PUMPKINS & CIDER

 

 Early Christmas gift of online art classes with Christy Tomlinson Scarlet Lime and Junelle Jacobsen Yes and Amen =  Fall/Winter months full of artsy goodness. 

For some reason, I have been bitten with the Halloween bug and am doing all sorts of artwork.  After watching the Pumpkins & Cider class videos, I decided to create an entire journal with art versus doing canvases for each picture.  (helps when I am running out of wall space & storage to put canvases).

The next step was seeking out all sorts of inspiration to sketch and get the creative juices flowing. I found inspiration in book stores, art/craft shops, friend's artwork, and even simply on the web. After sketching many designs out, I decided to do a rendition of this lovely little ghost cutie.



illustration from Joe Fenton's book titled "BOO!"#_



my sketched version of image

So the creation begins:
1. Prep the background with random papers.  Layer basic shapes of the design.  I used ModPodge to coat when completed as well as the adhesive. Let dry.


2. Glued hemp yarn for arms and covered with pattern paper.  Used Faber Castell BIG ink pens to apply ink highlights on the moon, hill, and body. Plus added a bandanna. 

3. I wanted to use the Tar Gel  effect similar to Christy Tomlinson's Spider Web piece.  With this material, you cannot ModPodge over it or it will lose its shiny effect.  The gel also expands so it is best to apply it lightly.  (If I would have thought it through, I would have done this on the final steps vs. the beginning.)  I decided to use a floral/vine stencil shape.  Before starting I hot glued a line around the moon shape to prevent the gel from seeping inside.



4. After mixing cheap black paint into some tar gel, I used a palette knife to smooth the gel around. 

5. I applied various colors and added glitter to the back of the journal cover.  (Tar Gel is my new favorite medium)  And let all dry overnight. 





 6.  Then I simply cut shapes out of various pattern/solid paper, felt, tissue, yarn, fabric, etc and piece it together. Some times I will enlarge a sketch, glue it on reverse to paper or outline it, and cut.  It saves time on certain designs vs. guesstimating sizes.   



7.And lastly, EMBELLISH, RUB-ON, & MARK IT UP!  I used glow-in-the-dark puffy paint on the moon (and yes it does glow at night), puffy paint for pumpkin stems & bird tails, random rub-ons from my stash, plus a metal shaped flower.  And inks of all kind (Faber Castell, Sharpie, Scarlet Lime)  The final step was covering the non-Tar Gelled section with ModPodge to seal it up.  AND I LOVE IT!!

I decided to see how different paint colors showed in Tar Gel so I added a number stenciled design in orange.  (also outlined the front cover with orange for a framing effect)  As you can see the gel spread and you can barely make out the numbers.  I also used some Martha Stewart textured paint for the dots. 

Now to fill up the insides with lots of Fall & Halloween goodness. So fun to complete a project & love it.

I LOVE MY JOURNAL.  LOVE! love! Love!