Bunny and Her Sister

I was in a back to the bunnies mood again when I made this painting.  Another intuitive mixed media piece from which I started with coating my paper using coloured gesso!  Adding a few drops of Hydrus liquid watercolour (Dr. Ph Martin’s) in white gesso, I brushed the mixture on.  How do you like the pastel tint of the blue!  Paper used was my favourite pad of Strathmore’s Mixed Media Paper due to its ability to withstand layers of mediums and its smooth velour finish.

After letting it all dry, I added bits and pieces of paint and ink as well as doodling with oil pastels.  Layer after layer.  Using palette knife, droppers and finger.  I wanted to make it a bright summery theme to go after the last of the season.  Bright blues and pinks.  And what next, I thought to myself.  I didn’t want to make the subject too elaborate as it would distract from the pretty background.  So I went for something simple like two lemon-yellow bunnies!  “Big sister and little sister” bunnies.

I mixed some titanium white acrylic paint with yellow heavy-bodied acrylic and began painting the two bunnies.  Just simple shapes as usual.  To make them pop out more, I outlined them with the same yellow paint.  I was not sure whether to leave the painting as they were or add a bit more.  However, they did look a bit lonely on their own so I took the risk and decided to improvise further.

I rubber-stamped on some leaf and flower designs with Distress Ink.  Can you see the pink flowers and green stems of leaves hidden in the piece?  Unfortunately, I was not too keen about how they turned out, as I may have gone overboard with the stamping.   I then decided to improvise further! With some scrap bits of origami paper, I punched out some flower shapes and glued them on where suitable.  Now that’s better!  And the eyes were drawn in with acrylic marker.  And here we are!

Again having lots of fun with mixed media art and making it all up as I go along.  Soon summer will be over, and it will be bye-bye to pretty flowers and light colours for a while.  Let’s make the most of it and enjoy whilst we can!