Micky Nuessen

Here is a step by step description of this project. If your reading my blog you know this started out as a live oak painting. The whole time I was painting and struggling with the tree, I had this lilac collage swimming around in my head. I had the frame and bought the canvas. Instead of being an art project it started as a decorating project. So, I guess that explains the confused beginning.

Anyway, after many days of sore shoulder and frustration I started the collage. Used gel medium to decoupage over the painting with a little book of Buddhism. I scanned several pages for future projects then used the actual pages on the canvas. Let that dry overnight then painted the edges with a dry brush technique using metallic gold acrylic paint. Next layer I painted the table in with golden acrylics and a translucent purple paint. Did some work with masks on the background. Decoupaged lace for the curtains. Used my watercolor pencils on 140lb cold pressed watercolor paper. Painted the ball jar and cut it out and using the gel medium glued it to the table. I then started painting lilacs and cutting them apart. Trying to avoid buckling when gluing to the canvas. I used a photo I took of my lilacs early this spring as a reference. After cutting apart I used a pigment marker to color all edges of watercolor paper. I then printed off a picture of a butterfly from our trip to Powell Gardens and added it to the collage. The word lilacs are just stickers. To finish off the composition I then scanned the cover of the book and skewed it in photo shop. Printed and glued to the table. Making sure to edge all pieces with a like colored marker. After all layers were dry I brushed beeswax over the entire project. Using a craft mini iron i smoothed and the wax. Then polished with a cloth.