Mixed Media Mayhem - Opie Meets a Cat

This journal entry ended up being a tribute to my wacky Chorky, Opie…but it didn't start out that way.

 Faced with a blank white page, I approached the background with a random, "Let's try this".  I had some foam pieces from a Michaels sale that I used as stamps with Pitt Big Pens.  To block in some color I rubbed on Gelatoes.  "Ho Hum!"

I read on a blog that a good application of black could unify the composition…so I pulled out a graphic stencil and used a black Gelato and a baby wipe to rub on the black.  I started out small and then just went crazy and filled in both pages.  Gelatoes are water soluble..read smeary…so I put down a slapped on coat of clear gesso…a favorite product to avoid spray fixing. Wanting more layers I turned to some textured wallpaper to stamp on some contrasting color.  The background felt finished but I had no idea what to do with it so it stayed that way for days.

I had a discarded book on my bedside stand that I decided to use as the visual element.  I cut and pasted parts of the text to make a collaged girl and I gessoed and drew in her face…I hated it so I had to give her glasses and a focal piece to distract from her.  I drew and cut the dog, then grounded them with text paper, and drew the leash.  I saw the cat ad when having tea, and it just fit the space giving a reason for my dog's attention to that spot on the page.  One accident led to another which led to "Opie Meets a Cat".