Transformation Drawings

"Layers," approximately 42x36", Mixed Media (Will specify under each image)

Layer 1; Rembrandt black pastel, willow charcoal, sepia ArtGraf

    For this layer, I used my hands and water to spread medium all over the paper. This entire project was a very hands-on and experimentally cathartic experience.

Layer 2; Gesso

    For the second layer, I again used my hands as a brush and smeared gesso over the surface of the drawing. I enjoyed the way the underlying mediums interacted with the white gesso.

Layer 3; Rembrandt black pastel, joint compound

    For this layer, I decided to take a few steps backward into a more familiar area. In personal work and previous pieces, I have often used stippling and small repetitive clusters of marks. I also had joint compound on me at the time and decided to create thick peaks of it on the paper.

Layer 4; Black acrylic paint

    For my fourth layer, I decided to cover most of the paper in black paint. As I painted, the peaks of joint compound started to break off, so I went ahead and ripped most of the rest off as well. I like the juxtaposition of the clusters of white dots next to the still visible clusters of black circles, and I really enjoyed the fact that it stayed shiny and slick-looking even after it dried.

Layer 5; Gesso, water, glue, pink metallic paint

   I started off with just adding a repeating scale-pattern in gesso over the whole paper, but it felt too similar to the black circular layer. To remedy this, I dumped glue and water onto the paper and mixed it around with my hands before spreading pink paint over the slick surface. This was a rather fun layer.

Layer 6: Wood glue, water, blue metallic paint

   For my final layer, I decided to experiment more with how glue, water, and paint all react and interact with each other. Similarly to the previous layer, I spread water and wood glue around, then mixed blue paint in. With this layer though, I really dug my fingers into the paper to get those blue stripes and trails of paint. I then poured even more wood glue over the top and let it sit, and the blue paint naturally mixed with the edges and looked interesting. I got overzealous with the water in this one, though, and the paper warped quite a bit when it dried.