Dream on, Dreamer!---and this month's Texture Tip

Good morning! Melissa here with a new tutorial using April's kit materials, specifically the super cool mini clipboard. Let's get started!

To begin, I covered the metal clamp from the clipboard with some gesso and the gold ink from the kit (my new favorite ink!). I also dabbed some random spots with Ranger Walnut ink. When that was dry, I used some of my leftover rusting powder from Dusty Attic (from the March kit) to give it an overall distressed look.

While that was curing, I covered the chipboard piece with a piece of the tissue paper from the kit. This blue and gold paper makes me happy!

Next, I added one of the Tim Holtz bingo card stickers and used one of the new Dina Wakely heart stamps and StayZ On ink from the kit to do a little stamping.

I continued to build the collage layers over the bingo card. I used a clip art image of the lady from my stash and fussy cut a little peacock "hat" from another sheet of the tissue paper found in the kit. I found two little flower stickers in my stash and added them onto her hat as well. Found the word "dream" sticking to the side of my collage junk drawer and that seemed to be the finishing touch.Now she's lookin' pretty fancy :)

Using the blue mini StayZ On ink pad, I did some inking around the edges. Just to give it a little definition!

Continuing with the theme of my lady's peacock-ish headdress, I altered a coordinating chipboard peacock to match. This poor little bird went through a few different variations. I finally settled on glitter. I mean, this lady is looking pretty glamorous, so why not!? TEXTURE TIP: In the past I have used glitter paste as a texture, but I think a lot of us overlook just simple glitter. It adds more of a fine grainy texture than what you get with texture paste. At Nat Kalbach's class at CHA we received some gorgeous Stampendous glitter tubes. I used this to make this chipboard dazzling! It started out red, then gold, then I settled on a mixture of the blue glitter with the gold ink. I didn't coat it completely, because I wanted it to look a little vintage to fit with the overall style of the piece.

For the finishing touch, I attached some gold ink enhanced paper flowers from Prima to the clamp. Then I "nested" the peacock above them. I had some leftover Amazing Clear Cast Resin left over from my elephant painting, so I decided to cover the entire chipboard portion with it. I can't bring myself to throw any of that stuff away, it's too awesome!

Tweet

Collage Painting Made Easy!!!

Good morning everyone! Melissa here, sharing my Eastern inspired collage painting using products from the April Frog Dog Studio Mixed Media kit and Amazing Clear Cast Resin from Amazing Crafting Products.

When I first received this month's goodies, I immediately fell in love with the gorgeous, vibrant tissue papers included in the kit. The bold jewel tones reminded me of the far East. Right away, designing a beautiful and colorful elephant came to mind. This painting may seem a bit complex, but in reality it was really easy to do. Especially given that the products in the kit all work so well together. It made designing the color scheme so easy. This project was actually done on the back of an old cutting board that my sweet mother in law picked up and brought to me, knowing I could turn it into something :)

To begin, I covered the back of the wooden board with white gesso. I have found that doing these collage type paintings work best on a hard surface like wood or canvas board. Then, I began to cover the piece with the tissue papers, randomly ripping and collaging them together, pressing them into the gesso and adding some matte medium over the top.

Next, I used the StayZ On ink pads from the kit to add some bold color in the empty spaces and over the top of the collage by just rubbing the ink pads directly onto the surface. I blended using a paper towel. (one of my favorite blending tools!)

I brushed on some matte medium and dusted the painting with the mica flakes from the kit. In the second picture you can really see the shimmer it adds (not to mention the texture!)

Now for the super cool part!! I went online and found a silhouette of an elephant and printed it out. Simple shapes work best for this type of project. I cut it out and placed it directly onto the collaged background. You could attach it with a little bit of blue painters tape, but I just held mine down in place (mainly because I was too engrossed to get up and actually find the blue painters tape!)

I chose a color that seemed to coordinate well with the overall background (Teal by Golden) and starting from the elephant shape, I brushed on the paint in an outward direction all around. Once I had established the outline of the elephant, I gently (using a brush and my fingers) continued to fill in most of the background. I wanted a little bit of the red ink so show through, even adding a bit more in some places.

Next I added a bit more of the blue ink from the kit, as well as some stamping (using the new Dina Wakely stamps from Ranger) to the background. Then, I mixed my Clear Casting Resin in equal parts to seal the project and create a glassy finish. I applied the resin fairly thick, with a small palette knife.

Right after pouring and spreading, I tossed in some more of those lovely mica flakes into the resin. I love how those flakes shine through the clear resin!

And here is the finished product. I wish pictures could convey the depth of the Clear Cast Resin and layers in the piece!

Tweet