For John who asked "How is that done?"

 

So, I have been working on My Japanese composition, but as is with many art works it is on hold for a while, so I can regroup and decide where I want to go with it, more on that painting later....
But, In the Meanwhile,  A few friends and I on Facebook were looking at
a composition done in threads and trying to figure out how it was done.
This is the work, and sadly I do not know who the artist is, so if anyone out there does, please let me know and I will give proper credit to this fabulous artisan.

The discussion on how this work was composed opened up another world to me.
And that is about how many people "Look" at art and wonder just that!
"How was this done?"
While I do have an idea, I am not sure, but for my many non`artist friends I will try to show you some of the products I use to get the looks I do.
The other day I was looking at a Cedar tree that did not make it through the Winter.
The fronds were a Golden Yellow and really quite beautiful.
So I snipped a few off the poor tree and brought them in thinking "Maybe I can do something with this."

They were so elegant in the way they fanned out.
So the problem was what to do?

I got out my old Window (Yes, an Old Window framed is a wonderful base to pour medium on and enables easy removal when the pouring medium is dry).

I cleaned it so the glass was streak/dust free, edged the sides with Duct tape to the size I wanted the completed gel to be.

Then I poured a good amount of "Goldens" self leveling clear gel  on the area I was going to use.

This is a good clear loose pouring medium.

I spread it out so I had about 1/4 " in total coverage and then began dropping the fronds on top.
While doing this I would snip the fronds that were too high or turned and repositioned them on the gel.

 I ended up with this.

Most of the fronds were covered, and I set it outside to dry after placing tin foil below the glass to heat (and quicken up) the get to enable to speed the drying process up.

 You can see the foil attached to the underpart of the glass to allow quicker heating in the Sun.

I let it dry fully (about two days, and added another layer of gel atop so that 99% of the fronds were now covered in the medium and set it out to dry again.
(The Sun works wonderfully in tandem with the foil in speeding up this process)
You can see some of the areas that are almost dry if you enlarge this photo by clicking on it.
These areas are mainly between the fronds where the darker foil is beginning to see through."Once fully dry and totally clear with no clouding at all I peeled the acrylic skin off the glass and ......
And I ended up with this.

A somewhat plyable clear skin (almost like a clear rubber)

that is glassy and contains the frond.
The two following photos show how clear the medium becomes,
I held it up to the Dining room window for an example.

 Now I have to decide what to do with this, but in the meanwhile it is resting on Parchment paper waiting to be affixed to a canvas and adorned.

It is important to know that the Acrylic skin is very adhesive and will stick to itself

 easily.
Parchment paper is a wonderful product that nothing sticks to so I use it as a kind of folder for the skin until I am ready to use it.
I hope this made sense to all of you.
More on this later as well.....
Later all

~~Kathleen

What if?

 As most of my artist friends are aware, I have a deep and long love for the Japanese Wood Cut artisans from the 16th century on.
The simplicity and beautiful detail these artisans produced, have fascinated me from the earliest I can remember.
Every detail and stroke has so much meaning.
I have used some parts of these woodcuts in my art already 

and thought the other day,
"What if two totally different artists work were combined?
How would their work compare side by side or impressed upon each other?

The first print is from a woodcut  Named

 "Portrait of Ono no Komachi" 

by Kiyonaga (circa late 1700s)

the second is
named
"The drum Bridge and Yuhi Hill at Meguro"

by Hiroshige
Circa 1856/58

 

If I combined the two of these prints  as one, keeping the integrity of both paintings, I would end up with something like this: 

 this is a project that will take a great amount of thinking and detail.
My eyes are still covered in Cataracts so I have to work very patiently and carefully.
(Thank goodness for the "Zoom" feature on my Mac!)
I will update everyone as I start this and hopefully I can make something that will not cause the "Realists" to toss their hands up in disgust!
Wish me Luck
~~Kathleen

A bit different from my Norm.

"Is She?"
Acrylics & Mixed media
on Birch cradled Panel
20" X 20"
SOLD

This has been a long work, firstly because my eyes are still not fixed, and secondly because I am treading in uncharted waters with the mixed media applications here.

Initially I was roaming on line looking at different Art blogs that centered on Mixed media.
I happened to see a work that is somewhat similar to my end result, but by following the instructions the Artist gave was able to replicate the illusion of a cliff reaching out to the sky.
Like it was floating on another world.

What I did find very interesting was the way one could make the bottomside of the cliff look realistic.
It was done by molding stones/rocks out of polymer clay. and affixing them to the painting to emulate what the underside of a cliff might seem to look like.

Having no polymer clay, I improvised using light molding paste, and after shaping the rocks, I dried them on Parchment paper.
(Note:  The rocks as such did not fully dry until about four days had passed )

But, being impatient, I affixed them with Heavy gel, and worked carefully around them in the soft stage.
I sprinkled some Cat litter on the cliff and painted over that.
(the look of gravel and dirt.)
Then (again improvising) I coloured some tar gel a deep Jenkins green, inserted the gel into a large syringe and squirted the gel in random patterns as if it were roots growing down.I let it all dry for a couple of days and started painting in the bottomside of the cliff.
I started with a Bronze metallic paint, and wiped a lot of it off leaving highlights.
I let that dry for a day.
In turn I applied Reds/Ochres/Greens and Yellows again, letting each colour dry between applications.
Finally I applied a Green/Gold atop everything wiped it off randomly and was ready for the last step.
I used Gold interference paint and lightly brushed that on let it dry a bit and using a damp soft cloth wiped the most part of that of....The Stones now had a sheen.


Then to the top.
I created an edge to the cliff on both sides with heavy gel mixed with molding paste.
The sky texture was created by using molding paste and a long Palette knife stroked across the Panel with long right to left strokes in a random manner.
Nothing was smoothed out.
I knew I was going to insert a figure so I left the area behind that relatively smooth.
I went to Pose Maniacs and searched for a nude female image that "said" what I wanted.
I downloaded it, and re painted it on  paper, transferred it to my computer and reprinted it on photographic paper.
I cut her out with an exacto knife, and affixed her to the panel.
Then I started painting a somewhat sheer robe on her (again) with the "wind" blowing it from right to left.
My initial wash paint of the robe was done in interference paint (a mauve hue)
I then used Zinc white for the initial stages of the robe and let the washes dry between applications.
The interference paint shined through the Zinc white giving the robe depth.
Eventually just a hint of the nude body behind the robe was showing and the whole effect was quite pleasing.
There was a lot of "Movement" to her robe.



Initially I placed a "moon" in bas-relief in the upper right corner of the painting, but it did not work, so I removed that recovered the area with molding paste and painted in a smaller moon in white.  I edged the right side with Yellow as if a Sun was hitting it and worked in Silver interference paint around the left side.  The end result was much more pleasing.
Back to the cliff bottom.
I used a #0000 rigger brush dipped in a dark brown wash and lightly painted in the roots emerging out the bottom of the cliff, often following the gelled roots down to the edge.
I highlighted a lot of the roots in the cliff in the same way and achieved a consistent look to them.
On the advise of a good friend, I darkened the bottom of the cliff somewhat and touched up the top area where she is standing with highlights.

I darkened the bottom and Changed the moon/planet.
The end result is at the top of this blog.
And she was done.
I am pleased that I came across the blog with the directions on how to achieve this effect!
One problem, somehow I have lost the link to the artist and her blog, so if it is you, please let me know and I will link to your initial instructions.
I Am very grateful for your help with this.
~~Kathleen


Comments and critiques are always welcome.
(If you are not a member of Blogger just insert your name into your comment and I will post it as such, Thanks)

Just a short explanation re my absense.....

I apologise for the absence here recently.
I have been having a bit of a time with my eyes as of late and the problem 

seems to be that I have developed Cataracts on both eyes.
While they have not been a problem up until now, I am beginning to experience

difficulty with my abilities to decipher close-up images.

So, while I will not be painting for a bit, I will try to maintain my blog with reports on my fellow Artists works.
As we all know Surgery re this affliction is very successful in this Modern day and age.
I have no fears, and look forward to painting again once the surgery is complete.
'Till then, let us celebrate artists that I so admire.

Thanks everyone.
~~Kathleen

"A True Artist of the North" More photos added.

"Camp Nanuk"

 Every once in a while we happen to meet someone so special that they constantly interact with what is good and nice in us.
As artists,  Diane Riley I have have started a page on Facebook for the artist to  exchange ideas. This site is without the political influences that are so common in the very large sites.
The artists involved in this site have no particular Genre of art but it is amazing at the diversity of the group.

"Mother with cubs"

One of our group....Kelsey Eliasson....is an artist with great talent.
He is very involved with Dog sled racing, Polar Bears and lives in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada during 

"Bear Season".

Otherwise he lives in the Yukon

on the highway that leads travelers/tourists into Whitehorse, in the Yukon, Canadas true North.
There he  managing his Art studio

 (The Outhouse Gallery)

Kelseys art for the most part, depicts the Wildlife and Peoples in the North of Canada with a unique style and great sensitivity.
Kelseys Art is vibrant and full of life.
He paints in colours so vivid they  are a strong contrast to what the average person thinks
The North is like.

 

"Gold Rush"

Kelsey also has a  has a blog.
A blog about Churchill, Manitoba,Canada and its' interaction with Polar Bears during "The Season"
When the bears come on land to mate, and give birth before they head back on to the ice flows.
The insight that Kelsey gives us about living in an area that is famous for Polar Bears is eye-opening and very down to Earth.

 He tells us about how the bears are air-lifted to "jail" tagged, and marked to be released when the Ice forms.....quite often by air to a destination far away.

Kelsey tells us about "Dancer" a well known (Bear) visitor to Churchill and his antics.....seems Dancer is a kind of Icon in the area.



"Portage"

I urge you to check out not only his art, but his blogs. 
In them he will give you a realistic point of view

of life in the far North today.  

The unique problems faced by those who live with the bears, 

and 

a tongue in cheek look at how the "Outsiders" opinions on the area usually differs from those of the residents.

Kelseys art:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150279699245565.506528.774885564&type=1
______________

To follow this blog and the wonderful writings of Kelsey Eliasson follow this link, you will not be disappointed.

http://www.polarbearalley.com/blog/index.php/2012/10/25/polar-bear-blog-snow-day-and-bear-day/
______________
The Bear season project.

Seasonal blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/PolarBearProjectID: 85967-kathleen_sauerbrei-7cfc0cf460945bb161b27c580a229bdb
____________

A couple of photos from Kelseys Blog;

 The infamous "Dancer"

~~

Curiosity is Quite normal with these bears.
Everything and everyone is fair game to them.


A series of photos showing just who is in charge here.
I sure would not want to tangle with this bear.

~~Kathleen
All comments and observations welcome.  Please identify yourself if you are not a member of Blogger, so I can post your message.