I've been frustrated lately.  Nothing seems to be working out, but I keep plugging away. Here are stages in what I have been working on.

Step 1. Striped painting with pink oil stick stenciling over acrylic, 24"x24"

Step 2. Two layers of gesso over painting.

Step 3. After sanding.  I'm very disappointed and will try painting and sanding again.










Here's another piece I'm working on.

Step 1.  Mixed media as it looked at the last critique, 18"x24".

Step 2.  I decided that the rick rack was not working, so I ripped it off.

Step 3.  I added more of the design that was at the bottom because the piece was not unified at all.  I figured this would help it be seen as a whole.

Step 4. I covered the newly painted designs with white gesso tinged with cadmium yellow.  I debated whether to squeegee over the paint or let it dry and sand it.  I chose to sand it, but after what happened above, I fear I may have made the wrong decision.  It still feels a bit damp, so I am going to sand it tonight or tomorrow.






I've also been experimenting in how to successfully finish another painting shown at the last critique.  Here is the painting.

Feedback in the critique suggested that the dark blue short lines of torn paper jumped out too much. I liked this painting because the darker blue lines of paper strips were supposed to be long and vertical running along and inside of the  painted lines, but no matter where I put them the painting looked like pajamas.  In desperation, I tore the blue paper into pieces and threw it on the painting.  Presto, problem was solved.

This is a small study I made to see if heavy gel medium would work on the painting above.  This study has 2 layers of heavy gel medium over acrylic with torn painted paper, 6"x6".









Here is a painting from the last critique that I have not posted before.  I posted the steps but not the finished work. Media is oil stick over acrylic, sanded. Size is 24"x24".