Sunday 31 October 2021

Model it!! Spooky Halloween Project using clay by Art Angel

 Well, i thought i’d go all Halloweeny given the day, so this project is centred around all things spooky!

Tando produce some fantastic pieces to help you celebrate your All Hallows Eve, with everything from bats and spiders to coffins and webs, i have picked a selection to work with and given them all a base coat of Decoart Carbon black



I have used a variety of stencils placed over my pieces and added texture using Decart sand texture paste as i didnt want flat surfaces


While the texture paste was out i coloured some by adding a touch of yellow paint and applied it to my thins to add a bit of interest to my skulls and skeletons by just dabbing it on with my finger.




While these were drying i base coated two 3d coffins in carbon black chalk paint and added coarse pumice stone to one, and sand texture to the other using a brick work stencil to give a variation in texture. When these were dry i built the 3d structure by glueing the pre scored tabs. Left until the glue was completely dry then sprayed each of the insides with decoart media misters in magenta and violet shimmer


I sprayed the textured outsides with black dye spray and force dried with a heat gun, i then sprayed over with a metallic gold spray, this moves the dye spray underneath as the dye spray is water based and not permanent like an acrylic based spray. This movement creates the easiest of worn surfaces which is the effect i’m after. Again i dried this with the heat gun. When dry i went over the whole of the outside with white wax to bring out the texture even more, this creates a lovely stone finish

I repeated the same technique on all my other “stone” pieces







I set these aside to build up my tombstone. The layered arch with cobweb is so versatile as it has so many different layers. I separated mine and used all the open pieces mounted onto the largest solid arch, i used the middle arch independently and kept the smallest to use in another project

Even though i wasn’t using all the layers i still wanted to keep the dimension so i mounted all of the open arches on to 3m shaker foam before putting them together



To hide the foam tape you can coat the sides with texture paste and paint when dry



I had previously used air drying clay in some Silicone  moulds to  create my embellishments, these had already been left overnight to dry so i painted these using the same stone effect as i had in the rest of the project


The wings i wanted to mount on my big tombstone but the span of the two of them together was wider that the recess created when building up my layers, to compensate for this as i really didn't want to opt for smaller wings, i layered up some off cuts of grey board and mounted my wings on those  (always keep your scraps as they are perfect for this!)
I done the same with my clay plaque for the second tombstone and them it was time to start assembling
I used gel medium to secure my two upright tombstones at the back of my base board, and layered the pieces of my coffin at the front with the skeleton sitting up inside. I decided i only had room for the one coffin so the second i will save for another project

 

I covered my spider with expanding foam and glued it to the web, mounted my wings and crow skull near the top iof the big tombstone, added my plaque to the smaller one and scattered some fine gravel and static grasses throughout the base, and last but not least added some bats!





I have used














 

Saturday 30 October 2021

Boo Halloween Tag by Sarah

 

Boo Halloween Tag


 

 

Materials

2 x Tando greyboard tags size 8

TaTando grab bag of spiders

Tando Alphas Sheet style Block Serif

NEW Tando dotty stencil

White modelling paste

Halloween patterned paper

Rusty wire

Black Cardstock

Foam pads

Autumn coloured ribbons

 

Instructions

First I took 2 greyboard tags and covered them in some Autumn coloured gelli print paper I had previously made. Once dry I trimmed them down and gave them a little sand around the edges. Next I took some water colour crayons and randomly added some more colour to the tags to brighten them up.




I took the new dotty circle stencil from Tando and added white modelling paste to random parts of the tags. One dry I cut one in half as I only needed the bottom half.

Next it took some Halloween themed paper and added torn pieces here and there to the tag for texture.




I took a big spider web patterned paper and added it to the tag. I painted 3 spiders in black and added them to the tag. I also cut out some pumpkins from another patterned paper and added them to the bottom of the tag.





To finish, I matted some little rectangles of coloured scrapbook paper onto black card stock. I added them to the bottom piece of tag with foam pads before gluing on my boo alpha’s. I tied the two pieces together with rusty wire before hanging it up with some Autumn coloured ribbons.





I hope you have been inspired to crack out the modelling paste and stencils or trying a bit of Halloween fun. This tag WAS going on my lovely Autumn coloured mantle piece with my newly made fabric pumpkins, but it’s been snaffled by my Halloween mad daughter already.




Thanks for looking

Sarah

Sunday 24 October 2021

Square Mini Printer Tray by Art Angel x x

  For my Product Focus this week i have chosen the Square Mini Printer tray. I love this set and it can be used in a multiple of ways for a multiple of different projects, think about using it as a three dimensional book cover or the lid for a square box for instance, create three as a tryptic or hinge two together and use it in book form with dimensional insides that hold trinkets.

To start i have separated the three layers of the frame and sprayed with various media mister sprays on to white card. 




I always do this to catch the over spray as you create amazing background pieces ready for use in other projects. Blot off excess ink with rice paper, it creates wonderful texture on your piece and also guves you another media to use on dimensional surfaces like glass jars of bottles. Also experiment with stacking your layers in different configurations, they don't all gave to go the same way, i like flipping, twisting and turning to creature different apertures. Layer your frames up when spraying them too to create different shapes in the overspray for more interesting backgrounds






While you are waiting for the frames to dry, colour the back board and printer tray supports in the same way

When dry i stencilled some Decoart Americana paint in Harvest through a Tim Holtz damask stencil found in the Halloween set with the zombies, onto the back board in three stages starting left bottom, centre them to top right, being careful not to smudge that which  i had just laid down. 




I left this to dry, then, using the same stencil over the  top used decoart media gel medium which will dry clear

I repeated the same process applying texture paste through the same stencil in the other two opposite corners, being a paste this will dry opaque white so will have a different effect to the gel medium

I wanted to create more depth in my printer tray so i applied shaker foam tape to the outside edges of each layer, if you want to to be less noticeable use black foam. I removed the backing tape and adhered my first layer to the back board while my gel medium was still wet. If you leave your to dry first be sure to make sure you leave all edges gel medium free so that you have a flat surface to mount too
Once your first layer is on,  clean your stencil on your printer frame to add texture to the bars that create the apertures




                                                                              Leave to dry.
You can mount your frames all at once, either in a uniform fashion or by giving each grid a quarter turn or flip over, but before you do think about what curios or die cuts you are putting in it. Will it be easier to insert some while one layer is stuck down, do you want to weave anything up and over, or in between the layers etc
I love layers so i started putting my elements in after adhering the first frame and layered up as i went


Finally, to neaten your edges where the shaker foam may be visible go round all four sides concealing your workings with modelling paste, you may want to do a layer, leave it to dry and then to a second layer but remember to make sure the finish on the bottom side in particular is finished flat so thats your completed printer tray will stand on its support, by all means texture the three other sides if you wish and paint when dry
When everything is fully dried mount into the support bracket, sit back and admire your handy work x x 







Products used




Selection of various ephemera from my stash