White Tiger Tissue Paper Collage
White Tiger sounds like an 80's band. My sister-in-law loves to crochet. She keeps making me things and they are beautiful, but I wanted to give her a gift for her proposed wrap she suggested making for me. I asked her what she liked and she told me she likes white tigers and dragons. I asked her if this was a tattoo thing, or an appreciation of Asian art. She told me neither. She just loves both things, but not together. I, then asked her about the tiger, and she told me she would want the tiger in a natural setting.
I did some research to find that these animals are almost extinct. I had no idea. The only white tiger I had ever seen were with some Las Vegas magicians on TV, where one of the men met his fate with one of their show cats. So, I started researching. I learned that there is a white tiger that is quite popular that was born with developmental disabilities that also was apparent by his prominent unique facial features. I totally went down the rabbit hole, really researching white tigers and how they usually appear. I decided I was going to do a small painting on canvas. I painted the background and that was it. I was just not inspired to do a painting. I paint a lot of things. I just really wanted to make this special for her.
This is when, one night, I grabbed some cardboard and drew out the silhouette of a rudimentary tiger head. I painted it with white acrylic paint, and drew in the eyes with marker. I then got out the tissue paper I had ordered in bulk for crafts that was every color in the rainbow. I only needed four colors - white, black, a bright shade of pink, and gray to use as shadows. I then started gluing small torn pieces of paper down using acrylic matte medium. I covered over the eyes with many layers of colored papers in blue, the normal color of a white tiger's eyes. I added a black pupil. I ran out of white tissue paper, and it was after midnight and I had a full roll of white paper towels. I started using the paper towels in lieu of white tissue paper, smoothing out the texture with the medium and a paintbrush. Once done I continued the different layers of tissue paper on cardboard for the body, each being covered in the same way. I layered the pieces with supports so that they would look 3D. And lastly, I added a muted background of greens and yellows on a large 13 X 19 piece of cardboard, leaving room for a little blue sky peaking through. And lastly, in keeping with the 3D appearance, I put a layer of alternate green leaf shapes on top, using rolled tissue paper generously drenched in the medium as branches, to frame the face, drawing the focus on the eyes. I tamed all lifting tissue pieces with a glue stick. Then I assembled everything on face of the background layer. The only thing I have not done yet is add a fine layer of spray sealant to protect all the papers,and apply a piece of craft paper on the back to dress it up, since to me, exposed cardboard in painted art reminds me of a child's art piece in elementary school. This, again, is a gift, and I want it to look professional. I sent her the photo of my finished piece and she was really happy. So, I guess I will be getting this done and sending it off, across the country.
If you scroll below the work, you will see a gif of photos showing various stopping points to get this to completion.
