Well, I took it upon my crafty self to use my skills towards something equine-related! I was hoping to work on something for Andrea and Gogo before she had to say goodbye (It will be a lovely photo album)...and so I wanted to practice with
another horse to know I could actually pull off the technique! Some researching of paper cut techniques/photoshop tutorials later and voila!
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Klein mare in three tones, cut from paper and mounted onto blue cloth (Klein's colors!) and I matted it with some 4-ply mat board!
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Apparently, I am ambitious with my first attempt...I didn't think about how difficult getting contrast and depth out of a dappled grey horse would be. I like how it turned out...though next time (and for Andrea's) I will invest in some quality paper...I just printed various colors that I would need rather than purchasing them, because honestly, I wasn't sure I could pull this off. I am fairly adept with an exacto, but I can get frustrated easily with things that are tedious, so I spread this project out over several days so I wouldn't crumple it up along the way. If anyone is curious about the process, I started with this:
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| Klein and Stacey killin' it | | | | | |
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And turned it into this:
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| And then cut each color layer out of paper! |
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I'd say it was a success! Contact me if you'd like to know more about this process!
Wow! That's seriously impressive! And striking. I'm also awed by your patience. Is each colour one layer? I.e. The white the bottom layer, the grey on top of that and the black the very top? Or are there places where you cut out a little bit of white to go on top of the black (e.g. on the bridle)?
ReplyDeleteBoy, you really captured Klein's mighty eye and her power. Really beautiful.
ReplyDeleteKelly! Yes each color is one layer. I started with the white, getting the basic outline, then the grey for the mid tones and finally the black (definitely the toughest layer). You have to hold your breath and hope you were steady enough so that all your cuts match up! Gluing everything together is equally as challenging, especially when you are as clumsy as I am! I spaced everything out over a few days so I didn't get frustrated, but it was super fun!
ReplyDeleteMuddy! The thing to remember when you do projects like paper cuts is to pay attention to the real features. You're going to make little mistakes along the way, but as long as the key features are there it will come out looking impressive!
ReplyDeleteps. I drew on a few black marks along her neck afterward. An artist friend of mine commented on how he wanted to see more black on her and then I showed him the original photo and he said, "ohhhh".
ReplyDeleteThis is seriously amazing. Thank you so much for picking her as your "test subject" :)
ReplyDeleteWell she's a stand out! I'm eager to work on one of Gogo next. Now just to pick the best photo. Any suggestions are welcome!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeletePerhaps you should do a post outlining the process?
I would love to know more!
Jenny! I'd be happy to. When I start the next one I'll try to take some photos or video of the process. I used a video tutorial to get started (and to make sense of the layering) and I'll link to that too! The secret to working on these is patience!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea, a step by step to see how it all comes together!
ReplyDeleteWow, came out great!!!! Thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous artwork. I thought it was digital until I read your post.
ReplyDeleteYou have a really nice blog! Your animal portraits are lovely, too.
Thanks! I'm so happy to get such positive feedback!
ReplyDeleteWow..just gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteUm, I would LOVE one of these of Miss P. I will gladly commission whenever you find the time :)
ReplyDeleteYour Kline mare image is gorgeous! I'd love to see more of your work in this venue. Truly gorgeous. . .
ReplyDeleteGingham! I'd looooove to do one of Miss P. Do you have a favorite shot of her? I'm working on one of Gogo right now, but I can do Pia's next!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for all the great feedback. Klein was my first real attempt at this layered technique. I do lots of paper cut kinda stuff so I'm pretty handy with an Xacto! I can figure nearly any craft project out with enough time and patience and some things seem to click!
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