It's all in the details

From tree to paper and back again

MUSKOKA LIFE — Two Performers by Col Mitchell; Manipulated paper, fluid acrylics and inks on canvas

Inspiration
Mitchell often works from photos or drawings to compose the principal part of the image, and occasionally to choose the colour. The surrounding areas are usually developed through the interaction of the paper and the wash. “I very much work through a process of reaction and inspiration offered by the expression of the materials, unique to each piece. I have a very flexible plan.”

First steps
Pieces of paper are saturated with professional grade Tri Art gel, torn, manipulated and layered on a base of wood or pre-stretched canvas. A typical piece has to dry for 24 to 96 hours. Two Performers required 72 hours to dry.

Prime paper
The paper is chosen with particular effects in mind. This piece features several layers of reused packing paper from glassware, with a few areas of tissue paper as the final layer. The original colour is a green-grey, which shows through in the rocky outcrop under the tree.
“What I really liked about this paper was its flexibility, which allowed for long sweeping lines,” said Mitchell.
Other papers produce different effects. Thicker paper provides more substantial ridges and wrinkles; some papers can produce a greater number of creases, or different degrees of roundness, softness or sharpness in a crease. Waxed papers can produce a batik-like effect due to the wax breaking when it’s crumpled. Sizing, a protective filler or glaze added to paper, can also affect how the wash is absorbed.

Applying colour
Premium artist quality acrylic paints are diluted to form thin washes, which Mitchell then sprays and pools on the canvas. The colours are allowed to randomly move through the pathways created by the paper’s texture. Her preferred paints are pigment-saturated and come in a syrupy, liquid form. This paint provides a perfect starting point without jeopardizing pigment strength when it’s diluted.

Line work
The next step is to explore the texture and shape of the image, line by line, with pen nib and acrylics. The ink is treated with acrylic polymers to make it less glossy and increase flexibility. The amount of line work varies with the piece. Two Performers required more than 30 hours.

Challenges
This piece marked the first time Mitchell had used this particular paper, and she struggled with the underlying washes. “It was during this piece I realized that I was, as far as I knew, the sole authority on what I am doing here – I did not have anyone to call for guidance, who was more experienced, as this is a technique of my own creation.”

Three-R art
Mitchell mixes her washes and inks in small quantities – about two ounces of wash and less than half an ounce of ink – so there’s little waste. Left-over ink can be used on subsequent paintings. Ink pots, mixing palettes and gel containers are either reused or repurposed. Mitchell hasn’t thrown out any ink pots in nearly four years, while she considers how to create something with them. Tissue paper from gifts and other paper packing material is carefully stored and saved for future works.

Telling the tale
With greens and blues predominating, Two Performers has a colour palette that is psychologically calming. Orange stands out, grabbing the viewer’s attention.
“The colours in Two Performers intimate a particular kind of sunny day,” Mitchell said, “enticing the viewer to relate to an experience of one of standing outside to breathe for a moment, to take in the smell, the warmth, the caress of wind, and the resulting energizing impact of that moment.”

Visual tension
“The compoundment of sweeping horizontal lines created by the paper,” Mitchell said, “the overlapping, probing washes and the pen nib-applied ink, combined with a vertical composition, generate tension and create a charged atmosphere speaking to the energy inherent in all things.”

Col Mitchell works from Cedar Raven Fine Art Studio on Cedar Lane in Bracebridge. Her website is www.colmitchell.com.

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