I created the above paintings from photo references that my sister took of my Granddaughters while they played hide and seek after my daughter’s wedding. Thank you to my sister for allowing me to paint from them.
I love the technique I used to create them so will share how I created the top one with you.
In the first step, I toned a piece of 140lb Arches coldpress with abstract color. I had to get this layer dark enough so it would show through the rice paper I was going to glue on top of it.
I then covered the entire surface with torn pieces of textured and transparent rice papers, overlapping them as I went. I mixed my glue with 1 part water to 3 parts acrylic matte medium. This created numerous textures over the surface of my abstract. I applied the glue on the underside of the papers and thinly over the top side of them with my brush, making sure I pushed any air bubbles from under the papers. I allowed this stage to dry overnight.
I then drew my subject on the format in graphite. Yes. You can erase, easily, on this surface.
I painted.
…and painted
…and painted.
I really enjoyed this surface. It was much like when I paint on toned Masa Paper pieces. I found I could lift and blend color if it dried too flat looking. Some of the pigment would trail along a torn piece of the rice paper and add more texture. Sometimes when I rubbed my brush over a dried painted area, interesting textures would show through like in the lower right hand quadrant of the second little girl, above. The glow of the original underpainting showed through in some areas, adding to the piece.
To finish the painting I added white gouache to the larger girl’s dress and veil. In the second painting I added the white gouache to leaf forms and tiny flowers. I chose to fade the bottom of both pieces to show the textures of the papers and make the paintings appear significant of a memory.
I liked this technique enough to want to do more of them.