Andy Skinner

Sunday 26 June 2022

My Fragile Heart By Heather Thompson

Andy Skinner New Rice Paper Release Welcome back to another post here. Today I am sharing a canvas I made with Andy's new Rice Papers released in collaboration with Decoupage Queen. These rice papers are amazing and they come in a selection of different sizes and designs. There are 10 new designs and various sizes.

Now on to my project.

I would love to share a project I made with the Raven Returns Rice paper.

This canvas was made with so much thoughts and emotions. I have this old rusty heart locket, missing the key, but in the shape of a heart. The key forever will be lost. The locket forever will be locked and safe from heart break and disappointment from here on forward. The heart surrounding the locket, cracked and damaged from years of wear, tear and abuse. Always giving and prioritising others before it's own. Here is the creative video:

I started the background on a reverse canvas, then realised I really didn't like it. It was not calling to me. I flipped the canvas over and painted over what had seeped through on my first attempt. Then using the Ultra Matte Varnish, I adhered the Raven Returns Rice paper to the canvas.

I used a variety of paints and stamps on the background. I started with the he Cracked Up Stamp, and topping it off with the Burlap Stamp from Creative Embellishments. I really didn't need to do much blending on the background the Rice Papers are so detailed and amazing that very little is needed. I did do some shading with some Quinn Gold and Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide.

I used a variety of Andy Skinner's Paints to blend and layer the heart with along with a crackle medium. Blending Primary Magenta with Paynes Grey to get the burgundy colour, and topping it off with some Quinn Gold to add some rust to it. Olivia found a piece of rusty metal on our last family vacation, I decided to layer the rusted metal over the Large Heart and glue the heart locket over the Raven on the Rice paper. Using some Chevron Pieces from CE, I added a texture and then Used Andy's combo of Quinn Gold, Burnt Umber and Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide to Rust them up a bit.

I hope you enjoy the project and dont forget to check out all the amazing New Rice Papers from Andy Skinner and Decoupage Queen.

Supplies: Decoupage Queen Andy Skinner Raven Returns Rice Paper CE Cracked Up Stamp CE Andy Skinner Quinnacrodone Gold Paint CE Andy Skinner Paynes Grey Paint CE Andy Skinner Transparent Iron Oxide CE Andy Skinner Burnt Umber CE Andy Skinner Ultra Matte Varnish Creative Embellishments: Chevron Pieces, Burlap Stamp, Large Heart Tando Creative Fragile Stencil

Saturday 16 April 2022

Blowing Bubbles Spring Tag with Heather Thompson

Welcome back to another post here on Andy's Site, Today I am sharing a piece I did for the April Challenge.

Tuesday 5 April 2022

Warrior Congo Mask with Heather and Olivia April Challenge

Welcome back, I have a treat today. Andy Skinner has a monthly challenge going on. The theme is the Congo. Interesting and somewhat not the easiest challenge to do for some of us. I was thinking that maybe my daughter Olivia and I would do a collaboration. After a bit of some brainstorming and a much needed call with Andy. Olivia and I decided that she would sculpt the Congo mask and I would do the framing.

Challenge Rules

Design an exhibit that may have been found in the Congo.
Item to be in a jar, bottle, picture frame, or box.
Only one item per expedition member
Must be a new work of art
Artwork to be submitted by April 29th, 2022
# for the posts is #congochallenge
Product and tools - Whatever you have in your stash if you have any of my products that would be fantastic!
No Glitter and gilding pastes are to be kept to a minimum. (sorry).

Prize

Any T-shirt from my clothing range https://jackallen.co/ and a set of my Artist pigment paints. Congo Inspiration Gallery https://www.facebook.com/media/set?set=oa.285223373724374...

Who’s in? #congochallenge

Olivia did a little research on the congo and found the masks, she sketched some ideas on to some paper and off she went.

This girls brain is so talented, It amazes me how a simple 5 minute sketching session and she is off doing something else. So we had a road trip in our future to pick up some polymer clay.

We got to have a call with Andy one Saturday afternoon and the two of them chatted about what they were up to and art and ideas for the challenge. Olivia was in her element with Andy. Soon hopefully one day we will be able to go back.

Here are a few pictures of her creative process.

Just a side note the sketches she drew, we couldn't find them and this was all from memory and just her creative brain.

Olivia in her element.

I had sent a few photos to Andy and they brainstormed a few details on the piece.

Yep she finished it all under an hour while on a call to Andy. It was about 58 minutes and her mask was in the oven setting.

So with the collaboration in the works, I start to work on the frame, I need Olivia to paint her portion but like any teenager, its on her terms and timeframe. So I started with some ideas I had in my head.

Here is the video progression of the photo. This is the first video of Olivia I has shared. It is mesmerising to watch her. No colour wheel for her, she just mixes and gets what she envisions.

We pretty much got the piece done, and it was missing some things. I felt it needed to have more elements from the Congo, Olivia and I talked about it and decided to add some leaves.

Olivia also didn't like the boldness of the Industrial Wings so using her mixed paint, I softened the look of them with some dry brushing.

I set the piece aside and slept on it. I wanted to add a few more details. Sisal and some spears on the sides would be perfect for this warrior mask.

We discussed that we needed to make the leaves bold to help break up the neutral colours of the frame and background. I bit of blending on my part. (Yes, I need a colour wheel.) I think we both are happy with the outcome of the collaboration.

Well I hope you enjoy! And we hope you join our challenge this month.

Heather and Olivia

Supplies Mixed Media Pastes/Paints

CE Andy Skinner Cosmic Shimmer Strata Paste

CS Andy Skinner Mixed Media Lava Paste

CS Andy Skinner Structure Paste

Paint

CS Andy Skinner Artist Pigment Paints Quinacridone Gold

CS Andy Skinner Artist Pigment Paints Cobalt Teal Hue

CS Andy Skinner Artist Pigment Paints Raw Umber

CS Andy Skinner Artist Pigment Paints Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide

CS Andy Skinner Artist Pigment Paints Paynes Grey

CS Andy Skinner Artist Pigment Paints Primary Blue

CS Andy Skinner Artist Pigment Paints Primary Magenta

CS Andy Skinner Artist Pigment Paints Primary Yellow

Tando Creative Eldaro

Friday 25 March 2022

Dark Secret - Altered Book Cover for March Challenge

Hi guys and welcome back to Andy's Blog

It's been a looong time, but I'm so happy to be here again, to share with you my take on the Altered Book Cover challenge for March.

You still have a couple of days to play along, since the challenge closes on Sunday. For more details, click on the link https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10161385546559008&set=gm.4992078744209215

💀💀💀Join us on Facebook Group The Darker Side💀💀💀

So, I decided to alter the cover of a book, that I had in my library forever. It's a story collection by Stephen King, called "The Bazaar of Bad Dreams". That was dark enough to inspire me :)))

I was so thrilled to start creating again, so I thought of making a process video, to show you some ideas on how to create dimension and texture on your projects. In the video, you'll see that I use very simple and easy-to-find materials, that we all have in our houses.

What is more, I wanted to share with you some tips on how to use stamps and stencils, in a not so common way.

I really hope you enjoy this. Below, you can enjoy some photos and find a full list of materials.

Paints - Cosmic Shimmer by Andy Skinner

Artist Pigment Paint

Paynes Grey, Prussian Blue, Cobalt Teal Hue, Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide, Quinacridone Gold, Raw Umber

Chalk Paint

- Midnight, Warm White

Tools and Supplies

Old brushes for glue and varnish

Fan brushes

Flat brushes for painting

Spatula

Polymer clay (any clay is fine, you can also use airdry clay)

E6000 glue

Decoupage glue

Matte varnish - Cosmic Shimmer "Super Matt Varnish" by Andy Skinner

Structure Paste (Cosmic Shimmer by Andy Skinner)

Stencil - Creative Expressions "Mandala" by Andy Skinner

Stamp - Creative Expressions "Eye Spy" by Andy Skinner

Available in every home 😁

White tissue paper

Cardboard (pizza box)

Paper tube (from cling film)

Paper tape

Natural jute twine cord

Saturday 19 March 2022

Altered Book Cover March Challenge with Heather Thompson

Welcome back, I am sharing a fun altered book Cover I made for Andy Skinner Altered Book Challenge Made with tons of Creative Embellishment products and I just sat and painted and blended trying to get some relaxation in.

I made a short video of the creative flow of this project, sometimes I don't ever know where it is going to go. But I first started out with a focal point, which was the face. I did try and find something a little creepy and dark. I love these eyes they are so mysterious.

I have a ton of old books. I love anything old, rugged and worn, I originally started with some white gesso. Once gesso was applied I stamped the background with the Distress Type stamp and the Andy's cracked up stamp.

I noticed the red of the old ink was bleeding through so I applied a Layer of clear gesso due to the bleeding of the ink from the old cover. Then repainted with white to hopefully stop the bleed.

Using the distress checkered stencil, I add more texture to the background. On the binding of the book I stencilled the Barbed Wire stencil. This helps pull in the frame I decided to use later.

After that was all dry, I started to blend with primary blue, primary yellow and some cobalt teal. Blending until I get a bold background I like.

I added a little crackle to the face, set aside to dry and then started blending some quinnacridone gold on the background to grunge it up some. Then when the face was dried, I added a "dirty wash" to the face to highlight the cracks.

I find the banners out of my stash to add a title and pull the grunge circle frame from CE to frame the face. Using the Quinn Gold, Transparent Yellow Oxide and Burnt Umber to paint the frame.

I dry brush the banners with the rendition stencil. I touch up the white, I know they aren't straight but I don't mind. I will just layer them with ribbon, tape, binding, metal chains and old Norwegian paper. Them being offset with be hardly noticeable.

Once the frame is glued on and the layers are glued on, I add some paint to pull the whole over all look together and then glue the frame on. I add twine to the title and adhere them.