Pretty as a peacock painting finished?

Yes well I think it is finished but there is always the distinct possiblity that I will add something else to it or fix something up ther but I have to say I am liking it quite a lot which is a good thing! I have done a few peacock paintings before as I love their feathers and the hints of colour flecked through them, so many possibilities.  One of the first peacock paintings I did is on a huge canvas at the medical centre I used to work at.  I took the painting ( plus others) into the centre so that the patients had something else to look at and talk about besides each other and what was ailing them and it worked!  Most people loved the peacock and there were a very small handful that didn't because of the superstition of peacock feathers inside the house being bad luck.....yes well I won't think about that, I think they are wonderful creatures.

This painting I worked on a round canvas which again is quite big...I like to work on big projects you know..hehe just takes me a while to finish them. It is a mixed media, my favourite type as I use anything I can to get the colours and textures I want....sometimes you get happy accidents that work and sometimes you get a piece of paper towel and wipe it all off again.

I did use oil pastels as one of the mediums in this picture and discovered the best way to fix them so they were workable but didn't rub off all over your hands.....hairspray!  I had gone into an art shop which was probably more of a craft shop than an art shop and I was looking for a workable fixative and the staff there were no help at all...frankly I don't think an answer of ' well buy it and see if it works and let me know' is a good one....anyhooo as I was standing there trying to work it out for myself I had a light bulb moment and remembered back to the dark ages at High School art classes and how we used hairspray to fix our pencil drawings.  I put the $18 can of fixitive back and went home and tried it and was so excited when it worked.....so there you go use hairspray as a workable fixative.  Of course I will apply a proper varnish finish.

This was what the picture looked like after the first layers of acrylic and oil pastel looked like.

 

Now this is looking OK and a little bit more whould have been fine, but that is not my style...I need more, more more layers...till you get this ( I really should have taken these photos in the day time but I was excited).

 

 

Now to show you how the colour is a little different than in these pictures look at the one I took without the flash ( the next one) and the photo straight after it was with the flash, they both look so different....all that glitter and colour actually blends in together in real life.

 

 

I have the best cushions to go with this painting when it makes it's way out to Lilly Cottage, happy happy joy joy!! Hope you had a wonderful day and are heading into  a safe and happy Easter.

Kiss Noises Linda

Comments

[clare bower]

Layers and layers with detail , looks fantastic!

[Linda]

Hi Linda,
What a fabulous painting, it is just stunning, wishing you and your family a very Happy Easter.
Cheers Linda

[icantsew]

i need to finish my pillow!!! maybe i should stop starting new things and finish old things :)
see you saturday
%*_*%

[Kylie...cupcakes]

My Sister always says...
Less ain't more...
More is more!!!

You have a really whimsical talent to your pictures
Thay just say your name!

[Kerryanne English]

Great tip with the hairspray Linda - and as you say, much cheaper!!
Hugs ~ Kerryanne

[Trish Goodfield]

The peacock looks magnificient on the door. It caught my attention as soon as I looked out the window.