The layers on this are just amazing and really make this piece rich and deep. However, getting to the finish line on this one was a journey.

I spent a lot more time on this than I had planned, but I knew I could bring it together. But man oh man did she give me a run for my money!

I was going to talk about love and the quote but the more I worked on this, the more I knew that I wanted to talk about the layers and why they are so important.

I get asked the question at least 3 or 4 times a week, why put papers down only to cover them up? Why stencil an image if it doesn’t show through? Why put down paint if you never see the colors?

I have sooo many answers to these questions… I won’t be able to list them all but I’m gonna give it a try.

1. You have to start somewhere, rarely does a piece EVER go as planned. It can come close but never exactly as I see it in my mind. And I can quickly overthink myself out of even starting, with the fear that it won’t turn out the way I planned. So I just have to start somewhere.

2. Each layer teaches me, it teaches what I like, what I don’t, what color is right. It teaches me freedom to follow my gut or heart. It tells me where to go next. What to expand on and what to let go of.

3. Depth, richness, dimension. Have you ever looked at a piece of art and asked how did they get that look or how did they get there? LAYERS! It suddenly becomes interesting and intriguing.

4. Story… just like in this piece it shifted my perspective and made me think about the layers and the layers of my life.

5. It lets me know that I have work to do to make it whole and complete. It gives me a challenge to see how far I can take it. And gives me wisdom for the next piece of art.

6. I can always do a paint over… a do-over, a rework with more layers to make it what makes me happy.

I could go on for days…. the layers are so very important for so many reasons. And can you see how important the layers of our lives are too? Put your life story in place of creating layers for art and they all apply!

So be grateful for the layers, working through each one!

I hope this project inspires you and always know that you are loved!!

The original is available HERE

Supplies used:

1. 14×18 canvas
2. Golden high flow acrylic raw umber, carbon black, titanium white
3. Matisse fluid acrylic paynes gray
4. Utrecht gesso white
5. Liquitex gesso black
6. Lukas cryl acrylic turquoise
7. Blick matte acrylic green blue medium
8. Soho acrylic light portrait pink, turquoise, green gold, rose madder, naples yellow, olive green
9. Grumbacher acrylic Alizarin crimson
10. Liquitex basics acrylic quinacridone magenta
11. Golden acrylic burnt sienna
12. Liquitex spray paint carbon black
13. Catalyst wedge
14. Color shaper silicone brush
15. Brayer, embossing tool for scratching into the surface
16. Liquitex fluid matte medium

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Stencils used: these will be on sale this week

1. Numbers Grande
2. Old World 2
3. Letting Go 
4. Doodle Lines
5. Bold Big Font

Language of the heart now available!! Early bird pricing happening now!

I hope to see you in the classroom!