the process (with the wax paper heart)

When I sat down to make the piece I posted two days ago, I decided to photograph the process. Before I started, I knew which canvas I wanted to use (I had pre-painted it, and it was more pastel than usual) and which words I wanted to use. I just wanted to let the rest of it happen.

I started out using a coffee filter. Coffee filters are completely awesome for mixed media - they are sheer like tissue paper, but withstand paint and tearing and scissors so much better. I had pre-painted this coffee filter as well, and decided I would write a stream-of-consciousness list of phrases on its surface with fuchsia ink and a tiny-nibbed fountain pen:


The ink dried quickly, and I cut the coffee filter into little pieces. I like putting borders around my mixed media projects, and I usually use torn tissue paper for this, but I decided today that I would use the coffee filter, altering the direction of the words (upside down, sideways, ink side down, etc.) until I had covered the edges. I used Mod Podge for this.


Keeping with the theme, I knew that I wanted to add a big heart, and I wanted it to be fuchsia as well. I considered cutting paper, but then thought I might experiment with wax paper.


I painted the wax paper with acrylic, then added some white swirls, then scratched into the swirls to leave some clear areas. After taking the picture below, I decoupaged the heart onto the canvas. You can see some of the pastel yellow background underneath the scratched off areas.


At that point, it was time to work on the words. I am really enjoying a cut and paste technique with words right now. I have a bin full of pre-painted index cards, scraps, telephone book pages, origami papers, etc. and I chose a few that would complement the colors I was already using.


I painted on each of the papers, positioned them, and glued them down with Mod Podge.

This is the point where the doodle painting begins (An awesome Pinterest follower used the phrase "doodle paintings" to describe my work and I like it!). I collected some paper punches (particularly stars), painted over some of the scrapbook paper and the striped paper I'd created myself, then added layers of embellishments, and painted flowers, stars, dots, leaves, pennant garlands, and other designs, until it felt complete.



It felt complete, but I wasn't happy with it. It felt full, but bland.

It needed some more visual dimension in the form of deeper color. I contemplated using oil pastels for about five seconds, then brought out the watercolor paint.


After the watercolor dried, it felt finished. The process is complete!