Saturday, July 08, 2017

In the Garden - process and print!

It's been a couple of weeks since I finished this painting, but I wanted to be sure to share - I know some of you enjoy seeing my process through a painting. This one is titled "In the Garden",  and I learned so much while I painted it!


These are irises from my garden, so I started with a reference photo and a background I had been buildling slowly while working on other projects. I love the serendipity of that process, and the beauty of unplanned layers of paint and color, stenciling, stamping, brushing or brayering. I also tested out a new-to-me product, Saral Transfer Paper. I was able to sketch out my design on butcher paper then trace it to transfer the lines to my canvas panel. I used the white, but there are other colors available - I think I'll be getting the graphite next.


To 'prime' the areas for the flowers, I started with a base coat or 2 of white acrylic paint.


I blocked in some color and shadow areas, then proceeded with layers of color, adding more details as I built up.


I love this next photo because you can see the contrast between the almost-finished bloom and the still-in-progress one. I added a gel transferred hymn sheet to the background after I had started adding details - that was a little scary, and also a learning experience. I do love incorporating hymns and songs into my work, and I'll continue exploring that theme in the future.


I finished this piece in time to enter it in a local show, and it actually won 3rd place in the professional mixed media division and got a lot of positive comments! I have really enjoyed connecting with the artists' community in this area.


I'd love to be able to share this artwork with you, and I have a couple of options - prints are available in my store, and I've also converted the sketch into a coloring page that can be printed on a full sheet or resized for a card front!


That's in my store as well, as an instant download. I'd love to see what you do with it, and if you'd like to see more coloring sheets like this, please let me know! I have lots of stamp art that would translate so easily into this format.

Cheers!

Thanks for stopping by!

8 comments:

  1. Hi Dina, thanks for sharing the process of your painting! It's gorgeous and I like the transparency of the leaves in the background, it inspires me to get my paints out.......warmly Miranda

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  2. Well first place must have been a knockout. This is beautiful.I am always amazed at the wonder of nature. An Iris is so thin and comes out of such a tight bud. Just Gods perfect hand.

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  3. STUNNING! First place in my book!!!!

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  4. Oh Dina!! It's just lovely! I wanted to purchase the coloring page but it said it was already sold. If you restock (?) please let me know. Hugs and blessings

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    1. I wasn't thinking! The coloring page is back in the store now. Thank you so much

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  5. Wow, Dina, this is gorgeous, and I loved seeing the "in process" photos as you develop this stunning piece of art. I can only imagine what first place was...and think this should have won first place! I absolutely love the hymn in the background and really love the shadows in the petals...amazing gift God has given you, my friend! I tried to download the image, but it says "Sorry, this item has been sold." Keep on creating...I love it all! Hugs!

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    1. I wasn't thinking! The coloring page is back in the store now. Thank you so much for your kind words - the first place piece was truly jaw dropping and deserved to win.

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  6. Thank you for sharing your gorgeous creation! I love irises!
    Hugs, Sherry x
    Loose Stitches and Unraveled Threads

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