Here’s another painting I’ve been working on. I completed this part the week before last.

First, I drew the sketch outline in my notebook. i’d been mulling over how to use some birdcage scrapbook supplies I had bought and I liked the idea of combining the caged and flying birds with a summer theme. Then I re-drew the final image onto a 12×10″ canvas panel. I don’t use any fancy transfer method, I just redraw the image on the board.

Initial sketch and transfer

Next I painted the skin base. I use acrylic for my faces – 2 colours of peach with white. I put in basic shading and highlights at this stage. I rarely finish the face at this point, I like to decide on outfits and hair before I finalise her skin tone, eye and lip colour.

Painting in the skintones

But before I decide on clothing I do the background. I decided on an orangey-browny-green theme overall to match some fabric I wanted to use for the dress. The background is done in orange and yellow watercolour crayon, with a smidge of green near the bottom.

Watercolour background

Before I add any more background I painted in the dress. I used a bright green acrylic in one colour as it matched the material I wanted to use. This is just an under layer to get rid of the white. I’ve found some materials go semi-transparent once collaged and I don’t want white poking through.

Painted dress dress

At this point I couldn’t decide what to do with her hat or hair, so I popped it on the bookshelf where I could see it all the time and waited for inspiration to strike. I’m a firm believer that if at first you don’t succeed, it’s the universe telling you to go and do something else for a while.

Forcing yourself to finish a project that has no deadline, for no reason other than ‘to finish it’ is a disaster waiting to happen. There lies frustration, tears and throwing things across the room in a huff. Better to step back and disengage til you have an idea.

Tune in tomorrow for part two/