Sangria

Shapes within Shapes:  Another way to enhance design is to make shapes within shapes.   This gives you the chance to practice some of painter Edgar Whitney's design elements, "repetition and alternation."  It makes for a very intriguing surface!

Sangria is 8x8", acrylic media and collage on panel.

Mimosa

Designing in a Grid, Part II - Now we've got a companion.  I've continued to design these ladies' celebrations by beginning with a grid. Then I tip parts of the grid to create more energy.  

Mimosa is 8x8", acrylic media and collage on panel.

Margarita

Designing in a Grid: Carrie Burns Brown mentioned in her recent collage workshop that she often designs in a grid.  Other artists I admire do this, too.  (George James is a master.) I realized that my women-at-the-bar paintings were somewhat painted in a grid.   So I continue to riff on the dining and quaffing at the beach, and am focusing on a grid-based design.  It's really interesting to work this way.

Margarita is 8x8" acrylic media and collage on panel.

Cuba Libre

Layers: Another thing we did in our collage workshop was to make an "underpainting"  of collage papers, and then collage even more on top.  Layers add mystery.  Many of the papers used were papers we made by painting tissue paper and then texturing with even more paint.  Layers made of layers!

Cuba Libre is 8x8" acrylic media and collage on panel.

Scotch on the Rocks

Lots of Starts II :  Further to this topic, I recently read an article about a man named Scott Kim who is a "puzzle master".  He actually makes a living by designing logical mazes and brain teasers.  The way he describes it, creating a puzzle is a lot like solving one.  His creative process is helped by taking walks and changing where he sits.  But in the end, he says, "I often find that the amount of progress I make is proportional to the number of times I start."  Timeless advice.  This painting is yet another rebirth.

Scotch on the Rocks is 8x8" acrylic media and collage on panel.   

Sultry

 Lots of Starts:  I once heard an audio tape of Charles Hawthorne's advice to his painting students.  One thing he counseled  was "Make many starts."  I took that advice this week.  Days of painting were going by and nothing was really clicking.  So I made some new starts by  painting over a few old pieces.  This turned out to be great!  The previous paint and collage made very  intricate surfaces, and I adapted some of the old shapes into the new pictures.  It was great fun!

Sultry is 8x8" acrylic media and collage on panel.