So, this is Part 2 of my Mercury Painting project. I found a good image for my 'Mercury' figure online and worked it down to just a black and white 2-tone graphic. I added a head band and wing, and he was ready for painting.
I transferred the figure onto the canvas with my handy Artograph Tracer and collaged a sheet of Chinese gold leafed paper I have been hoarding for nearly a decade onto his heart (this is where I intend to write the periodic table info for the element mercury). I also added torn paper image transfers into the shadows areas. I covered an area with Golden Matte Gel Medium, then burnished a photocopied image face down into the wet medium, waited approx. 1 minute and pulled. This created a random shredded image fragments and paper residue patches to enliven my base wash. I used photocopies of Japanese tourist info about NY city and black & white environment concept drawings from an old Anime.
Once the collage layer had fully dried I began painting the figure in a mix of Pthalo Blue and Turquoise Golden Fluid Acrylics mixed with Mantegna Gloss Medium and PearlEx Micro Pearl. I wasn't too careful, deliberately spattering and smearing the paint to create movement, variety of texture and tone.
Now that the primary graphic elements had been established I sought to develop the remaining spaces with symbolic representations of Mercury. More internet research.
i love it. i confess i almost didn't notice the wing at first! very subtle. can't wait to see more!
ReplyDelete