Little Me – Painting BIG

I have been working on a large acrylic painting of me as a child playing in the sand on the beach – here is the completed painting:

I started my painting by covering a 20 x 30 inch illustration board with gesso.  After it dried, I sketched my image from an old photograph with vine charcoal:

As part of the online class, “Year of the Spark,” Carla Sonheim instructed us to try sketching ourselves from a photograph in several different ways – one of them being eyes closed!  Eeek!

After choosing a favorite sketch, (with my eyes open), I started dry brushing Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylics by filling in sections of my painting with different colors.  Much like coloring as a child:

I wasn’t really happy with the colors I chose, so I let my painting sit for about a week.

Yesterday, I decided to add some Golden Fluid acrylic paint with my 5 x 7 inch Gelli Plate.  Using my Gelli plate like a large stamp, I stamped colors and patterns over my painting:

I started liking my painting better.  I then added more layers of acrylics with a dry brush – adding details to little me and bringing a cohesive feeling to my background:

I added the beach ball – even though it wasn’t in my photo!

I wasn’t almost done but after taking a photo of it, I realized I needed to ground myself in the painting.  So I added some rocks by stamping a sponge and bubble wrap in paint:

I was happy to get it done.  I’m not sure it really looks like me:

But that’s OK.  I learned that painting BIG is a lot of work!  Not sure it’s my thing.  Creating is a process of filtering out what I enjoy and don’t in art.  This one is definitely in the later category!  LOL!

Happy Creating!  🙂