With Art in Motion, I share the visual journey through the life of one of my paintings — from the blank canvas, to the first splash of inspiration, all the way to the finished piece. Enjoy to the fullest!
Click here to see all the posts in this ongoing project series.
I always like to start off with covering up the canvas with papers. This is one of my favorite parts. I use a foam brush and a specific gel medium (link below) on both sides of the papers.
Then a quick sketch and gesso over the face.
Some paints and lace and texture added to background with a quick facial sketch, too.
Then focus on the paint. My go to for faces are the paintstiks – see below for link. Super easy for blending with fingertips!
A few more painting touches on the background, then onto hair.
After finishing her hair, I played with collaging in some leaf wings, and slight painting of her dress.
(She turned out to be one of my faves. Signed/matted prints are for sale here. )
It always comes together in the end which sometimes, quite honestly, is a hard process to TRUST. In this way, and in many others, art is a mirror to what happens in life. In her case, she came together by adding the large halo which I cut up from an old vintage sign. And of course, the hello faith, hello courage sentiment.
The Story Behind The Art:
The full story about what was going on in my life at the time to inspire this painting is here, but the sentiment of what I learned remains the same:
Faith lives inside the pauses between progress, between acceptance, between healing.
While Grace gifts us all the time we need to figure it all out, to grieve, to ignite possibility, to find our way, faith is what holds the divide between those long, sometimes deep, sometimes painful pauses.
It is the bridge. It is enduring, always there, and it will never fail us.
It is trusting the process as we embrace change and surrender our fears.
It is believing, with tremendous courage, that all the lessons, the work, the leaps, the falls, the struggles, the celebrations are for a purpose much larger than we can fathom – an ultimately good, beautiful, worth it purpose.
My faith is growing. I’m seeing now all the ways that I deeply depend on it, how it has held the divide for me, time and time again. Without it, nothing would be possible. And one thing is for sure:
Courage does not exist without an existence of faith. And faith does not exist without the courage to believe.
They go together. Like love, and …. love.
Faith lives inside the pauses between progress, between acceptance, between healing.
It securely, without fail, holds the divide between those long, sometimes deep, sometimes painful pauses.
While Grace gifts us all the time we need to figure it all out, to grieve, to ignite possibility, to find our way, faith is what holds us all the while.
It is enduring, always there, and it will never fail us.
It is letting go, knowing it will be the bridge from one season of our lives to the next.
It is trusting the process as we embrace change and surrender our fears.
It is believing, with tremendous courage, that all the lessons, the work, the leaps, the falls, the struggles, the celebrations are for a purpose much larger than we can fathom – an ultimately good, beautiful, worth it purpose.
My faith is growing. I’m seeing now all the ways that I deeply depend on it, how it has held the divide for me, time and time again. Without it, nothing would be possible. And one thing is for sure:
Courage does not exist without an existence of faith. And faith does not exist without the courage to believe.
They go together. Like love, and …. love. – See more at: https://www.kellyraeroberts.com/2013/04/hello-faith-hello-courage/#sthash.YcIlK9vG.dpuf
I get so many questions about which art supplies I use and love. You can check out my favorite supplies for making art (with descriptions) over here or if it’s easier, I’ve put some easy links below for you 🙂
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Thank you guys. I hope you enjoyed a peek into the process!
XO,
Kelly Rae
Loved seeing and reading about the evolution of your painting. Thank you for the product links.
Even more fascinating, was hearing your perspective about faith and courage. You are such an example of courage and grace to me even though I've never met you. Your words of wisdom help so much.
Thank you for taking the time to write out your thoughts about life.
so beautiful! I especially love the crown above her head:)
Thank you for sharing. I love your working process and you make it sound so easy.
I wonder how did you found your style. Did you always painted like that?
I am so encouraged with your strength and all the possibilities out there. You make it easier to believe. I like what you said about faith today and its connection with grace and courage, etc.
I have 2 questions for you . . . what do you have faith IN? Is it a faith within yourself?
An art question, I have your book and am going through it. I've started to practice using painstiks to shade in the face. I'm not sure how to do the particulars like the eyes, nose, and mouth. What medium do you use for those? Does the book explain how to faces in particular?
Ok. I'm sure you didn't want an in depth quiz, but I am a teacher. I can't help it.
Thank you!
Thank you so very much for your wisdom about faith. I really really needed to read this today. Gorgeous art too!
Loooove it
Thank you !!!