Dress Up 2011- Gustav Klimt February

Angela over at Sew Loquacious, is hosting Dress Up 2011.  Each month participants create a dress themed by either an artist or an artistic movement that she pre-selects and then shares a little info about the subject matter at the beginning of the month.  For February we were to choose a painting by the Gustav Klimt.  Klimt was well known for his erotic works of the female body.  I have to admit, I’m not really a fan of his work. It’s just not my thing.  But, I was inspired by his "Mada Primavesi” as seen below and I am excited to see what fashionable little numbers others as well as myself come up with throughout the rest of the year.  I’ve even went back and did a few for the month of January! You’ll have to wait for another post to see them though!

First blush and innocent-

dreaming of fluffy lace and candy kisses.

Soft as the rose petals tickling her nose-

perfumed with a fiestiness only an artist could compose.

So taken and inspired by the whimsical way Anna of Frosted Petunia is using napkins in her mixed media pieces, I knew as soon as I saw this painting, I wanted to use some of the vintage tissue paper I have in a similar manner.  Or at least I think it is.  I sketched the silhouette of the dress onto a piece of watercolor paper, then cut it out. Using skin toned watercolors, I painted a nude figure beneath dress and the proceeded to fold and crinkle the white tissue paper atop it. Once finished, I used Sparkling H20’s in two shades of white and one of blue to add highlights and shadow, as well as glowing luster. And then I used some Picket Fence Stickles and Alabaster Martha Stewart Glitter Glue to add a little more dimension and texture.  The roses are cut from a piece of white ribbon. I trimmed them down some because they were much too large. Then I used various shades of Sparkling H20’s to give them their color. Leaves were applied with a shimmering emerald dimensional paint and the neck was adorned with Ruby Red Stickles..

It’s been brrr brrr cold here.  I’m still blinded by white when I peek out my windows. It was really nice having my man home for a few unexpected days. I do worry about the wildlife and homeless though.  Amongst others, there’s many hummingbirds who have chosen not to migrate.  I’m just not sure how they, and others, handled windchills in the negative teens.

Have a beautiful weekend!