Art, Crafts and Inspiration in the Art Chick Studio

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1950 Canvas

Jul
2011

I created this Altered Art canvas for the latest challenge at the Gingersnaps Creations blog: On the Road. We needed to use things in our project that would be found “on the road.” So I used a vintage photo of my mom on a car as my inspiration for my project.

I started with an 8″ square canvas, which I painted with black acrylic. Then I spritzed it all over with a mixture of pearlescent white paint and water to give it some sheen and texture. Next I added some red patterened scrapbook paper with torn edges. I used a black ribbon near the top of the canvas, and then added an over-sized black and white hangtag and another cut piece of the red paper to serve as the background for the vintage photo. After I affixed the photo I embellished the canvas with metal gears and keys, some black satin bows, pearl gems, and a white a flower. And I added a metal bracket to frame “1950″ under the photo, which is when the photo was taken.

Wasn’t my mom adorable?!

Category: Canvas Tags: Altered Art, Altered Hangtag, Gingersnap Creations, Vintage Photo 2 Comments

King of Pop Canvas

By ArtChick

Feb
2011

I love it when I get a chance to bring my art and my favorite musical artist together in an art project. In this case I’m bringing Michael Jackson to an altered art style canvas, inspired by the Gingersnap Creations Kings & Queens Challenge. I’ve called it simply, King of Pop.

I started with a blank white canvas that is 5×7″ in size and created the background by first painting it with black acrylic. Then I took some metallic white fluid acrylic and dry-brushed that over the black to give it some texture.

Next I created the torn paper pieces that I would add to the background. They are made from watercolor paper, which I’ve stamped with a sheet music design in black ink, and then I distressed the edges with black Distress Ink too. I glued those in place on the canvas.

Then I added the Michael Jackson photo sticker, which shows the King of Pop in one of his classic concert outfits, which he wore while performing Billie Jean. I also created the glitter glove from cardstock and glitter and added that. And I created Michael’s classic black fedora out of black scrapbook paper too, and added that over the stamped paper.

The final embellishments were glittery crown stickers, which I already had on hand, along with rhinestone gems, and sparkly white letters, which spell out King of Pop.

I have a wall dedicated to Michael in my home office (the other wall is dedicated to posters from my favorite movies and TV shows…and I have a little area dedicated to Elvis too). So I will add this piece there. I love how it turned out.

Category: Canvas, Michael Jackson Art Tags: Altered Art, Billie Jean, Distress Ink, King of Pop, Michael Jackson 4 Comments

Snow Angel Canvas

By ArtChick

Jan
2011

Well, the holidays are over, but winter has only just begun. So it’s really the perfect time to create a snow-themed project as I stay indoors and try to keep warm. This is my Snow Angel canvas, and I’m entering it into the White Glitter Challenge at Gingersnap Creations.

This is a mixed media project that I began with a plain, white primed canvas. I used ink pads to “paint” a blue background by rubbing the pad across the canvas, and then blending it in with a round foam dauber. I also added some silver ink accents using the same method, blending the colors together a bit as I went. Then I did some spatter painting with white acrylic paint, to create the snow effect in the background.

Next, I took a piece of textured white wallpaper scrap and cut it into a snowy ground shape for the bottom of the canvas. I Mod Podged that onto the canvas, and then added the vintage photo of my cute little snow angel baby. I also added a lavender rhinestone gem on the girl’s dress, along with white button brads to her coat.

Then I used some white glitter letters to spell out BRR, which seemed appropriate for this snowy scene. I also added white glitter to the snowy ground so that it would sparkle a bit. And I finished the whole thing off with a white paper flower.

Tina

Category: Canvas, Fairy Altered Art Tags: Altered Art, Angel Baby, Snow Angel, Vintage Photo 8 Comments

Mama’s Dance

By ArtChick

Nov
2010

I had so much fun creating in my studio today. I only managed to get one project finished, but sometimes I spend more time in creative thought than in creative action, as was the case today. Sometimes I just have to spend a lot of time making sure everything is as I really like it before I can call it complete.

This project features a vintage photo of my mother. She was not quite four at the time, and she’s the picture of prettiness in her fashionable dress of the day. I do believe my great-grandmother made this dress for mom too, which makes it even more special.

I used a plain white canvas as the base for this project, since I was going for mostly a black and white color scheme. However, in looking at it (and debating it for quite some time!) I decided that the white canvas was just a bit too white. So I used some Old Lace colored Glimmer Mist to spritz the entire canvas and give it a bit of shimmer. I did the same to the black and white-patterned scrapbook paper that I tore and distressed next, and then adhered it to the canvas. Then I added the photo of Mom, and I used four black brads and some Mod Podge to glue that to the paper.

If you look closely at the photo, you’ll hopefully notice the pearl beads I added to represent the necklace Mom is wearing in the photo–it looked like pearls to me, though the photo is kind of small (3×4) so it’s difficult to know for sure. But I liked the idea of giving the piece a 3-D effect with the pearls, and I think it looks neat now that they’re on there.

After the pearls, I added a black satin bow with a pearl accent to the top of the photo. Then I added some alphas to spell out the word, Dance, because to me, she looks like she’s ready to dance. I finished off the edges of the canvas with some decorative black trim. It’s difficult to see it in the photo, but it really helped to give it a finished look, and tied in all the black together.

The inspiration for this piece, aside from my cute little mama in her perfectly fashionable little black dress, was the Gingersnap Creations Haute Couture Challenge, the theme of which was fashion. I’m also using it for the Craft Your Passion Challenge for this week.

Tina

Category: Canvas Tags: Altered Art, Glimmer Mist, Vintage Photo 10 Comments

Witchy Woman Canvas

By ArtChick

Oct
2010

I’m finally getting in the Halloween spirit, where my art is concerned at least. I decided to jump into the Gothic Elements Challenge at Gingersnap Creations and the result was my Witchy Woman altered art canvas below.

I started with a plain white primed 5×7 canvas, which I then took and spritzed on a generous amount of Coffee House Glimmer Mist. I turned it around a few times to get the little puddles that had formed to run a bit, to get some contrast with the splotchy texture that the mist creates naturally. Next I tore and distressed some turquoise scrapbook paper that has a bit of a coppery pattern design on it and adhered that to the canvas. Then I took some very thin transparent white paper elements that came with some scrap pack I’d bought at Michael’s and cut them into sort of lightening bolt shapes. I’m not sure what this paper is called, but it’s so thin it’s almost like tissue, and it has thicker white streaks running through it. I used Mod Podge to adhere that in a couple of spots on the canvas, and I think it really does give it a sort of lightening bolt effect, which was perfect for this Gothic witchy theme. Next I took a vintage photo of a young lady and gave her a witch hat and an Alchemy book and Mod Podged her to the canvas as well. I used some black ink to distress the edges of the canvas a bit, and also added some bats. Surely a witch needs some bats, eh? And to finish it off I added the alpha stickers to spell out the word WITCH.

I’ve never really created Gothic or Halloween-themed art projects until this year. It’s new for me, but I’m having fun with it. I’m hoping to create some more before this spooky season passes.

Tina

Category: Canvas Tags: Alchemy, Altered Art, Gothic, Halloween, spooky, Vintage Photo, Witchy Woman 15 Comments

Michael Jackson Moment

By ArtChick

Jun
2010

As a Michael Jackson fan, and as an artist, I find myself constantly wanting to use MJ as my inspiration for artwork. If he’s not filling up ideas in my head for new projects, his music is filling up my studio (and I love that!). I had a concert photo of Michael in his trademark fedora and sparkly jacket–the outfit he wore all those years ago on the Motown 25th Anniversary special, when he Moonwalked into history. That photo served as the starting point for this mixed media collage. And since I’m using this for a Gingersnaps Creations color challenge, the requirement for that was Shades of Blue.

The canvas is painted with acrylics. I had planned to add some texture with a rubber stamp of sheet music, but forgot. I hate when that happens! But oh well…I added the photo and added some chipboard photo corners, which I embossed with silver to give them some depth. I distressed a hangtag and added a clock stamp to it, and added clock elements elsewhere as well. I added a calendar sticker, with “King of Pop” spelled out on top of it. The “o” in “Pop” is actually a heart sticker, which is difficult to see in this photo; and the point of the heart is actually pointing to MJ’s birth date: August 29th. I added some rhinestones here and there for sparkle (MJ would love it, no?), a butterfly sticker (I love butterflies), some music notes, other little touches, and of course, a crown.

I really love how this turned out, but I’m still itching to do another MJ painting…so as soon as I find my inspiration photograph for that, I’ll be getting that started.

Since this is an MJ-related art proejct, I think it’s worth posting the link to MJ’s historical performance at Motown, which inspired my creativity today. Click the link below to watch a video of the King of Pop with his debut of the Moonwalk!

MJ Moonwalks at the Motown 2th Anniversary

Also, if you’re interested, be sure to visit my other blog for my remembrances of the King of Pop.

Remembering Michael One Year Later

Don’t Judge: A Poem for Michael’s Passing

Tina

Category: Canvas, Michael Jackson Art Tags: Altered Art, King of Pop, Michael Jackson, MJ, Moonwalk, Motown 4 Comments

Altered Art Canvas Discover Italy

By ArtChick

May
2010

I started this altered art canvas at the same time I did my wooden birdhouse but just got it finished up today. I had lots of Italy-related ephemera so thought I’d use that as a theme for this piece. Italy is another one of those places I’d love to visit one day, so it was great inspiration.

I started by painting the 5×7 canvas with a buttermilk yellow acrylic paint. I added some texture by stamping on some script text in a brown ink. Then I added a distressed piece of torn scrapbook paper horizontally on the lower part of the canvas.

Next up was basically a bookmark blank that I had grungy’d up with my coffee stain. To that I added a stamped black rose image and some sticker embellishments. Then I Mod Podge’d the bookmark to the canvas. Everything else is a combination of a series of Italy-themed stickers, some bumblebee stickers for a touch of color, and red rose sticker, to tie in with the stamped rose image. I also added a button and a fabric flower to complete the overall design.

And thus you have my homage to Italy.

Creatively yours,

Tina

Category: Canvas Tags: Altered Art, Ephemera, grungy, Italy Leave a Comment

Birthday Valentine

By ArtChick

Feb
2010

My sister’s birthday is on Valentine’s Day, and I decided to make her a special gift this year. Since I am just starting to get into Altered Art, I thought this would be the perfect type of gift to make for her. So she’s getting not only a very special birthday valentine, but also my very first official altered art project.

Step One: The Background

I used Golden Fluid Acrylics in a very nice deep red and black to paint the background, and I did just black on the sides of my 8×10 canvas.

Step Two: Layered Fabric Heart

I created a heart (it is for Valentine’s Day, after all) out of three layers of fabric, including red felt for the biggest heart, grungy muslin for the middle, and a black cotton print for the top. I sewed them all together and then added a transparency image of my sister and I from when we were little.

Step Three: A Grungy Hang Tag

I created a grungy hang tag with a sentiment I found online, which seemed just perfect for my project.

Step 4: Embellishments

I added several embellishments: torn paper, some buttons, a key with a heart shape in it etc, and I stamped some text onto the upper part of the canvas for some texture.

Step Five: Some Finishing Touches

To finish it off, I added some stickers, stamped some dragonflies, and stitched the fabric heart directly to the canvas in a few spots, just to make sure it was secure.