Art and All That Jazz - Unstampabelles July challenge

 Add in the TWIST of mixed media

Hi Peeps

I just love this college image from 
Romare Bearden: Collage Portraits 
and thought I would try and have a go at it too. 

It might be familiar as it was featured at Unstampabelles for the last two weeks

Mine is unique but very similar

I started by searching Google images for things I might need and then trying to judge the size I might need for them. Apart from the musical instruments which I had to reprint larger I did alright with my eying them off. The original image is in the top right hand corner and I wanted mine to fit on the whole page of the journal

I started by tearing off strips of scrap paper and making a sort of background 
and then Modge Podging them to the page. 

Once I had the background started I cut out four oval (ish) faces from Reflex computer paper to begin my musicians. Next I had to check the hat's fitted them so I added the hats and photographed it when I was happy with the placement so I could remember it for later. I pencilled in the faces (sort of) after I had glued the faces down.

I then thought I could use the Marzipan Twists from Jane and began  sketching in the figures and adding colour to the faces but I ended up wielding a tissue and wiping off the residue as this was not going to work, so I went to the Uniquely Uniqolour Water Colour Markers and yesss....they worked well. 

Oh, I cut the eyes out of the male images and glued them on my faces and then sort of drew the rest of the features from there

In the middle of this I heard rustling and looked up from my standing desk to see peeking through the back at me ...Mr Curiosity! As I had the camera ready, he got snapped before removed!!! Can you see that little black face?

The next step was to colour and paint in the faces of the men, using Jane Davenport paint pens and Uniquely w/c pens plus some Posca white ink and Jane's black paint pens

Then I began some serious cutting out of scrap paper to collage some clothing, glueing them down and  drawing in various accessories such as ties and collars....as artists their clothing reflects their eclectic tastes!

The hat's went back on too, permanently this time, and I began outlining things before adding the musical instruments

I had to add sleeves too and that was interesting....

The hands were the last thing - lifting up the instruments and reglueing them was tricky but I got the hands to mostly look attached and in place.

I did a bit of background work with the w/c paint and added some fine lines and writing: oh, and the drum sticks.....

The bottom one was taken outside to get away from the effect of the light bouncing across the Modge Podge but it is a bit dark. 

This was in direct light and a better look

I worked on it over two afternoons so it dried well inbetween

Meanwhile Bingo found another way to entertain himself on the floor....

Currently he is sitting on the keyboard and making life interesting.

You don't have to go to as much trouble as this to create something for the challenge over at Unstampabelles but in saying that I did enjoy the mess and felt quite chuffed at my ability to recreate a piece of multimedia art.