I made this wonderful little circus train elephant for the "A Vintage Journey' challenge - to use texture.
The elephant started out as a small papermache elephant that I purchased at Michaels a year or so ago (wish I had bought more of them!!) I covered him with lots of small irregular shaped pieces of foil tape. I adhered the pieces over the entire elephant - overlapping the edges and smoothing the pieces with a paper nib as I went along. Then I made the 'rivets' by pushing the point of a pushpin and the end of a metal tip ball point pen (the kind you click open and closed) around all the edges of the foil tape. It's a technique I learned when I took a class run by THE Tim Holtz himself! Next I sponged over the entire elephant with Pitch Black, Stonewashed and Butterscotch Adirondack Alcohol Inks. Then you sand most of the ink off with a piece of steel wool. I colored a metal crown and wings using alcohol inks and adhered them to the elephant with large glue dots. I also added a tail that you cannot see in this pic.
I cut the box from Black Little Sizzles Matboard with the Blocks/Cubes Sizzix Die using the largest block. I covered the panels with paper from Paper Stash 8x8 Collage, sponging the edges of the box and papers with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.
I'm loving this project and ran down to Michael's for a paper mache form. They only had box and circular shapes. Tried Joann's and Hobby Lobby but basically saw the same merchandise. Any suggestions on where I can purchase an animal form or will I have to make one??? :confused:
Registered: February 3, 2005 Location: Delray Beach, FL Posts: 34769
Fri, Sep 19, 2014 @ 11:35 AM
Oh, Julia! My mouth has dropped open! This is truly amazing! First time I've seen it, and I'm so glad I did!! Your details are amazing, and I am in awe!! I loved to read how you covered this wonderful elephant and gave him "the look" of a princely elephant! Surely, you've shared this with THE Tim!! He's be so proud, as we are!! (P. S. Just saw all the step-by-step on your blog and am in total awe!) So glad you've shared this one, and I LOVE his tail! Hugs!
------------------------------ Cheryl
Proverbs 3:5-6 My blog
Registered: September 24, 2008 Location: Victoria, Australia Posts: 6835
Sat, Feb 28, 2015 @ 3:52 AM
WOW! This is really amazing! At first I thought the elephant was just added as decoration for the photo - and then when I started reading your write-up....wow....I am just gob-smacked! Thank you so much for sharing how you made it :-)
And your box looks amazing - just like an old one that I would see on Antiques Roadshow.
Registered: June 4, 2009 Location: Deatsville, Alabama Posts: 83126
Sat, Oct 03, 2015 @ 5:36 PM
I love this!!!!!
------------------------------ Nancy Williams - Hope your day is Spirit-filled and ink-filled (in that order)!DRS Designs-DT, Punchkateerforever, Dirty Dozen Alumni