Ever wonder who you are?  Maybe you question where you are going?  Of course, at different times in our lives these questions become more or less important to us.  It’s interesting to take a moment and ask, “Who am I today, and who do I think I will be in 5 years, 10 years?”

I’ve been facilitating a self-portrait discovery class for the last few weeks and it’s been very interesting seeing the journey come to life on canvas.  Each participant is given the same instructions, yet each painting is already dramatically different.  The class has both adults and teenagers, yet no one is at an advantage, because the focus is on interpretation rather than artistic skill or expertise. 

We started with brainstorming and color association.  For some, this was easy, and they created a long list of words and colors quickly.  Others had to mull things over for a few days before they started to “see” both the words and colors that would represent who they are now, and who they hope to be.  It’s an interesting exercise and if you don’t think too much about what “should be”, and just relax and write down what comes to mind, then you may be able to make connections with different aspects of your life.  

Why does that certain outfit make you feel confident and upbeat?  Why do you feel so down after going to a particular place?  Color is very powerful, and when you discover your own associations with colors, you can alter your mood, confidence, and energy level.  Change your shirt, paint your room, add a dash of just the right color here and there.  Seemingly simple things that could change your life!

Stay tuned for more of the self-portrait journey.

Another day of class and this is what I finished up with.  You can see why I say you really need to take the full class.  The progression is a journey that takes your artwork to a place you didn’t imagine when you started.  This piece isn’t done, but very close, with just the final touches left.  I know I need another shape of some sort in the upper left side.  I want to enhance different areas with shimmery watercolors and make sure every square inch is layered to its most beautiful.  Truly, once you see one of these collages in person, you’ll see what I mean about the luminosity and depth that hand-dyed tissues bring to a painting.

Keep working patiently, patiently…

Eventually, as you start to add layers, depth and dimension really start to appear.  The first photo is terrible, shot quickly as I prepared to leave a day of class, but you can see the progression.  I had taken it home and worked for about 4 additional hours.  The next image was taken after another day of class.  See tools and books I use to create here.

Finally, the actual tissue collaging process begins!

Decide where you want to begin, select a part of the tissue that best suits what you want to achieve and begin the collage process.  The how-to’s of collaging are detailed and technical, so I highly recommend Susan Rogers-Arreger’s book on collaging with hand-dyed papers.  You can see her website at www.sraoahu.com.  If you ever get the chance to take her class, I also recommend it and you really need to take the entire class, not just the dyeing day, or one collage day.  It’s a process that just can’t be told, it has to be experienced one layer at a time.  It’s quite amazing. 

Here’s what I completed after the first day of collage class.  I know, doesn’t seem like much, but there’s a lot of thinking and planning going on.  Be patient.  When you put down the right tissue and then begin to layer, it almost begins to glow!  The subtle color changes and depth just can’t be captured in photo. 

Alright, so you have your inspiration, your sketch, all of your wonderful dyed tissues…now what?

First of all, you have to control yourself.  Really.  Delving into a large container with a rainbow of dyed tissue is exciting and if you’re in a room of others doing the same, oohs and ahhs will fill the air, punctuated with squeals of excitement.  Tell yourself less is more and harmonize without being too close in color.  Choose 3-5 tissues to use.  That’s it.  No more.  You’ll be able to add later for drama if needed.     

Now, go to your sketch and transfer the basic outline to a prepared canvas.  You can either go straight onto a white canvas, or add random gold and silver foil papers before you begin.  These add drama and glow when the  piece is done.  I sketched with a brush and light brown paint the outlines of my leaves.  Having the sketch be the same or nearly the same as your canvas is very helpful.

As promised, I’m here to show you what I did with some of those fabulous tissues that I dyed with Susan Rogers-Arreger at the tissue collage class. 

First, start out in an inspiring location.  We were at Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens in Kane’ohe and artists and tourists alike are constantly tromping around the trails and roads to snap photos and paint.  You could go there everyday and never paint the same thing twice.  I found an intriguing variagated Ti plant, with dark purple leaves, and some leaves with orange and green stripes. 

Second, walk around your subject to see it in different lights and shapes.  The shapes are really important in collage, so make sure you “see” the positive and negatives of your subject.  Make a large rough sketch in pencil and fill with watercolor, or just sketch directly with watercolor. 

Painting sketch includes arrow for light source.

Taking the time to sketch will save hours of time and perhaps discouragement later.  Simplify, simplify.  Create bold shapes and lights and darks.  Keep in mind where the light is coming from, and make that consistent throughout the painting.

Stay tuned…tissue selection is next!  See tools and books I use to create here. 

It was a sad day when Susan’s class ended! I felt I was just beginning, and I guess I am, on a journey to see and interpret visions in a whole new way. 

I cannot begin to express the beauty of the dyed tissue papers.  Color variations and blends that you would never dream of are created for you.  You have to be both bold and adventurous with your dye colors, and yet hold back to get the soft and muted tones as well.  If you are a type-A personality, this could be a very stressful technique for you.  The paper will suddenly tear, colors will run, and the papers share colors as they are drying - it’s all an adventure of surprises and new directions.    

Oh, but the results are literally, to dye for!

Here are my interpretations of the Ko’olau mountains and a variagated Ti plant.  They aren’t quite done yet, but you can see the vibrance and variations in each color.  When they are done, you’ll be the first to see them here!  See tools and books I use to create here.

One of the most creative things an artist can do is to learn a new technique or art form.  Stretching your mind and fingers to do new things gives a different perspective on the talents you already have.  It can also bring a broader dimension to your current art work, and on a personal level, lets you give and take energy with others that are inspired by art. 

This past Friday I had the opportunity to take a wonderful class.  With eight other curious and excited participants, we took the plunge dipping and dying tissue paper.  Yes, it will work with the proper technique and materials, and the results caused oohs and aahhs around the room all morning long.  Here’s where we started the day, with jars of dyes and oil paints, lined up waiting for us.

Into the pans went dyes, oil paints, and a lot of curiosity.

Instructor Susan Rogers-Arreger then spent the next few hours mixing and adding a variety of colors as the rest of us dipped batch after batch of tissue, setting our piles on the side to drip and dry.  A word of caution here, this process is not for the timid, or the impatient.  At the end of the day you wrap all your work in a garbage bag and haul it home.  Then, find somewhere to spread it all out and wait for it all to dry, not knowing what it will all look like in the end.

Lucky for me I have a garage, so there they sat all night.  Being patient is all worth the wait, because the next morning is like Christmas.  Carefully, each paper is opened to reveal the tissue inside, and those are separated and stacked.  Nice and neat, for the moment, my days’ work looks like this -

For the next three days I’ll be learning more techniques from  Susan on what to do with the paper. 

Although I dove in and created my own hand-dyed tissue a few months ago, my technique resulted in simpler paper that doesn’t have the complexity of these new papers.  I’ll be keeping you updated on new works of art with these new papers and combining them with more of my photography and digital paintings.  See tools and books I use to create here.