How I did it...Creative Corner Inspiration

I posted a picture on Instagram and on my Kirsten Reed Designs Facebook page of a piece I created this week.  This is a short pictorial "how I did it" for you to watch my process. (I apologize again for the poor quality camera photos, I must remember to bring my REAL camera in the art studio when I decide to paint!)

(1) First, I selected a variety of vintage wallpapers, ephemera, sheet music, etc.  I tore them to assemble a loose collage.  I then glued these papers to my canvas.  When I say I glue them, I basically decoupage them.  Glue on bottom and on top.  Dry it.

(2)  After the papers are dry I decide what kind of color palette I am going to add to it.  I chose pale greens, desert turquoise and mix between the two for this piece.  I used a sponge brush and palette knife to apply randomly.  At this point I still had no "image" in mind.  Sometimes, my pieces will sit as a background for days or weeks until I decide to use it or have an idea for it.  In this case I decided to sketch a girl and remembered a saying I had seen that I loved.  I thought this was a beautiful message.  I imagined my girl wishing on a butterfly.

(3) I used a marks all pencil and sketched my girl.  Any pencil will do, charcoal too. Just whatever you you are comfortable with.  I am not an artist and can't draw, that is why I like to keep my pieces whimsical and light.  I like them to have an easy going feeling to them.

(4) The rest is history. I just added more layers of color to the background and filled in the girl with color.  I used acrylic paints.  Some cheap paints, some Golden fluids.  I used a couple of sprays too ~ adding in yellow and magenta.  I have learned to add warm colors after the cool colors dry so you don't create mud. I also used Faber Castell pens for highlighting and a black pen to define things.  Then I stamped on the saying I wanted and sprayed the entire piece with a matte fixative.  I decided I didn't want my girl to be in clothes ~ it felt too confining for the piece, so I made it look like she was coming out of a garden, or perhaps a waterfall? :)

Visit my Instagram site and see this piece for yourself ~ the quality is a bit better!  I hope you enjoy it and go create something beauty FULL!