30 Paintings in 30 Days - Day 8

Work in progress, watercolor on paper, 20" x 20"
Day One of Nancy Frost Begin Workshop

Fezzik: Why are you wearing a mask? Were you burned by acid or something like that?

Dread Pirate Roberts: Oh no, it's just they're terribly comfortable. I think everyone'll be wearing them in the future.  
        from The Princess Bride

​Another delightful exchange courtesy of Fezzik and our favorite pirate.  And what a deflection!  Next time someone comments on something odd about me, I plan to remember this disarming method of retort!
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I wish I had a basketful of wise words for you today.

Instead, I have one exhausted brain after the first day of painting with Nancy Frost Begin, who is both delightful and extraordinarily talented.  Honestly, I didn't know 30 in 30 would be in February when I signed up for this, so you get my work samples from today instead of a finished piece.  But this counts, I think, since I literally created for the entire day!

So this method of creating begins with, in my case, a couple of shapes drawn onto a piece of paper.  The shapes are then collaged with tiny pieces of torn paper to create interesting colors, contrasts and textures.  The sample on the right is the jumping off point for the large work in progress.  The sample piece is 6" x 6", and consists of two shapes and four negative spaces.

Once the collaged piece is done, you transfer the design to a much larger piece, lay down a juicy watercolor background and then make it "dirty" by adding marks, scrapes, splatters etc.

​I'd love to tell you what's next...but I won't know until day two of the workshop.

Nancy has a great fascination with The Tudors, and this is one of a series.  Her jumping off point was a collage, and this piece allows you to see how that process comes to life in a painting.  There are bits in here a painter would likely never have considered without first beginning with a torn paper collage.

I think the mood on this queen's face is quite like mine was yesterday when a woman barged into the workshop, took over the spotlight and began marketing a product.  Ack!  So rude!  Off with her head! 

And with that, I am off to day two of the workshop. 

This second piece was created using the same shapes, placing them in different positions and choosing a different color and texture palette for the collage.  I happen to like this one quite a bit, especially because the background is doodly and sketchy.

Nancy's website is undergoing an overhaul, otherwise I would direct you right there!  Instead, enjoy this photo of one of her demo pieces from the workshop"