A conversation with Elizabeth St. Hilaire Nelson: Part 8

How does it take you to get the average creation?

My process is multistep. After finding imagery that I am inspired by, I take photos and manipulate them in Photoshop on my computer until I achieve a composition I am happy with. I might take one cow out of a group or combine her/him with another cow from a different photo, add a barn and drastically raise (or lower) the horizon line behind them. Once I get this worked out on my computer, I print a color image and this is my reference. I then sketch onto primed wood panel. After sketching I do a quick acrylic underpainting in order to work out my values and my colors. When the underpainting is dry, I then start collaging my hand-painted and hand-made papers over the top of the acrylic painting. Keep in mind that the hand-painting of the papers also takes time and I create all my own papers in advance of the collaging process. When the collage is complete, I coat it with two layers of acrylic UV protective varnish and then I do my own framing.

The time it takes in the collage process depends on how it's going, some days things are really working for me and it's coming together quickly, other days nothing is working and I end up going over the same area a few times before I am happy with it. Some subject matter is more complex than others. Some subjects I am good at and have worked out the challenges with practice, so I can really do roosters very efficiently, but dogs are more of a challenge since I have only ever done two. Peacocks take a long time because of all the eyes and detail in the tail feathers.

I guess I'd have to say, it varies!

Photo credit: "Song of Sunrise"

Click here to learn more about this rooster art mixed media painting

Friday's website of interest to art enthusiasts: OLGA'S GALLERY

"Olga's Gallery" is an online collection of over 10,000 works of art. In addition to showing images, the site also discusses the artists and their work. The history of how the site came about is it a bit amusing. I will let you read about Olga and her family here. While the site may not have a lot of "bells and whistles," it does have a lot of information for readers to enjoy.

Friday's website of interest to art enthusiasts: ARTLEX ART DICTIONARY

Today's website of interest to the arts community is the ArtLex Art Dictionary site. This site allows users of all levels of art interest and experience to learn more about the words and terms commonly used in the art world. The site is privately maintained by Michael Delahunt, an artist and art educator. The website started as a way to put words to the many aspects of art that people visualize. The site has grown to over 3600 articles and 50,000 links and is viewed on average by over one million people each month.

Friday's website of interest to art enthusiasts: AMERICAN ART THERAPY ASSOCIATION

For those who are new to following the Cow Art and More blog, I feature a different art-focused website on Fridays.

Friday's website of interest to art enthusiasts is the American Art Therapy Association. My career in veterinary medicine does not allow for much creativity, so I love that I can express my artistic side by making jewelry. It's good for the brain! I chose to feature this website today because this group focuses on helping people heal mentally by learning and making art.

The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) is an organization of professionals dedicated to the belief that the creative process involved in art making is healing and life enhancing. Its mission is to serve its members and the general public by providing standards of professional competence, and developing and promoting knowledge in, and of, the field of art therapy. The AATA represents approximately 5,000 members and 36 AATA State and Regional Chapters that conduct meetings and activities to promote art therapy on the local level.

Friday's website of interest to art enthusiasts: QUESTIONS ABOUT ART

Today's art website of interest is the website, Questions About Art. The site involves a series of questions and answers provided by artist and author, Franklin Einspruch. The part I found interesting about this site is that the questions all have very honest answers about why some art may not appeal to everyone and why people have different opinions about art.