Learn to collage fashion plate portraits in mixed media. Create your own hand-painted collage papers. Experiment with hand-painting, gel printing, stamping, and patterning paper through a multitude of techniques. Rip and glue and apply your papers in a painterly manner over the top of a female portrait made with charcoal drawing and painting. Classroom lecture and demos will be incorporated for all steps of the process.
During this comprehensive 3-day workshop you will learn a unique figurative mixed media collage technique. Emphasis will be on defining form using light and shadow, and treating every torn tidbit of paper as a brush stroke. Students will create impressionistic collages that look like paintings. Facial features will be rendered in black pastel and transferred from a reference photo, no portrait drawing experience necessary. Please size up your chosen reference image to match your substrate and bring it to class with you.
This class is focused on learning and growing creatively in a FUN environment. No prior collage experience is necessary. Some painting experience is helpful, however all levels are welcome.
WE WILL COVER:
How to choose a copyright free reference photo
How to create a compelling composition
How to create an encaustic effect ephemera collage base layer
How to transfer your photo to the substrate with graphite transfer paper
How to add shading and line quality with black pastel
How to create an under-painting with vibrant color and shading
How to paint your own collage papers with the gel plate
How to rip and glue and applying your papers in a painterly manner over the top of your under-painting.
How to tear with and without white edges
How to keep your pieces perfectly flat without cockling.
How to vary your paper brush marks in size and shape.
How to apply simple gold leaf as an accent to your composition.
*****Important Note: There is surface preparation required in advance for this workshop. Please watch these two videos and prepare your surface prior to traveling to Sedona. Please allow at least 24-48 hours for the effect to dry.
How to Build the Ephemera Base Layer
How to Create the Encaustic Material
How to Apply the Encaustic Mixture
I strongly suggest that you go as large format as you can travel with, as bigger is easier especially when it comes to facial features – 16 x 20, 18 x 24, 20 x 24. Be sure that your reference photo is sized up to the exact size of your substrate and either incorporate floral elements and accessories into your reference photo, or bring ideas and photos that you can use as reference to draw them in. We will embellish the portrait with jewelry, flora, hair crown, scarf, hat, etc. Please bring reference to work from.
Any questions, please email Elizabeth: elizabeth@paperpaintings.com
Sedona is surrounded by a magical landscape of red rock formations and high desert hills with beautiful Oak Creek meandering through it all. Come experience the Shangri-La of the Southwest, a beautiful learning environment with Art Colony roots going back nearly 100 years.
