Mermaid Collage Art

I have had this Mermaid for sometime but couldn't quite figure out what I wanted to do with it. Since I have been playing with Canvas Art I decided to use her for this project.     I used a template from a magazine that was advertising rugs and cut that out of Tim Holtz's Grunge paper.  I love using the metal and molds from Ten Seconds Studio to make my Mermaid shine!  You can check out their site here:
 http://www.tensecondsstudio.com/
The background colors are painted with Claudine Hellmuth's paint.  I used Sizzix dies for the fish and the waves.  I read the saying somewhere on line- You are the waves, I am the ocean-Know this and be free!  I think I will hang it in my guest bedroom since it will add to the nautical fee I am trying to achieve. 
 

My Fine Feathered Friends!

There is nothing more relaxing for me than to work on an art project!  I am still having fun with my new book by Julie Nutting, Collage Couture.  I love her ideas!   She is able to draw her models but I have a hard time getting them to come out they way I want.   I used her suggestion to find a magazine and use a model in the pages of the magazine.  I bought US Magazine's Hot bodies issue and found many great models.  Here is one below.

I photocopied the picture and then cut out my model.  I did make mine just a little thinner.  I will keep my template to use again whenever I want.  This is really an easy way to get the model you want. 

I cut out 3 models from the Sunday newspaper.  You can really use anything- old dictionary, music or an old Atlas!  I was wondering what the funny papers would look like?

I painted my canvas board with Claudine Hellmuth's acrylic paints.  I also used small bubble wrap to make my bubbles.  You press the bubble wrap on your canvas board in any length you want.  I love how it came out! 

The hardest part for me is painting the hair.  I need to really practice getting it right!!  It is fun trying to come up with a good hairdo!  Here is a side view of the finished project.  My sister, Connie and I went to LL Bean's to get the feathers.  You can find a great selection in the fly fishing department.  I plan to use them in some future cards for embellishments.  Feathers are my new favorite thing!  It was fun dressing these models!
Check out Julie Nutting's blog for more ideas and inspiration!
http://julienuttingdesigns.blogspot.com/

Chef Louie!

I decided to do some punch art that I could keep for myself!  I love making cards and I love punch art-I always give my art away- which is fun- but I really wanted something for me.  Wow, that sounded selfish but there you are...!  I was inspired by the picture below that I saw in the restrooms of a local restaurant.  So while waiting in line -I had my sister take a picture of it ( sorry for the glare)!  I thought they were very cool pictures and I planned to attempt to recreate them in paper.   With all the time I have had at home- this was my chance!

I used Claudine Hellmuth's acrylic paint on canvas to create the background. I have had the paints for awhile but have not used them!  What fun it is to paint on canvas!  I really felt like an artist!!   The punch art was a challenge to see what dies I had that would help me make my Chef.   The face is the same technique I use for my clowns with 2 sizes of the heart punch.  The bike wheels were made from 2 sizes of the circle Nestabilities.  The bike itself was from the Marianne Design floral die pictured below.  The umbrella is the top part of the Marianne Design bird cage, again pictured below, and the handle is the stem of the MD floral die. I used the MD floral die to make the chef's hair, too!

Below is the punch art before I added it to the canvas.  I used Claudine's Matte Medium to adhere the punch art to the canvas.  I then went over the piece to seal it.  I am not sure that is the best technique-since the red ran a little and I had to wipe it alittle.  The rest of the colors were fine.  I used alot of Tim Holtz's ink to add shading, for example, on the bread and the chef's apron.  Wow, this was really a big project for me- but alot of fun.  I am going to hang this in my kitchen!!

Here is a close up of Chef Louie!

*****UPDATE******

It bugged me that I did not have the Rooster as in the inspiration picture.  So I added one! The body of the rooster is from Valita's owl punch tutorial.  Check out her blog -

http://valitasfreshfolds.blogspot.com/

  Here is my completed project!  You can click on the picture for a larger view.