Working through experimentation is one of my favorite parts of being an artist. A few months back I found some old wooden plaques I bought years ago collecting dust in my closet. I decided that the variety of shapes and sizes could be a great surface for a drawing or painting. First off I began with some studies of cotton, and a succulent, using pastel. I was a little worried that the pastel would have a hard time adhering to the wood but using a few layers of spray on matte varnish did the trick.
 |
| "Cotton Bloom" 4in x 4in |
 |
| "Cotton Sprig" 2in by 7in |
 |
| "Cotton Batch" 3.5in x 6in |
 |
| "Echeveira Elegans" 5in x 3in |
After using pastels I thought it would be fun to try out some gouache and ink. There was a tiny problem with some of the areas soaking up the pigment but the results turned out better than expected. The color of the wood shows throughout the painting and creates an interesting sense of depth.
 |
| "Cushion Sea Star" 4in x 4in |
 |
| "Sand Dollar" 3in x 4in |
 |
| "Spiral" 4in x 4in |
All in all these found plaques were a great success. I am glad I decided to pick them up and make something of them. It goes to show that cleaning out the closet can bring a much better find than moseying around your neighborhood craft store.
Are there any unique surfaces you have used to create something? If so please share, I'd love to hear about them.
Next week I'll give you guys a closer look at my latest work "Old Oak" and "Lake Trees."
