2017 Topic 18: Torn,Ripped and Burnt {Intro and challenge}

 2017 Topic 18: Torn, Ripped and Burnt

Scrapperia

Welcome to a new topic everyone, Darcy here to talk about our latest theme. This fortnight we will be looking at ways to distress art work in very specific ways, using tearing, ripping and burning. 

Before we start, let's see who won the Topic 17: Shades of White Challenge...

The winner is: Gail from Crafty Nomad

Email Darcy to claim your prize. Darcydotneedles@gmail.com

As is often the case, the techniques we use in our art stem from ancient techniques, and paper tearing is no exception. In the 11th century the Japanese were tearing paper, usually handmade, and creating pieces of art. These pieces were quite delicate and often resembled watercolour paintings, known as Chigiri-e they had calligraphy over the top. 

Barbara Hamer

Moving forward to the 20th century saw Pablo Picasso and Georges Braques coin the phrase 'collage' 

Picasso

Here is a modern collage, beautifully executed, all those ripped pieces forming these gorgeous otters. Choose your pieces based on colour and scale of pattern. 

Dawn Maciocia

We also use tearing and ripping as a way to distress and interest to edges. This lovely Christmas layout has been made much more dimensional because of the paper edges being torn. 

Basic Grey

These layered Christmas cards use torn edges too mixed in with cut edges, it really does pay to mix them up the torn edges make for wonderful shapes. 

Michelle Wooderson

Torn paper makes a great mask or stencil, Barbara has used a torn scrap of paper here on her gelli plate, the paper stops the paint in that area from reaching the cardstock, resulting in this negative space with interesting edges. 

Barbara Gray

Similarly, Eileen has used a torn paper mask to create the landscapes on this tag. You could also use the edge of this stencil PS030

Eileen Godwin

Here is another way to layer up your torn and ripped edges, as different sizes of pages these make a really interesting and tactile art journal, each page gives a glimpse beyond to the next page. 

Gracie

Torn edges also look great in backgrounds, wash a little diluted paint over the edges just to blend them a little. 

Claudia

Another great background, this time the artist has torn lovely stained teabags and layered them over text, as the teabag paper is translucent the text shows through. Follow the link to see how she added sketching and stamping over the top of the teabags to create a beautiful piece. 

Becca Kirkland

Torn paper can be combined with drawings , fabric and stitching to create free hanging pieces of art. 

Philippa Leith

This piece was created on torn corrugate card, itself having the surface torn away, this was done by an Alevel student. 

Matravers

Another piece, torn, stamped, folded, layered and stitched. 

Miss Stitch Therapy

Our own Jo Firth Young loves torn corrugate card, she turns it into the most beautiful pieces of art. 

Jo Firth Young

I think my favourite ripped piece has to be this dog, ripping fabric is just so satisfying, and it creates wonderful raggy edges, use them to wrap around books or loop through the tops of tags, use ripped fabric to make flowers or just to layer up. leave all those loose threads hanging, they look great. 

Barbara Franc

This simple piece introduces burning, along with the clean white card and glimpses of gold leaf this looks so fresh. This has been done using a blowtorch and a branding iron, but you could achieve similar results with a soldering iron or a wood burning tool. 

Kelly O'Brien

This piece is 4 layers of Abaca paper,( this is a plant fiber from the banana tree) the holes are made with a soldering iron. 

Karen Margolis

For a rustic Christmas how about making these wood burnt snowmen. 

Burnwood Creations

I love this piece, so sculptural but yet delicate with its singed edges. 

OsikDesigns

I wasn't sure at first about singed clothing, but the more I look the more I like this, how could you incorporate this idea into your work? perhaps singed layers on a book cover or on the dress of a doll, or even singed fabric pieces on a card. 

Judith Orshalimian

A great way to add a burning technique is to simply use your heat gun, if you hold it over paint long enough it will bubble and blister and singe. Do be very careful, do this in a ventilated room and do not allow the artwork to set alight. The blisters which are then raised can be brushed over with Treasure Gold to highlight the texture. 

Andy Skinner

Heat guns can be used on fabric too, you can burn through dried out baby wipes, through sheer fabrics, through tyvek, so many ways you can experiment with burning. 

This sample is layers of tyvek stitched and zapped with a heat gun. 

Kim Thittichai

I just had to finish with this burnt offering, how many of us have burned toast, everyone right?but have you ever made a portrait with your burnt toast?

Henry Hargreaves

Summary....  Have fun!

Don't forget to follow Darcy and Leandra's Pinterest boards if this topic pushes your buttons, you will see plenty more examples to whet your appetite there! I am really looking forward to seeing what you create over the next 2 weeks!

~ Darcy

We hope that you  learn something interesting from our blog. Our bloggers deeply appreciate your comments so much, so please take time to let them know you've been inspired! Why not join our challenge by blogging your interpretation of the current topic and link it here?

The current topic link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, 10th Dec 2017, and the winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

All links go in the draw to win a £50 voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store.

Challenge Guidelines

• The challenge is a for you to show how you are inspired by the current blog topic. We encourage you to play with us and explore your personal creative style.
• Please mention which PA blog post inspired you and and why (link directly to that post). Please don't link to the home page of your blog because then no-one can track back to easily find the original post.
• We prefer your challenge blog post is created exclusive to our challenge, but if our topic fits perfectly with another challenge, then you may link to both if appropriate.
• You are most welcome to use stamps/ products/ substrates you have to hand from a variety of companies, we do not expect you to exclusively use PA products - it's lovely when you do though!
• You can enter as many times as you like. We don't want to restrict your creativity! 

NB. Link closes at 17:00 Sunday 10th December  (London Time)

Prize: The winner will receive a £50 credit voucher to be redeemed on the PaperArtsy Website. The credit voucher includes VAT and postage. We request that one of your purchases is an A5 rubber stamp. You can add any other items to your basket, but the final total should not exceed £50. It's your responsibility to claim your prize coupon from Darcy. 

email: darcydotneedles@gmail.com

NEW Challenge/ winner: Each fortnight on Sunday, the winner will be announced at 19:00 (London time). In the same post, the link for the next fortnight will be posted. 

Good Luck! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!