STAGE 1 STAGE 2
Evolution of a finished painting:
"Found Document"
acrylic/ collage on canvas 60"x
48" ©2001 Ann Baldwin
STAGE
1
STAGE 2
STAGE
3
STAGE 4
FINAL STAGE
There's nothing I like better than to put a large blank canvas on the easel on a day when I know I have 8 hours to paint. I take the fear out of the blankness by pasting on large torn pages of magazines or newspaper. These form the basis of a grid and provide plenty of texture, as I allow the paper to wrinkle and tear as I adhere it. Most will eventually be covered up. Then I use some Heavy Gel Medium straight from the jar to create texture in some of the spaces before I apply any paint.
In Stage 2 you can see water-diluted liquid acrylic staining the bottom portion of the canvas. At the top I have already scrubbed on several thin layers, allowing some to dry between applications, and others to mix with the layer below. I'm very hard on my brushes, pushing the bristles hard down into the weave of the canvas as I stain it. One piece of collage, a scan of a handwritten document referring to Shakespeare, is carefully preserved, as this is to be an important part of the finished piece.
In Stage 3 I'm developing the gradual change of tone from very light at the top of the canvas to very dark at the bottom. This was always my intention right from the start. I've also stenciled on some letters.
In Stage 4 I've added a transparent glaze of Quinacridone Crimson in the lower half of the painting. It makes a strong statement. I'd intended to glaze over it with a darker color, but I've decided I like it the way it is.
Final Stage I've covered up most of the darker patches in the top half of the painting with several glazes of white and pale blue, simplifying the composition considerably. Finally I attached two more sheets of collaged script on the left. I stared for a long time, put the painting away for a week, and finally felt sure that it was finished!