Experiments and canvas development

Above and opposite are images of a prototype on a smaller scale of my idea to lay a photograph with a stamp image super-imposed over part of the image below.  The top image shows the before I'd rubbed the backing paper off.  Once all the paper had been rubbed off, the image was quite clear.  I used gloss varnish to protect the photo, whilst I added water to the back of the stamp image, which would stay damp until I'd removed all the backing paper.

First image of my yellow and red ochre wash.  This is before I tilted the canvas letting the colours bleed into one another.  I decided to do one half of the canvas at a time so I could control the flow of the paint better over a smaller area.  It has proved beneficial and rewarding.

Opposite and below show the first layer of wash in red and yellow ochre.  I decided to tackle one half of the canvas at a time.  Once I'd painted the acrylic I lifted and tilted the canvas at various angles so that the colours blended.  I did this technique with each layer.  I didn't want any brush strokes showing so the washes I laid down were quite wet, but got stronger with each layer. I don't intend to use undiluted acrylic, because I want some of the white to show through.

Sections of the second layers.  The image opposite shows the difference between the first and second layers.  The first wash is hardly showing, but I realised afterwards that each wash dries lighter than what it looks like wet.

The images above and opposite are close-ups of the second layer.  I like the white showing through the washes, which add a luminescence The settling of the colours into the depressions add depth to the background, which I hope will enhance the overall effect of the vision I had at the beginning of this project.  I like the process and the effect enough that I will definitely use this method and technique again.

The images below are close-ups of the textures and how the paint has settled on the prepared papers.  I'm loving the effect and I'm hoping other people will like it too.  I've tried to envisage where the images are going when applying the washes as I want the yellow ochre  at the top and one side of the images and the red ochre at the bottom to simulate the shade and the colour of the Victorian brick.  Once the middle section is finished I will be adding some raw umber and paynes grey to add further shade.  I am aiming for the chiaroscuro effect used by eminent artists such as Da Vinci, Constable and Turner to name a few.  This effect will be obvious when I achieve the correct balance between light and dark tones.  then I've got to decide how I'm going to approach the outer edges of the canvas.  Egg shells, sand, textured paste and papers will be added.  I will be adding some sgraffito to the textured paste and maybe some wax for wax resist as I've experimented with this in my sketchbook.  some of those images are on this page from earlier in the year.

The two images below show the contrast between the photograph and stamp image and the background colour.  I like the the coloured texture against the images even though they are not touching the surface, as it's still wet. The paint is really showing up the various papers and textures as well as the overlaying of the paper, which I'm pleased about.    

The image below shows me what my photos and stamp images could look like once the background is finished.

Third layer of wash still wet showing the intensity of colour, before it drys.  It will go lighter as it dries.

 The image to the left shows what the surface looks like after the top layer of paper has been rubbed off on two separate occasions.  This image was laid over a prepared canvas.  I used burnt sienna and raw umber.  I've noticed that as you rub the paper off the layer of wash lightens too.  I will have to use a gloss varnish on the surface before putting the stamp image slightly wider than the image to protect the colour underneath.

Opposite is a prepared canvas board like my main canvas, with squares and rectangles of textured and non-textured papers.  This was covered in white titanium paint.  Once dry I glued the photo onto the board then added gloss varnish to protect the surface.  I added gel medium to the stamp image placed it face down and burnished the image with a printing roller so that the ink made good contact with the surface.  After it had dried I added water to the back of the stamp image and started to rub the paper until it started to lift off.  I continued to do this until I'd rubbed off quite alot of the paper.  This was then left to dry.  if you rub too much off in one go you run the risk of taking the image or parts of it off too.  A little can give the appearance of age, but more than that can ruin the effect.  Although you can't see it on this image, the brickwork does show on top of the photo.  I added yellow and red ochre to emulate the background on my main canvas.
I hope you like the journey so far and I'll be adding further developments soon, so keep looking.