Sunday, July 1, 2012

Weather Worn Seaside

CATCH THE WAVE with us this month of July at Unruly PaperArts blogozine. Our Catch the Wave Issue is dedicated to seaside scenes and wonderful water techniques. 

I've created this 8x8"sample for the Reader Art Quest: Beautiful Beach.  You, as a UPA reader, are encouraged to create something beach themed in any type of paper craft or mixed media project and link up your unruly work at UPA between July 1 and July 25.  Don't forget voting for the top five projects takes place between July 26 and July 31.


As I walk along the ocean front, I feel like I'm walking back in time.  Does this place really exist or is it just a figment of my imagination?



A few things to explain my composition: 
1) I created the marbled paper in a workshop and wanted to incorporate it in this piece because of the water technique used to create it--perfect for a water themed month. I chose this particular paper because the pink looked to me like rays of sunlight on an early morning summer day.  The rest reminded me of white caps and ocean waves.  
2) In selecting products, I chose muted colors to give a feel of a weather-worn beach retreat. I wanted the two images to evoke a ghostly quality--children of another era still appearing to play on the beach (if you squint really hard in the sunlight, you'll see them)--so I chose a pale color to stamp with--my new favorite, Crumb Cake.  To catch the sunlight, I added a little sparkle and bling with the embellishments. 
3) I kept the composition to a minimum in order to keep the focus on the design in the paper itself.

Materials:
hand crafted Spanish marbling paper made in a Prairie Stampers Club workshop


Tim Holtz Alterations Artful Dwellings die
Adirondack Lake Mist acrylic paint dabber
ProArt Gesso
Ranger Distress Inks: Weathered Wood, Tumbled Glass
Ranger Picket Fence Distress Stain
German Dresden Border Fleur BROWN (from Retro Cafe Art)
Sissex embossing folder for roof
Sissex Tim Holtz Alterations embossing folder "wood" for the sign
Petaloo Dazzlers


Rogue Red Head Designs LLC Beach Babes stamp plate
Stampin' Up Crumb Cake Ink
Images and sign elevated with Stampin' Up Dimensionals (pop dot adhesives)


Unidentifiable Manufacturers products:
white corrugated cardboard (Michaels I think)
netting trim and rope fishnet from old scrapbook kits
German dresden fish, crystal sprigs, and specialty stamping paper all from Prairie Art Stamps store in Springfield, IL
pearl/crystal strip from a box store (Michaels I think)


If you'd like to learn more about paper marbling and see the process in action, you may want to check out this You Tube video.  I couldn't find any information on the man (John) who taught our workshop, but came across this interesting video.
http://youtu.be/vk-Ta7ichz4


This project is my second entry in this challenge:

Craft Room: Friendship

19 comments:

Valerie-Jael said...

Pretty piece, Paper marbling is fun! Valerie

Carol Salisbury said...

Wow that paper is great! Love the scene you created!
I've never seen that marbling done before so I am off to watch the video!
Hugs!
CarolS

Zoechaos said...

WOW Helena this is just gorgeous love everything the evocative marble paper the wonderful beaded lace and of course the ghosts. Thank you for bring this to us at Craft-Room Challenge XOXO Zoe

Netty said...

Love the marbled background and the wonderful atmosphere you have created. Annette x

Lucy Edmondson said...

This is amazing! I love the evocative and impressionistic effect rather than a literal approach to a beach scene; it works so well!

Lucy x

Esther said...

How amazing is that marbled paper..and I love how you've put it all together with those perfect soft images..Thanks so much for joining our 'Friendship' Craft-Room Challenge...Esther xx

Lynn Stevens said...

Your marble paper effect really does look like water and I love how you used a ghostly images of the children. Well done Helene
hugs Lynn

Words and Pictures said...

Lovely marbling, and this really does speak of sun-drenched days spent shrimping and clambering through rock pools! Thanks for dropping by at Words and Pictures - means a lot to hear your feedback.

Shelly Schmidt said...

Wonderfully done- love the marbled papers- they really do give the appearance of water and the sun- and love the image and the beads.

1CardCreator said...

Gorgeous paper! I keep looking at it trying to figure out if the marbled effect makes it look like it has those soft folds or if you actually figured out how to get the paper to do that. Anyway, I am totally blown away by this piece!

Michele said...

stunning creation! that marbled paper is fabulous. xo

Suzanne B aka brookfies said...

That background is amazing...and a lovely sentiment. Thank you for entering the Craft Room "Friendship" challenge this fortnight and good luck! Suzanne :)

Cathy L. Calamas said...

Oh my goodness, that marbled paper is gorgeous!! Great piece!

Anonymous said...

Hi
There is a beautiful sense of nostalgia to this scene and beautifully thought out and impeccable composition.
A gorgeous dreamy feel also.
Very special.
Wishes
Lynne

Terry said...

The wave background is perfect for this theme! Love the design and all the beachy elements! Have a great 4th!

Anonymous said...

Loving your fabulous beach scene, Helene! Gee, I recognize those stamps! Guess ya just got caught Redhead-handed!

Debi said...

so pretty Helene! LOVE the texture, thanks for sharing with us at craft room challenge, debi x

Marjie Kemper said...

How fabulous! I love the marbled paper as waves.

Sandi McLean said...

The marbled paper is to heavenly! I have a small collection of Victorian book ends but your much fresher example..wow. Hugs,

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