Saturday, March 21, 2009

March, at last....

At last I have achieved an acceptable, to me, interpretation of the Calendar Girls inspiration for the month. This was the picture of the Earth from Above which Carol had chosen for us.

On of my first struggles was the colours, I have difficulty in working with such "definite" colours. My second problem was what technique to use.
When I was at school physical geography was my favourite subject, thus my delight in the book by Yann Arthus-Bertrand's "The Earth from Above", which my son gave me for Christmas a few years back. So I wanted to do something that would actually suggest the earth.
It started with a piece of canvas slightly larger than the 6x4 format we usually use.The canvas was collaged with painted watercolour paper,with the addition of painted scrim. The frame is contructed by the off cuts from bringing the canvas down to size. I hated it!. But a lot of work had gone into it so I took the sand paper to it in an effort to "knock it back a bit".

I still hated it. In true Lynda and Carol form I painted it with gesso and then repainted it. I was still struggling to relate it to the physical earth which I love. I suddenly thought of the mica sheets I had somewhere in my stash and actually managed to find them. I covered the card with sheets of mica and was so disgusted I forgot to photograph this stage. I was getting desparate by now, and thought I waa going to have to abandon the piece which had so much effort in it. In disgust I ripped of the mica sheets (when you're are mean with stash as I am this takes some doing)and Wow! Lo and behold there as the effect I had been striving for.


Sharon, you may not like it, though I hope you do but at least you will understand just what went into it.

6 comments:

Val said...

I reckon Sharon will absolutely love it Pat! I do!

Purple Missus said...

Pat - its brilliant. What a good job you didn't abandon it. :)
I love the way you are getting really experimental these days instead of playing it safe.
What pleases you the most about it, the finished effect as it is or the fact that you went through so much to get there in the end?

Paula Hewitt said...

the trials and tribulations, eh? If you hadn't detailed them i would have assumed that this is a very fine piece of mixed media art that turned out just the way you planned. i am a big fan of geography too, i would love that book. when i first saw the photo i though simple patchwork - but its a bit obvious really.

hippopip said...

Its great Pat and what trouble you went too to get there,well done.

Clare Wassermann said...

Occasionally a labour of hate becomes a labour of love!!

neki desu said...

Pat,
even the piece you hated was really cool. very pictorial.
great job alltogether!

neki desu