Wabi Sabi Tea Garden
Welcoming imperfection into your art is at the heart of Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi. Wear, deterioration and change are all a part of the cycle of life. As we experiment with materials that have a previous history or a story and embrace “what happens” as we create, we’ll discover the beauty of imperfection. There are no mistakes!
Supplies
Gessoed canvas
Poly Acrylic medium
White or Buff Acrylic Paint
Gold Metallic pen or leaf
Acrylic inks, Brusho powders, Ranger Distress Inks or water colors
Acrylic brush #10
Round watercolor brush #8
Used dry tea bags (dry your tea bag after drinking then remove the tea
Old book pages some with garden or flower images
White Tissue Paper
Assorted printed napkins with garden theme
Assorted Stamps and archival Ink Pad
Japanese light and airy natural papers
Dried leaves, flowers or grasses
Lets Get Started
Appreciate the beauty of what just happens as you create!
First Layer
After covering your canvas in a base coat of white or buff, let dry. Then use your acrylic medium as glue both under and over, to attach your special torn papers and tea bags. Tea bags are transparent and can be overlapped for effect. They can also be tinted with your inks or watercolors.
Adding Pattern
Add some interest with pattern by using a couple of your text, images or printed napkins. Napkins are 3 ply and should be pulled apart so you can achieve transparency by using only the top layer. If you wet a brush with water and paint around your design then gently tear away excess, you will get a softer look with no harsh cut lines. These can then be glued over text or other layers with your medium, and they will reveal what's beneath.
Adding Texture
Next add texture with dried grasses or flowers, glue again with your medium. if they are heavy and pop off, you can anchor by glueing wrinkled tissue paper over them. Keep tissue loose and tap your brush with medium over to press the tissue around to help secure. This also will give you some additional texture that the inks will enhance.
Finishing Touches
Now you can add your own personal touches!
Personal Details
Add some drawings or use stamps with archival ink to add some additional elements. Or perhaps add a haiku, a favorite quote or asemic writing.
Adding Highlights
Use your inks or watercolors to highlight areas and soften edges. If you have any harsh image edges soften them with your background color mixed with medium and lightly brush edges. Allowing the inks to run in the wrinkles of the tissue creates more interesting texture.
A Bit of Sparkle
Color in any details you with with your inks or a marker. add a bit of gold metallic paint pen or gold leaf a couple highlights.
Enjoy
The Beauty
of
Wabi Sabi
