This month it’s a birthday cake theme in acrylic collage. I wanted it to be very special with three layers, lots of icing and decorations. I did a lot of sketches to begin formulating a design before choosing which one would work best for me. This is a vertical format, instead of my original idea […] more »
The impetus for this design was an upcoming juried competition and the fact I wanted to do an abstract composition. Having a definite deadline always propels me into action. Starting with some geometric shapes, I began arranging the shapes on the support and thought about a definite value pattern. My main idea was a circular […] more »
My idea was to re-work an old piece with the same title, but I ended up changing the whole design. There was a spark of an idea to add a guitar to an abstract piece and it kept evolving. The colors changed along the way too, which is one of the benefits working with collage. […] more »
This is a pencil portrait commission done for a client. I work from your photograph, as long as it’s sharp and clear. All portrait requests are welcome, any subject matter or age group. Pets are very popular too! more »
I have decided to rework the background on this collage. I felt the sky shape needed a brighter color and thought that a cool red, pinks and purples would make the greens pop. The sky was pieced together using many strips of these variegated colors. I also decided that the yellow shapes needed some division […] more »
Bicycle shapes are wonderful, and I am continually working on this series. The design possibilities are endless. I love the geometric shapes and the challenge of working on this theme. As the others, Iowa maps are used in the background. I used an archival foamboard for the support. Gel medium and a UV Varnish is […] more »
Another bicycle design! I am inspired by the geometric shapes of the bicycle. When working in a series, it is a challenge to come up with a fresh and interesting composition. I zeroed in on the front of the bike and focused on the gears and spokes. The Iowa map came into play too — […] more »
This is another urban scene of downtown Des Moines that I decided to rework. The colors and composition from the original needed strengthening. My reference photo was used in the first design. It is a view of the Capitol dome in the background with the red skywalk, rooftops and building shapes as seen from the […] more »
This past week I thought this collage needed an updating in the colors and composition. Although I liked parts of the design, I felt there were a couple areas I thought needed strengthening and improvement. It is a view of the urban landscape from the top of a parking ramp in downtown Des Moines. I’m pleased […] more »
Marybeth Heikes recently received a Merit Award at the Polk County Heritage Gallery on October 18, during the artists reception. Her winning entry, RAGBRAI, is an acrylic collage of a bicycle wheel with pieces of an Iowa map included in the background. The juror was Barb Vaske, Director of the Ankeny Art Center. She commented […] more »