Myth

Myth

When I first saw the word, Myth, I thought of Jack and the Bean Stalk, but I didn't want to go with my first idea. I needed to brain storm, that's what I've always been told. So, I mulled over some nursery rhymes, Jack and Jill, Mary Mary Quite Contrary, but none seemed to pop. When Little Miss Muffet came to mind, I thought that was it! I started drawing some sketches of Little Miss Muffet having a tea party with the spider. I tried different angles, poses and everything. I was determined to make this work, but it just wasn't.

When I decided to stop pushing for Little Miss Muffet; I thought I should at least sketch out my idea of Jack and the Bean Stalk to see where it would go. After all, I reasoned, that Jack had been part of the brain storming. Just because Jack was my first idea didn't mean it was a bad one. You always have a first idea. Sometimes the first idea is the best, other times there is a very good reason you brain stormed.

I loved Jack! The more I sketched him the more I liked him. I had always thought of him as being brave and fearless, so I wanted to show a different side of him. What if Jack was fearful instead of fearlesss? What if Jack hadn't really climbed up, but had been taken up? What if he hadn't had a choice, but made the best of his situation?

In continuing with the theme of Jack being scared, a blue oil wash was dark and scary. The sepia wash seemed too warm and safe. Jack was now facing the unknown, which at that moment was pretty foreboding


To create the whole look, I used a technique that my college professor taught me, simply put: layers. I plan on showing a step by step process, but for now, I will have to use my words.

Steps

  #1 mask off the area of your piece (I use tape)
  #2 sketch out the composition in a colored pencil (include shading)
  #3 Color the image using +Prisma Color Pencils
  #4 Water color
  #5 Spray a layer of +Krylon Crystal Clear
  #6 Apply +Liquitex Clear Acrylic Gesso and +Liquitex Matte Medium Medium Mat
  #7 When the gesso and mat medium are dry, apply an oil glaze over everything
  #8 Lift off any extra glaze with turpentine, or a dry kneaded eraser
  #9 Lift off the tape

I will explain the steps further, when I have images to go along with it.