Tuesday, March 30, 2010

the no-mud zone

i love paste paper. the problem is that paste paper doesn't always love me back. it seems that every time i try to create some paste paper, my lack of experience with the color wheel gets in the way, so i get hasty and start throwing every color in my paintbox on it, and eventually all my papers look like mud......which isn't the look i'm after.
so, yesterday i got out my supplies with a "no-mud" mindset.


i spread some oooey goooey paste onto wet arches textwove paper using a sponge....and then i squirted two of my favorite colors of paint straight from the bottle onto the paper......


and smooshed it through the paste using a sponge.


then i took an orange chalk pastel and scraped it through the paste, and added a little purple pastel scribble on top.


and a little more scribbling through the paste using the end of a wooden tool....

and then i made myself stop. experience tells me that this is where i could easily enter the mud zone....a few more colors of chalk here, a little more paint there, and this paper is a goner.
so, now it's time to let this dry.....
and while that's going on, maybe i'll pass the time by visiting that pan of brownies i made the other day.....

paste paper finished using elmer's art paste, acrylic paints and chalk pastels onto arches textwove paper


18 comments:

maggie said...

Walk away from the artwork....(megaphone in hand).

Lisa Holtzman said...

NICE paste paper! Good job in restraining yourself too : )

Jane Farr said...

Beautiful work Lori! I make nice mud myself (although it sounds better if you call it "neutral"). I'm lovin' your gestural marks!!

Gina Lee Kim said...

I'm so happy for you. Look how beautiful it came out!
And thank you for teaching/inspiring me about Elmer's art paste....I now have to go look for it. I may even own a box!

Becky Shander said...

I love how it turned out. Knowing when to stop is good, and it looks like you already have this all figured out.

Diva Kreszl said...

well it certainly doesn't look muddy this time! it can be quite difficult to know when to quit though, I've ruined many a piece that way :)

LR said...

and look at all that beautiful color. it's simply fun to play with paints.

chrissy said...

i have to say that i.ve NEVER made paste paper on purpose...i HAVE made a lot of mud however.
i giggled to hear you say that you made yourself stop.
that.s the part, i haven.t quite yet mastered...
hence,
the abundance of mud!
and i just have to say dear lori that i thought we were soul sisters, but you have me wondering now with your last comment on the brownies....
i KNOW we both have a love affair with chocolate, but honestly sister....how did a pan of brownies last "a few days" in your home??
do explain!
huge tuesday hugs to you.
c

Tara said...

Cool! Never used paste paper before.
Hugs,
Tara

Dawn said...

ooh beautiful paste! i have shout at myself to STOP too before I get into mud zone or too busy zone.

Martha Lever said...

YAY!!! Beautiful paste paper! You did a great job, Lori!

Shirley said...

Sometimes it is better to stop when you are ahead, but it isn't always easy. I enjoy your new look and will stop by again. Enjoy your brownies.

K said...

I checked the links and I still have no idea what you made, but I love that blue and the orange spot and the zig-zag line over it!

rachel awes said...

how much fun this looks to play with these elements..to swish & swirl beauty around like this! & what discipline to walk away! (& toward brownies!!). best of both worlds. thank you for sharing your treats.

Marthann's Musings said...

Oh that looks like so much fun Lori. Almost like fingerpainting. Very creative. Loved your two previous blogs also. Have been busy and am catching up on my looking.

PrairiePeasant said...

I have much experience in mud! Yours is not mud--you did well to step away at the still beautiful stage!

Pat said...

One of these days I'm going to attempt making paste paper. Nice job taking the in progress photos...I know how hard it can be to remember to stop and take pictures when you're in the middle of getting messy.

Beedeebabee said...

Paste paper!!! Another new one for me! This looks very interesting, Sweetie! I think it's perfect! ... You have no idea how many things I over-kill!...A brownie break, Yummy!!!! xoxo Paulette ;)

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