This is "Mega Mona" hanging up
from
a curtain rod unpainted. Measures a whopping 44 X 62 on canvas!
Is
it the largest PBN on canvas? Who knows! Call Guinness!
OK, which one is Mona???? This is
me, Karen Savell, about to dive into this project with paintbrush in
hand!
Stay tuned!
Hour 1: I'm using a timer to take
pictures in hour increments. Well, it doesn't look like I did
much
does it??? I'm working on my second color in the sky here.
Most of my time is being used up on blending the 2 colors together at
their
edges. So far no snags...so far! I'm using Delta Ceramcoat
acrylic paints and they seem to cover very well.
Hour 2: Finishing up the last
color
of the sky, blending as I go along using a dry brushing
technique.
I like to go from background to foreground, so Mona will be painted
last...Snag
#1:My camera is on the fritz and my pictures stink....sorry!
Hour 3: Heading for the mountains! Starting with the light green and going to the darker colors. I keep painting but don't feel like I'm really getting anywhere. :o)
Hour 4: Still in the mountains getting into the darker greens. Snag #2:The dark green paint is really thin and I have to put on more than one coat...grrrr
Hour 5: Still in the mountains laying down the medium and darker green colors.
Hour 6: Laying down the medium and dark green. Snag #3-I'm finding that these two colors are too close in value. Got to change the medium green to a lighter shade....
Hour 7:Changed the medium green to a lighter shade and finishing off the dark green. Wish you could see it! Pictures still stink....(memo to myself: Ask for a new camera for next Christmas...)
Hour 8: Finished the dark green shades, now on to the greys and tans of the mountains. The air is a little thin up here...
Hour 9: Still in the high mountains. Hit snag #4-Changed the tan color in the mountains to a light grey. Much better!
Hour 10: And a river ran through it...the upper range of mountains is complete, now working on the lower valley. I feel like I'm actually getting somewhere now. :o)
Hour 11: And a bridge went over it...still working on the lower range of mountains with shades of grey. It's starting to look pretty good!
Hour 12: This is me working on Mona in Hour 12. Just to show you how big this thing is, I have it laid out on the floor with little ol' me pose-painting.
Hour 13: I can't believe it! I painted all the way to the bottom! Can't wait to get started on Mona herself....
Hour 14: And a road ran around it....Just about finished with the background. On to Mona!
Hour 15: Oh, that beautiful hair.... working on her hair and veil..
Hour 16: This color took me all the way down her right arm. I was afraid I was going to run out of paint but I made it! Whew...
Hour 17: Working on the lighter shades of her hair and veil. I'm thinking I'm a little over half way done. And I'm wondering why I haven't hit a snag for a while....there must be a big one coming!
Hour 18: Filling in the lighter shades of her veil and sleeve..
Hour 19: A big black spot! This part is going fast because I can use a larger brush to fill in the large spaces, and I'm using a smaller brush around the edges. Things are picking up!
Hour 20: A really big black spot! Getting into the left arm and cape. She's coming together quickly now..
Hour 21: Now filling in the darker greys of her cape. (I need to remind myself to bury my camera out in the back yard after this is all over!)
Hour 22: Filling in the lighter greys of her cape...A while back, my husband suggested I increase her bust size and just recently I got an anonymous email from someone suggesting the same thing. MEN! Um, thanks for the input, I'll keep that in mind...
Hour 23: Working on her blouse... Instead of the bigger bust, I'm thinking of putting a swastika on her forehead and "L O V E" tattooed on her fingers. NOT! :o)
Hour 24: The BIG 24! A whole day of painting! Finished up her blouse, and now on to her lovely face and hands!
Hour 25: Working on the shades of her face. Since the canvas is really big I can only work on one side. I have it layed out on a table with the side I'm not working on rolled up. I'll have to do her hands last...
Hour 26: Still working on her face. I want it perfect! Excuse the glare, that's not my flash...which by the way isn't working. (Memo to myself-Burn that sucker when I'm done, then bury it!) I have a nice bright light shining on it to show it's true colors. Almost complete! Getting excited!
Hour 27: Working on the subtle shades of her face. Looking at it close up, it looks really bizzare. Almost like an Aztec painting, but from far away, it comes together nicely! And isn't that what paint by numbers are anyway? A strange broken up painting up close, but take a few steps back and everything blends in like a real portrait.
Hour 28: Who are YOU looking at??? And there she is looking right back at me. It came out much better than I thought! So beautiful....(Did you know Mona doesn't have any eyebrows???) Now on to her delicate hands!
Hour 29: Working on her hands... I have the strangest feeling that I'm being watched....Almost done!
Hour 30: D O N E !!!!!!! It
took me 30 hours with only 4 snags! I started painting 1/17/03
and
finished 3/3/03. Now I wish I could scan it
for you but she's way too big! Once it's framed and hanging I'll
post more pictures.
Exhibits she is attending:
Rochester, MI at the Paint Creek Center for the Arts.
She'll be on exhibit there from June 11, 2004 to July 17th, 2004.
The Print Gallery
29173 Northwestern Hwy
Southfield MI 48034
On exhibit from August 1, 2005 to October 15, 2005.
Don't miss it! Come and see the worlds largest Mona Lisa Paint By Number!
Questions, comments or suggestions
welcome! Email me at savellgraphics@cox.net
