UK Art Raffle - 'Summer' entry

The UK Art Raffle is back up and running and the current theme is 'Summer'. You just need to sign up, send in an item of art and then you're in the draw. The winner gets all the items sent in!

For my entry, I altered a jigsaw piece (it measures approx 3" x 3"). I used a vintage picture of three young ladies in their bathing costumes and collaged it onto a background of the L S Lowry's painting 'At The Seaside' a strange mixture and the ladies are not of the same era, but I thought the muted tones of the Lowry picture went well with the image. I painted a wash of cream acrylic over the background and edged and highlighted it with some crayons. A string hanger and some shells completed it.

I used the same image to make an ATC. This time on a background of tissue paper coloured with Brusho paints. Again edged with crayon and some Anita's 3-D clear gloss finish at the bottom to look like water - although it hasn't come out too well in the photo.

All the raffle entries need to be in by 23rd August - can't wait to see if I'm the lucky one, and also to see all the other entries, which I believe, will be posted on the above mentioned website after the draw has been made.

Altered Coaster Book

This month's challenge on the GAS (Group for Altered Art Swaps) over on Flickr is to create an altered coaster book. Viv who set this theme stipulated that 'Your 'book' may be on any theme you wish but somewhere it must include a stamp and some texture and must be made of at least 2 coasters.( i.e 4 sides)'

I used three identical coasters (cardboard beer mats) which had an unusual shape and cut a square aperture in the first two. I decided to use a clay face (for a change!!!) which I had already painted and was waiting to be used. The face I mounted on the last coaster and with the apertures it can be seen even when the book is closed.

I had trouble deciding on a theme and after looking through my rubber stamps, decided to go with Paris / France. There is a mixture of old and new France in the book though - 'pages' 2 and 3 have a modern street map on and pages 4 and 5 include some vintage French adverts. I couldn't quite decide what the face had to do with my theme - maybe her hairstyle is a chic Parisian bob - or maybe not!

The texture is on the front cover. I built up around the aperture with some Golden Soft Gel and then a crackle glaze over the top of the whole cover. A slight twist on the French flag, I used an old gold colour instead of white to give a more vintage feel and a couple of old French coins. As I said it's a bit of an old/new mixture, but hope that it'll do.

ATC - Dolls

These two dolls (Purple Polly and Orange Olive) are on a smaller scale to the others I’ve made - so they can fit onto an ATC. Well that’s what's supposed to happen but due to a … design fault shall I call it … Polly’s legs can’t quite make it pass her skirt! Just as well really in view of the lack of any underwear!!

I found some wired ribbon in my stash and it’s ideal to use for skirts since it can be manipulated into folds without the need for any stitching! I did stitch Olive’s skirt at the top onto her body and her legs are free to move so she fits nicely onto the ATC. With Polly however, I glued her skirt at the sides so therefore restricting her movement. Oh well, I’ll know for the next time (if I remember that is!)

For the faces on these two I used only chalks and watercolour pencils for the features (no pens) and the effect is much more subtle - I think I prefer that - for now anyway.

'Princess Pewter' Paper Doll

Another paper doll. This one I tried to give a metallic look to so used a silver acrylic paint for the skin. Her dress is card covered in silver aluminium tape, embossed and coloured with alcohol inks. She also has some nice dangly jewellery too! Almost forgot to mention her head piece (or crown as she is a princess) it's just a fragment of a CD cut into strips.

Post It Note Holder

I've made another of these little holders. They measure three and half inches square. I used tissue paper and Brusho paints again (turquoise and purple this time -I love that colour combination) and some co-orindiated coloured beads and paper flowers.