The Evolution of a Painting
A Photographic Record of the Stages in the Production of a Painting
("Written These Words of Mine")
Each layer created in the production of this painting was allowed to dry thoroughly before proceeding on to the next step.
Stage I
The blank 18" x 18" stretched canvas I started with.
Stage II
Two scraps of unstretched canvas.
Stage III
One of the above scraps of canvas painted with sparse acrylic paint brushstrokes.
Stage IV
The second scrap of canvas painted similarly, but with a differing color scheme.
Stage V
The first painted canvas scrap, torn into small pieces.
Stage VI
The second painted canvas scrap, torn into small pieces.
Stage VII
A blank piece of white foam board.
Stage VIII
The above piece of foam board, painted with acrylics.
Stage IX
The painted piece of foam board, cut into small pieces.
Just before the following stage in the production of this painting, the 1.5"-thick edges of the canvas were covered with some of the scraps of painted unstretched canvas seen in Stage V and Stage VI above. The torn and painted canvas scraps were adhered using acrylic matte medium, and were allowed to dry thoroughly before proceeding on with the stage described just below. This is actually yet another stage in the creation of this piece, but I've not shown it here, as I was unable to get decent photographs of those edges. The effect these edges of this canvas has on the viewer when the painting is hung at eye level or just above is quite striking. The thick edges, particularly covered with the textured torn canvas scraps as they are, give an almost sculptural feel to this work.
Stage X
The blank canvas, with colored ink and colored pencil scribbles added. The black areas are smeared charcoal scribbles. This layer was finished off with a spray fixative.
Stage XI
Seven pieces of the torn painted scrap canvas glued onto the painting as collage with acrylic matte medium. Then, addition of a few "scribbled" brush strokes of green and blue
Stage XII
Masking of most of the painting with tape. The rectilinear shapes left unmasked will be painted in the following step.
Stage XIII
Unmasked areas of the painting painted with warm earth tones and masking tape removed.
Stage XIV
More colored ink scribbles added, and yellow and purple watercolor pencils used to make scribbles to which then water was applied, creating the "smeared" patches of color seen above. This layer was finished off with a spray fixative.
Stage XV
Most of the canvas again masked off with tape, leaving different areas exposed as were in Stage XII.
Stage XVI
Unmasked areas of the painting painted with aqua blue acrylic paint, and then masking tape removed.
Stage XVII
Thin white acrylic paint spattered across the canvas.
Stage XVIII
Six rectangular pieces of colored paper applied as collage to the painting with acrylic matte medium, and an original poem of mine collaged onto one of these pieces of colored paper. To read the poem, go to the "Written These Words of Mine" page, where this painting is offered for sale and described.
Stage XIX: The Finished Painting
The painted foam board pieces from Stage IX adhered to the rectangular colored paper collage. The final step in creating this painting was a brushed-on finish of Mod Podge.