Tuesday 28 May 2013

Darcy Wilkinson #3 Victorian Adventure Bag

"Hello again, time to play with fabric today. After watching Leandra's videos on you tube where she paints on fabric using the Fresco paints, I just knew I wanted to try it out. Not one to do anything easy I decided to go BIG".

I popped to my local haberdashery and picked up a metre of heavy weight cotton twill fabric. I had originally gone for sheeting, as recommended by Leandra. The only sheeting available was cream, and I wanted white. The piece I bought was £6.99 for the metre, and I made 2 large projects from it.

My first job was to wash the fabric, just to remove any sizing that might be on the surface.
I then laid an old cotton bag onto the fabric as my template. I made sure to leave lots of extra fabric for mishaps,seams and any last minute straightening that I might need to do. So now I had a large rectangle of white fabric (double the intended length, as it will be folded in half and seamed up the sides at the end).


So now onto some decoration, how could I use the stamps and paints? I laid out the stamps that Leandra sent and decided to use HPXT02 as my main images. I quickly decided these would make great flowers on a hat....and the sketch grew from there.



I sketched the hat, added a face and then stamped the flowers onto spare paper and then cut them out so I could arrange them. At this point I felt it might all look a little flat, even on fabric, so I knew I would have to find a way to add dimension.


I cut out my face and hat and used them as a template to draw lightly onto the fabric. Once happy I went over my lines with a permanent pen. I used a Mitsubishi uni-ball eye pen. Once dry and heat set it is permanent,waterproof and fade proof.

Next I used one of the smaller stamps to fill in the goggle eyepiece. I used black Archival Ink.

I used the original flowers that I had cut from paper as masks, and used my stamp-a-ma jig to help placement. Masking and arranging I stamped the flowers and also 2 feathers from HP1008.



At this point I really did wonder if it would be waterproof, so I washed, dried and ironed the whole piece. As you can see none of the ink disappeared.

Now to paint. I started with the face, and used the following Fresco paints - Snowflake, Stone and Rose for the skin, adding in a little Cinnamon for the shadows. To each colour I added a little fabric medium.

I chose to have blue running through all the flowers but apart from that I had no clear colour
choices, I just went with whatever looked right for each bit. I think I used almost all my colours.

To compliment all the bright colours in the flowers I made the hat very neutral, mixing my browns, blending and layering. Once dry I dry-brushed some Stone over the hat as the highlights. Adding fabric medium to each new colour.

Next I worked on the goggles, making them a deeper brown to look like leather. I don't have a very dark brown but I found layering and mixing my browns and adding a touch of French Roast gave me the shades that I needed.

I added the lipstick using a mix of London Bus and Blood Orange and fabric medium.
I knew I wanted to stamp the hair, but painting in-between curly,spirally, squiggly lines didn't seem like a fun prospect so I painted the hair first. I used Zesty Zing first, then Pumpkin Soup, then Cinnamon, and finally stone for the highlights. I painted very loosely just using a flicking motion.

Once the hair was dry I stamped all over it with Squiggly Ink Mini 08.



Now to add the metal parts of the goggles. I wanted to use Treasure Gold, I knew it could be used on fabric but I didn't know if it would stay put after washing. I did several samples on spare fabric. I tried it on its own and mixed with fabric medium, I also tried it with a layer of fabric medium painted over it. I then washed the samples and they all washed out in varying degrees. A dull brown colour is left behind but most of the metallic shine comes off.
So what should I do, I then tried samples with metallic pens, pearl-ex powder + medium, metallic acrylic ink....all of them washed out, some more than others.

So I decided to just use the Treasure Gold, knowing that only part of it would stay put. To be honest I am not too worried, I don't see me washing the bag on a regular basis.

I used Brass and Copper, I mixed them with a little fabric medium to make them easier to paint on . Once dry I deliberately rubbed some away, to make the goggles look tarnished and worn.

Now for the background. I mixed up my paint with fabric medium and randomly filled in the whole background, blending the colours where they met.

Next I stamped all over with Mini 23, Mini 60 and a small dot stamp from HP1204



Step 3 I rolled Snowflake over the background using a brayer.

Step 4 I used a Crafters Workshop Dot stencil and added Beach Hut.

Step 5, once the Beach Hut was dry I bumped the stencil and added Snowflake.


Basically I treated the background just like a journal page. Now to add dimension. I stamped 3 of the flowers again on spare fabric, also 1 of the feathers and also Mini 48.

I painted these and ironed them to heat set them.

I then ironed some interfacing (vilene) to the back of them all. Once cut out the interfacing stops them from fraying.

I cut several large circles of sheer /organza fabric and machine stitched the cut out flowers to the sheer fabric.

I clipped into the fabric all the way around and then used my heat gun to shrink/shrivel/melt the sheer fabric. Note. Do this VERY carefully, over doing it will disintegrate the fabric and your fingers!

Now I had fluffy textured flowers. I stitched them to the bag and added a metal button to each centre. I treated the feather the same way and stitched it on between the 2 'flat' feathers.

Now for some embellishments.

I added the chain and the heart clasps to the goggles. I also added some lace to the hat.

I then stamped a face from one of the flowers onto fabric, once painted and ironed to interfacing I then glued it to black card. I used Glossy Accents to glue this piece into the blank pendent. I then filled the inside with Glossy Accents.

I straightened up the sides of my fabric then folded it in half and seamed up each side. I added the painted Mini 48 to the back of the bag, and finished it off with a red lining and some thin strappy handles.

 Here is the finished bag, all ready to go on an adventure.


Over to you....come back, don't run off screaming with terror. I don't expect you all to make bags, though it would be fabulous if you did. Just think of the PA adventures we could all go on together!

Try a little fresco painting on fabric, see what you can come up with.

Leandra Says: Very, VERY cool. The flowers look amazing with the textured layers, fantastic to shrivel that sheer fabric, in fact, if people don't have time to make a whole bag this week (snorts) then making flower brooches using this technique would be an awesome thing to have a go at! Utterly brilliant Darcy, and so fascinating to get a true insight into the process!

Gillian Says: O.M.G ... stunning stunning project Darcy. I'm literally lost for words. Love the use of the stamps with your beautifully hand drawn image, love the cool head gear.

No doubt Darcy has not only blown you away with her project today, but perhaps there are some ideas within this that you might like to try; stamping and painting fabric, frazzled flower embellishments, or if you have time, how about a stamped bag! However your muse is spurred to action, share with us all your creativity here, just link up from any web page. We'd love to see what you've been up to as a result!

38 comments:

Minxy said...

Squuuuuuuuuuzzzzz me while I pick my jaw up off the floor.
WOW.. i mean just WOW.. speechless!

Helen said...

Good grief you have raised the bar high and then some!! The bag looks absolutely gorgeous....

Jay said...

the whole Steampunk thing never gets old..i love the bag and how you made..all the hard work is paying off..great blog..

Unknown said...

OMG!!!!! My eyes are in melt down!!!! It's gorgeous!!!! I want the image as a stamp (coz I can't even draw stick men). Off to sulk now lol

Michelle Webb said...

Absolutely amazing Darcy, really creative, and full of colour. Such brilliant inspiration. Love it! Michelle x

Anonymous said...

Wow. I've been staring at the finished bag for the last five minutes & I have no words. That is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen & I am in complete awe.

Lin said...

my oh my I am lost for words...lol Darcy this is absolutely stunning you clever clever girl...I just love it!!!!

Carol Q said...

blimey - that's what you call outside the box thinking. fabulous creation Darcy!

Sandy Jones said...

OH MY DAYS love it,,,,ps,,can i have it :) thank you 4 sharing my lovely xx

Gina said...

So just how big is that jar you keep your brain in at night???? How do you think of all these things??? I know you will say you've seen others make something similar, but you take a simple idea.."paint on a bag" and turn it into a full Broadway musical!!!! AWESOME!!!!!!! :D XXX

Unknown said...

The amount of work you put into every project is amazing, Darcy. This turned out really fabulous! I hope you're chuffed with it because it's ace. xo

Tee McNeil Art said...

Holy crap!! Gobsmacked doesn't even come close to covering it. Darcy just when I think.. wow I've seen the best of the best.. you blow me away.. EVERY TIME! Hades woman... good grief this is so something I'm in love with.

*stalks my mailbox just in case you accidentally lost it at the post office and it just happened to have my address on it*

Unknown said...

Fabulous! I love all things steampunk so this is right up my street! Great idea Darcy! xxx

JoFY said...

stunning!! and very inspiring! love it!
Jo

Steven said...

Darcy Wilkinson, you are fast becoming a superhero!!! mindblowing stuff! words fail!

Rebecca said...

Utterly stunning :)
Happy craftin
Rebecca

Glennis F said...

That is just incredible

ionabunny said...

Great project. Wouldn't know where to start. Maybe in the middle.....

Trish said...

Wow. Stunning. You are truly an artist, in every way!
Waaaay beyond what I can manage, but so amazing to read and aspire to. Thank you so much!

Dana said...

Wow!!! Simply WOW!!!

Carol Plume said...

What a great project - totally stunning

Gina said...

This is absolutely amazing Darcy! You have outdone yourself! I love how you show the whole process!!!!

Samsmitty said...

I have no words..............love it!!!!!!

Annette McCarty said...

Darcy, this is one of the most incredibly wonderful steampunk items I have ever seen. I don't normally embrace steampunk, but you nailed it! It is beautiful!

mitzi curry said...

Darcy, You rock my world.

Renee said...

Wow! Amazing tutorial to show how to make that incredible piece of art. Thanks for sharing.

Linda M. Cain said...

O.M.G. is right Gillian! Totally, totally awesome!

~Linda

The Hardy Stamper said...

Stunning! What a lot of work went into this gorgeous bag - thanks for all the details and the amazing inspiration.

texasbarb said...

Coming over from Jim's Ustream show...OMG, Darcy, your bag is FABULOUS!!!! I'm so glad you put the link up so I could see what you've done. You have an amazing talent, girl!!!!

selena said...

whaouuu quel magnifique projet!!le sac est superbe.

Virginia said...

Oh my Darcy - that is utterly fantastic - I really need to get my hands on some fabric medium!

Netty said...

wow a fabulous arty project and love the finished results. Annette x

Anonymous said...

Stunning project Darcy ! Fantastic to see it brought to life from your drawing ! Sue C x

Teen Queen said...

Wow! Great job Darcy. I love the whole project, but especially the goggles.

Julie Lee said...

Wow! WoW!!! This is sooo amazing! I am literally just back off my travels, how I wish I'd had a bag like this! It has so inspired me for future projects. Thank you for all the creativity and beauty! I love the way you blend your art with collaged elements. xxx

Lucy Edmondson said...

This is amazing, Darcy. So much time, thought, imagination, experimentation, and talent has gone into this on our behalf. If anyone gives this a go I will take my hat off to them, but loads of elements we can try. Thank you!

Lucy x

Kezzy said...

WOW WOW WOW I have run out of words lol, amazed, wowed, awesome, gorgeous, fantastic to name a few. I love the flowers and the crinkled organza yep I need to play lol. I have just bought the set of stamps as I love what you have done with them. Kezzy :-) xxx

Edwina Sutherland said...

Thanks so much for this tutorail. You are so generous. I love your use of color.