Steampunk Assemblage Still WIP

Here is an updated photo of the Steampunk assemblage.  I added a peacock, gears and some of the butterflies that will grace the backdrop and will be fluttering out of the miniature trunk.

The gears are so much fun to work on, though time consuming.  It's like building a litle machine.  The center gear is where the actual clockworks will go.  Maybe if I can find a kit that has interesting gears I will mount on top of the background instead of behind.

More to come. . .

Steampunk assemblage WIP

Been very busy with the steampunk assemblage.  Here is what I have so far of the background and the dress.

Steampunk Assemblage, Fly Fisher's Notebook Project and More

As per usual I am in the midst of many varied projects.  Some day all will be complete, but in the meantime multitasking keeps things interesting.  My beau Daniel walks into my studio and cries, "How many projects do you have going?  When will you finish the firescreen?"  (He is referring to the sea vessel and mermaid three-paneled firescreen featured on a previous post.  Check it out)  My answer is always "Soon."

Anyhow, here is a prelim sketch of the steampunk assemblage I was commissioned to do.  The assemblage will be 24 x 36 and include a Victorian steampunk costume, leopards, music box and watch gears galore, hot air balloons, etc.  I will start making the actual costume and the backdrop in the next day or so.

Here is a watercolor sketch of a notecard/scrapbook page project that involves fly fishing.  I love the pattern of the trout scales and the iridescence of it.

Here is one finished project--just a small one.  Wooden letter blocks with a rose and a butterfly.  It spells the word LOVE.  This will be part of a series of custom alphabet blocks that will be featured on my Etsy shop.

These will also be offered as prints, note cards and tags.  I will be making larger embellished letters for personalization painted onto vintage book pages.

Also offering some prints and downloadable files of some not so recent works, including this one of a sunflower field and birds that has become very popular.  I would like to revisit it and make a little more vibrant.  That is what seems to catch people's eye.

The red-winged blackbird is my temporary avatar until I have time to sit down and create the actual Crow Fairy.  I have scrapped many attempts.  Eventually she will appear.

'Til then.

Cherry Blossom Study in Acrylic

Spring is finally here on Cape Cod.  The magnolias and rhododendrons in the front yard are in full bloom.  They will make a great watercolor/acrylic wash study, especially the magnolias.

This is an acrylic wash I did a couple springs ago of the cherry blossoms.  A magnolia study would be a great way to celebrate spring 2013.

Will post when I have a new study.  This sketch and others will be featured as a little note card series on my Etsy shop.  Also working on some little paintings on wood of robins.  Spring inspires!

Enjoy!

Mini Butterfly Dress Altered Canvas

This latest project is an 8 x 10 altered canvas featuring a little dress made from wedding dress scraps.  The fabric was hand painted green then I added the scrollwork, roses and butterflies.

The dress is similar to the mini skull dress on my earlier post, but larger and the skirt is fuller.

I painted the canvas first with the stripes, rose hedge and scrollwork.

I gave this canvas to my mother as a present.  We all went to Borsari's Gallery and Tearoom and had a lovely lunch and dessert.

Check out their website.  They have a gorgeous portfolio of weddings and other events that they have hosted.  To see some of their recent weddings go to www.borsarigallerycapecod.com/Weddings/tabid/83

My mother proudly showed her gift off to everyone in the tearoom.  Got lots of compliments on it.  The framed canvas is offered as a custom order on my Etsy shop.

Upcoming post will be of preliminary sketches of the steampunk assemblage I will be working on.  It will feature a steampunk Victorian costume on a mini dress form, a steampunked steamtrunk (that will be the title), a peacock, butterflies, hot air balloons and a couple of cheetahs.

Cinco de Mayo Altered Art Poster

The store at the mall where I work during the week is throwing a Cinco de Mayo party to kick off our second quarter.  I was asked to make a poster for the occasion and a sign up sheet for the feast.

I used corrugated cardboard that backed an old frame.  The letters for Cinco and Mayo, the maracas and the little pinata.  The rest was painted onto the cardboard itself.  I made the senorita's dress from the wedding dress fabric and hand painted the design, sewed on the lace.  The flowers are made from tissue paper from my work.

The idea was to make the background kind of look like terra cotta.  The word balloon also has a distressed look to it.  Just cardboard with titanium white and yellow ochre mixed and brushed lightly on to show a "grain."

The poster and sign up sheet, as well as some embellishments, such as a mini Mexican bunting, extra maracas, pinatas and flowers will be offered as a set for party decor.

Everyone at work loved the poster, and my manager sent pics on her phone to the district and regional managers.  I also got a commission from one of my co-workers (a fan of mine on Etsy) for a good sized assemblage featuring some steampunk elements.  So very exciting!  Already am working on the preliminary sketches for this piece.

There will be a post showing pics of the actual fiesta on Cinco de Mayo.
So tune in!

Field Journal Page and Mural WIP

I am still a little behind on my projects.  Have many ongoing.  There is a new purse I am making out of the wedding dress fabric which will have a skull and steampunk flowers theme.  I have more components for my field diary art journal page and know what materials and images I need to finish it.

There will be some sketches of wildflowers layered underneath the painting of the bunny and little tag with sparrow.  I will probably add some ribbon roses and a moth or two.

Here is a mural that is still in progress.  It is of a Filipino countryside, complete with water buffalo and a cutaway coral reef scene.

This is in my parents' house in the dining room.  They love the brilliant colors.  It made them wistful for the home land, especially since the weather here has been far from tropical.  Still working on final layers and finishing touches.

I picked up some canvas board to make my mother's birthday altered canvas with the little dress.

Also planning an album for my father's 80th
birthday.

So many paintings, so little time.

Today's inspiration comes from Artfully Musing, one of my favorite scrapping blogs.
artfullymusing.blogspot.com.  Check out her richly layered designs.

TTFN.  Thanks for stopping!