SINGLE LAYER PORTRAITS: THE BEAUTY OF SIMPLICITY

BJ Smith
BJ Smith
Sep 5, 2018 · 4 min read

I started creating stencils for artwork about 30 years ago when I was in high school. The trick for me has always been to get enough detail to make an impact with as few layers as possible.

In most of my cut paper art I use two to three layers of the subject in the portrait: highlight and mid-tone layers and sometimes a shadow layer if I need it to define the outline.

SEE ME — 2 LAYER PORTRAIT WITH BACKGROUND
WONDER — 3 LAYER PORTRAIT WITH BACKGROUND

This summer I started experimenting with single layer portraits. Would I be able to cut enough detail in only one piece of paper so that, when mated to a background, you could tell what the subject is and still see it as a piece of art?

I spent quite a bit of time with the source photographs for each piece in Photoshop. It was important that I bring out the right details so that there were no big chunks of shadows or highlights that would leave blank spots in the piece.

I also wanted these to be some of my most detailed pieces. Doing away with two layers meant that I could spend more time with my X-acto blade cutting the one piece. I couldn’t be happier with the results!

UNTITLED 2018 JULY
UNTITLED 2018 AUGUST

The backgrounds are simple and clean so they wouldn’t distract from the portrait itself. Untitled July 2018 uses a spray painted background of black with dark gray and medium yellow geometric designs. Montana paints were used to bring in pops of color.

The background of Untitled August 2018 is made with acrylic paints applied with putty knives. I wanted it to have the same geometric feel of the first painting, but with added texture. I used painters tape to layout the shapes and then added more streaks of color with the small putty knife after the tape was removed.


THE EXTRA STEPS

The August painting has two extra steps. The first is a piece of clear 1/8 inch acrylic that separates the cut portrait from the painted background. The idea behind this was to enhance the shadows created by the cut paper. I often get two reactions when people see my art in person for the first time. The first reaction is pleasant as they appreciate the colors and composition of the painting … the second reaction is amazement when they realize the art is cut paper.

When people looking at the art move in close, that’s when they see the cut lines and shadows created by the layers. The mid-tone layer of my other paintings really brings out the shadows … something that gets lost in the mostly black background of this piece. The separation provided by the acrylic brings out those dimensions so the viewer doesn’t have to look as hard to see the layer.

The other big difference in the August painting from the July painting is that I applied some of the background paint to the portrait layer to tie them together. I’ll admit it was a bit nerve racking to splatter paint on and take a putty knife to a piece of paper I spent weeks cutting. I had a backup plan in case I made a mistake, but thankfully I didn’t have to deploy it!

MAKING IT HAPPEN!

Check out the videos of the creation of these single layer portraits!

REACTIONS

I like to post progress teasers on social media, especially on my Instagram feed, to give people a peek at what I’m working on and get feedback. The biggest reactions I got over the summer were when I posted reveal shots … when I remove those final sections of paper and flip the design over for the first time.

I posted a video to an artists group on Facebook last week — The comments were incredible!

MORE TO COME

I have more single layer paintings planned with a few twists and turns. Instagram is the best place to see previews of the new works as they’re being made. You can also see updates and chat with me on Facebook and Twitter … but I tend to camp out on IG!

This story first appeared on BJSmith.art.

BJ Smith

Written by

BJ Smith

Podcast Producer, Storyteller, Adjunct Web Design Instructor, Artist, Trail Runner. - https://BJSmith.co, https://BJSmith.art

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