{P} Paint over collage

Paint over collage is a very interesting technique – especially if you’re afraid to draw or are unsure about shading a face, for instance, and it yields some amazing results. The technique does take some practice, but once you get the hang of it, it’s really a lot of fun!

All it takes is a pleasing {to you} collage composition, over which you apply layers of paint and embellishments to make it look more “painterly” and less like a collage.

Sounds simple, but it does take a couple of tries to get the hang of it and get pleasing results {at least that was my experience!}.

A few tips:
Break out the clear gesso for this one – it makes it easy to figure out feature placement and shading.

Don’t have clear gesso? Use watered down white gesso. You need to be able to see the images so you can work over them.

For best results, you want the face to be at least 1 inch in height – this makes it easier for you to paint in all the details. A small face makes for very fiddly details – and a very frustrating time {I speak from experience}.

While this demo {from one of my favorite artists} is for a face, you can use any subject matter.

Your turn! Try the technique in your journal. If you have questions or get stuck somewhere, just ask! I’d be happy to help.