Minis

In my little city we have these things called "transfers" that you receive when you use the public transit that serves as your proof of purchase and allows you go switch between buses, trains and streetcars on your way to your destination. A while ago when I first tried to reintroduce creativity into my life and wasn't really sure if I could find the time to be creative, I collected a bunch of these at a train station with the intention to use them as my new canvases, and see if I can indeed squeeze some time for creativity.  It was a great size (2.5 x 3") to work out to let out some steam or mark a special day as these things were issued daily, and I always managed to find some time to make these little pieces as they were definitely therapeutic. Eventually though , life did get to me and I wasn't able to find time for creative moments like these as I struggled to find balance between two jobs, a social life and time to sleep - I guess it was just NOT the right time to get creativity back into my life just yet, but it was certainly reassuring to know that I could find the time in any crazy schedule because, your canvas does not have to be big, it can be as small as you choose (in my mind,it was drilled from high school days that to be considered an art work,  art was created on things bigger than 5 x7").

Recently, I finally came to realize money was just not worth converting myself into a workerbot for and decided to work one job, live a little poorer but happier. I started investing a little more time to the creative process and a little less time to work.I've been working steadily in my altered catalog art journal and made great progress and the creation process is becoming smoother, faster and more therapeutic than not. Still, sometimes I just don't have the energy to make a spread and am more in the mood to make a little quick something. I really wanted to get back into drawing people(well, faces mostly) and expressions but I was just not wanting to buy another little book (I have a few already) and the idea was just peculating in my mind.

Then on the transit, I saw this incredibly beautiful brown girl - it was just not  fair that so much beauty belonged to one person; she was plump had the preettttiest eyes cutest face and I was in awe (which just means I developed an uncontrollable staring problem) and she awkwardly smiled as she got off the bus. I wanted to just capture this face - never you mind the rest of her body - I don't care what she was doing. My mind frantically started going through all the stuff I have to find the perfect place to try to capture this face without pressure an came up with the pile of gessoed transfers.

I had given  a good coat of watery-gesso over these transfers as the papers were glossy and I wanted a matted surface and I was just not sure if it would take to paint. I found that, gessoed surfaces are not great to draw or paint on with markers or watercolors. It turns out pencil crayons don't like gessoed surfaced too much either as the chunk of pigment just peeled right off her mouth, causing all sorts of waves of panic.

This final piece doesn't really look like the girl I saw; she was ebony colored with the cutest eyes and dimples ever but clearly, this piece is nothing like her. However, it marks the moment and when I see this pic it REMINDS me of what the girl looked like, which I guess is good enough for now.


I enjoyed doing this piece SO much - and wanted to do another face in watercolors...my painting skills seemed to have ebbed and I thought this would be a great time to start working on them again. I  took out the pack of watercolor ATC cards that's been waiting for this moment for YEARS - and banged out this one:

Athough I am pretty happy with the way it turned out (I'm not digging the hair), I think I was much more in love with the piecebefore it got all sorts of detailing done.

Well, that's all for now.

Hope you enjoyed,

Love always,
Shines.