Thursday, October 23, 2008

Inspiration from the Midnight Art Ranch Retreat

I enjoyed my time at the Midnight Art Ranch Retreat very much.
I took some amazing classes, and created some artwork I'm very proud of.

But, sometimes, unexpected things catch your imagination at an art retreat.

After her class, one of the instructors, Jeni Calkins, showed me a technique she had been playing with. It involved Fantasy Film and Opals embossing enamels. Two of my favorite things!
Annette Husband, Annette from Oz for those of you who know her on line, had also been doing some really great stuff with Fantasy Film and Opals creating Opals Paper. So my curiosity had been whetted.

Jeni was using up the scraps left over from doing Faux Carnival glass and other projects by layering them, sprinkling on some clear (Franklin) Opals and ironing it between two sheets of parchment or two craft sheets.

Jeni left a few sheets for me to play with. I used one as a backdrop for a photograph of the PMC (Precious Metal Clay) pendants I made during the retreat.


I was so intrigued with the possibilities for this "paper" that I decided I had to try incorporating it into the shrine I was working on.
I added some to the door of my shrine.


I used some Golden Gel medium to adhere the Fantasy Film Paper to the wooden door. When it was dry I added some crackle finish, highlighted the cracks with Radiant Rain Daubers, and coated it with some varnish. Wow! The varnish really made the colors POP!
I fell in love with the texture and the depth of color achieved.



I played around with some very small scraps I had left. I glued it onto some scrap mat board colored with Brilliance inks, topped with Crackle Glossy Accents and highlighted with Sepia Glossy Accents.



I mounted these on a separate piece of mat board as a dimensional mixed media piece- but I think this technique would be great for doing pendants, pins or as an embellishment for other things.
I'll post some blown up images so you can see the details:





When I got home I decided to play with this a bit more.
I tried ironing the Fantasy Film onto various things. I love the look of it on canvas.
I used the black heat set glue pad by Stewart Superior to adhere to the canvas it with the iron.
I can't seem to get my crackle finish to "crack" here. It is getting too cold and damp in my studio.
I need to order some of the Crackle Accents.
This is a work in progress. I still need to get the corner piece to crackle and add some highlight color on the sun rays.



Details:



I tried another canvas too. This one isn't finished yet either.



I also used the black glue pad to adhere some fantasy film to the flat areas on one of the wooden bangles. Then I used Radiant Rain daubers and sprays to color the rest of the bangle and highlighted it with metallic rub on wax in copper. I sealed it with a spray gloss coat.
WOW!!
I think this is my favorite bangle yet!





I'll keep y'all posted on how the projects progress.

14 comments:

Patricia said...

absolutely breathtaking!! Now that I have a few minutes to play again (you have NO idea how much I have missed my stamps)I will get the iron out and play around a little bit. that is the only time the iron comes out!! Still miss you terribly. Patricia www.papertempress.com

Unknown said...

Wow!!! how beautiful are these creations. You have achieved pieces that are amazing.... and as you are new to this you should be doubly proud of yourself xx

Sue Farace said...

wow! I just love the colors. Your canvas work is amazing, I love your color choices as well as the design. Just perfect.
sue
www.suefarace.blogspot.com

ANNETTE HUSBAND said...

Gorgeous Zeb
I adore the FF with Franklin Opals on top and ironing becomes a lot nicer task when you are making art works rather then actualy ironing the clothes LOL....I'm so glad I worked out you can iron them :o).The bangle and your canvas works look amazing...oh and the doors to your shrine too.No wonder you have been so quiet *grin*
hugs
Annette In Oz

Yogi said...

Love all the things you do with the Fantasy Film. I still haven't really explored that product yet. Time... Thanks for your details and wonderful images.

Carol said...

Fabulous, nothing weird at all, just drop dead gorgeous!

Mari said...

Oh, Zeb! Amazing, gorgeous, stunning. I love what you've done on your shrine doors especially. Now that I've gotten some more colors of FF... let's just say there are too many things to try! *lol*

Denise Moore said...

Zeb,
These are absolutely wonderful. I am drooling over the bangle bracelet.
Great job!
Denise

Anonymous said...

These are very beautiful and fun.

Michi Michaelson, Orange County, CA said...

Hi Zeborah,
How COOL you were able to attend the Midnight Art Ranch Retreat!!! I am SO drooling at the mouth at your AWESOME pieces of art using the Fantasy Film Paper . . . what you did is GORGEOUS!!!!
THANK YOU for visiting my blog! I agree . . . I'm really liking these cube beads . . . they have a lot of possibilities!!!!!!!

Brandi said...

WOW!!! I love your canvas work, when I come over, I will bring mine. I have had it for months and haven't had a CLUE what to do with it. Love ya!
Brandi

Michi Michaelson, Orange County, CA said...

Hi Zeborah!

THANK YOU so much for visiting my blog and leaving such a nice comment! You are so kind!

I'm totally DROOLING at your Fantasy Film artwork here! YIKES!!! It's GORGEOUS!!!!!

Cynthia said...

Gorgeous, I'm mesmerized by the
vivid color, yes very Renaissance.
I'm a texture freak so I am so
in love.

Anonymous said...

This looks so much like Raku pottery! I love it!

Cindy Key
rakeyandcindy@yahoo.com