Collage Obsession ' Man'

         Collage Obsession Challenge

This weeks collage obsession challenge was the theme of ' Man ' a serious challenge, and I must say a good one as being hoisted out my comfort zone is an excellent thing. I worked in my usual mediums of torn paper, gesso, acrylic paint, watercolour paint and gilt foil, and also used some modelling paste to form the suns tendrils. I wanted the sun to look rather organic hence the tendrils of sunlight.

The Leonardo da Vinci Vitruvian man is a hugely iconic image, and I wanted to combine it  with one of my favourite painters interpretation of the work, William Blakes' Albion, or glad day'. The figure Albion being the  personification of humanity, rejoicing in freeing himself from the shackles of materialism. William Blake was an  influential British painter and poet born in 1751 and I have always been fascinated by his dark romantic symbolism.

Laying on paper layers

 I printed out the image and began to alter it using first paper and then washes of watercolour.

adding gesso and modelling paste

Then used gesso and modelling paste medium to build up texture, finally finishing with acrylic paint ....I know over the next few days I'll fiddle about adding more texture, I sometimes find it difficult to know when to put down the paintbrush, so I would love to hear your comments on if you think he needs more work....