I mentioned a few weeks ago a free mixed media art class. There are over 1000 students in this class and the energy is really amazing and supportive. I am uber shy about mixed media anything. I really have no idea why. I guess I feel like I put more of myself into the pieces than I do with scrapbooking. Anyway, I have never done a portrait before. I am the last person picked to play pictionary. Really! I cannot draw for anything. The crazy thing about this class is that I sat down to just watch what was being taught. I had no intention of doing it at the time.
I have taken a portrait class before and it was a ton of prep work before beginning anything. Prep, create background, layer, layer, layer. Not with Tam. Nope. She had us write all the negative stuff we tell ourselves on the left side of the page. She had us write down the positive intent of those words (the bad is way easier to think up) and then we covered it up with gesso. Then, we started the face. Whoa! Really. SOLD! I paused the video. I filled my left page with my inner garbage, gesso'd and like 10 minutes later was drawing my first ever face. Woot!
Even better for me was that I did not have any of the supplies she was using. She uses water color crayons and pencils and graphite. I usually let things like that stop me. Well, I had a mechanical pencil (no graphite) and acrylics and I went for it anyway. The watercolors turn out super vibrant and you can create tons of highlights and depth. I wasn't able to do that with the acrylics (I'm sure this is my own inability), but I just kept layering and watering down, etc. I love my self portrait. She is done in my favorite colors and she has my green eyes (on the light side) and I felt like she came out looking calm and strong.
I cannot say enough about this class. I highly recommend joining the group and giving it a go. Really, if I can create a portrait in under an hour and a half anyone can!!!
Willowing - Art, Heart & Healing
The class focuses on techniques, but also on a healing theme. It's adaptable to whatever you prefer. You can just learn the techniques and skip the healing or just do the healing and skip the techniques. Tam is an amazing teacher. I'm so grateful to have found her class!
