On Burlap 3, Part 5 + Smaller Work

A few more things to add.

In the picture below, I was testing my makeshift movable stencil using the wire and contact paper. This was the result. The contact paper began to be affected by the spray paint after about 12 feathers. I had curling of the finely cut areas and the feather was progressively distorted. The spray paint began to build up and drip as is evident. This pattern was sprayed onto constructed panel of pieced-together Bristol paper. The assemblage was about 4' x 7'.

Test print of peacock feather tail.

I decided to use this tail pattern after trying a few other patterns. However, I want the perpendicular feather, 90 degrees from the horizontal, to be one of the outermost feathers. Therefore I slightly rotated the fan in the final design. Below is the backside of the assembled sheets of bristol. I've drawn on my guides for printing and placement of feathers.

Paper ready for peacock feathers.

After I printed the feathers on the paper, I covered the paper with transparent contact paper (three overlapping strips, each about 18" wide). I proceeded to cut out the stencil with a tiny blade (similar to an x-acto knife). Three hours later I had removed the contact paper from all the feathers and my next step will be to transfer the stencil to the prepared background (see background with working title To Have)

Application of contact paper to printed fan of peacock feathers.

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I started a smaller scale project a few days ago. It's acrylic and ink on cold press watercolor paper. I've created stencils of the main areas of the painting in order to manipulate the image with greater exactness and line clarity.

Untitled work in progress. Acrylic and ink on cold press watercolor paper. ~18"x24".

On Burlap 3, Part 4

I've not stopped. The work goes on, albeit at a reduced pace for a time. I have in the last month restrung the guidelines on my large acrylic piece, have to (updated title--lower case 'h'). The now all converge on a point in the lower right quadrant and present the basic form of the peacock fan of feathers. I have developed an easily adjustable stencil mounted to a wire frame which I will move from feather location to feather location.

The wire frame with applied stencil. Piece of Bristol paper held behind stencil to add contrast. Frame size approximately 18" x 24".

The stencil is cut out of contact paper and stuck to the printing side of my frame. I will position the frame and apply white spray paint (2-3 layers) followed by blue and green layering. I think I'll use a sheet like a 'rubber dam' around the frame to prevent unintentional application of spray paint to the image. I will then carve a linoblock and print the 'eyes' of the feathers individually.

Test image created with my feather stencil. High gloss black spray paint on Bristol paper. Feather approximately 15" x 4".

After this is complete, I need to find a model for use as a photographic reference for the final piece of the picture.