MIXED MEDIA FINE ART
I am happy to be offering my clients mixed media art, but some may wonder what it is and how I create it. Some people thinking artwork created from photographs is just pixel mushing. In reality, I do much more to create a customized piece of art for you. Photography and mixed media art are both beautiful, but in different ways.
Mixed media art, as the name implies, uses more than one medium to create the art piece. Traditionally this may mean a combination of acrylic and colored pencils, for example, or collages with paint or pencil work over the top. My art pieces are mixed media because they combine photographic art, digital painting, and hand brushed varnish finishes and perhaps the addition of some paint from a tube as needed to make something beautiful and unique.
When I create a mixed media art piece, I start with a photograph I have taken or one supplied by the client. If the client supplies the image and it was not taken by the client, I will have to contact the original photographer for permission to paint it due to copyright laws. If I am using a client supplied image, I may need to use software programs to enlarge it, sharpen it, and adjust color. The better the image, the better the results, so taking my time at this stage is important. Even with my own photographic images, I will make further adjustments than I would for a typical image because art work as some different style conventions than photography does.
Next I decide what I need to adjust to make a pleasing image. Do I need to change the pose, change the background, or change the color of the clothes? I consider the client’s preferences for color and the colors used in their home decor. If needed or desired, I may also make changes to the background based on a client’s memories of perhaps a favorite trip or a family home. I can also combine images to mock up my painting.
After I have the basic idea settled, I like to show the client my vision for the artwork to make sure it aligns with what their vision. This is the stage to make any major changes or adjustments.
Once the client has approved the design, I will begin the painting. I use layers in photoshop to paint different parts of the images so that I can make adjustments as needed. I have brushes that can emulate what I can do with physical brushes and paint. The amount of time this stage takes depends on the complexity of the design, but in any case, it is time consuming to produce beautiful art, and the client should expect to wait 1-2 months for a more simple piece and longer for a more complex art piece.
When the art piece is finished, I will show it to the client before it goes to the printer to allow for any small tweaks that they may want. Because I have painted on layers, I can make these tweaks without having to repaint the entire piece. Sometimes when I have started with a very low quality phone image, I have had a client suggest slight changes to hair color or something like that because the poor quality image that was given to me did not accurately reflect the true color. Because I guarantee satisfaction, this is a very important stage in the process and the client needs to vocalize any adjustments they desire to get the image they want.
Once the adjustments have been made and the client is happy with the image, I send the artwork to a professional printer to be printed on canvas. I will not print on other mediums because paintings belong on canvas, whether mounted on board or stretched.. The printers use archival materials that will last for generations.
When the printed canvas is delivered to me, I will then apply hand brush varnish to protect it. I follow the same brushing patterns used when creating the piece (unlike what many labs and photographers offer where the brushed varnish is applied in the same general patterns to every painting). I will the. Add a final coat to seal it and perhaps add touches of paint to set off curtain parts as needed. Each art piece is truly one of a kind, and most people cannot tel the difference between what ai create and oil paintings done the traditional way. Your final piece has dimension and texture like a true piece of art.
If you have chosen to frame your piece (and I highly recommend that you do), then the art piece would be framed at this point and then be delivered to you ready to hang.
Your mixed media art piece will be an heirloom you can enjoy and pass on to future generations. This kind of art is treasured because of its very personal nature and its uniqueness. Let me know what I can create for you.
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Contact me for more information: 443-538-7044
