2021 Topic 8: Nature's Treasure with EKD {by Claire Snowdon}

2021 Topic 8: Nature's Treasure

A cluster of dimensional flowers truly is a treasure. Claire's clever painted details really make the branches come to life and leap off the page. Using Crunchy Waxed Kraft paper creates a clever grounding and also a frame to focus the flower's painted beauty.
~ Keren

Hi everyone, it's Claire Snowdon with you today, and I'm here to share with you a mixed media panel I created for the Nature's Treasure topic.  I really enjoyed creating this panel - it could be easily adapted to a journal page.

 

My panel was created using an off-cut of kraft coloured mount board.  It's approximately 10 x 7 inches and is lovely and sturdy for this kind of project.  I used Fresco Chalk Acrylic (A Bit Fishy, Shutters, Aqua Duck Egg, Zucchini and Slimed) to start my background - I kept adding the colours and blending them on the mount board with a paint brush until I was happy with how it looked.

I then added this beautifully large leafy stencil in Grunge Paste to the panel - this stencil is by Lin Brown (PS043)

 

Whilst my Grunge Paste was drying I moved on to creating the extra elements needed for my panel.  I painted some Paperartsy Smoothy Card with Fresco Chalk Acrylics (Zucchini, Tinned Peas and Slimed) and stamped out my leafy elements from Kim Dellow Set 5 and 6 (EKD05 and EKD06).  I created another painty panel using Fresco Chalk Acrylics (Tangerine Twist, Persimmon, Firebird and Cherry Red) and stamped the flower elements from Kim Dellow Set 6 (EKD06).

I then stamped the same flower elements out onto some Paperartsy Crunchy Waxed Kraft Paper and cut them out with a generous border to ensure they would be visible once layered onto the panel.  I fussy cut all the flower and leaf elements as well.

My Grunge Paste was now nice and dry so I sanded it back a little - then to grunge it up a little I added some watered down Fresco Chalk Acrylic (Mud Splat).

Then I gave the background some grungy attention by adding faint stenciling with Emma Godfrey stencil (PS015) and Fresco Finish Acrylic (Chalk). Some 2nd and 3rd generation stamping in Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black and Potting Soil) and stamps from Kim Dellow Sets 1 and 5 (EKD01 and EKD05).

Of course the background wouldn't be complete without some nice splatter effect!  Here I used Fresco Finish Acrylic (Gold and Chalk).

I added a frame to my panel using Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black) before I started to add any of the dimensional elements to my panel to make things a little easier.

 

I created the focal point of the panel by layering up all the elements - I scrunched up the Paperartsy Waxed Kraft Paper flowers to sit under the main flowers - I really love the extra depth, colour and texture this adds to the piece.

 

I added some gold and white pen work to the grunge paste tall leaf - the shadows and highlights this creates makes the 3D effect of the Grunge Paste pop even more.

As well as adding pen work to the Grunge Paste leaf I also added it to the flowers and leaves on the left hand side of the panel - this gives them just that little extra lift and draws the eye in.

 

I felt like this sentiment from Kim Dellow Set 1 (EKD01) was really fitting for this topic - I stamped it using Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black) onto Paperartsy Smoothy Card and then mounted it onto black card.

 

The flower elements and the Kraft Waxed Paper underneath were all layered up using foam pads to really give this panel dimension.  The leafy elements were glued down with the tips of the leaves left unglued to create a more natural effect.

A few more extra photos of the final, finished product to show how dimensional it is :)

 

 

This panel really was such a joy to make!  Flowers are probably my number one images to create with - especially when I'm creating cards or art journal pages.  There is just something about them that draws me in and has done ever since I started crafting years ago.  It was nice to push myself out of my art journal comfort zone and create a panel instead - I would really love to encourage you to try and create something out of your comfort zone too!

Thanks for your company today,

Claire x

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