Second Floor Challenge #1 - Gold Paint

It is no secret that I am a fan of Julie Fei-Fan Balzer - she is why I started my art journal.  Love how free she is with her art - Julie and Nathalie are starting the Second Floor Challenge which is a year-long opportunity to take your art up another level - "take it to the second floor".  

Today they posted their first challenge - use gold paint.  This challenge couldn't have come at a better time for me -  Last night I drew a CNG as a joke kinda aimed at my good friend, Kim, who is not a big fan of the CNG look (in case you are wondering CNG stands for what Kim calls Crooked Neck Girls).  When I was done I LOVED my CNG and decided that I wanted to put her on a canvas -

my initial impulse was to frame her in black - since that is what I tend to do.  But it was too harsh - so I sat her aside and walked away - Later I was on the computer and saw today's Second Floor Challenge and that was my solution!!  Gold Paint!!

I truly would never have thought to use gold paint but I love how it contrasts with the plain pencil sketch - adds a dimension that would never have happened with black paint!  The gold reflects while the black just kinda sucked the life out of it - BTW - Don't pick up your sketch with gold paint on your finger (OOPS).

"She WILL take it to the second floor."

That is my new motto and my canvas sits where I can see it while I craft.  

Thanks to Julie and Nathalie - can't wait to see what the next year brings with this incentive to push myself out of my comfort zone!