Thinking beyond canvas!

I love the challenge of painting on different surfaces, and it is something I keep trying from time to time. From sanded paper to light bulbs to human faces, I have tried a wide range of surfaces. Latest in this list is a leaf. A real peepal leaf that is awesome to paint on.

One still life on another!
Mixed media on leaf
Copyright Nithya Swaminathan

The leaf was dried and painted on the back side. The image is done after an old masters still life, which is the easiest way to get a pleasing arrangement :-) I haven't done many florals before and I am not too excited about them in general. However, I felt this image was perfect for the shape of the leaf. The leaf is terrific for oil paint and not so much for acrylics that are water based. It absorbs more paint and lacks the lustre that it has with oil paints. The biggest challenge is to complete the painting without tearing the leaf, more challenging with my daughter around! I will not delve deeper into the process, anyone who wants to give this a shot and is looking for guidance can just shoot me a mail.

The natural color of the leaf served a very good backdrop that I decided to do without a painted background. Since I will be mounting this piece on a black backdrop anyway, it was better to leave the leaf as it was. Now my biggest dilemma is how to frame this one. I wonder if it will take varnish on it, or can it be framed without varnish? Anyone out there who can help me sort this out?

Ofcourse, your comments and critiques are welcome.