Saturday, 29 October 2011

A Masquerade Tale



Every now and again you have an absolute shocker... the paint just won't go down right, the colours are off and no matter what you try to do to it it just won't come together. This hasn't happened to me for quite some time, and most work has been  salvageable at least... but I think I may have a new nemesis.
The theme over at Inspiration Avenue this week was Masquerade Ball, and my immediate thought was this was great... I love masks and patterns and things like that so this should work out to be a good challenge for me... unfortunately not quite the way it worked out. went more like this:
find mask
do drawing of mask
change mind and find another mask
do another drawing of mask
make a cup of tea and think the first one was better
ink in the first one
 spill jar of painty water over it
redraw
ink it up again
another cup of tea
paint in mask bit
decided like the second mask design better
start and repeat process - minus the painty water incident
be relatively happy
decide to do the background
botch the background and make it way too bright
pour humungous glass of wine


wake up feeling a tad seedy - turns out wine and cold medication don't work so well
look at the picture above and place head in hands
scan and print out some multiples to play with
decide top one okay
ask Steve when she gets home school and be greeted by a "That looks pretty ordinary Mum"
threaten to cut her arms off if she has nothing constructive to add
agree it is kind of ordinary

stare and stare at the top option
have flashbacks to the Bloody Papaya debacle of a few years ago
consider drinking copious amounts of alcohol or starting again
decide to print more
can't find the file
scan again and manage to slam scanner lid on finger
hop around studio with Steve's laughter ringing in my ears
threaten to chop off other body parts
hurl glare at her retreating back



print out more copies
in different sizes and on different papers
play with them and create something that isn't quite as embarrassing
Steve raises her eyebrows and says
" don't look at me I'm just plain scared by you now"

scan finished product
looks rubbish because turns out the tracing paper top layer doesn't scan well

take a shot
at night
after a wine
while swatting mosquitoes
post the sucker
link it to Inspiration Avenue
pour another glass of wine
and another 
and another...

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, I guess challenging it was! As my husband always reminds me, "It's supposed to be fun!". Love your masks - all of them ;).
Stay inspired!
Michelle
Brain Angles - Invisible Ink

Jennibellie said...

Oh my word, you had a right old time but I can't help laughing despite of myself at your fabulous writing of this post, total comedy. Even with your nemesis you're still a fabulous artist and all look pretty damn awesome to me! Thanks for the great post, hugs Jennibellie xx

Unknown said...

Funny commentary, but I guess maddening for you. Bit I really like your masks and I don't have a fave because they are all beautiful in different ways Dxx

manomij said...

ha ha just keep the wine flowing in the end it is going to look just right! Well that is what I think anyway. I have that same feeling some times...maybe all the time...well do I ...lets get a glass of wine I may remember.
The mask looks fine to me hickup...hickup...cheers
ManonX

Gloria said...

I can picture the chain of events, the end results are worth the trauma, exotic, hope your finger is better and you have enough aspirin...

Joanne said...

Love them all :0)

Unknown said...

LOL, at least you didn't manage to DRINK the painty water......I love how this turned out, especially since so many of the steps you went through sound so familiar to the way my own process goes all too often. Seriously, I do really like this, especially all the little embellishments you added like the line work, dots and border.

Valerie-Jael said...

Your masks are great, and glad you enjoyed the wine! Valerie

Å olanje na domu-Waldorf said...

I just love your process. :)) You sure were determined to do this mask. I would have given up right about the time the wine came into play. :) Love it! And I have plenty of bad days believe me. :)

VonnyK said...

Glad to see you are normal after all, this sounds like a regular day in this house. It turned out great in the end and wonderful that you didn't give up.

A'n'G Johnson said...

your commentary is so funny!! and though you don't believe it these masks are beautiful!

miz katie said...

I've had a few of those off days lately, also. Glad that you pushed through. These came out great!

*jean* said...

i think i have had this experience, sans the wine & cold med...i really like the masks, i think they have loads of potential!! happy PPF

Terrie said...

As I sat here reading this and chuckling and shaking my head in acknowledgement, my hubby called in and said, "what's so funny?". How can I explain that I so relate to that whole story but couldn't tell it half as well. Delightful commentary.

Then, after all that, I expected disastrous results, but no - again, delightful. I'm glad you didn't give up - the end result was worth the effort!

Molly said...

as always, the story behind it is as inspired as the end product! love the blue-green background against the reds/yellows of the mask. not ordinary at any stage. thanks for sharing! xoxo

Kathryn Dyche said...

He, he, he, in a way it's good to know that I'm no the only one that has days like that. Love the masks though, you did a great job.

Virtual Boy said...

Really cool work, love the colors of the masks! ^-^

// -T.W-

Fallingladies said...

I love the final result, but I know what you mean... I've not been very happy with art lately and it sets a bad tone for the whole rest of my day afterward...

Anonymous said...

Hey Tracey,

I'm a little late for blog hopping this week...How have u been?

This week's art looks great, perfect for a masquerade party

Becca said...

Very pretty Tracey. I love the mask. Wine & cold medicine...been there, done that & yes it doesn't mix. LOL

Unknown said...

what an adventure you had to bring us these lovely masks. I hope this weeks goes much better for you. xx

Unknown said...

Lol - I hate those days, weeks.... months, when nothing goes quite right. But I think your masks are beautiful, and I love that when it didn't go to plan you kept working through it, and you posted it!

fairy thoughts said...

sounds bad but looks great
thanks for sharing
janet

Gloria said...

Hi Tracey, Wanted to email this link to you, but here is an award, come and claim it when you have the chance:

http://newendstudio.blogspot.com/2011/10/tell-me-about-it.html

bohemiannie! art said...

HAHAHAHAHALOL and all that stuff. Sure hope Steve has all her body parts and that you'll quit being so hard on yourself! Cool Mask!