Artsy Theology: Simple Shapes: bar soap on black gesso with colored pencils

My favorite flower from the years we lived on Cape Cod.

A simple way to capture the essence of a memory is to use the edge of a bar of soap to draw the bold shape onto black paper (or black gesso coated on a journal page) of something symbolic of a person, place, or event. Cover the entire page with colored pencils, and better quality pencils will generate the boldest colors upon completion of the technique. After the page is completely colored over, you will rinse off the soap under running water. If you are using a single piece of black art paper this is easy-peasy. If you are doing this in your art journal on black gessoed pages is it a little trickier because you need to protect the rest of the book. Fold wax paper on the pages immediately before and after and insert a paper towel for good measure. Get the tap running and quickly run the artwork back-and-forth under the running water. DO NOT rub the art or more of the pencil will wash away.

A favorite flowering bush (hydrangea); this has not been rinsed.

Remove the protective inserts and barely blot the wet page with paper towels. Use a hair drier to completely dry the art.

My mother once said when she visited us that "the only thing you can see is trees." When I visited Cape Cod after having been away for several years I realized that she was exactly right! This simple image captures the view of trees on Route 3 from Logan Airport down to the Cape...tail lights and trees all the way. Nothing else!