Mixed Media Workshop with Chris Sullivan

Last Saturday I attended a one day workshop on mixed media taught by Chris Sullivan. In the painting I did I tried to use every technique she was teaching. It started with a quarter sheet of Arches watercolor paper, and the following was added:

     Gesso, applied with a spoon, bubble wrap, and plastic wrap, then scored a bit.
     Watercolor paint.
     More gesso to cover up some things I didn't like.
     More paint.
     Black ink, applied with a brush pen, not with an eye dropper or a stick, as she demonstrated.
     Watercolor crayons and watercolor pencils, dry and wet.

The highly texturized result was "Red Rock Canyon":

Grandchildren Give Good Art Advice

A few days ago, as an art exercise with my three older grandchildren (11, 9, 7), I pulled out three old paintings, laid them on the floor, and then gave each child small pieces of colored paper. I told them to take turns and place the pieces of colored paper on my paintings to make them look better. I was surprised at how much their changes improved the paintings, so I painted on those three again. The old paintings were photographed differently from the recent revisions, but you'll get the idea. Here are those three before and after.

Nightfall Canyon Trail after

Nightfall Canyon Trail

Let's Dance

Let's Dance After

Moody Day after

Moody Day