Art Recipes and More: PERSEPHONE

Hello everyone!

This is Persephone, an art journal spread measuring 19” x 12^1/2”.

For this project, I was inspired by Canvas Corps Brands (CCB) March theme challenge "Re-Birth".

In Greek Mythology, Persephone was the daughter of Zeus and harvest goddess Demeter. She was abducted and taken to the Underworld by Hades. She was forced to forever live a part of her life in the underworld, which symbolized Winter. Her return to earth, each year, symbolized the beginning of Spring and the rebirth of nature.

In my spread, I incorporated colors from the challenge’s moodboard and for the scenery I was inspired by the wonderful landscapes of my country Greece!

In the composition, the figure of the Goddess is dominant. The seeds of new life are floating through the air, while the mountains in the background are still bare, symbolizing the end of Winter.

To create this spread, first I sketched Persephone and then I glued some pieces of scrap papers, to create the mountains and the land. I gave the figure a base coat with watercolors. With a rounded palette knife, I spread heavy white gesso on my pages and worked with the knife to create some texture, especially on the figure’s cloth.

For the sky, I painted a coat of Media Fluids Titanium White and while still wet I sprinkled some infusions Royal Blood and sprayed with Lindy’s Sassy Sapphire. For the mountains, I used Americana Acrylics Burnt Umber, Media Fluids Titanium White and some Infusions Royal Blood powder. Without mixing them too much, I picked the colors with the palette knife and painted the mountains. The uneven surface of the collage, helped me to achieve a very interesting texture.

For the goddess, I used Americana Acrylics Primary Blue, Red and Yellow, Flesh Tone, Burnt Umber and Fluid Titanium White.

Finally, for the land, I used Americana Acrylics Sand, Marrigold, Espresso, Citron Green and Avocado. I mixed the colors with the palette knife directly on the paper and pulled the wet paint with a fan brush to create the grass.