Backgrounds and the time it takes

Yesterday I said I would explain why I had not finished my one a day painting. This post is picture heavy which makes it longer than usual. 

Doing one piece of art per day was taking a lot of time in between steps because of drying after each layer of the background. So I decided, after watching a YOUTUBE video to prep a weeks worth of paintings and document the process for the background.

First I applied gesso to my page so that all my paint doesn't soak into the paper. Canvases come pretreated with gesso so you save that step. 

Then you dry the gesso. The time it takes depends on how thick you apply it. Gesso takes longer than the paint to dry. I like to let it air dry because then the mixed media paper doesn't curl as bad.

First color is applied with brush and dried.

Second color is applied with fingers and dried.

 Then I apply third color with a wet wipe or fingers and dry.

Then stencil with more paint...

and dry.

Then stamping randomly with ink.

Then walla! Ready to create

This takes a lot of time. I should have timed it but forgot. Maybe next week.

That is my process for backgrounds. I think I will take one day a week and prep a week's worth of backgrounds. If none of the backgrounds are speaking to me on any given day I can always make another one. 

Do you prep your backgrounds  in advance? Let me know in the comments below. I like hearing how others create their artwork. 

Debbie

You can find my art for sale at:

https://www.artyah.com/seller/artbythesea

And https://fineartamerica.com/artists/deborah+halcomb