AWNB Just Clowning Around Challenge

For Art With No Boundaries' new fortnight challenge, the themes are Anything Goes with the bonus round of Just Clowning Around. . This week I was able to play with the new CS Designs oval harlequin digital image and the manuel cut spirelli templates. What a wonderful combination! I love harlequins and this one is a beauty. Plus there are so many spirelli templates that it's always a tough choice.

When I create, I usually start by colouring the image first. Then it more or less whispers to me where to take the rest of the design. I might have a general idea before I start but the face usually gives me a push in a certain direction. To colour her face, I used my Prismacolor pencils with a little OMS to blend. Once the face was finished, I had this vision of a harlequin suit with a big ruffled collar. That determined the spirelli design I used (Solarflare) and wrapped with sparkly embroidery floss. She also needed bling on the points of her neck ruffle to make it more festive and elegant.  To suggest clothing, I printed a harlequin diamond pattern on the computer and chose tiny white buttons for the front.

 For the foundation, I decided to use a canvas in order to create an art journal type of background since a canvas holds up well to all of the mediums and layers I use. I wanted it to be messy and gray with lots of texture but it couldn't distract from her outfit and lovely face. I started out with gray acrylic paint on an 8"x10" canvas. Then I stippled white acrylic over a doily. Next I just started playing with anything that inspired me from my bin of textures: spray ink  and acrylic over stencils (at least 3 or 4), through punchinella, and over netting; dry-brushing; stamping randomly with various stamps on my table. For this, you don't want anything with a distinct shape since that will catch your eye and distract from the image. I used primarily grays, white, and black with a little silver and copper thrown in here and there.

This is what the canvas looked like before I layered the harlequin image over it. There are no rules so it's a very free and intuitive process.

Once everything was adhered to the canvas, I gave her the final touches: some glittery butterflies with bling bodies; the title, Mystique, and its definition because it seems to fit her expression; some foil spirals; and a great big organza bow under Mystique's chin. She and I were both happy with the finished piece, and I certainly enjoyed the process. I know this lovely face and I will meet again many times. She's very versatile.

Come join in the fun this week at Art With No Boundaries. Be sure to check out the projects done by the rest of the DT. They are sure to inspire you to play in this challenge.

Life is good; so is art.
Bonnie