Flash back from a class...one piece of paper

 Someone gave me some brown envelopes a while back and in this class I taught some time ago we were learning about value, line and shape...basics I know but sometimes you have to relearn something or revisit them.  So Everyone was given an envelope.

 We cut the sides  and then opened it coated all with polymer medium and then fused it on to a piece of watercolor paper.

As you can see the rounded edges of the envelope and the shadowing done with acrylics...then some fun happened with stamping of object and gestural mark and some with Neo II crayons. It really was a playful exercise and a challenged to see what you could do..then I gave them a white envelope. (all images are my examples for the class)

When coating any paper with the polymer and later when it dries some areas are brushed on well with the polymer but it makes for some great visual texture when rubbing on a glazing medium and acrylics.  Again just doing some playful exercise in using one piece of paper...like Louise Nevelson you have to use size and shapes to make it interesting and the value becomes so important.

So for the fun of it the last collage we did in class was the combination of the left over piece from the brown and white envelopes exercise.  I know so very basic but I find it very stimulating when I go back and do it...as of create a piece art with one piece of paper...why?  it hones my skills and as an artist.  Especially for the work that I do - abstract graphic collage.

So I Googled a few image of Ms. Nevelson's work and shared them with you...and there is an exhibit at the Pace Gallery...  There has always been an attractions to her work and Lousie in general for me...I don't have time to do whole lot of reading so looking at her work has been my "go to" and just being inspired by it...Women artists of our past. Video