Hello everybody
I have been having fun with all of the autumnal adjustments right here within the UK. The stunning heat colors of the leaves, brilliant berries, and interesting toadstools and mushrooms which can be showing.
After I first heard the subject and theme for this part of the weblog, I used to be instantly excited. I like all of Alison’s stamps, however particularly those who tie in with the present theme of nature.
I’ve fairly a group of pure discovered objects, together with lichen lined twigs and worn and weathered wooden, these had been the plain place to begin for the bottom of my challenge. I am trying ahead to sharing how I created extra nature themed objects so as to add to my challenge and mix with the attractive stamps, tissue and paints.
This challenge was so enjoyable to create, with numerous methods that I attempted for the primary time, but in addition some outdated favourites.
I had been desirous to create one thing with air dry clay for fairly some time, however by no means appeared to get the time, this was my probability to play ! As soon as I began I used to be hooked and ended up with fairly a group of toadstools. I can not wait to share how I added the stunning pure color to them.
I began my challenge by selecting a canvas as my base, however utilizing it the incorrect manner round. So utilizing the recess on the reverse as my substrate. I like so as to add further layers to my work, these could not all the time be seen, however they add further depth and curiosity once they peek by means of. This time it was e-book pages torn and added to the canvas with matt medium. When this layer was dry I added a skinny coat of the Chalk colored Fresco End Acrylic to knock again the textual content somewhat.
When the tissue was fully dry I used some Simply Walnut Infusions combined with water to spray on the canvas. This gave a extra pure and distressed look.
I needed the house contained in the canvas to coordinate with the body, so sprayed a panel of Smoothy card (SCA4) with the infusions spray, dabbing in-between spritzes to construct up the color till I used to be glad.
Stamping the botanicals from the set utilizing Ranger Classic Picture Archival ink onto the panel gave it extra curiosity. I crammed any giant clean areas with random partial stamping of the textual content stamps, simply sufficient so as to add texture. I additionally added some depth to the stamped photos by colouring with diluted Simply Walnut Infusions. I used to be now prepared to start out working with some color.
After I first begin working with a stamp set I prefer to get a really feel for the way they are going to work in a challenge, the scale, which color to make use of for stamping and so forth. This time was no totally different. I stamped the pictures onto Smoothy card and began taking part in with the Berrylicious Brights, swatching as I went alongside. I quickly determined that I needed a extra muted color palette, but in addition a extra translucent look. Including various water to the person paints gave me the look of watercolours that I needed, however I needed to knock the colors again somewhat extra. This was my first “what if” second. I added a tiny quantity of Simply Walnut Infusions and combined nicely. It labored and I liked the outcomes. I continued to combine and swatch, generally mixing paint colors too.
My challenge had a terrific begin and agency foundation for what I needed to create. I knew I had fairly much more I needed to attain although, not least the toadstools and berries. It was time to start out taking part in with the air dry clay.
I have never labored with air dry clay very a lot, and once I did it was years in the past. I could not keep in mind how lengthy it took to fully dry, how robust it was or how heavy. This was going to be a giant studying curve for me, however I used to be excited to start. The clay I had was stone color, if I had bought it particularly I in all probability would go for white, however I used to be utilizing what I already had. I quickly found it was simpler if I wore skinny latex gloves and positioned my toadstools on an outdated baking tray lined with non stick paper. I created the stalks individually from the caps and strengthened among the stems with a cocktail stick within the centre, simply in case. It was straightforward so as to add the gills to the underside of the cap, by scoring traces with a cocktail stick.
You will notice on this photograph that I painted the toadstools with Chalk Fresco Acrylic. I feel even when I had used white clay as a substitute of stone color, I’d nonetheless give them a coat of paint to seal them.
It was now time so as to add color to my fungi. I used my favorite Simply Walnut Infusions spray but once more. I began by spraying the underneath sides of the caps, then moved onto the tops and stems. It pooled in some areas and highlighted the feel of the gills. I liked the look of those once they dried.
I moved on to creating the berries I wanted for my nature scene. I gathered numerous beads, some from an outdated necklace and a few from my stash. These had been straightforward to color utilizing a craft decide or cocktail stick to carry them while making use of Chalk Fresco Acrylic. I wanted some bramble berries so among the spherical berries had a coat of gel medium after which artwork stones sprinkled onto them, as soon as dry in addition they received a coat of paint.
One of many issues I confronted with the bigger beads, was that that they had fairly giant holes. I considered filling them in with clay, however then I had a brainwave. Why not benefit from the outlet and create a tuft of twine to resemble the world the place the flower was hooked up to the berry. In order you may see, I added twine to the highest of the wire onto which I threaded the beads. I used inexperienced for the spherical berries and pure for the longer ones.
As you may see I had to make use of quite a lot of containers to carry the berries on their stems while they dried. I had colored them utilizing the paint and infusion mixtures I had experimented with beforehand, however with much less water added. At this level I wasn’t satisfied I’d use the brambles I had created, they seemed too large and the stones sucked up the paint and remained very pale.
Stamping and colouring the botanicals was my subsequent step. Smoothy card is fabulous for this, I received clear crisp photos and the color blended superbly on the floor. My color mixes had been as follows, however be at liberty to create your personal customized mixes.
Hawthorns – Toffee Apple and Brown Shed with water and Simply Walnut Infusions
Brambles – Bougainvillea and Lavender with water and Simply Walnut infusions
Porcelain Berries – Bougainvillea with water and Simply Walnut Infusions.
Leaves – Magic Moss and Limelight with water and Simply Walnut infusions (both individually or each greens combined)
I had stamped and colored further leaves and berries in case I wanted them. It was time to fussy lower the botanicals, a laborious process however important. Leaving a small white border I felt would enable the berries to face out from the backgrounds.
As quickly as I had all my parts prepared and there was one factor that was bugging me, the canvas body and stamped panel did not appear to mix with the remainder of the weather. A small quantity of sponged on Ranger Archival English Ivy ink did the trick.
I used to be pleased with a lot of the parts I had created and laid them out as I believed they would seem within the remaining challenge.
It was time to carry all of it collectively. Little did I understand how many adjustments I’d make earlier than the challenge was full !
The Hawthorne berries added curiosity to the highest of the body and had been hooked up with PVA glue.
As you may see right here, the tufts of twine had been lower near the highest of the berry, this was very efficient at protecting up these holes. While assembling the completed scene I added a lightweight wash of Simply Walnut to those stamped berries to knock again the color somewhat extra. I additionally lower up the sprigs of berries and added particular person leaves the place applicable.
Now on this image you may see that I did certainly use the brambles. I gave them a number of coats of the paint combination, adopted by sponging on black ink. They nonetheless did not appear fairly proper, so a sprayed them with a diluted mixture of Blackcurrant Infusions. That did the trick and I used to be lastly glad so as to add them to the scene.
Right here you may see the toadstools standing robust and straight amongst the wooden and lichen lined branches I selected to incorporate. You may also discover I’ve grounded the canvas on a big chunk of worn and weathered wooden from my stash. As quickly as I began to assemble every part I realised I wanted a powerful base onto which I might glue every part, so this did the trick. I used a sizzling glue gun to connect all of the heavier parts such because the wooden, branches, toadstools and so forth, and gel medium for all the remainder.
I’ve liked each minute of making this nature impressed scene and have numerous leftovers to play with in future initiatives. While working with the stamps and experimenting with including colors I additionally selected my Christmas card design for this yr, in order that was an added bonus.
I can think about a number of different methods of adapting these methods to different initiatives, presumably a centre piece for a vacation desk or an autumnal wreath for an inside door.
I hope you loved seeing how I created this challenge and check out among the methods I shared with you right now.
Completely happy crafting
Mags x
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