A-tissue

Do mermaids ever catch colds I wonder? What do they blow their nose on?

I've been meaning to hook up on this great challenge site for ages and finally am participating in Michelle Ward's GPP Street Team. This month we're 'grabbing a tissue'.

I love using tissue paper in my mixed media work - in fact, it was one of the first additional media I experimented with when I began this exciting artistic foray. For this piece I had in mind to conjure an angel. I have some lovely tissue paper covered with cupids and some sparkly globes as well as some thicker golden samples. I gave her strong wings and soft hair but somehow the picture just wasn't working. The wings did not look like they would ever unfurl, much less fly. It's funny because I was working on this Monday night, just as I had written my post about being 'prepared to change our paintings', where I was talking about life as well as art. So, undaunted I quite literally ripped the wings off* and angelic creature of the stars became siren of the sea instead. I like this. There's so much texture and layered colour from the tissue - in fact, I can't actually close my journal now owing to the layers of tissue and the addition of some real shells. Well, a mermaid must have adornment mustn't she?

I'm still not happy with my noses. I want them to look all cutesy but instead she looks like she's been slapped around the face with a shark's tail. I think I may just practice nose after nose in my journal until I form one I'm happy with. I guess I would never make a terribly good plastic surgeon.

Mixed media journal page (well, sketchbook really since I rarely write in it!). Coloured pencil, acrylics, tissue papers, oil pastel, clear gesso, shells.

* No angels or mermaids were harmed in the creation of this painting.