"Crow Study #3", mixed media on canvas, 8"x10"

This crow was just calling for me to paint it. I started it back in November over Thanksgiving weekend. I was stuck at the BWI Amtrak station for a few(?) hours and was working on it in the corner of the station.

I look at some of these subject as a challenge. I don't trace anything from a photo. I could very easily draw some sketch lines to make sure that everything is proportioned correctly, but what is the fun in that? So, what do I do instead? I put in a few light pencils lines so I know how big I want the image to be. Then, I start someplace. The beak or eye is usually a good place to start. I start drawing and coloring using my Prismacolor pencils as I go so there really isn't a preliminary sketch per say. I look at the image and make judgements on where to place things based on their position on the image. I notice things that help guide me in this. Is his black shadow two eyes lengths away from the eye? It looks like it so I proceed from there. Everything is in relation to its position with everything else in the image. When you think of it, it is sort of some mental gymnastics that can be frustrating at times but I actually enjoy!

One of my artistic goals for 2023 is to learn more mixed media techniques to use in my paintings. I stumbled across this book, a few years ago and knew I had to buy it. A lot of art books about mixed media are aimed at beginners. I found this book spoke to us that already have an art practice and want to explore more.

I have been dog-earing pages in the book on things I want to try in my art. There are so many techniques that I have never heard before. What I like about this book is that it has a lot of pictorial examples and the instructions are brief and straight-forward.

One of the techniques from the book I used was called "pulled paper". I copied a page from my thrift store book "Birds Worth Knowing". I scanned it and enlarged it and printed it backwards on my inkjet printer. I used soft gel medium to transfer the image to my background and I was surprised it worked.

I added some vintage lace in the corner because I felt like it was screaming for something more. I varnished it all twice with Liquitex Pouring Medium for a glossy finish. Here is a video of the final product.

What do you think? This painting is now available to purchase in my online store. Click the link below to get to that page.

Crow Study #3, Mixed Media on Gallery Wrap Canvas,8"x10"

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Thank you for reading this post on my process for "Crow Study #3". I will be posting more on my art processes in the future.

P.S.-This post contains Amazon Associates Affiliate links. Supposedly if you click on the link and purchase the product I am supposed to make a small fee off the purchase. I wouldn't know because I have yet had anyone click the link and buy something. Maybe I will earn enough to buy some erasers some day. LOL!