Cool Bird, Warm Colors

Warm Color Experiment in Progress

I have this t-shirt with peacock feather pattern on it, and it's black, purple and yellow. One day that shirt got me thinking about making a collage of a peacock with warm colors rather than the traditional cool blues, teals, greens and yellow greens. It was a challenge to take the peacock and swap out the colors, but it was also a reminder to me of one of my own lessons: It's not the color that makes the subject read as real, it's having the right values.

I tell my workshop students that if they can't always find the right color in their painted collage papers, that's OK. What you need to be sure you have is the right value. Light, dark, medium, darkest dark, lightest light.... that's what makes objects read as real and dimensional.

So, this "warm peacock" is not in its local color (the true color of an object or surface as seen in typical daylight), but the proper values are what makes it work and read as real.

Here I am about half way done, with the tail feathers and the background. the head and neck are still in an underpainting state. I plan to leave the nice drips in the lower left. Did you know that a peacock from behind is totally black and white? That can be seen in the lower right with an area that I created from old library book illustrations...

Stay tuned...

Hand Made Paper by Judy

Judy Segall from Altamonte Springs, FL Makes Paper
Judy makes amazingly wonderful and beautiful paper in her Altamonte Springs studio. I use her papers in my collage work, and over the years we have become good friends and collaborating artists. Judy and I shared a show together at Steinway Piano Galleries a while back. Our work goes hand in hand and shows well together.

This blog post is to show you what a wonderfully artistic process hand made paper really is! Judy shared some great photos with me and I wanted to feature her on the blog and invite you to contact her directly at: judyorlando@cfl.rr.com to purchase papers directly from the artist for your own collage work!

Photos: blending paper pulp and water, much like making a margarita, no?

Hand Made Paper by Judy

Pouring into Slurry and Mixing Slurry

What a lovely green color, on the way from liquid to paper

Hand Made Paper by Judy

A Messy Business!

Here Judy is lifting the sheet from the vat of slurry

Hand Made Paper by Judy

Couching

Couching the paper presses out excess moisture, then it's ready to be lifted from the couching frame

Hand Made Paper by Judy

Almost Paper!

Pressing out excess liquid on top of a screen, I wonder if that green will come off her skin? Or will I see her in Target like that....

Hand Made Paper by Judy

It's Finally Paper!

Now you can really appreciate how much of an art this paper making process is. When I use these papers in my collages, I know they are extra special and luxurious, when I glue them down I make sure they are in a prominent place, knowing what care and labor went into making them!

Often times people ask me if I make my own paper for my collages, with all that WORK involved, I can't even imagine... I admire Judy's talent and artistic ability so much.

I guess you could even say that I'm green with envy!