Wow, I guess I have a lot of pieces to update you on! This one is titled “Paradise.” Technically, it’s a pet portrait (I do more than just dogs and cats! Anything goes, really). Paradise is a Betta fish and this piece is a little larger, at 11” x 14”. I quite like working in the larger sizes since I can get a lot more detailed. I wonder how large I can go? I get this mental image of creating a piece that takes up the entire wall of a room… I… kind of want to try it.

Anyway, “Paradise” is a more ‘typical’ torn paper collage. I tear tiny pieces of paper from catalogs and magazines and attach them to a piece of paper using scrapbooking glue. The ZIG or EK Tools brand 2-Way glue is my preferred adhesive. I’m not too particular about the paper I use. Any good-quality artist’s drawing paper is fine. Recently I’ve been using Strathmore paper, which can be found in pretty much any store that carries art supplies.

I enjoyed working with some brighter colors for a change. Most of the animals I make are various shades of neutral earth tones. Nothing wrong with that—I enjoy the challenge of getting the subtle color graduations right. But sometimes, it’s fun to play with color a bit. Color’s a bit harder in some ways, since the pieces often require large amounts of the same color. Flower catalogs are good, as are some clothing catalogs, but they typically have smaller sections of color, so it can be difficult to find enough of the same (or similar) color for a large piece like this.

What’s your preference, bright colors like this or subtle earth tones?

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