These are the most recent two paintings I have finished. The tree frog has a saran wrap print background that I returned and painted in each abstract shape by following the pattern that the saran wrap left. To get that print, I wet the entire background with juicy watercolors. I was careful to not wet any portion of the frog. I then took large sheets of saran wrap and crinkled them atop the washes, covered it with another drawing board and added the weight of several books atop the board. I left this overnight for the pigment to dry before removing the saran wrap. If you remove the saran wrap too soon, the water will soften and sometimes disturb any design. The background came out too light, so I repainted each individual section wet on dry and wet-in-wet.
The rice paper abstract began with a grunge background like I explained here.
I layered in some watercolor I wanted to use for this abstract and allowed it to dry.
I select various rice papers with textures and colors I think might go with what I already have and begin glueing them to the surface of the paper. I use a mixture of acrylic matte medium of one part water to four parts matte medium. I blot each paper as I glue it on so there is little glue residue left on the surface of the paper. I allow that initial layering to dry and paint or add gesso splatter and marks, more watercolor and ink marks and allow that layer to dry.
finished painting
I alternate layers of media, in this manner, until I feel I have developed a center of interest and decide I am done.
24 Comments
Your painting experiments always turn out a success. These are lovely
Thank you!
Sounds like a cool technique. I’m going to have to try that. N.
Oh, I hope you do! Thank you for the comment.
That is a neat technique Leslie! I really like your tree frog. Looks like I am going to have to do some experimenting. Thanks for sharing.
It is time consuming but fun watching the pattern appear. Thank you, Susan.
Wow that tree frog is amazing!! I love that so much. 😍Wonderful abstracts as well!
Thank you, Charlie!
Love the frog! Had to check that ‘saran wrap’ is ‘cling film’ in the UK – which it is!
Yes. I forgot you called it something different. I rarely use it but demo the technique for one of my watercolor classes. I thought it would go well with this little guy. Thank you, designsweet!
Awesome! Adore that frog!!!
Thank you, Jodi!
Really beautiful, both images
Thank you, kestralart!
They are both amazing! Hardest part is choosing my favorite of the two! And thanks soo much for explaining your process. Bravo!
Thank you, Laura!
You tree frog is very cute! I like the way the saran wrap breaks up the background – almost like a mosaic or stained glass effect.
Thank you, Ruth!
Complicated technique Leslie – thanks for your detailed explanation, it’s good of you to share these things. What an adorable froggie! He has great presence, almost regal….which leads me on of course, to him being a prince awaiting a kiss from his princess to set him free. Despite having so much green, you’ve managed to make him clearly stand out from the beautifully textured background. I’ve often thought about painting a frog but have wimped out – now you’ve made me reconsider. The abstract is very pleasing on the eye – for a moment I though I spied a gold seahorse.
Ha! He’d make a great Prince!! I have an image of a toad that I want to try someday because he has such an interesting mottled texture to him but have backed away because I haven’t been able to think how best to capture that texture yet. Yep, I thought the same with the seahorse. Thank you, June!
Hi Leslie. That tree frog is gorgeous and the background makes me think of all the ripples and highlights in the water. I love what looks to me like a smile and I think he’s about to hop right off that leaf.
Your abstract has interesting colors and shapes. I see a cobra and what looks to me like genie shoes. Uh oh. I hope the cobra wansnt hungry. 🙂
Thank you, Carol. Yes, now I can see the cobra idea, too! Thank you for that! 🙂
Love that frog, especially his cute and very dimensional face! And your saran wrap technique is really cool. Fantastic! I don’t have much to say about the abstract, except it is an interesting process! I do think the blue that came in at the end really pulls it together nicely. 🙂
Thank you, Cindy! 🙂