Thursday 3 February 2011

Birds of a feather

This is just me playing and experimenting, something I don't seem to do much of recently.

It's a postcard sized canvas board which I decided to try and stamp onto using tissue transfer. The process goes something like this:

Prep canvas with gesso, paint blue, add torn page from bird book and wording printed from PC, stamp image on tissue and apply with diluted PVA.

Allow to dry, decide it's not right, apply a liberal coat of gesso. Paint blue, add a bit more bird book page and a couple of bird postage stamps, apply tissue image again.

Allow to dry, decide it's still not right, so apply another coat of gesso and paint it blue again. (Does this sound familiar?). Stamp image onto thinner tissue and apply with dilute PVA. With a damp scourer scrub away layers of gesso/paint in the corners. Apply wording with fine brush, photograph, then stash away quickly before the urge to reach for the gesso strikes.

Paints are Stewart Gill. Image is unknown as it was bought second hand.

10 comments:

  1. You have me laughing again! You have a way with words!!!!!!!!

    It looks fab and the texture is really scrunchy...I love texture.
    You have got me wanting to have a try now. I don't normally do canvasses...but heigh, ho!!!

    Have you tried tranferring directly into wet gesso? (Let me know if not.)

    Lovely work!!!!
    Sue xx

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  2. Sooo funny the end result is great love the anonymous bird stamp!

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  3. Forgot to say love the Cubby Hole link... I want one :)

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  4. Great project, love the textured background, it really highlights the different tones in the blue. I know what you mean about not doing enough playing and experimenting. It certainly was worth putting the time aside for it. px

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  5. Lol, you made me smile as this is so true in my case. The amount of times I paint something and then paint over it with Gesso. Glad you persevered though as this canvas is great, love the birds. Tracy Evans x

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  6. You are funny Nigel with your description of this but the end effect is jolly good.xx

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  7. Brilliant description and so recognise it....lol Well worth the agony, great result. Annette

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  8. Yes, gesso is our friend! Your layers certainly turned out beautifully...I am a sucker for blue and birds...brilliant results Nigel!
    oxo

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  9. This came out really good and I love the blue. I must try that technique.

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  10. hi Nigel,
    yep what you have done I can totally relate to. The end result is fantastic and certainly worth the effort. Haven't seen anything arty for a while its great to see something different

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