I've wanted to do a canvas for a while but I'm afraid. I don't know why a canvas is scary. It just a flat surface and I can gesso over it if I really screw it up. Today, I decided I wanted to do something a little larger than a book page. I really wanted to work on canvas but chickened out in the end. This is done in a "book" I recycled from a job years ago. I worked on it "as if" it was a canvas.
I began by painted the page with gesso. Then I used a light purple paint over the gesso leaving some white peaking through. I cut the vase from a page I'd taken out of my altered book. I folded the paper in half so that I could get my vase to be the same on both sides. I lightly painted the vase with a shade darker purple than my background. I gave it a couple coats. Finally I finger painted the stripes with a darker purple.
The flowers are cut from two Sizzix dies using chipboard. I gessoed them and then painted them with craft paints. After they were dry I peeled one of the chip board layers off the back of the flowers so they would not be too bulky in my book. I used a round brush to paint the greenery and stems and then arranged the flowers. Scotch Quick Dry Glue was used to attach the flowers. I used a Hero Arts background stamp for the text background in a purple and then in white. I used a black Stabilo Pencil around one side of the vase for a tiny shadow. The final touch was to outline the flowers with a white water based Sharpie Paint Marker.
I am amazed that I did this piece. I'm so pleased with my progress. I now believe that I can do a canvas. Thanks to all of you who visit my blog and encourage me. I treasure your comments. I appreciate your encouragement so much.
Link : Artist Play Room, A Year in the Life of An Art Journal , Creative Everyday
