Collage Demos by Katie Wilson

Pink Wig #2 - Demo

2012-02-27T06:04:00.003-08:00

Pencil grid and sketch on stretched canvas - 16x20. I'm such a slave to my grids, I 'm ashamed to say. I may one day choose not to use them and let what may happen happen.

I have placed the paper here for a visual. I was happy with the placement, so I glued them done.

Here the paper is glued down with a coat of clear primer applied in case some of the paper isn't acid free.

First run through with the oil paint to unit the collage pieces.

After working the painting for a bit I felt the eyes were bigger than I wanted them. The eyes are significantly smaller on the finished version than they are here.

16 x 20 collage and oil on stretched canvas

The first version (6x8 study) of this painting was done over an older landscape painting which had some pink in it. That's where the pink hair came from. The brown skin tone came from a brown piece of paper. The blue shirt came from an old pastel drawing that I used for collage pieces. The reference photo was a mug shot from the turn of the century, the crime unpublished.

Clutches and Hats - Collage and Paint

2012-01-19T03:13:00.000-08:00

16 x 20 on board

CSC was my grandmother.

I had a basic idea where the girls were placed. It was going to be a torso and head shot. I wanted to get the board completely covered with paper.

After I finished the collage, I put a couple layers of transparent gesso on it. Most of the paper is wallpaper samples from old sample books I picked up for nothing at a paint and wallpaper supply store. Although I do have to admit I did pick up some paper at Michael's (craft store). I happened to be there and couldn't resist.

Composition sketched in with paint.

First stage of paint - getting the drawing and color scheme established.

Psychedelic Urchin - Demo

2011-11-03T14:24:00.000-07:00

This is after I had applied just a little paint. The paper was applied to a practice painting. Some of it is still visible.

No Jack - Demo

2011-08-23T04:38:00.001-07:00

18x33 pastel on wallis paper

I started with this pastel painting and at this point decided I could benefit by doing a study piece to help me decide on final color.

5x7 on board, gridded and sketched. The board I picked up happened to be this ochrey tone. Probably beneficial - lending the whole image to be a little warmer than the pastel painting above.

This time I decided to paint the image before applying paper. I used acrylics because they dry fast. My reference for this image was from two different photos. The girl is my grandmother and her dog Jack - this was one photo. The house was a picture of her house growing up in Massena, NY.

Some paper has been added. I used my larger pastel version as a guide to help me visualize where I wanted the paper. So to a certain extent I'm using each piece to help me with the other.

I have added paint in such a way to work the pieces of paper in with the image already established.

Pastel was then used to carve out the image.
No Jack (study for My House Your Dog)
5x7 mixed media

I was really happy with the colors in this piece, so I decided to go with them to finish my larger pastel.

My House Your Dog
18x33 pastel on wallis paper

Hair Strings - Demo

2011-08-18T06:36:00.000-07:00

Hair Strings
4x6 paper and pastel

I started with a sketch on pastel paper using a grid as a guide. Her hair is dark so I wanted a dark piece of paper to establish this. Which in the end I struggled with a little.

An old piece of wallpaper goes across her face. The other pieces are old paintings - two pieces are oil, one is watercolor and the lighter one is oil on a piece of linen.

The purple on her face is an old pastel piece and in the upper left corner is rice paper colored with watercolor. I am satisfied with the layout of the paper, so I decide to go in with the pastels at this time.

There is really is an image missing after this one. I thought I had finished and sprayed the painting with fixative, which darkened the entire image and made it muddy looking. So I guess in my frustration, I neglected to take pictures at this point. My upper most thought was I needed to brighten it up - thus, the final image as you see it below.

Final image

Head Dress Demo

2011-07-27T12:51:00.000-07:00

Here I'm plunging into the depths of the unknown.

My attempt here was to join all the color somehow getting the drawing in at the same time. Really confused at this point.

Just when ya think there's no way you can pull this off - whallah! You're done! I'm diggin' her!

But wait... I'm seeing things. Okay, not done yet. Some finishing touches. Just trying to make her NOT look like Ted Danson. There. :)

Flower Tatoo

2011-07-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

5x7 mixed media on board
collage, acrylic and pastel

To start, this time, I sketched in the image with acrylic paint.

I laid down all the paper I thought I was going to want. The paper pieces here are old wallpaper (used), pages from an old children's book, and old paintings on paper.

I am using pastel and pencil to carve out the image.

This is a small painting - therefore, so is her face. My pastels would have been way to clunky for the feel I was going for, so I used a graphite pencil to draw her face. I did use a just touch of pastel around some of her facial features.

Pink Under White Shirt - DEMO

2011-07-16T18:00:00.000-07:00

6x8 collage and pastel on panel

I wanted to cover the entire panel with paper before adding any paint or pastel. As it ended up, I only used pastel and some charcoal.

I first grid my panel and sketch the image, so that I can find appropriate placement for the pieces of paper.

I then looked through my pile of paper for inspiration and then back at my reference. What struck me was the contrast between her dark hair and white shirt. I decided to use that as my jumping off point.

As I was studying the white shirt, I noticed all the blue in the shadows, so I decided to lay down some blue pieces. In order not to lose the drawing as I worked, I sketched some of the drawing back in on the new pieces as I went.

I then decided to keep with the blue theme for the background, but while searching for blue paper, I found this groovy, cool piece which I thought could be a good color for the face. I even saw a chin line in the paper. (Green piece in center).

Okay, so then I wanted to find a big piece to go in the upper left corner, and also realized there was a lot of blue highlights in her hair. I again sketched the image back in.

Then in my quest (always searching for the perfect piece), I found what I thought to be the perfect piece for her face.

My objective at this point was to get the board covered with paper, which now it is.

Here I have added just a few black accent pieces. Okay. All set. Now to find the drawing again.

Here I have used charcoal to sketch in the drawing. I have also introduced some blue pastel.

More pastel colors are brought in.

The final piece.

Cotton Candy Hair

2011-02-08T05:14:00.000-08:00

Cotton Candy Hair - Demo

2011-01-03T05:19:00.000-08:00

The reference for this painting was an old mug shot - an idea I got from Maria Pace-Wynters.

I always steer towards blue and purple in my paintings, so I threw in red and yellow pieces of paper to see if I could warm up my painting some.

I tend to leave the face for last, but this time I was brave and worked on that first.

Here you see purple has managed to sneak in to the dress even though I consciously tried not to allow this to happen. When working from a black and white photo, it is easier for me to make the shadows cool with blues.

I wanted to leave her hair this froth of pink, but I guess it was looking too ridiculous, so I tamed it with some brown. I am very proud of that red color, though.

14 Years of Age

2010-12-27T07:38:00.000-08:00

This was my reference photo which I have used before.

Here is the initial sketch on the oil painting. At this point I really had no idea where I was headed.

Here is the figure sketched in with oil paint. After this I tried a variety of options with the paper. It's easy for it to become too busy. I tried to stay with a limited palette.

Nothing is made up here. It really is just a blending of the two images and trying to figure out a way to make them work together.

Log Bench Demo

2010-12-16T16:36:00.000-08:00

Here is my reference photo. I believe this photo was taken at the picnic grounds.

I started with an oil painting s/c that I was never quite happy with and thought I could put it to better use. I laid down 5 pieces of paper and then sketched in my image.

I then painted the image and tied all the pieces of paper together with oil paint. After this is done, I step back and assess what I have.

The light green was too intense for the rest of the paining, so I toned it down with some white.

I then worked on the figure.

I add some final touches to the figure and work on the background just a bit.

Demo for Blue Shoulder

2010-12-16T06:17:00.000-08:00

I had the image of the woman in mind as I placed the pieces of paper. The first thing I wanted to do was get the masonite covered. The pieces are old paintings that I had done on paper. I picked this piece, because I wanted a dark brown for the skin and the sloping line on the right could be used for the shoulder line.

3 more pieces of paper were laid in to get the masonite covered. I used the piece at the lower left, because the lines followed the lines of her shirt and shadows of her chin. The brighter blue piece was than used to resemble the other side of her shirt. The lighter blue piece above the left shoulder was cut and torn to roughly follow the outline of her head and shoulder.

Once I had the board covered, I roughed in the sketch. Here I assess what I have and determine how I want to move forward. I usually start with an area that bothers me. I needed to lower and establish the left shoulder, which got me working with the darks on that side and under the chin.

I continue to carve out the image in pastel and find ways to "stitch" the pieces of paper together on the face.
I do this usually by taking some color from each piece and putting it on the other.

Then the facial features are addressed and any final touches. 5x7 on board.

Double Breasted Coat - Demo

2010-12-01T20:02:00.000-08:00

I started with a rough sketch. This assisted me with the placement of the paper.

Here I have painted in the blue hair with gauche and placed two pieces of paper which were from old watercolor paintings.

...more gauche. I am trying to find colors that might work with the pieces of the watercolor paper.

I discovered in my pile the paper I wanted to use for the coat. This, too, is a piece of an old watercolor painting. I painted some more gouache, though, before I laid down the paper. I didn't want to later have to paint up to the paper's edge. I wanted to try to keep that a clean line. I also had to work that piece of paper to make it do what I wanted it to.

Then more gouache to unify the front of the coat.

I then went in with pastel to start to carve out the image. This is when I had to get serious. I tried to keep as much of the paper pieces visible as I thought would work. At this point I felt like I wanted to tone down the upper right corner. I did really like that piece of paper, though, but it just wasn't working for me.

...and finally, the hard part - the face. I always manage to save it for last, even though, I vow to do it first, but that never happens.
This was the first time I used gouache and really liked it. My studio neighbor gave me them to try. (Thanks Helene!) I love how fast they dry. It's great when working with collage and pastel. 5x7 on paper.