Frankenstein portrait

Well the lockdown is stretching out far longer than I imagined. I am finding creating and gardening are making it bearable. The weather here in Ireland is still surprisingly sunny. I dont do hot weather so I neglected the garden today and went to the attic where the breeze it cool and I can still hear those lovely summer sounds. Ive been playing with lots of textures using paste, stencils and distress crayons - more Tim Holtz Live prompts.

He uses Idea-ology frames in lots of his demos. I love the look of them but I am always more tempted by inks and stamps when I shop. The packs of frames seem expensive in the UK and I think I would be too tempted to hoard rather than use them. I do have an old disintegrated photo album which has old frame windows. I took the plunge this week and covered it in paste and crayon. I had no idea what I might do with it when I started out. When it was finished I decided I wanted to frame the anatomised head. I cut  the page into two and got out one of my favorite stamp sets, "Cadaverous," yes they are all my favorites. I love the anatomised head and he does remind me of Frankenstein. I also used a prompt from an ephemera pack and made an advertisement for an old imaginary bookshop window, propped up infront of stacks of leather bound dusty books. Everyone creates in a different way often what I make is based on a story in my head.

The backgrounds for the stamped images were made with mixed media paper. I sprayed a little  distress ink stain in frayed burlap and antique paper and then spritzed it with water and blotted the centre to create space for the foot and head.

The images were stamped with embossing ink and embossed with walnut stain glaze and then watercolored with reinker. It makes it easy to wash colour over an image. the gloss repels the ink and it settles into the white spaces.

As well as using the album pages for the first time I used some tiny 'mini metal fasteners' screw heads to attach the booksellers sign. I didn't do much to the images as the frame was so textural and colourful. I left the images simple and understated.

I loved the way the crackle paste worked along with the distress crayons it was fun to do and so forgiving if you dont like a colour it just wipes off and it blends beautifully. There are lots of oil/wax colouring sticks Gelatos, Scribble Sticks and others but these are a joy to blend with and the colour stays perfectly vibrant. I love using them.

My garden will get attended to tomorrow but today I enjoyed the studio. Hope you are all enjoying your creative space and your gardens! Thanks for visiting and stay safe and creative xox

I think this qualifies as a "A Man Thing," as that is the theme over at Simon Says Stamp this week I am linking up with their Monday Challenge.

I am also linking up with Creative Artiste's Challenge which is Anything Goes.