Cookie Becomes a Painting
Remember this guy? I jokingly call him “Top Dawg.” About two years ago, someone sent me a photo of a baby German Shepherd, one of my favorite breeds, and I couldn’t resist transforming him into a cookie design.
As I mentioned previously, my baking activities are slowing down. That doesn’t mean the cookies are far from my thoughts. Au contraire, my friends. I’ve been pondering how to transfer my designs to more permanent formats for quite some time, and earlier this year I tried my hand at creating replicas through programs such as Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Though the results were okay, okay didn’t cut it for me. Something was missing.
“Maybe you should try your hand at painting,” my usually stoic Norwegian husband suggested. “The thing about your designs is that they are very physical. So if you want to recreate them in some other way, I think you need to do that in an equally physical format.”
Had I been in a cartoon strip, I’m sure you would have seen question marks appear above my head. Painting? An equally physically way? I was confused, mostly because I couldn’t visualize what Wolf was suggesting. And I’m most definintely not a painter. But Wolf often has interesting observations and suggestions. Eventually, I found myself at the art supplies store looking for painting supplies. After showing some photos of my cookies to some art students who work at the store, I came home with a few tiny canvases, a bucket full of acrylic paints and brushes and the students’ advice to practice on scrap paper first. It took a few piles of paper to get the hang of using brushes and controlling the amount of paint I used. Painting IS different from piping icing on cookies. In just the past few days, my respect for real painters has grown exponentially.
Well, here’s my first attempt. Let me know what you think.
“Top Dawg,” by mari pfeiffer. Acrylic on canvas, 8 x 10 ins.
9 Responses to “Cookie Becomes a Painting”
Oh Mari. You are a painter after my own heart.
I love this. When I painted in acrylics, I ended up painting several coats to get that bright color with no show-through. Is that what you’ve done? (I see that the background isn’t “solid”-it has a nice goldish streaking), but I always painted in solids, and if I wanted gradation I would airbrush. Personally I LOVE solids-the cookie-icing look. It’s hard to get acrylics to paint “over” other acrylics (green glasses over the orange part)-I always had to leave white beneath every change of color, unless of course you want the undercolor to show. You are great.
I’m so glad you reminded me about this blog-for some reason I thought your other blog was this blog-I mean, I thought this blog was your other blog. (Whew…I better sign off now!!!)
This is beautiful!
Mari,
This is so adorable! Really when you decorate a cookie, you are painting and creating a work of art. I love the whimsical look of the background and the way you have the atmosphere swirling around the stars. And your doggy is certainly cute and looks just like your cookie. I think it’s perfect and can’t wait to see your next painting.
Linda: A painter after your own heart. Really? Wow! I mixed several colors to paint the background. A cadmium orange, a neon pink and a deep red. I didn’t mix them completely before painting so that the color would be somewhat uneven. To lighten the final effect, I added strokes of the orange.
Thanks, Lily!
Rhonda, Thanks for the compliments! Now I’m stoked to get started on the next painting.
I. Love. It!
Paz
This is AWEsome, Mari! Me thinks you are a painter!
Paz, THANKS!!! And don’t forget to send me photos of your pooch!
Hi Lisa! Thanks! Still trying to get used to using a different medium, but totally enjoying it.
yay for the painting!! it’s adorable to see a cookie translated
AND - congrats on being pregnant! how exciting for you!!!!!!!!!! it will be the biggest adventure. thrilled for you [feel free to ask me anything. i don't have any answers, but i'm happy to share anything i've been through!!]
Lisa, Thanks! and believe me, I’ll think of something to ask you about pregnancy…
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