Stages of the Moon

The challenge of 13arts is

Travel the World- I took it to the next level Travel the universe.
I have been wanting to make a galaxy painting so here it is.

Start with styrofoam balls cut in half for the full moon.  I cut the other half balls into 3/4 moon, 1/2 moon, and 1/4 moon.  Smear on sand texture paste.

While the texture paste was still wet i press the moon into art stones- mega, regular, and mini.  Set aside to dry.

Paint with Alchemy opal magic yellow blue paint.  Dry.  Water down Alchemy Metallique emerald green paint, dab into graters then spray with water, the color with spread into nooks and crannies.  Dry

So many many layers later here is the moon.  Once teal has dried rub with a little white gesso in random spots.  Next rub in gold wax, here I used a paintbrush so i could get into smaller areas.  Next water down black acrylic paint and dab into nooks and crannies, spray with water.  Finally finish with a little white gesso dabbed on with fingertips.
Whew done.

I used a 14"x11" canvas then smeared with sand texture paste.  Added some stars made with a mold and polymer clay- I over cooked that is why they are brown.  Around stars add mini and regular art stones.  I tried to create a swirl pattern.

Close up of star bundle.

Once dry paint entire canvas with black gesso.  Now all that texture pops.

Start painting with alchemy metallique paints, Midnight Sky, Deep Waters, Mermaid Teal, Crocus Fields.  Start by spraying canvas with water- a water spray bottle this is my most used tool for mixed media.  Again paint in swirl pattern.

Paint on corus fields paint, spray with more water then brush out color to dilute and smear color edges.

Blot off the excess paint around edges, now the color is concentrated in center and dilutes out towards edges.  Repeat on whole canvas with all colors, this technique also works to blend colors together.

Here is the completed galaxy.  I concentrated most of the color in texture areas and blended out to non-texture areas.

Add white highlights.

Finish galaxy with splattered white paint, and rub on some white gold wax on stars.

Position full moon in center of galaxy then paint a halo around with white gesso.  Again i painted on then spray with to dilute and fade out edges.  Repeat for all stages of moon.

Finish with sisal underneath moons, insert hitch posts into canvas and wrap with wire.

I think the star bundles are my favorite spots.

When i am working on mixed media there are so many layers of paint and texture I always think i am covering up everything but those layers is what creates all the depth and realism.

Painted in swirl motion, then added some random wire onto hitch post.

The alchemy metallique paint looks amazing on black.