Monday, July 7, 2008

Mixed Media Monday Challenge

Here is my entry for the theme "Monochromatic Colors".
I was flipping through a stack of old magazines my hubby was nagging me to "deal with". That's not the same as "get rid of". Although i had to agree, the pile was quite stale. I found the image of the honeycomb in a National Geographic, which was all about issues facing the ecological balance in the world. Well, the color spectrum: from golden yellow to deep amber, was PERFECT for this challenge! (good thing i read the "PSSST" hint on this week's Mixed Media Challenge, so i had my eyes open for colorful ideas.

I started with a 5" by 7" stretched canvas. My goal at the end of the year is to create a gallery in my house for all the weekly challenges - so i think working on stretched canvas will be easier to display on simple shelves or nails, than paper based artwork. That's my plan anyway....
I covered the canvas with some amber coloured paper - actually taken from a bouquet of flowers. It was sort of "interface-y" if you sew and know what that means. i cut out the honeycombs (by the way - one of my favorite cereals as a child)and glued them to the left side with glue stick. I used the text from the article on the right. Then i literally just grabbed whatever golden amber honey hued items i had in easy reach of my work surface. Sunflower stickers, foam letters, and I used some oil pastels over everything to round out the hues and seal the piece.
Oh, and then added two yellow tin chickens. I thought the honeycombs where reminiscent of chicken wire. Get it? groan....i know, I know, it is a creative leap.

9 comments:

~*~Patty S said...

Love your idea of having a challenge blog 'gallery', that's excellent. This piece is wonderful, it has so much interest and texture, great canvas!

evanyberg said...

Lovley and colorful!

Sandy said...

Wow this is wonderful.
Great design and shinning colors.

Rosie said...

I love the rich honey tones to this piece... and can almost hear the bees buzzing! I also like the fact that you used stickers and chickens!!

Kreativgeschwafel said...

looks really wonderful!!

jeanne @ Inspiring Ideas said...

What a great image to be inspired from! Bold and beautiful!

Unknown said...

I really do understand about the "stale" pile of magazines!

Where were the hints (PSSST as you say) for using monochromatic? I need some help with creative ideas.

Anonymous said...

Diane, this is gorgeous - and the colours are amazing. Diane

Pretty Widow said...

Hey Carol - the "psst" refered to Mixed Media Monday's hint about what their next challenge is. It is right on their home page on the right side.
thanks...
Diane