Mixed Media Daily

This is the first in a series of small daily paintings.

I’m interested in texture, color, neutrals and simplicity.  Trying to put that all together in a mixed media piece is the goal.  So I decided to at least try to keep up with one mixed media piece a day. 

I also decided it would be consistent in size – 8”x8”. It’s something I had been thinking about for some time – do something daily and finish it.  Not just a sketch but actually a finished piece. 

I thought about doing a single subject but that seemed on one hand too limiting and on the other hand to daunting.  Pick a simple enough subject that I can do every day and have to work to make it different or something difficult enough to make me work to just get it done.  It wasn’t clicking.

I finally decided I really want to do more experimenting with texture and color but also with fabric and metal.  Then I was reading about a Japanese technique that I saved – somewhere.  At the moment it’s nicely filed away – but I don’t remember where.  That’s the down side of sorting.  When I am done with all the sorting I’ll go through drawers and files and make a list so I’ll know where things are.  Back to the Daily….

Having made the decision I decided to start that day but life got in the way… 10:00 that night I decided I had to do it or I would keep putting it off. 

I keep some of my art that didn’t work as I’d planned in my flat file for future collage work.  I pulled out a piece that had been done on Yupo and was the right size. 

It had a lot of dark blue on it and my first thought was Gesso but there was a Mr. Clean eraser sponge sitting on top of the file.  Walla!  Mr. Clean really does take paint off, I believe I could have gone back to pure white if that had been my aim.

After pushing the color that was there around I began to see a shoreline so I added more blue and some ochre, used Mr. Clean to make a circle for sun and added yellow, put a piece of cardboard down and weighted it… and off to bed before 11. 

The next morning I added some highlights with oil pastels (remembering that I wanted mixed media.)

Day two was not so hot but it’s done.  Once again it was late at night when I remembered – had to do it.  So I found another piece of paper, this time 140lb cold press that had been part of something that didn’t work. 

First I added more color to develop a horizon, then used sequin waste to rub out color and the same sequin waste to add a row above that.  That’s where it fell apart. 

I first tried using the same watercolor paint that I had added below but it wasn’t working.  To get the right mixture it had to be wet and when it was wet it went everywhere so on to something else

Next I tried using Shiva Paintstiks; still not working.  Finally I used some sharpened oil pastels and forgot about the stencil, just added color and called it done.

The next day was Sunday and I was working on some Wonky Angels that are made of a combination of metals and beads.  Here are a couple waiting for legs.

I had two scraps of metal and decided to make a Cross.  Somehow it seemed appropriate for my mixed media piece… copper scraps, colored pencil, alcohol inks and a rivet to hold it together. 

I may decide that a Cross will be it every Sunday.  We’ll see.  Doing one daily doesn’t mean I’ll post daily, however, I may get back to being a bit more regular.