊 Hope you have a creative long weekend! 🎨🌈🌷
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Thanks, Jill, you too! I’m so glad you liked it! I’m not happy with the one corner where I kind of smeared the molding paste. I really do enjoy working with it though. Do you have a brand that you prefer. The Frugal Crafter recommends using white paintable caulk as a less expensive alternative, but I wanted to try this first just to see…..Have you ever tried using caulking? I forget how much my jar of molding paste was, but it wasn’t cheap! Very cool though.
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I have used Golden brand “Light Molding Paste.” And it wasn’t cheap either. I have never tried using the caulking. You can also paint watercolors on top of the past after it dries. Kind of fun to try. 🙂
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Thanks, Jill. Yes, it would!
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Love all the swirls!
Sent from my iPhone
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Thanks, Jean!
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I think it’s perfect the way it is, but whatever you feel led to add I think will look great! I would live to hang that in my room… So beautiful!
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Aww thanks, Squid! I’m so glad you like it! Are these your favorite colors?
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You’re welcome! I have never really have had a favorite color… I can’t choose! But those are supremely gorgeous colors, and they work so well together!
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Those colors! Love how vibrant it is. A lot of energy here. It almost feels like it should be the house of something delicate like a dove or magnificent like a white peacock! Was it fun?
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It was fun! I love your “feels like” sentence! :)) I wonder if it’d be stronger with just purple and yellow, without the blue…
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