Friday, November 25, 2011

Painting With Collage Has Me Wondering If It's Ever Complete

It's Paint Party Friday today and I am heading over there with my "completed" collage. I am still in a quandry as to whether it is actually complete, but hey....here it is... 

 In my blog post In The Studio Today Playing With Collage, I explained that I use these 5 X 5 inches squares as places to experiment with techniques and color layering.  I also don't like to waste paint, so I often take my leftovers and smear them around on these cubes.  Last time at Paint Party Friday, I posted an image of a 5 X 5 inch painting that I decided to collage over.  It started like this...


I trimmed a page out of an old dictionary.  The page is specifically about waves and wavelengths.  I thought it worked with the theme of the painting.  I had the idea of including some sort of image that I altered.  Looking through my images, I fell onto a pic of one of my finches and decided to try and use it.  I altered in the image using Picnik.  I tried a few things, like directly cutting out the bird.  Then I decided to use the part of the image that captured the cage.  I cut a silhouette of a bird out of that portion of the image.  I like the graphic quality of it.



I then added a totally cool vintage package of buttons still partially intact and a cut piece of burlap.







I really didn't know where this collage was going to go.  I just let it kinda develop by digging threw my piles of scraps, jars of stuff and such.  I even cut out a spot from a leopard printed tapestry fabric that I had previously used on my sister's Teacher Chair a few months back.  I worked it around atop the little burlap square and a figurative 'nest' for the finch emerged.


As you can see from the image above, I added a line of pale pink beads strung on a silver wire and a little metal flower to the burlap square too.  My finch are always collecting things and bringing them back to their nests.  I thought it only appropriate that this little guy did the same thing. 

Then I got this hair brained idea.  I have always disliked the sides of my little cubes because they are usually glob up with paint.  I decided to try something new to finish off the sides.


Using the black and white gingham fabric leftover from my Kitchen Cabinet Becomes An Open Shelf project, I finished off the sides, wrapping the fabric around the back and secured it with Modge Podge.









So here is how it stand now.  Do you think it is complete?? At first, I had wanted to add more of a top painting on this collage, but as it came along, I was too squeamish to put paint on the objects. I think I was too attached to them.  For example, the vintage button card is so cool, I didn't want to change it.  I decided to give it a little breathing room and come back to it.  Sometimes, I become less attached to my work when I allow my emotions to simmer.  But even today, I still haven't decided if it is done. 



So what do you think?? Is it done?  Do you think I should paint something over this?  Any ideas?  Let me know.  I think it is funny that one of these little squares that I use for experimentation of such has become something that I actually care about!!

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend.  I am heading out in just a few to go join the crazy shopping extravaganza known as Black Friday.  Fingers crossed that the deals are still there...

-The End-

17 comments:

Sinderella's Studio said...

interesting way to finish the edges, love it! thanks for sharing your in process!
cheers, dana

Netty said...

Beautifully collaged cube. Happy PPF and have a great weekend. x

WrightStuff said...

I really like it as it is. But you did ask what we might do so... I too would be tempted to paint over it, just so it all blends together. I would add one thin layer of a pale coloured paint at a time. But I would keep a damp rag at hand ready to wipe off if it didn't look right. Then I'd seal it with beeswax.

Will you be brave???? Do let me know what you decide to do next.

Gloria j Zucaro said...

I love the pieces of your collage all together. I like the graphic look of the bird, then the graphic print in the same colors to wrap the edges.

Tracey FK said...

I love the edges, but would kind of hit the rest with a thin wash of paint to tie it all together... I think this is so close to being really really special, I so often get to the stage you are at now and then panic a bit... I have put in so much I don't want to ruin it, but usually when I take that next step it works out for the best... lucky for you you could leave it as it is and it works, but I would say jump in and do a bit more xx

Rosie Kaplan said...

Maybe a gesso wash but leave the vintage buttons untouched!!

Paula - Buenos Aires said...

You WILL know. Even if you resist the idea, you´ll know if it´s ready or not. :)
Cool vintage buttons.

carol l mckenna said...

Looks wonderful ~ very textural, colorful and creative ~thanks, namaste, Carol (Share the Creative Journey) Happy PPF ^_^

Hybrid J said...

All the texture are working well together. Lovely!

Ayala Art said...

What a great mix of texture and colors! Really sweet and fun.

carlarey said...

Sure, keep going. Why not? I like the other suggestions to tie it all together with a light wash of paint.

Anne said...

Oh so cool, I love this. Great idea.

xox

Carolyn@Sweet Chaos Home said...

Very cute! Love the gingham and the buttons!

Unknown said...

I like what you are doing here. very interesting and it is very cool looking

- KAT -

JKW said...

OMGosh I love this. I too have a ton of vintage things from my grandmother and do not want to mark it up in any way. I love the use of the dictionary (someone else used pages too and I most love using these words to also tell a story). Thanks for sharing. Blessings, Janet PPF

Mandy said...

i really love every deep of this...it looks like you could hang it up on the wall no matter what ...its a great piece..xxx

Daniele Valois said...

This is really nice, and I love the fabric edging. Personally, I would paint some to bring it all together a bit more, but that is just me. I always overdo the paint!