Great…another project
By now, I should know that I tend to quite frequently bite off more than I can chew, but if you know me, I’m such a sucker for a DIY…so after watching a video on Sue Bryce’s backdrop painting, I decided I’d give it a try.
I’m an Artist
Remember when painting classes were all the rave? In my opinion they still are! I love painting, and unlike my children, I can usually sit for quite some time in the silence just painting. My last project was a little painted monkey that the kids just had to help me finish. So, painting a backdrop…now this was speaking my love language. I’m an artist and how hard could it be. Every video I watched seemed like such a smooth process.
Let me do my research
If I was going to attempt this project, I needed to make sure I knew what exactly I would need. Nothing worse than starting on a project then realizing that I needed one more that wasn’t on the list and having to drive back to Home Depot or Lowes to go grab it. Been there…done that…multiple times! Hard Pass. I made sure I looked up any and all posts I could find on painting this epic backdrop and made sure to drop subtle hits to the hubs so he was slightly aware a new project was under way!
It's Go Time
In true Jess fashion, 24 hours had passed since the idea had first formed in my head and it was beyond time to get started. Quick trip to the Home Depot with my son as my assistant and I picked out 3 paints I thought would look great together. I drove home and laid plastic in the garage and I got started as soon as possible because it’s hot in Houston, Texas and I figured painting in the garage right before my son’s meet the teacher event would be a great idea! Plus I told my husband this was a quick and easy thing to do…like 30 minutes max, of course based on all the videos I had watched in 2X the speed. P.S…I almost melted in the garage and it took way longer than 30 minutes.
Love at first coat
After my first coat, I was in love…but love is blind sometimes, or the canvas just wasn’t dry and after it dried looked a completely different color and feel. I was going for a golden brownish color and although my body ached and I think I lost a few pounds from the hour or so I had put into it, my masterpiece was complete and I was in love.
Rocky checking out my hard work, admiring my beautifully painted “paper bag” backdrop.
“Mommy, that looks like one of the bags we decorate at Ama’s House”
That’s what my son said when I showed him my hard work. The bag he’s referring to…a brown paper sack…jeez thanks…not quite the look or feel I was going with, but I’ll take it. It’s funny how someone’s words and opinion can affect us. Moments before I was thrilled with this painting, now I was staring at a paper bag looking backdrop.
Guess I’ll repaint it
The good thing about paint is you can usually use another paint to cover it up, so after lugging my backdrop to the studio, hanging it up and looking at if, I figured I’d repaint it, but honestly didn’t really want to. My husband suggested taking a few pictures on it and seeing how they came out, and of course, only good ideas come from my own brain, I went ahead and gave it a try and okay hun, you win this one! I love it.
Check out some of my latest images photographed on this backdrop. I’m debating on painting another one but haven’t found the urge to pick up the paint roller again.
