Hannibal the Mechannibal

Please help me,  my name is Hannibal the mechannibal ….or I should say it is now!



There was I an innocent Wild Plum alcohol ink bottle sitting proudly on the shelf just waiting for the honour to be used….. a hand reaches up toward me.. "Yes at last" I thought,  "my time has come"..  Oh yes I was used all right….and abused….just look at the state of me!
All the other bottles  are being unkind and laughing at me even though I still work perfectly… I am so frightened of what he may do to me next :(

Oh no he's coming….got to go….please, please help me get out of here!

Chow

Hannibal

New Steampunk Workshops

Hi everyone,
Happy new year to you all, lets hope it's going to be a good one.

I never normally make new years resolutions but this year I am going to try and eat properly. Since the children flew the nest cooking became less important and cooking for one is not as much fun somehow.
I also get so involved when working on a project that I can easily go the whole day without eating anything whatsoever and that can't be good so this year I am going to try really hard to eat 3 meals a day starting with breakfast.

Ok before I continue there were a few people on Octobers altered bottle online workshop who unfortunately could not complete it due to unforeseen circumstances, it starts again on the 7th of this month so if any of those people would like to participate in this one please send me an email and I will send you invites to the workshop site as promised.

Over the next week I will be adding a new page on this blog giving details and links to live workshops I will be running this year. As well as the new Shabby Chic workshops being held at Country Love Crafts, we are also going adding a series of Steampunk workshops over this year, the first of which is on January 17th and is the Steampunk secret book pictured below. More details and booking information can be found here on the CLC Facebook page





I started work this morning on a steampunk air balloon which I am making from a decopatch papier mache balloon.
I am not going to use the basket though as I feel its a little to big for the balloon and looks out of proportion..



This is how far I got this morning.
Rivets were applied and an oxidized aged copper effect added to the surface using Decoart Traditions acrylic paint and Alcohol Ink.
Lots still to do with this but I will keep you updated with its progress.



Andy 

Video…. A New Way of using Alcohol Inks?

This week is Alcohol Ink week over at the Craft Barn Blog.
Here is a video I have made for the Wishing Well using Alcohol Inks in a slightly different way.
This technique is very similar to marbling, but gives a more subtle effect using Adirondack Alcohol Inks.
The results are very random and give really interesting backgrounds.

Results on 300 GSM Cardstock




Bisque beads


Tags




Use Adirondack Brights for more vivid results and be liberal with the ink, also allow to dry naturally and not with a heat tool.
Here is the video, have fun experimenting with this one and please let me know how you get on!

Andy

Lots to Tell!

Hi everyone,
I have a few things to post today as it's been a week since my last entry and there has been lot's happening this week.
First up is to let you know I will be at the Craft Barn on the first weekend of September. 
The Saturday will be a FREE demo day of which details are listed below and will also be holding a day workshop on the Sunday, unfortunately the workshop is now fully booked but I am hoping to do more in the near future.
Also the fantastic Wishing well over at the Craft Barn Blog are having an Andy Skinner week on the run up to the weekend..I feel so honoured!! 
The very talented design team will be providing step by step tutorials on the blog throughout the week so please check it out.

SATURDAY 3^rd SEPTEMBER - ANDY SKINNER DAY AT THE CRAFTBARN
From watercolouring to alcohol inks
Andy Skinner, Carol Cockbain and Lina McDermott will be showing you loads of ideas using Andy’s stamps combined with lots of other goodies in our free demo day at The Craft Barn.

Ok next up is the news that I have received in the post this week, the first sets of my new Christmas Stamps…Yes I know it's only July but I am absolutely thrilled with them.
I have spent a long time designing these sets, most of the stamps on two of the sets can be used all year round and not just for Christmas which was my main aim. The third set has more of a traditional…slightly retro Christmas feel to it.
I will be posting samples of them on here in the next few days.

Finally I just wanted to share my latest mixed media painting with you which is inspired by Gary Reef.
It is my first attempt on a 24cm x 17cm piece of Plexi Glass, adding layers on both the reverse and the front mean's the painting has great depth, although it is very hard to show this in a photograph.
Media used on this project is Stazon Ink, Acrylic paint, alcohol Ink, isopropanol and gold leaf.
I have a new video camera…yea!!! so I may do a little video of it enabling you to see the depth of the different layers.

Bye for now,

Andy

Gone Down Under

Hello,
I had absolutely no plans on making a video this week but on Friday night I had a urge to make some aboriginal wall art and thought I may as well film it at the same time.
I decided to use chunky unglazed earthenware tiles as a substrate, these can double up as either a coaster or an earthenware canvas.

Click on Images for a Larger View


I have used Americana Acrylic paint and Adirondack Alcohol Inks for these pieces and finally sealed them with Americana Matte sealer for a durable waterproof finish.


Before the Video a quick catch up on the week, I have done a little more work on the altered guitar. I first sanded it, added a few rivets and applied a coat of Lamp Black Acrylic paint mixed with Decoart's  paint adhesion medium to make sure it sticks and will not in any way scratch off.



I have also been sent some Ranger goodies to use in an upcoming magazine article for Crafts Beautiful and a few other projects,  now at last I have more than 5 colours of Distress Ink..yippee!



And finally I spent the day yesterday running a workshop on Silver Clay Fingerprint Jewellery, here are some examples.



Right time for the video, have a great week.
Andy

Enjoy!

Seize Life Tag Tutorial

Here is the first of the 11 tag tutorials

Card Stock?? What's that!

Good morning all,
As most of you know I work mainly on ceramics using glazes & acrylic paint, although my roots lay with canvas and watercolour paper.
Over the past six months I have had this incredible urge to work with card stock but each time I have tried the card stock does not seem to be able to withstand the abuse I put it through when experimenting with different mediums etc..That was until I was recommended a 300 gsm card stock by Lindsay Mason. Lindsay is a freelance artist and one of the designers for Personal Impressions.

This card has held up to everything I have thrown at it, from texture pastes to gesso applied with a pallet knife! 

Below are a few of my first ever experiments with Decoart acrylic, mediums and ink on this cardstock.

To find your nearest stockist of this great cardstock visit the stockist locater at the link below. code number is PIP 300 CWH
http://www.personalimpressions.com/

Raindrop Background

Here is a different take on Isoclene backgrounds using Adirondack® Alcohol Inks, Americana Acrylic Paint and Isoclene.


The test tile was first painted with Americana Turquoise Blue. Images were then stamped on with Stazon Black.
Drops of Alcohol Ink in Cranberry and Denim were placed randomly over the surface. Small drops of Gold Alcohol Ink were then placed in the centre of the larger drops.
Finally drops of Isoclene were added to the centre making the gold disperse.
Its a really nice effect that reminds me of raindrops. I am going to use this in some larger projects as soon as a get a few more colours of Adirondack® Alcohol Ink.

Rudolf's on the alcohol again!

Had a chance today to have a quick play with my Adirondack alcohol inks on this Heart shaped Ceramic Christmas tree decoration. The stamp came free with a magazine.
I must use these inks more.
How many sleeps left till Christmas?? 40 days, is it really that close already!

I Have No Idea

Where this came from and what its all about I have no idea!
It started out as an image transfer on a tile that went horribly wrong so rather than bin it I started doodling with different media and went along with it for the ride!
Mediums used include gesso, plaster, paper, enamelling, silicone, Distress ink, Versa magic ink, Stazon, Alcohol ink, Americana acrylic, paper, glass stains and Triple thick…Am I boring you yet!

The photo is not the best and the white dots you can see are Triple Thick acrylic glaze applied to look like rain drops when it catches the light.
Not sure what to do with it now though!

 

Have a good day,
Andy

Free craft projects available at http://www.andyskinner.org

 

Alcohol inks

I have at last had time to play around with alcohol inks, I think I am going to experiment lots with these, I am loving them! Ok here are my first attempts, both are on large 30cm x 20cm glazed white tiles.

Click images for a larger view,



I have called this the Tree of Temptation...(Think I may have been watching too much big brother) :)