When I was accepted for this term at My Sketch World, I had promised myself that I would get out of the box a little with the sketches. Well, amazingly, this term is almost over, so now is the time! We needed a gift to give my father in law, and he's a tough one to buy for, so it was decided I would make him a layout for his wall. I could have made a paper layout and put it in a frame, but recalling my promise, I decided to get a little more adventurous...
.... and messy! It was FUN!
This is a 12 x 12 stretched canvas frame on which I built my layout. This is my first attempt at something like this, so here is what I learned:
1. Applying gesso was redundant - this canvas was already white because it had come prepped with gesso (I read that later).
2. Applying mists to texture medium - well, both take forever to dry in that combination. But it was fun applying the heat tool to the texture medium and watching it bubble - that created a new texture in itself.
3. Embedding micro beads in the texture medium was a fun way to add texture, but I don't know if they're going to stay there long term.
4. I love the look of the masked butterflies. Butterflies were a favourite of Wendy's so I had to use them on here.
This was the start of the getting messy part. I used vellum to punch out the butterflies. They were masks for the misting in the upper left and then I embedded them in the texture medium in the upper right and lower left corners.
There were about 6-8 colours of mist used - some green, some red/brown.
I chose Echo Parks Times and Seasons collection for this project. It had a timeless feel that seemed good for this tribute and worked for a gift for a man.
While I waited for the canvas surface to dry, I worked on the matting of the photo, and other details that were being attached to the canvas. I did lots of distressing and inking on most paper surfaces. The frame came from a sticker sheet. I applied Crystal Effects to it to give some sheen and a bit more of a solid feel, since this won't be in a page protector. You can also see that I punched out a butterfly from the patterned paper and layered it over the vellum butterfly.
Can you see how much I played with the texture medium? The little dots are the microbeads embedded in it.
I eventually added ink to all 4 sides of the canvas to finish it.
I love this detail. The matted photo flips on hinges to reveal a poem Wendy had saved. You can see there is more distressing and misting here, too, in keeping with the whole feel of the canvas.
The poem by David Harkins reads:
Remember Me
Do not shed tears when I have gone
but smile instead because I have lived.
Do not shut your eyes and pray to God that I’ll come back
but open your eyes and see all that I have left behind.
I know your heart will be empty because you cannot see me
but still I want you to be full of the love we shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live only for yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of what happened
between us yesterday.
You can remember me and grieve that I have gone
or you can cherish my memory and let it live on.
You can cry and lose yourself become distraught
and turn your back on the world
or you can do what I want - smile, wipe away the tears,
learn to love again and go on.
*I can't go on. I must go on. I'll go on.
Here is the completed upper right cluster. I misted a chipboard circle, to which I added tiny pearls. There is also a tag that summarizes how Wendy approached each day. The ribbon and rick rack were misted to better match the layout.
The lower cluster is smaller and simpler to allow access to the hidden poem. More misted ribbon and a pearled punched butterfly all sitting on the textured corner.
Do you see the bamboo skewer? I still find that it is the best tool for curling the torn paper edges.
This is Lucy's sketch that inspired my canvas piece. I am really thrilled with how it came out and actually hope to make some more off the page pieces this year.
If you create a layout with this sketch, I'd love to see it. And let me know what you think of the canvas. The recipient of this gift was pretty choked up, so I think he liked it.
Supplies: Echo Park pp and stickers, rick rack, ribbon, Crystal Effects, Harmonie chipboard, BG pearls, hinges, Tattered Angels mists, Stampin' Up micro beads and ink, Texture Medium, gesso, Fonts are Scriptina and Eras, Martha Stewart punch.
