Mixed Media Portrait Collage (text background)

I decided to try a portrait collage using text as the main background.  Here is the finished painting. I took a few in process photos and will try to explain the steps.

First I chose a photo from a magazine that I used for the head. I added body and legs with map and patterned paper.  The background was various types of paper glued down. I added a layer of gesso to the background but wiped some off so some of the paper showed through.

Here is step two.  I added some paint to the background in a few colors. stamped a heart and painted flesh color on the body.  I used a brayer to apply the background paint so it was more translucent.

Lastly I painted facial features and a few other details like a theater mask and a stage.

Adding the text was the last and fun step I chose several quotes from the internet based on my subject (going to the theater).  I wrote them in black pen first in block style script.  Next I used a white Signo pen to fill in the letters so it would stand out against the painted background.