Calm Cat

Hello!

I'm back again with my fist DT project of the year, so happy 2015 everyone!

Along with lots of you, I have a few goals that I want to achieve this year...pushing myself into getting better at things I'm scared of! One of those is embracing my own handwriting. Hate it, think it looks rubbish....which is precisely why I need to do it more! My creation today has handwriting on, and more than a little washi tape! Another 'goal' - use up my stash!

Here it is...

I've got lots of step by step pictures for you to look at....

Going along with the theme of 'use what you have', my substrate for this page is something I'm sure you all recognise...

A good coat of gesso later and you're all ready to start..

Gather up your washi tape, any colours and designs, the more the merrier! Tear strips, and then start to add them to the page.

Save even the tiniest ripped bits, as you can use them at the end to fill in any gaps. Create a colourful washi background...

Now, I'm going to be adding lots of wet media on top of the tape, so it really needs to be all sealed. I have given the whole thing a thick coat of clear gesso...

I used a thick coat because I wanted to scribe into it, creating more texture...

The thick coat means it dries a little more opaque than a thin coat would, but once dry it is pretty much clear!

As a comparison, the pic below shows a before and after...

   No gesso..............................Dried clear gesso!

The gesso gives a great 'tooth' for the media you are about to start layering up!

Add a bit of paint..

I have smeared tiny amounts on with my fingers, trying not to obliterate the washi tape, but adding colour in the blank spaces. A little white paint blends things nicely, and tones down the stark clashing washi colours so the whole page looks more cohesive. I added a little stamping and printing...

This is the basic background finished.... any doodling and edging will be added after the image/words are in place!

I collaged my weird quirky figure using a mixture of stamped images and hand cut shapes...

Once she was glued in place, it really looked like she was meditating...so I thought the word 'calm' would be a good one to use! I practiced on scrap paper before drawing it on lightly in pencil, then used acrylic ink in a waterbrush to actually write the final version. 'Calm' was SO not the feeling actually using the ink directly on the page!

The washi background shows through wonderfully, giving colour and pattern in a funky but understated way....

So..... there it is, first one of 2015!

Hope you like it!

See you soon,

Trish xxx