Yesterday was a huge day... first day of summer holidays... gloriously cool for a change... no huge time pressures and commitments and first day without Art Every Day Month... but it turned out to be a bit of a let down... I had thought I would have a day of doing sweet bugger all, but it kind of was a bit boring and I missed doing something and having blogs to visit and all that and so I got stuck into a painting that would take more than a day so that I could post over to Paint Party Friday and Inspiration Avenue and secure my fix of blog visiting.
The topic over at IA was English literature... finally we have a topic that won't send me to therapy... I love English lit and my top two books of all time fall into this... Now top of the list is Tess of the D'urbervilles, but quite honestly it is a bit like being put through a ringer backwards and having your heart completely and utterly trounced upon... which is surprisingly cathartic to read on a regular basis, but couldn't really say I felt like tackling it for a visual feast... so that left me with North and South by Elizabeth Gaskill and some of my favourite lines in all of literature...
one of which revolves around tea... lucky twist of fate there you might say...
So the deal is Mr Thornton is seeking a bit of learned company and he is a bit of a brute... and a Northerner and he meets the lovely Southern lady, Margaret and there is a part quite early on where he sees her pouring tea, and he is mesmerised by how graceful she is and it is the first time we get a sense that there is more to him... and I always see her using a tea pot that has the leaves and flowers that she refers to from her garden in the south, which she is missing so much...and throughout the books she is pouring from pitchers and talks about the urns of ivy and things like that so I kind of wanted to get those images in there as well...
So I jumped in and did my first image transfers... thanks to all those blogs that kept mentioning them and made me want to try them... and then I did my second, third, fourth.... had a cup of tea and grumbled, bitched and moaned about how they all should have told me it was an impossible process for someone with five thumbs and no patience... then on magic number five they were as I wanted them and so then I draw in an old fashioned enamelled tea pot and I am finally into painting mode.. I added ink and then some watercolour and was pleased with how it was coming along so I decided to write in the quote from the section of the book...
Of course I didn't allow for the fact that my writing is like a chicken doing the hokey pokey across a page, and adding some water did not help it at all... so I attacked it with paint...
This may have been great if it had not been for not waiting for it to dry properly and hence the odd grey tinge, but it was a bit better, and once I had added more watercolour and strengthened lines and things I finally got the top image... I am pretty happy with it... in parts especially, but it hasn't quite got to where I want to be... almost, but no cigar... still it was great fun to work bigger again and to spend more time on it, and I am sooo looking forward to checking out the work at PPF and IA... if you haven't done so then you have to head over to see some great work!!!
59 comments:
Beautiful painting. I really love the colors! Happy PPF!
I think your work is lovely! The image transfers came out nicely...I sort of like the texture that transfer bring...not a perfect digital printing...because that is boring right?!?! :) I do miss the aedm thing... oif!
honestly i loved it before and after the paint smudging of the writing...this again is wonderful...loved to see the process too...thanks...xxx
Tracey, I am in awe of your painting. The process you went through to get this piece to where it is now, is superb. I don't think your writing is chicken scratches. You write so much better than me. And of course, the tea theme really worked for this week's IA challenge. I am in awe how you can always turn to tea when it comes to inspiration.
I just love your art. Always look forward to what you will share next! Wonderful work. Happy PPF!
Oooh, I love this. And I am so glad that you showed us that you messed it up, and then rescued it. Writing on a painting is where I go off the rails.
I really love the imagery of him being mesmerized by her gracefully pouring tea.
I am always jealous of people who have a wonderful way with words. Add that with a wonderful way with painting and you are my inspiration today. Beautiful! Happy PPF!
Very addicting blog hopping, right?! :) Your tea pot looks fantastic. Love all the layers. :)
Beautiful. I love the perspective with the urns in the background :).
Stay inspired!
To quote my teenager, OMG! The second I saw your teapot I thought of upper class, old money, and sophistication. Once I read your post I understood why! I love the hidden writing in the back!
Tracey I love how you showed the steps to see how the painting developed! Wonderful teapot!
Lovely painting! Very well done ~ We are so critical of our selves ~namaste, Carol (Share the Creative Journey) Happy PPF ^_^
Love how this turned out.
This is lovely - I love the way the teapot pops out from the more subdued background. I have no idea what image transfers are though so apologies for sounding thick if that's how you achieved that effect!
I like that you related it to North and South - is this the same one that Patrick Swayze starred in on tv? (sorry I do read a lot but not epics like that!)
So gorgeous! I love the background transfers, but I can't figure how you did watercolors over them and they didn't show through. Your painting of the teapot, of course, is the really beautiful part of the piece. Trying hard not to be envious of your talent.
Faye
My first time to your blog, hard to get through all the PPF contributors each week! This is really so interesting and enjoyable to read about your process. I don't know what image transfers are, being an oil and pastel painter. You certainly set a mood that goes with the story in the book. I love all the layers and textures.
It's beautiful and fascinating how a book led to it!
No clue what image transfers are, but I love this painting and that you shared how it evolved. That's the perfect teapot for the story. :)
what a lovely little teapot! Great colors too.
happy PPF
Your painting is a beautiful collection to one of your favorite books! It was interesting reading about your process and, I like how you softened up the verse at the end.
Beautiful painting, happy holidays. Saludos
Oh, you crack me up - Hokey Pokey Chicken, lol! I LOVE what you've created - the pot is gorgeous and your position of it within the frame is brilliant. Bravo, xoxo
I love your elaborate tale. I am sure Ms Gaskill would be very impressed with the outpouring of her inspiration!!
I haven't read that book - have to confess I don't recall ever hearing of it either. Tut Tut!!
I'm still to even start my piece for IA this week - and I'm the host!
Lovely story and tea pot! Valerie
Beautiful, I love how this turned out.
Outstanding! My favorite piece you've painted yet! How wonderful that the gold vessels extend outside the border and picture plane!
Of course, I am a big fan of blue combined with metallics. :)
Happy PPF!!
Mary
Mixed-Media Map Art
I can hardly wait to see it when you are happy with it, I love it now. :) It glows.
Stunning and enchanting..all your work is super beautiful! The tea pot is exquisite...and loved reading your sharings.
Victoria
If you think this is hokey pokey chicken writing, you should see mine. Absolutely love this teapot!!!
EXCELLENT work!!! I love this!!! Happy weekend!!
What a wonderful piece of art, and a fantastic write up to go with it. Image transfer is a great technique, providing you are blessed with patience.
As for the blurry handwriting, I've done the 'not waiting until it's dry' thing, but with my writing it was an improvement :D
Absolutely wonderful painting, I can just imagine the scene in jolly old England.
beautiful!!!
Love your teapost, quite stunning and I like that you rescued it. Happy weekend.
oh this is lovely, so delicate, beautiful words and beautiful art,
thankyou for visitng me as well!
Your teapot is just exquisite Tracey!
Awesome job! I love the detail, the script & the colours. So pretty.
Hi Tracey! Your teapot is wonderful! I love the colors! Thank you for your kind words on my blog! I appreciate it!
So pretty! Goes nicely with your teacups! Great series! Happy ppf!
Hugs Giggles
Oh I love this piece! Image transfers are always an adventure. That's part of the allure. ;) I love the colors, the the words, everything! I'm a huge fan of English lit, as well. Thank you for setting a wonderful scene!
I'm loving this a lot. Such delicate line work and the shading is wonderful. Great Work!
oh wow!!!! this is such an amazing piece Tracey!!!! your work always makes me so happy!!!! you have an amazing gift!!!!
wishing you a wonderful day!!!! and I hope you will pop in for Sweet Saturdays!!!
WOW! Tracey: well put together, beautiful piece! LOVE the colors and the lost words! Happy PPF!
Wow! Very very nice Tracey!
Took my breath away, Tracey...gorgeous composition with so much thought going in! I love it's softness and femininity! Beautifully dpone!
Thanks for sharing...
Beautiful as always Tracey :)
I definitely love your art!!
all those layers and steps added up to a wonderful piece!
This is a beautiful paining Tracey - delicate and lovely and so befitting of the book!
fab teapot design :)
Great!!! Love your blog. Glad you did IA this week.xx gemma
Totally awesome on all accounts. I kept creating after AEDM too. Only two lunches to go. ;)
I really like the effect of the blurry writing in the background!
I LOVE this and the way you combined the art and words- beautiful!
I was totally stumped on the IA challenge this week, so didn't have anything to show. You, on the other hand, excelled at your choice of topic! Another winner in composition and color - love those faded transfers in the background. I've yet to try that process - probably after the first of the year, I"ll just have to try. Happy Holidays.
I love love love the end result! And hearing about the creative process as well ... You really drew me in with the English Lit. I so enjoy Thomas Hardy. I haven't read Tess (knowing it's a heart wrencher) but totally enjoyed The Mayor of Casterbridge.
So pretty. I am really loving the colors in this one. That blue is my favorite color. :)
Oh this is so beautiful, I adore your style anyway but this is defiantly one of my favourites :) x
Wow so very beautiful! Lovely pots and image transfer. I can see you are a tea lover :)
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