Opposing Spaces

I love the challenge of working with the positive and negative spaces. This painting is like a puzzle. My color plan is built upon the primary colors.

If you take my summer class in negative painting you will have the opportunity to try this painting.   Here is a step by step of how it is done.  The entire painting is done with watercolor.   This is a picture of the drawing. I begin with a small portion of the composition.

This second image  above shows the first coat of paint. I used Cobalt Blue, Antwerp Blue, Lavender and Horizon Blue.. Notice that I have drawin in additional blossoms. This was done after the first wash of color dried.

Now come some darker values of color. I am using the same pigments with less water plus mauve and Royal Blue.

 See below that the painting is now looking more finished. I have finished surrounding the flowers with darker values and will need to shadow all the areas where petals overlap.

 Below is a close up of the finished painting.  I love this style of painting as it reminds me of doing a puzzle. The end result is not representational but instead, unpredictable and painterly!

 This is the full size finished painting. It took me 4 hours to complete with the use of my hair dryer. Hope you enjoyed. See more on http://www.janehalliwell.com

Stained Paper Collage with a New Technique to share

This is a step by step presentation a collage. Years ago I had hooked the same piece in fiber.  The piece measures" only 12"x12"   but it took many hours to create.

Below is the step by step and at the end I will explain the raised paper technique.

The raised paper is painted silk tissue which is tough. It does not work well with artist grade tissue.  It is sewn through the paper which is 300lb Arches watercolor. I used a tapestry needle.   The piece will be framed using spacer bars so that the raised area will be seen.   I hope you enjoy this!!    I will be teaching a class on Watercolor Collage at Maryland Hall for the Arts in Annapolis Maryland beginning in March.

Blue Eggs

Happy New  Year---   I love eggs--- they represent  new birth and the first sign of spring!!!     Abstracts can be challenging. There has to strong design or they won't work.   Here is one to start 2015!  Note the simple color plan with the orange accents.  The background is entirely Oriental painted papers. Some of the papers are printed using a gelli plate.  the twigs were actually painted by dipping a real twig into the paint and dragging it around.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah

I wish you all a Christmas full of love . I wish you a  new year filled with creativity!   I had fun creating this Christmas card which is really not a card---  it is on a 22"x 15"  Hot Press Board.   The Tree  is composed of home made Washi Tape made by cutting strips of collage papers and  adhering them to a full sheet Avery label.   I cut across the strips to get the variation.   The other papers are the result of some of my gelli printing. Then, the prayer given to  me from the Ascended Master Saint Germain is about love.
Love is what Christmas is all about. Know that you are loved and guided at all times by your angels and personal spirit guides.   Love, Jane

Watercolor and Gelli Plate Printing

Sunflower and Gelli Print

This is a series of steps I took to create this painting. I have used the Gelli Plate in my art journaling classes but wondered what it could do in a painting. I love the affect in the outer border. I hope you enjoy this step by step process.

First-- I printed the border using a small 3"x 5 " gelli print plate.. The paint was a combination of acrylic and watercolors.

The next step was to establish the shadows in the petals. Shadows can be applied in three ways on a yellow flower-- with green, orange/red, or violet. the last choice is the best but it is the most difficult. This is because once you have established the shadows with violet, you can not return to adjust them later once the yellow has been applied. Here is the flower with the shadows established:

Next I will apply Permanent Yellow and Indian Yellow to the petals.

In this photo you can see I have started the center and worked on the leaves.

I have added a very dark blue to my geometric background.

Here is the final painting.   The center involved quite a bit of small brush work to create the texture. I softened the gelli print by glazing with Naples Yellow.   If you are in my class at Maryland Hall for the Arts in Annapolis Maryland you will see this one. 

Celtic Majic

This was inspired by my grandmother's birth place in Tourmakeady. Ireland. It is a high horizon with a focal point to the right of the main house.   The design is purposely diagonal in its structure. Tourmakeady is in County Mayo. The cottage sits at the edge of the beautiful Lake Mask.