Hands

 You might have noticed that I have been quiet for five months. I won't be explaining my whereabouts but about one thing I will tell you: Last year, in October, I was invited to go to a workshop: ‘to create is to live’. It was based on a layering technique using collage, paint and other creative processes. I find it important to fill my creative well by doing art and going on other creative workshops; this keeps my creativity alive.

After five happy hours of sticking, painting, 'podging', stamping and stenciling (and a wonderful lunch) My Hands appeared.

Layered Hands.

Happy hands

healing hands

caring hands

reaching hands

lifting hands

holding hands

clapping hands

cold hands

warm hands

wringing hands

human hands

ordinary hands

pretty hands

lovely hands

young hands

 old hands

hands belong to all of us

hands link us together

push us apart

I am held

in the Hand

and you are too

It makes me smile

Knowing that I am Held. 

This technique consists of layers of paint, collaging serviettes  for texture, podge, stamps, and stencils. It starts off with a light luminous layer (here it is yellow), then you choose patterned paper serviettes which you collage over in a random torn pattern, you need to separate the two back layers of paper of the paper serviette so that you can create the translucent effect. I used podge to stick my layers down, first you paint the podge on over the paint then place your torn pieces and then paint over it again carefully with more podge. You can also use translucent/clear glue. 

When this layer is dry you can continue layering different chosen patterns from serviettes or you can use stamps and stencils as well. Always wait till the layer is dry; you can use a hairdryer to speed up the process. If you choose a dark colour remember to keep this for last and use carefully otherwise you wont get a very nice effect because the dark colours conceals all other colours and patterns. If you look from left to right in the image below it will give you an idea of the different stages.I used the dark color last to create the image of the tree so you can see that it covered up the patterning where I didn't want it to show and thereby creating the patterned tree.

I felt it was a serendipitous way of creating depth and textures which could then be used for art and image making. It was fun and I felt free to 'play'. I enjoyed being part of the group instead of facilitating a group.

Moving from left to right shows the different stages of building up the layers.

In my next blog I will show you my own interpretations of using this new technique.