These past two weeks have been great. I feel like I’ve tried techniques that are more advanced, at least more so than what I was doing before. I used techniques that gave my piece more texture, more depth, and that resulted in a cleaner look.

Day 27 – January 27, 2018

I updated the face so that it would look less full and more skull-like. I also began adding flower embellishments on the shirt as well as the stitching. Lastly, I began decorating the face in Day of the Dead style.

Day 28 – January 28, 2018

I continued working on the flowers on the shirt – it was a long process, but it was surprisingly relaxing. I added the petals individually and the center part of the flowers to give it more texture and depth. I also updated the collarbone and the neck. I added black to the back to give it more definition. I also added more layers to the hair to add some gray and to give it more texture. I have been implementing techniques that I had been too scared to try before, and I am loving the way it’s turning out. I have found that using a brush to apply the glue is ideal, especially for smaller areas. I have also found tweezers to be a life saver when applying the small little pieces to the character.

Day 29 – January 29, 2018

The fact that the petals around the eyes were so large was really bugging me, so I decided to remove the face and add a new one. I am really happy I opted to do that, because, although the change is not drastic, I definitely notice a difference.

Day 30 – January 30, 2018

I worked on the arms today. It was kind of hard figuring out how they would be positioned so that they did what I wanted them to do. In the end, I think I got the look I was going for. I also added seams to the shirt to separate the arms from the rest of the shirt. So far, I am very pleased with the way this shadow box is turning out.

Day 31 – January 31, 2018

I began working on the shape of the little girls and I also cut out a layer of grass. They both need additional work. I also cut out the foam pieces to separate the different layers. I put all of the layers into the box (with scotch tape for now) to see how they will look together. I still have a long way to go, but I am very pleased with the way it is turning out and the new techniques I am using.

Day 32 – February 1, 2018

I worked on another layer of grass to give the piece a bit more depth and I created a border that will frame the shadowbox – it will be covered in flowers and skulls. The border will work as decor, but it will also hide the foam pieces that are attached to the back of the translucent purple paper.

Day 33 – February 2, 2018

I began working on the flowers that will go around the border of the picture. I wanted to cut out each petal and make them look like African Marigolds (which are traditionally used in Day of the Dead celebrations), but I want to make several of them in different colors. It’s tedious work, but I like the way it’s coming out.

Day 34 – February 3, 2018

I continued working on the flowers and added little skulls to the center of them. I really love the way the flowers are looking. I made sure to fold the flower petals up and inwards to give the flowers more body.

Day 35 – February 4, 2018

I decided to change the border in terms of the color and the shape. I think the new shape and color of the border will make the piece look a lot better. It still needs the leaves and a lot more flowers for the border to be complete.

Day 36 – February 5, 2018

I began adding some leaves to the picture frame and gave them some whimsical twirls. I felt that having them look like traditional African Marigold leaves would be too boring.

Day 37 – February 6, 2018

I added more to the background to hide the white foams that support the bottom layer. And I added some tombstones and candles to the middle ground. I also added more of the leaf designs to the border.

Day 38 – February 7, 2018

I worked on the flowers on the bottom side. They have taken such a long time to make, but they really enhance the overall look of the piece.

Day 39 – February 8, 2018

Today I just worked on tracing and cutting out flower petals. I did not take a picture of this.

Day 40 – February 9, 2018

I finished the border and I attached all the finished pieces to the box. The only thing left now are the little girls. I also changed the placement of the flowers to distribute the cool and warm colors a bit more.

Week 4 & 5 Review

I am so pleased that I am experimenting with my paper art techniques. I do think the newest creations have improved by leaps and bounds. They definitely are more time consuming, but they are looking a lot better (closer to the types of paper art creations I was hoping to make).

I think as long as I keep experimenting through this 90 day art period, by the end, the difference between my day 1 and day 90 creations will be obvious in terms of growth.

Make sure you check back and follow me on Instagram (@WhimsicalStoryBooks) to get sneak peeks, updates, and opportunities to win some of my art.