Collage Portrait

Here's a collage I just finished tonight.  I'm making a book this summer and she's on a two-page spread.  I gessoed the pages lightly so the words would continue to show through in places, and have been enjoying the effect.  My choice for a book to use was an old fictional story, The Happy Hollisters, which I read to three of our kids.  Special memories.

Anyway, here's my lady.  I usually like drawing ugly people, but chose her because, well, because she was there, I suppose!  It's difficult to see in the photo, but I lightly painted the two pages a nice uneven buttery yellow to contrast with the cool colors of the collage material.

Okay... here's the secret... ssshhh!  I cut up  a previous painting that I didn't like for the collage material.  There are lots of portions I like, and I love the colors; it just didn't work as a painting on its own.  If you look closely, you can see that it's Oriental lilies.

So, the method to my madness - drew her in with ink on the white gesso.  I don't have patience to do pencil first, then ink, I just live the dangerous life and go for it with my Micron pens.  No room for mistakes there!  Then, the yellow wash.  Next, cut and lay out the background and hair.  For the area around her face I used tracing paper to get the lines right.  Once laid out, I gessoed everything into place and made necessary adjustments.  Last - a little touch of color to her eyes to bring her into focus with the collage work.  That's all!  Hope you like her!