Hiya all!
This is Natassa
Blazaki from Art Recipes and More, happy dancing today as it’s my debut in this
amazing and super talented Creative Team.
A dream
come true for me, because I finally get to work for one of the most brilliant
teachers in Mixed Media, Mr. Andy Skinner! He’s the reason I’m constantly
obsessed with achieving maximum texture and grunge effects in all my projects!
One more
thing you need to know about me is that I’m fascinated by ancient cultures and
myths, especially Greek and Egyptian ones. You’ll notice that in several
occasions I create projects that are my interpretations of well-known ancient symbols
and objects.
Exactly the case in the project I’m presenting you today. Originally,
I was inspired by an assemblage that Andy made a while back in February, using
a computer mouse
and some Costa coffee stirrers. https://www.facebook.com/countryloveceramics/posts/10158066159824008). So, I decided to use a broken mouse too. I
broke it a bit more and then transformed it into an ancient Egyptian Scarab.
Really hope you
like it.
As a base I used
an oval canvas, I bought from a craft and school supplies store near my house,
nothing fancy.
For the
feathers, I created a base I cut from cardstock. First, I painted it with DecoArt Matte Metallics Aged Bronze and
when it was dry, I run the piece through an embossing plate to create some
texture. Then I stamped
on it with black Archival ink and stamps from
Andy Skinner’s Stampendous Steampunk set.
I covered the
whole piece with Media Antiquing creams
in Patina Green and English Red Oxide.
Dried well and wiped off with a damp cloth. Then, I sealed with Media Ultra Matte Varnish and dry
brushed with DecoArt Traditions True
Gold. I fussy cut all around the edges of the cardstock, to make them look
like wings. Also cut another smaller set of wings and placed on top of the
first piece to give some dimension.
Because the antiquing cream colors were a bit
dull when dry, I enhanced the Patina color by painting on top of it with Media Shimmer Mister Turquoise, and the
Red Oxide color by rubbing some red Archival ink on top with a small sponge.
Also used some Traditions Warm White,
to paint one more row of feathers between the red and the blue ones.
On the canvas, I
created some texture with Media White
Modeling Paste and Andy Skinner’s 15
x 15 stencil Whirlpool. I used a combination of Traditions Warm White, Raw Umber and Media Fluid Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide, to make the surface
look like lime stone. Because the assemblage was very colorful, I needed a subtle
background to balance it.
I pressed one of
the stamps on a piece of polymer clay and used it as an embellishment on top of
the mouse. To create some more texture, I applied Media White Modeling Paste all over the mouse with a palette knife.
I painted the mouse with a mixture of Media
Shimmer Mister Turquoise and Media
Fluid Acrylic Titanium White. Then I “aged” the bright blue color by
applying a thin coat of Media Fluid
Acrylic Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide. Some final touches with Tradition True Gold, mixed with Matte Metallics Aged Bronze and done!
.
I’m sure this is
going to be an adventurous and amazingly creative period for me. Thank you so
much for having me in your team!
Until next time
Happy & Creative
days to all!
You can find Natassa Blazaki - Art Recipes and More in:
Andy Skinner
Stampendous Stamp Set Steampunk
15 x 15 stencil Whirlpool
DecoArt
Matte Metallics Aged Bronze
Traditions Warm White
Traditions Raw Umber
Traditions True Gold
Traditions Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide
Media Antiquing Cream Patina Green
Media Antiquing Cream English Red Oxide
Media Shimmer Mister Turquoise
Media Fluid Acrylic Titanium White
Media Fluid Acrylic Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide
Media Ultra Matte Varnish
Media Modeling Paste White
Other supplies
Black Archival Ink
Red Archival Ink
Embossing folder
E6000 glue
Chipboard elements
A piece of A4 cardstock 200gsm
Oval canvas 30x20 cm
Polymer clay
Flat brush 1”
Flat brush ¼”
Fan brush
Palette knife
Small piece of sea sponge
