Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Drop Cloths Rock!

So…what have I been up to in the last few weeks: Painting enormous canvases!Six to be precise.  Over five feet high and four feet wide, these were one of my biggest challenges yet!  Now, you must take into account that my house is the size of a dolls house, not to mention the fact that the only place I have to work is the family/work/junk room in the basement.  Not a happy household for a while I can tell you!  But it was definitely worth the disruption just to see the look on my client Gloria’s face when we hung them yesterday.

IMG_6705blog I was on a bit of a tight budget so buying pre-stretched canvas was a no no.  Way too expensive for a project this size.  Guess what I used?  Drop cloths of course!  Those things have a multitude of uses as we all know, and are perfect for making a custom sized canvas.

I purchased 1 and a half inch width furring in 8 foot lengths and cut it all to size, then screwed and glued it all together.  I washed all my drop cloths so that they would shrink and so that I could stretch them more easily onto the frames.  I think it was at this point that I lost it!  Have you ever tried stretching canvas onto a frame on your own?  Not a pretty sight!  I think I went through about 50,000 staples, 6 band aids and a trip to the chiropractor! 

IMG_6583 I primed all the canvases with 2 – 3 coats of primer and then started the background painting.  I was lucky that Gloria gave me pretty much free reign on the composition which gave me a lot more freedom to work.

Sizing everything up was tough as I had  to prop the canvases up on any and every flat surface including in front of the t.v. and the sofa (my husband was still on it at the time!).

At this point I’ll let the pictures tell the story:

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And yesterday they were at last in their final resting place and boy do they look impressive if I say so myself!  What makes me happiest though is that Gloria and her husband Sean LOVE them!  And if they are happy, so am I.

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If I ever decide to take on a project of this magnitude again I think I would have to charge a gazillion dollars - or move house!

Hope everyone is having a great week!

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45 comments:

  1. JenniferFebruary 22, 2011 at 11:29 AM

    oh Anji!! wow!!

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  2. The Dragonfly Whispers My NameFebruary 22, 2011 at 2:35 PM

    Wow Anji, this is amazing!!! You are so talented. You are an inspiration - as always, to me! -

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  3. Marie Lost Bird StudioFebruary 22, 2011 at 11:54 PM

    Love it, Anji!! You are very talented.
    Have a great day.
    Hugs,
    Marie

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  4. The Tin RabbitFebruary 23, 2011 at 12:04 PM

    Girl, You have talent!!! These are gorgeous...love the colors!

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  5. LorraineFebruary 24, 2011 at 6:39 AM

    FABULOUS Anji! Drops cloths are just amazing. They look incredible in place. Always a good thing when clients like what you've done....

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  6. Burlap LuxeFebruary 26, 2011 at 9:43 AM

    Amazing Anji!!!
    No words can compete with your art! You must feel as if you have created perfect beauty for there home and you did.

    Now whats next for you?

    You know you are so right about the Drop Painters Cloth's...My Mother just had her sofa slipped covered in a painters drop cloth, washing it first several times drying it and off it went for sewing!!
    It turned out fabulous :) So many great use's for them.

    Waiting to see what next you will create.
    xx
    Dore

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  7. Weathered & WornFebruary 27, 2011 at 4:24 PM

    WOW! Lovely. I can see why your client would be happy.

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  8. Youaretalkingtoomuch.comFebruary 28, 2011 at 12:32 PM

    UNREAL! I cannot believe you created that! How gifted! Love, Me

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  9. Lynn StevensFebruary 28, 2011 at 10:14 PM

    Anji, They came out beautifully, no wonder your clients were Thrilled. I figured it was a big house. Great idea using the drop cloths!!! Wish I would have thought of that on my last big project. That and a little gal I teach art to did a mural on canvas for the just say no project last fall. she spent $100.00 on her canvas roll. Good thing she won $1500. for the project. (her first painting too) !!!!!! I'll have to kep that in mind for future use an dget a friend to help!! LOL
    Its going to be forever etched in my mind your trying to stretch that canvas alone!!!!!!
    hugs Lynn

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  10. LorraineMarch 3, 2011 at 7:02 AM

    I see you got published in the new Digital Studio - congrats Anji!

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  11. krys kirkpatrickMarch 4, 2011 at 9:33 PM

    That is so cool. I love that you didn't spend a lot of money....and yet...amazing results. Great!

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  12. The Feathered NestMarch 4, 2011 at 9:41 PM

    ANJI!!! OMG!!!! These are so, so, amazing!!!!! Beautiful job sweet friend and the best part? You are so smart to use the canvas drop cloths!!!! I love them so much ~ to use in my art, to use as curtains and just look at you stretching them over a frame. You inspire me girl!!! hugs and love, Dawn

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  13. VSMarch 7, 2011 at 9:22 AM

    OM WORD Girl...These are fabulous!!!! I mean absolutely STUNNING!!!
    Your friends must be so excited about the finished look & they really just make that staircase now. I'm so excited for you...to get such a large scale job & be able to accomplish it so beautifully, your are creative genius...really!
    Big Hugs Sweet Friend & Congratulations on this amazing piece of work!
    Susie

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  14. Plush Possum StudioMarch 8, 2011 at 6:53 AM

    I am wowed right down to the ground! One of the reasons I like traveling from blog to blog just seeing the sights, as it were, is that I get to stumble across the beautiful works of other fellow artists. Girl, you are so good, you took my breath away. My goodness! Had we at our studio your skills for such work, I think you'd find bloody bandaids, loose staples, flecks of paint, and spare shreds of drop cloth all over our home studio!!!
    So glad I took a stab at something new today and found your blog!
    Rose McGuinn

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  15. Suzanne@thriftstoredecorjunkyMarch 8, 2011 at 10:04 PM

    Love it! Is it bad that I am jealous of your talent? :-)
    Great job!

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  16. Stella PetersonMarch 9, 2011 at 9:56 PM

    Hey Anji! Just stumbled on these amazing works of art! They are SOOOO beautiful, and to think you painted them all by hand!!! No photoshop used here, ha ha...but you've still managed to create blurs and shadows behind the leaves & flowers...so perfectly, they jump off the page.

    You go girl! You never cease to amaze me!

    Hugs,
    Stella xxx

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  17. UnknownMarch 12, 2011 at 6:13 PM

    BEAUTIFUL work, Anji. Oh my. It's add the perfect touch to Gloria's grand entry. You had me giggling with your "50,000 staples, etc." ha! What amazes me most is that you painted them from what looks like a B&W photograph.

    xoxo,
    Jami

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  18. Sea AngelsMarch 16, 2011 at 11:56 PM

    Breathless...the amount of work in these is AMAZING, and they are striking and beautiful.
    Hugs Lynn xxx

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  19. CEDAR JUNCTIONMarch 19, 2011 at 8:10 AM

    Those are amazing. They came out great. I have used drop cloths before as well. We used them as a backdrop for vacation bible school. We have a huge sanctuary, so we had to go big.

    Once people see the awesome pieces you did, I bet you are going to get lots more orders. Just don't paint your husband.

    SMiles,
    Teresa

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  20. Gracie's CottageMarch 20, 2011 at 8:37 PM

    Anji those are amazing....wowza!

    Jan

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  21. trudiMarch 21, 2011 at 8:33 AM

    Again, I have to say how much I wish I lived next door to you - I'd have you hired for years!! These are extraodinary Angi and I hope you were generously rewarded for your god-given talents!!

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  22. trudiMarch 21, 2011 at 8:35 AM

    Forgot to mention, congrats on the Somerset publication! It is so Maggie Taylor-ish! Beautiful work.

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  23. Sarah, Three BoysMarch 24, 2011 at 8:29 PM

    Congrats on the publication! I am so glad you stopped by, my cousin is an illustrator. You should stop by his blog and check out is portfolio, its awesome and he is really cool. You are so talented!!

    http://camfloyd.blogspot.com/

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  24. Dear LillieApril 4, 2011 at 9:18 PM

    Wow! You are really talented. Gorgeous!

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  25. Sharmon DavidsonApril 19, 2011 at 2:07 PM

    These look beautiful; they add a lot to your friend's house! I had to stretch canvases when I was an undergrad, and now would do anything to avoid it, so I do sympathize...

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  26. Cindy @ Dwellings-The Heart of Your HomeApril 27, 2011 at 6:56 PM

    Wow, they are gorgeous! You are so talented!
    Thanks so much for visiting and for your sweet comments!
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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  27. Korrie@RedHenHomeJune 6, 2011 at 8:26 PM

    I am in complete and total awe. Those are PHENOMENAL! And drop cloths?? I never would've thought!

    ReplyDelete
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