Tempera Resist Portraits

I really like the tempera resist technique, so I thought I'd try a photograph instead of a drawing.

This is my daughter being silly and horning in on her brother's senior picture session. I took the photo file into a photo editing program and changed it to black and white using the threshold adjustment.

I printed the result and traced the black outline to watercolor paper. I then simply painted the thinned tempera in the areas I wanted to resist the acrylic paint wash.

I washed over the dried tempera with two different acrylic paint washes.

When the wash was dry, I rinsed the watercolor paper under running water and rubbed away the tempera.

Both of the photos I used of my kids were outtakes. They weren't perfect photos, but they make interesting art. They're easy and quick to do. Mother's Day, anyone?

I framed these paintings in simple black frames. I think a gallery wall of modern silhouette portraits would look great. I need to do one of the dogs. They're family too.

Thanks,

Aimee