Barbara Close showed us an intriguing art treatment consisting of abstract text forms cut out as squares and put together in a line, with text above and (if I remember) below. She suggested we do this ourselves in class. When I got home, I decided to pursue the idea and ended up with the project below. I chose the text from Psalm 119:130 because the squares suggested windows to me. I did the entire project on white paper first to get the spacing of the lettering in a circle. I got it fitting just right on only the second try.

Classroom project, Ps. 119:130

I used gold paint (Finetec Pearl Colors watercolor pan set, #M600) on rich black paper for the Uncial text in a circle. I also added gold to heavy watercolor paper in four different ways to promote unity of color in the composition: 1) applied in random swirls with a brush; 2) dabbed with foam; 3) splattered with a brush; and 4) masked off with torn strips of tape. These are four techniques Close covered in a previous class last year. In keeping with the theme of light, I applied the word “light” to the watercolor paper in various ways with colored  ink, either applied directly with C0 Speedball pen, or dipping the pen in water and applying the ink to the water with toothpicks. When they were dry, I cut them out.

After the text was painted in a circle and dried, I applied the squares to the paper with thick foam adhesive so they’ll stick up a bit.

I had trouble getting the gold fluid flowing smoothly. Sometimes thick, sometimes thin. I think I need to go back over it in places and touch up the scratchier parts. Not sure you can see them in this picture, though. The photo doesn’t do it justice. But when does it ever?