This year's Sunflower Art, Food & Wine Festival street banner is inspired by reproductions of vintage wallpaper. I love the look of antique wallpaper designs and I decided to create a background design using a carved stamp. I found a fleur de lis pattern, copied it and carved a rubber stamp of the design. My students are currently completing a printmaking unit so all the supplies are spread out all over my classroom.
I want a neutral color scheme for the background so after I stretched and taped down the banner I started applying an umber, olive green and yellow ochre mix. I hope to create a digitized image on top of the background using dark brown values. I'm still not sure what the focal point, subject matter is going to be but I'd like to take a photo of a local cowboy.
Today I found time to charge the carved design and print it on the dried background. I decided to use an off white acrylic paint instead of printing ink. This way I can go over it with acrylic paint after it dries and wash out some of the color. I carefully measured the size of the stamp and the background to try and line everything up - math is never the fun part!
The stamp is now in place and drying. I plan to sponge out the bright white so it looks dingy and worn.
I love doing this project each year. Finished banners are to be hung up and down our main street in a couple of weeks to promote the upcoming festival. Banners will be auctioned off during the event.
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