The process of creating a painting....

I wanted to make my granddaughter, Ava, a birthday painting. I began by using the technique of a photo transfer where you take a photo and transfer the image into a gel and transfer it onto canvas.

Well, I have to admit.....it is starting out just awful. This isn't working. I'm taking a photo now to show you this "not working at all" stage. It would be easy to quit now and I am okay with throwing this away.
But I'm thinking.....in the area outside of the criticism of my mind..maybe if I can add enough layers of interest to this piece, I will then be able to distract the viewer from the fact that I can not paint. :) What I'm thinking is that the essence of Ava is her creative energy. Energy. I'm not really only wanting a picture of her. So it's not about painting well...it's about capturing my experience of Ava.
I think I'll keep taking another step and stay open to the possibility that, if I just stick with this,
it might work itself out.


I love Ava's art and her stylized way of drawing. I did a photo transfer of some of her pictures so they could be included on this painting.....
Adding the red doesn't do much........adding the white makes me feel a little better because I think I will add a verse that Ava was given to recite for her 7th birthday. At Waldorf school each child is given a verse on their birthday and each week they recite it in front of the class. I want to add Ava's verse on the white of this painting. But still......I don't really care for primary colors of red, white and blue. Hmmmm.....



Okay, here's my strategy....divert the eye from the painting technique by giving it other design elements to study.
The whole is better than the individual parts.
And it seems that by adding dots and stripes and more color, I am adding energy and movement which is the intention of this piece.
This just may work out......I'm kind of liking it now. :)




Now I think I'll add off white circles in the white area.... More is better :)


and more little dots on the green lines....


Now to add her Birthday verse in black felt tip pen.....


and now some paper leaves and a couple of flowers and a couple of rhinestones.....

Yea! I like it and I hope she does too.



Do you remember when you turned 8 yr. old?