My first Art Canvas

This is my first attempt at an Art Canvas inspired by a DVD from Kate Crane of Craft Stamper fame and using my new (as of July 2012) Paper Arty Fresco Paints and the techniques introduced in the DVD .

As explained in yesterdays post, my delay in posting this is purely down to family priorities and I hope you love it as much as I do.

Further additional inspiration came from Lesley too which enabled me both the confidence and foresight to use some rubber stamps introducing a summer theme (from Joanna Sheen) and the amazing sentiment of Tim Holtz and those all important flip flop embellishments, I had been hoarding for a day such as that day.

As you can see the background was created on a pre-gesso'd 8x8 art canvas.  Firstly I applied the beach hut colour on to the canvas ensuring that it was applied in an uneven number of areas.  I also decided that it would be fun to apply the paint direct to the canvas without using a brush but my fingers which made me feel more linked to the work as I proceeded with it.  

Next came a layer of bright yellow paint again applied in an uneven number with my fingers and blending it in areas with the turquoise shade so there was no hard areas it was softly blended into each other and lastly a few odd patches of white gesso to highlight.

For my next step I used an old piece of bobbly ribbon and wrapped this around my brayer.  Running this through white acrylic paint, I randomly applied this across the canvas to create the white circled areas you can see.

Note: although the sides are not apparent I also used the above on all four sides and dried the paint between each layer with a heat tool before proceeding with the next to prevent a muddy mess.  

From the DVD and Lesley I have learn't that many layers add not only dimension but texture and interest so I proceeded to build this up using the following techniques:-

1. Stamping using bubble wrap and blue ink

2. Applying Archival Cobalt Blue Ink using a pen lid to create
    circled areas

3. Using a clear star stamp image (from an old Craft Stamper 
    magazine) in Archival Cobalt Blue Ink

4. Archival Cobalt Blue Ink applied using the edge of an old 
    credit cards edge to apply lines

5. Finally applied some copper paint purchased as a sample 
    pot from a DIY store and used the edge of an old credit 
    card to scratch this across the surface to create the patches 
    of copper colour. 

6. Stamped the Tim Holtz sentiment on to one thin layer of 
    white tissue paper using Archival Cobalt Blue Ink, tear it 
    from the rest of the sheet and adhere it to the canvas using 
    Mod Podge.  Apply Mod Podge as a sealant over the top of 
    the sentiment once it has dried and it will turn the tissue 
    paper translucent so that the background comes through.

7. Stamp the image of the two girls in bathing suits and 
    colour them in using Promarkers and the limited addition 
    summer set.  Cut the girls out and adhere to the canvas 
    using Pin Flair Glue Gel to give them dimension.

The final flourish was of course the coordinating flip flops.  These embellishments were in fact buttons and so to ensure they would secure to the canvas I first had to remove the back binding and then used Pin Flair Glue Gel again to adhere them to the canvas.

I have to say for a first attempt at an art canvas I was extremely proud of myself and the outcome.

I hope you agree.

Emma xx