Lisa aka Shoe Girl is hosting this weeks TEAparty and we are sending Halloween cards to a brave 14 year old lad from England. Rhys suffers a rare skin condition that leaves his entire body blistered and in pain.
Ever since learning of the faux reductive painting technique (MIX346), I have had so much fun resurrecting some seriously dodgy mixed media backgrounds. It seems the worst looking the background is, the better the end result is.
The technique calls for "masking" but in my head a stencil is both a stencil AND a mask - one area is the positive and the other is the negative. This background was originally from an A4 size (app 8" x 11") mostly blue and white acrylic pant, then I stenciled a huge tree over the top using black acrylic paint.
I didn't apply the black paint neatly, instead I frequently changed direction with the foam paint brush and used different amounts of pressure as I wanted a rough, grainy, textured look.
I cut the sheet up into 3 panels and experimented with distress inks and re-inkers on a sheet of al foil. At one point the colours looked like they were about to pool together so I quickly plopped a panel on the watery mess, squished it a bit and this card is the end result. As I have said before, mixed media is a complete fluke and you never quite know what you will end up with.
Lots of Stickles were added along with a die cut web and spider. I used liquid pearls to look like monsters peeping out through the tree. Before I adhered the panel to the card, I used a needle to thread super fine silver thread through out the card.
The little skulls are from a skeleton die that I bought years ago. The only part of the die that cut properly was the head, so glad I finally had a use for it LOL.
I hope our spooky greeting to Rhys bring lots of smiles and lift his spirits. Thank you for looking and I hope you get a chance to join in.
Date: Monday, October 14, 2019 GMT Views: 1285
Favorited:8
Accessories: A4ish sized stencil from Whichcraftdoyoudo.com, Stickles, Liquid Pearls, acrylic paints, Distress inks and re-inkers, el cheapo foam paint brush, both index fingers, needle and silver thread, Poppy Stamps spider and web dies.
Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni SCS Gallery Moderator Splitcoast Challenge Hostess Teapot Tuesday TEAm
Registered: July 27, 2007 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 131740
Wed, Oct 16, 2019 @ 7:55 AM
I wondered when I read your write-up yesterday if it would be this tree - it sure is fantastic for the faux reductive technique. All the eyes peeping out are wonderful - it reminds me of one of the illustrations of the forest in one of the Moomintroll books - without the skulls, mind you. Love the way you threaded the silver thread through it, and the web is just brilliant. That's one scary spider - remind me why I don't want to visit Australia, even though there are many good reasons too! That is like something out of Mirkwood.
Registered: March 30, 2008 Location: Somewhere between the Shire & Mordor! Posts: 4642
Wed, Oct 16, 2019 @ 8:21 AM
You SURELY CAPTURED, "SPOOKY" here, Susie! LOL You ALWAYS SURPRISE US with your creativity, Susie & spur us on to creating! (I ALWAYS want to get messy in my creating, once I've seen what you've done. I'm USUALLY a VERY NEAT crafter.... LOL Getting "messy" is a FREER way of crafting I think, & REALLY, MORE FUN!!!) ;) I think Rhys will LOVE THIS!!! ;)<3
Registered: January 11, 2017 Location: Wisconsin summer and Arizona winter Posts: 19734
Wed, Oct 16, 2019 @ 2:48 PM
What a spooktacular Halloween card! So much creativity in this scary night scene with the spider, skeletons and eyes peeking through the trees! Rhys will love this wonderful card, Susie!
------------------------------ Judy aka Gracie "Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud." Maya Angelou
Registered: February 28, 2010 Location: Eastern Ohio Posts: 6259
Thu, Oct 17, 2019 @ 3:20 PM
they always say to step back and then go back to it and turns out better---lots of workings went into making your super neat card!!!!Loved how you said made it
Registered: January 20, 2016 Location: Freetown, Massachusetts Posts: 31441
Sun, Oct 20, 2019 @ 4:39 AM
Spectacular! This is why we don't throw anything away. You never know when you'll be able to save something with some randomly applied black paint. This forest is amazing! And I just love the skulls and eyeballs peeping out everywhere. What a treat for Rhys!
Registered: June 4, 2009 Location: Deatsville, Alabama Posts: 83088
Sun, Oct 20, 2019 @ 3:44 PM
So spooky and full of fabulous details, Susie. Love the skulls and the heart you put into this. fun, fun, fun! Hugz
------------------------------ Nancy Williams - Hope your day is Spirit-filled and ink-filled (in that order)!DRS Designs-DT, Punchkateerforever, Dirty Dozen Alumni