2019 #8 Put a Brush on it: Walk like an Egyptian with LPC {by Chris Dark}

2019 Topic 8: Put a Brush on it

You can always rely on our bloggers to come up with something new to try, and in this post it's a lovely babywipe-paint-infusions combo and Chris magically creates a lovely stone background, absolutely perfect for these Egyptian themed stamps from Lynne Perrella to sit upon. Oh and let's play 'spot the brush' !! ~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Chris Dark  here with you today, and I'd like to share my project for topic 8, put a brush on it. 

I thought a bit about how to interpret the brush element, I imagined that there might be some actual paint brushes used in various ways so I decided not to take that route. I'd chosen Lynne Perrella's stamp set 038, I love those beetles, this set has been calling to me for ages because of the bugs and the Egyptian theme and it gave me the idea of doodling the brush element, mark making like hieroglyphics I suppose! 

Having decided on how I was incorporating the required element the rest was an enjoyable play with the background, stamping and colouring. I also used an older Lynne Perrella set 003 for the postcard stamp to add a bit of interest.

Stamping with Infusions is becoming a favourite technique, I love the mix of Terracotta and Olive tree I used for the beetles.

I had fun with a mixed paint and babywipe background. I used Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics in Terracotta and Nougat

Over the top of my paint I used Infusions in Terracotta and Golden Sands.

After drying everything off, I had the sandy/stone background I wanted, I love those little hints of a pinky tone in there together with the specks of brown from the walnut crystals that were left in tact.

Next up The stamping with Lynne Perrella Set 38 (LPC038).
 

I used my stamp positioning folder to do the stamping as I wasn't sure of my colouring medium at this point and I may have wanted to re-stamp after colouring.

The detail in these stamps is phenomenal! Adding colour brings out the details even more!

I coloured with copic markers with some pastel pencil over the top. The beetles as I mentioned before were stamped with Infusions powders sprinkled onto the stamp and spritzed with water. Initally I stamped the beetles in black but on this occasion I decided to push them into the background more, it just shows how a project can change as you go along. I cut the black beetles off and they can be used elsewhere.

A glitter helps to give a sparkle to the colouring and loose watercolour effect on the beetles.

My doodled paint brushes create the border on the left and there's very minimal colouring on the figure.

Here the beetles show up better, the extra doodled brush has been coloured and the other layers of gold mirror card and painted corrugated card add different textures and reflection.

I added mica powder and some glitter glue for a little more texture and aged appearance.

 

The corrugated card has been painted first of all with Beach Hut with random dabs of Claret, Orchid, and Tinned Peas Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics.

Seam binding ribbon has been dyed with Infusions for another nice touch of vintage. I sprinkled Frankly Scarlet, and The Sage onto the ribbon and what a lovely combo it is!

I like this angle, it shows the shimmer of the mica, the warm gold reflection of the mirror card and the sparkle of the glitter glue and sequins.

I'm very happy with all aspects of this piece I know I have this background recipe written down now for future reference and I'm particularly pleased with those beetles, I will have to do a specimen piece with some heat embossed beetles next time. I hope you'll have a try with some of the ideas here and stay with us for some wonderful creations with the brush theme from the rest of the contributors this fortnight. 

Thanks for joining me tonight, wishing you a creative week!

Blog: www.sketchingstamper.blogspot.co.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christine.dark.7
Instgram: @chrisd999
Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/cdark4163/

2019 #8 Put a Brush on it: MDF canvas with ESA07 {by Lotte Kristensen}

2019 Topic 8: Put a Brush On It

There is something really wonderful about a large stamp. You can use it in whole or part, and Lotte has created a wonderful composition with stamped layers using different inks in the background to the contrasting coloured ink for the focal point. An effective technique for any surface. ~ Leandra

Hey everyone, Lotte here - proving that I'm not one for subtlety; when Leandra announced the topic was 'Put a Brush On It', I took it *quite* literally!!  The result is this quirky little MDF chunkie, in a understated colour combo of blues and browns, with black and white highlights.

I started off by painting the front and sides of the 6" square chunkie (from That's Crafty!), carefully avoiding getting paint on the tabs.

Lake Wanaka Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic is an opaque colour, so you don't even need to undercoat - hurrah!  I also painted the handle and filament part of a brush that had been overlooked in a clean up (ahem), and set aside to dry:

Then I lightly sanded (in one direction only, vertically) the panel, before adding a spritz of Tea Dye Distress Ink Spray on both the panel and the brush.  I added some shading with Shadow Gray Ranger Archival Ink Pad around the edges of the panel, swiping directly with the pad, and blending with a stippling brush.

Next I stamped 'Classified' From Eclectica: Seth Apter set 07 (ESA07) in Potting Soil Ranger Archival Ink Pad on both the panel and the handle of the brush:

Then, using Onyx Black Versafine Ink Pad I stamped the main image and the belt onto the panel, and the bit of the main image that says 'lost and found' onto the brush.
When stamping onto the brush, it's easier done upside down, ie pressing the brush against the stamp.  There was a bit of space on top of the brush handle that I filled in with a random part of the main image:

I decided that a bit more texture was needed, so stamped with Potting Soil and some of the smaller images:

I glued the chunkie together, and on the tabs showing to the front used a white Posca pen to colour the tabs, then when dry, added black squares with a black Posca:

Then finally glued on the decorated brush with superglue, also adding some the words 'Lost' and 'Found' in Dymo'ed tape:

And that's it!  Now, usually when I stamp onto canvases, because they always have a 'give' which means the image won't stamp in full, I stamp onto tissue paper which I then adhere with gel medium.  I tried this first, but these images are too detailed and also bleed out on tissue paper (which isn't a problem for simpler designs) so in the end I went with stamping directly onto the panel, BEFORE putting the chunkie together, and got a lovely crisp image which shows all the details to perfection.

Until next time!

Lotte x  

Instagram

Blogspot

2019 #8 Put a Brush on it: Unique Art Hanging Plaque with I&D {by Alison Hall}

2019 Topic 8: Put a Brush On It

Ohhhh, blues AND brushes, don't know about you ... but I just want to reach out and touch this one!! Proof that Fresco Chalk acrylics can go onto any surface with ease! And just love how they extend off the canvas! Fabulous Alison! ~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Alison Hall (Craftytrog) here today, and I'd like to share with you a painted and stamped piece of hanging art, using PaperArtsy Ink & Dog stamps, and distressed paint brushes for decoration. It's messy art at its best, and was great fun to create!

I used an 8x8 inch piece of PaperArtsy Heavy Grey/White Board as my base and started by giving it a base-coat of white gesso. TIP: If you are putting a lot of paint onto a sucky surface like grey-board, it's a good idea to do this to both sides to prevent potential buckling of the surface.

Then, using Captain Peacock, Bora Bora and Seaglass PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics , I created a background.

As I was painting, I also decorated the paint brushes I wanted to use as the embellishments. In fact, I used those brushes to paint, as the stiff bristles created the lovely brush strokes that I wanted. This process was so much fun, I felt like a happy and carefree child messing up the brushes like this!

I really love white stamping on a blue background, so my next step was to stamp PaperArtsy Ink & the Dog: Words Plate 2 all over my base, with Snowflake Fresco Finish Acrylic Paint.

I also roughly stamped n the paint brushes to add more depth and another layer to them. By the way, it's important to clean the paint off stamps as soon as you finish, as it will stick fast!

For my next step, using Ranger Jet Black Archival ink, I stamped the bingo card corner image from Ink & the Dog: Man of Numbers Plate 5 around the edges of my base.

Then I randomly stamped 'Unique Art' from the same stamp plate, over my background. I also ran my ink pad around the edges of my artwork to create a frame, and a finishing touch for the base.

My base finished, I played around with the positioning of the decorated paint brushes, and decided the add some wording to the flat brush. To do this, I used Captain Peacock, Bora Bora and Seaglass Fresco Finish Acrylics again, to paint a piece of Regular White Smoothy Stamping Cardstock. Then I used Jet Black Archival Ink to stamp Ink & the Dog: Words Plate 2 a couple of times, cutting out and inking the edges of the letters I needed.

With my paint brushes all adhered to the base with Glossy Accents, I added some eyelets and a piece of chain to hang my artwork, then finished with white paint pen highlights on the stamped lettering, and some messy splatters of watered down Gold Fresco Finish Acrylic Paint all over.

I had the best time creating this piece of paintbrush art! The wood, metal and bristle textures of the brushes, combined with the paint strokes and splatters make my heart sing. It's definitely worth keeping those ruined brushes, you never know when you might need them. I hope you'll give paint brush art a try, and I look forward to seeing your response to the 'Put a Brush on it' Topic. Just tag @paperartsy on Instagram so we can all see what you get up to!

Alison xox

Blog: Craftytrog's Arty Adventures
Facebook: Alison Hall
Instagram: @craftytrog
Pinterest: Alison Hall

2019 #8 Put a Brush on it: Poplar Tree Canvas with ECF06 {by Jenny Marples}

2019 Topic 8: Put a Brush On It

I've been so excited for this topic to come into being. Several years ago I saw Donna Downey incorporating large brushes into her art, and so I associate this idea with her. But, wow are you in for a treat with how our designers have picked up on the theme to great effect! I hope you can join in over the next 2 weeks! Social links below!~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Jenny Marples with you today, sharing this three dimensional canvas which incorporates brushes to depict a tree filled landscape reminiscent of the rows of tall poplars found lining the roads in Southern France.

The background uses a combination of Grunge Paste, Courtney Franich's gorgeous stamps and Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics to create a textural surface.

After spreading Grunge Paste unevenly across the canvas (a relatively thin layer so you can pick up the stamp detail) I spritzed the background stamp from set ECF06 with water and pressed it into the paste repeatedly across the bottom third. A fine misting of water on the rubber helps the stamp release from the GP.

Once the paste had dried,  (you can use a heat tool to dry it faster, or it will also dry at room temperature quite fast, approx 10 mins) the bottom stamped third of the canvas was covered with Blue Oyster and the remaining top two thirds with Chalk Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics.

 

The 'horizon line' created between the two areas was further delineated with a line of French Roast. Then to 'reveal' the texture I diluted Mud Splat with water and brushed it over the whole canvas, allowing the paint to settle into the indented areas.

The pine leaf stamp from the ECF06 set reminded me of trees and was the perfect choice for combining with little brushes.

After repeat stamping with Mahogany Fresco Chalk I used the same colour to cover the handles on the brushes. Once dry, twine, coloured wire and small pearl beads were wound tightly around them.

Whilst threading pearl beads onto the wires some of the surface sheen began to flake off. Thankfully a thin coat of Pearl Glaze proved very effective at protecting them.

Once the embellished brushes were glued in place over the stamped leaves I added a few Emerald Creek Crafts stones to them as a finishing flourish.

The 'sun' and 'stitching' details were drawn onto the canvas with a soft pencil, smudged to soften the impact.

The sentiment came from Alison Bomber's EAB01 set and was stamped with red and brown permanent ink over a base of Chalk paint. Applying Seth Apter's 'Aegean Sea' Baked Velvet Embossing Powder over the top made it compliment the colour of the canvas underneath.

Since this canvas was of a non-standard size a frame was made for it and painted with layers of French Roast, Mahogany, Chalk and Toffee.

The top coat of Metallic Glaze allows a good contrast to the matte finish of the canvas. The metallic in the Mica Glaze is quite chunky, and as you would probably expect from mica applied to a dark surface, it softens the tone of the frame nicely.

I hope you feel inspired to try using your stamps in combination with Grunge Paste on your projects to add patterned texture.

Jenny

Blog: http://pushingtherightbuttons.blogspot.com

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/jennymarples73