Finally a Canvas

I finally took the leap and took all that I learned in my art journals to a canvas. My first canvas without a pretty picture to guide me, but straight from the heart onto the cloth.

I could take it further, as I thought I would do last night, but I like how she looks. I like the suggestion of her and the transparancy of the painting. I like that she leaves room for imagination. I see many things when looking at this. I like that it's messy and grungy and clean and pure all at the same time. She looks sad and insecure to me while I see strength and confidence, all at once. I see a man in the darkness lurking behind her and a face staring down at her.

I guess I see me when I look at her. Dark and light all blended together. It makes me wonder what other people see when they look at this painting.

So yes, I think I will leave it as is, maybe some touch-ups and details here and there and my name and date off course when I feel I'm truly done with it.

It was fun making this painting. I used a lot of techniques and it has a ton of texture. It is also very interactive, because I used the input from my friends and family for the various steps. I loved reaching out this way and I loved the responces I got.
And because of this approach I have lots of progress pics to show you.

Steampunk cuckoo clock

Recently I discovered all these wonderfull challenge blogs out there and started to participate. Mostly to challenge myself and get inspired by all those wonderfull artists around. Now I do not consider myself to be an artist, but...I do love watching what other people create and I like sharing my creations as well and what better way then by a challenge...

This time I made a wall hanging inspired by Sandee & Amelie's Steampunk Challenge blog: Cuckoo clocks go steampunk. I love steampunk, so when I saw this challenge I knew I wanted to participate. I must admit though, it's been giving me a little headache... because somehow my mind didn't want to stay on the cuckoo clocks and kept wandering off to Ada Lady Lovelace and the analytical engine. So I somehow made the two come together and I hope it still counts as a cuckoo clock. And since I used a touch of green troughout this project, I'm allso entering this wall hanging in the PanPastel UK challenge no11: a touch of green, though you have to look really close to find the green...