New Altered Art Assemblage or Shrine

Freedom Flight

11 X 15"



Construction within a frame.



Collage (in part), as well as acrylic paint, glues, bird's wings, a dried root, ceramic birds, and more. See the rusty metal trowel "arch" behind the figure?

              
           Here are links to other assemblages using altered art: http://mixedmediamanic.blogspot.com/2012/07/how-to-create-altered-art-doll.html  and
http://mixedmediamanic.blogspot.com/2012/07/altered-art-assemblage-contest-winner.html and
http://mixedmediamanic.blogspot.com/2012/05/assemblage-in-memorial-to-mom.html

How to Use Saturation or Intensity in a Color Scheme

Saturation

Also known as "intensity," saturation describes the strength of a color with respect to how pure it is. A color's saturation is the degree to which it is different from gray at any given lightness. For instance, colors that are quite grayish are fairly unsaturated compared to brighter, more vibrant colors. 

Pure, bright yellow at left. Duller yellow (with gray, not black, in the gradient at right.

Pure, vivid color is not diluted by gray (or the color's complement). If you wish to tone down a bright, pure color and lower the saturation, add both black and white together (gray), or the color's opposite on the color wheel.

E.g., red is the complement of green, so it would de-saturate green paint (make an olive green, for example) to add some red paint to it. Or, to create a muted barn red, add a bit of green to the red paint!

Tip:

It's often advantageous to paint with a variety of intensities, to avoid a simplistic, "too sweet" effect.

                                                                                                                                   

                                                         A color's complement, if added to that color, will lower its intensity.

A HOW-TO PROJECT: CREATE ALTERED SHOES

Even a shoe (or two) can become a blank canvas--create cool kicks that you can actually wear, if you dare. Then step out in style! This lesson will show you how to make art from a pair of old shoes. Paint, collage, and embellish them to your heart's content!

MATERIALS: 

1. Smooth leather shoes (Note: Canvas shoes work, too!) 
2. Gesso and acrylic paints (including paint writers) and paint brushes
3. Enhancements as desired (sequins, coins, lace, imagery, etc.)

I like a wedge heel: more surface to decorate!

METHOD: 

1. I love to give thrift shop shoes a new life. First clean them, let dry, and gesso them. Use two coats if necessary, drying between coats. (Lightly sand smooth if preferred.)

2. When the gesso is dry, paint with acrylics. If you don't want to paint          freehand, preferring shapes to fill in, 

first draw outlined shapes with dimensional paint-writers. When dry, the lines form borders to hold each color in its place.  

Squeeze-paint is an easy way to keep painted shapes neat.

3  Incorporate printed words or pictures,   your initials, charms, crystals and other small, flat objects.   When the adhesive is dry, seal with clear acrylic.

A pair of unwanted shoes become works of art!