Every year I create a single piece of art on canvas to represent the focus of my in person Riverside Paint Retreat!
I then have this piece of art printed onto t-shirts, bags, mugs, etc for my attendees as gifts!
Our focus for this year is..... "wings" paired with an excerpt from a famous poem....."What if you fly?"
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Finding Inspiration
Last year, I painted MY Heart which was a fantastical version of an anatomical heart....in true whimsy fashion.....you can see that here.
I wanted to paint a whimsical version of one of my artist heroes....Frida Khalo....with a pair of wings.
Frida is an inspiration to so many and her story and journey give me the feeling that I can achieve anything....if I just trust....and try to fly!
So I gathered several images of Frida and began to sketch her image in a carefree and whimsical way. I attempted to be open with my thoughts and free with my paint.
If she looked like Frida....great!
If she didn't look like Frida....also great!
Supplies Used: Frida Canvas Art
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MY version of Frida Canvas Art
This is MY version of Frida in the most carefree no stress style that I could gift myself on this day!
First Sketching in Pencil
I sketched her in pencil.....without erasing.
There are no mistakes here.
Outlining in Charcoal
I traced over my pencil with a charcoal stick....and set that image with my fixative spray.
I accepted her just as she was.....and did not judge.
And then I began to Paint
I started with her face. I needed to bring her to life a bit before I could decide how much energy I wanted in the space behind her.....and especially before I chose the color of her wings.
To be honest....I liked her just like this! Her face was full of color...her earrings dangling beautifully...and the roses in her dark black hair!
I liked her against the pure white. But I knew I needed more if she was to look right on shirts and such. So I moved on.
For some reason....I completely got to film or photograph while I painted the background. I really lost myself in it apparently. But as you can see I went with life giving blues and greens.
Texturing the Wings
I just could not bring myself to add color to her wings!
I LOVED the stark contrast of the white and black nestled in between the energizing yet gentle backdrop and MY Frida.
So I chose to embrace the white.....but with texture.
I didn't want the white spaces to appear as if they had been forgotten and I really wanted them to draw you in and call you to reach out and touch them.
It took a REALLY long time to fill in each space with the added texture but the end result was exactly what I hoped for!
The texture even showed up in the printed version of my Frida canvas art on our goodies for camp!!
The Finished Look: MY Frida Canvas Art
This Frida canvas art was so much fun!
And I can't wait to lead TWO camps full of creative loving attendees....through this same process of painting style on both denim jackets and upholstered chairs!
We plan to FLY!
More Inspiration: Canvas Art Projects
Want to try some canvas art of your own? I have gathered some of my favorite canvas art projects for your inspiration!
Butterfly Girl on Canvas - the story of inspiration and evolution
Baby Angel Wings - a project with meaning
Release - butterfly bursting off the canvas
My HeART - 2023 Riverside Retreat artwork
Llama Canvas Art - fun custom art for a tween's room
Pineapple Art - Be brave. Be Bold. Be The Best You.
Textured Heart - artwork you want to reach out and touch
Angel Wings - textured and dripping in gold
If you are feeling stuck, try my overcoming blank canvas paralysis strategies.
Click on any photo below for more up-close photos and all the design details
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