Finished paintings for the nursery

So, I started some paintings for our child's nursery a couple of weeks ago.  With various other projects being started, worked on and finished all at the same time I could only work on the paintings a few hours at a time.  But, lo and behold, I've finally finished them!  They are goofy, copied, traced, color a little off but the little bambino(a) is just going to have to deal with staring at them for the next 18 or so years in their room 'cause I am not going to redo them. 

This particular painting project was intiated by Mrs. K's encouraging words.  She really liked how my elephant painting came out (totally plagiarized, as well.  Note to original artist: "Please, don't sue me, I swear I will never sell the thing and if I do I'll split the profits with you."  Just messin' with you.)  She suggested a giraffe.  I one-upped her and said, "How about three giraffes?"  She thought it would be nice.  So, I started on the series of paintings.  I have showed some pictures of the progress but, as I have promised you all, I will show you how this whole thing went down.  You should try it, it's fun, easy and hey, now people will see them and say you're an artiste!

So, like the elephant painting, I searched the Internet for an image that I liked.  I found one that was simple but had some character to it.  This is what I found:

Now, being a series I wanted the paintings to be almost exactly alike so I drew this onto some butcher paper and taped two sections of transfer paper together to match the size of my canvases so that I could trace the outline of the picture, I know, I am so lazy and have absolutely no creativity, but this thing's gotta git done!:

I broke up the image into smaller pieces so that copying would be easier:

I did corresponding sections on the butcher paper by creasing it:

I added a little tree in the corner to make this "my" art.  Does that count?

Transfer paper cut to size.  Actually, it is called "tracing" paper but saying, "transfer" sounds more official:

  Once the image you want to copy is placed on top of the transfer paper just trace or "transfer" (Those are supposed to be air quotes) the image through the transfer paper onto the canvas.

This is what I used to transfer the image onto the canvas:

While working on this thing I remembered that I had some origami paper laying around that I bought over Christmas that I never used.  Have you ever tried making anything Origami?  It is impossible.  So, anyway, I decided I wanted to do a "mixed media" kinda thing and use the patterned paper on the giraffe's spots and as the tree.  I made a template out of my butcher paper drawing and cut out each spot one at a time and copied them with the origami paper:

I swear, I own other shirts and hats but when a shirt becomes a "work" shirt.  It sees some serious work:

Rockin' out to some "Biebs"

All the Origami paper cut out and glued on.  I just thinned out some Elmer's glue with water about  50/50 and applied with a paint brush.  The smell of this stuff really brought back some memories of middle school.  Do you remember that kid that ate Elmer's Glue whenever it was brought out of the teacher's cupboard?  Sicko!

Getting ready to paint:

See, they all look the same but kinda different:

So, the background color has been applied and it's time to get going on these things to finish.  I think Mrs. K is tired of looking at them scattered about the kitchen. 

Finally, finished!  Okay, so a local artist around these parts turned me onto Varnishing paintings, especially acrylics.  This stuff does a number of things:  it puts a shiny glossy finish on the painting, it really deepens the colors used and it also protects the painting.  It seals the paint much like a clear coat does on car paint.  So, if you really love your kids and truly are impressed by their finger paintings, go ahead and varnish it so that it will last forever!  If you don't love your children then don't bother varnishing their art work.

This is the Varnish I used.  I like it because it does not smell like there are any solvents or petroleum in it.  In other words, I can do this in  the house because it doesn't stink.

So, there you have it.  Really, really boring but I warned you it needed its own blog entry because the process took weeks to finish.  Oh, by the way, I've got my shelves sanded and primed so I believe that will be next blog entry.