A Little about Tattered Inspirations

Tattered Inspirations is a little business which aims to provide products with a vintage heart to use in your crafts - be it scrapbooking, card making or other crafty pursuits.

The Tattered Inspirations shop is here
Tattered Inspirations

Markets - we will keep you informed as we have no idea when we will be able ot go to the Old Bus Depot due to their rennovations. once I know I will pop it here :)

The business is only tiny and is not in any way out to make lots of money but rather to offer products to compliment the usual supplies available by big companies.

The Design Team Rachel Walsh, Belinda Comerford, Kathy Marchant, Daniella Tassone and Suzie Lowe creatively use the products to show people what can be done - and I treasure their input and design work immensly.

Thank you for dropping by, we aim to encourage and inspire you to do something different out of your comfort zone, in new and exciting ways.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Babushka Magic - Step by Step


Hi everyone - as promised a sweet pair of Babushkas and a step by step to lead you through:

I have used:
  • 8x10 Canvas
  • white gesso
  • small brushes - round
  • patterned papers - BG and magazine (1962 Womens Weekly)
  • paints - Jo Sonya - skin tone, smoked pearl, yellow oxide & earth brown
  • powder blush
  • journalling pen
  • Impasto medium
  • piece of lace doliy
  • 3 stamps
  • black stazon ink and pinecone versa colour ink
  • sprinkles (thanks Wirg)
  • string
  • letters (I used AC Thickers - I impasto them down)
  • buttons
  • chipboard flowers I painted them with twinkling H2Os
  • buttons
Step one:
Paint the canvas and let it dry well (I used smoked pearl)
Cut papers and magazine text into squares and rectangles which will form the patchwork background
Ink the edges with brown ink (I used pinecone)

At this point I also stamped around 10 of the papers with stamps - I used a small star flower and the word kind (both 'stamping up' brand) and a flower (cheapie) with Stazon ink - however this can be done later

Step 2
Once you have prepared you papers (I used about 20 pieces) arrange them onto your painted canvas - when you are happy with the arrangement stick them down - I used impasto

I used BG 2 scoops and a journalling type paper with writing plus the magazine papers



note: I tried for a loose patchwork effect with overlapping and connecting papers, I also ensured you could see the canvas in some spots.

If you haven't stamped onto the canvas - now do some stamping....... with Stazon ink again (I used black)

Now you need to swipe a bit of background colour paint around...... wipe most of the paint off a largish brush and swipe away



Using your stamps again stamp a few around as some of the others will have blended into the background with the paint

Step 3
Print off the pattern onto your printer as an A4 size - you will need to reduce if you make a smaller canvas


Trace onto the back of your pattered papers and cut out

I used the same pattern for the small dolls dress and the large dolls scarf - I thought it makes it flow well - if you use the same range of papers for this it is easier to make it work ... I used June Bug by BG

Assemble the dolls and stick down using my final piece as a guide. I also added a heart for a pocket on the apron

I also cut a piece of doily at this stage for the smaller dolls apron and st1ck it down

Step 4

Paint in the faces with gesso you will need at least two coats and make them smooth as you can

Note - I have made them look a bit towards eachother - rather than straight on.. it is a bit quirky and a little friendlier


This gives you a flat surface for the details

Now add the skin tone colour - if you have a peach colour or even a darker terracotta colour lighten with white. You will need a further two coats and let these dry really well!

Trace through the face patten onto the painted faces - I rub chalk onto the back of the pic and trace through from the other side - you can use pencil in the same way or graphite paper (don't use carbon though - too messy)

Use your journalling pen to do the facial features - I know it is cheating -so if you have a thing for using black paint and a liner - use a small one and go for it. I added a bottom lip and eyelashes

Note There are lots of these dolls in Google images under Babushka Dolls and have a peek at Kate Masons blog - look at the link for her etsy shop - she has very different faces on hers. Find the face that you most like - I have kept these simple.

Now with a dry brush (small) rub into powder blush and then apply to the cheeks in a circular motion...... this make great cheeks I think! Apply enough but not so much to make clown faces.....

Step 5
Outline the dolls with your journalling pen (or black paint and brush)

Outline features such as aprons and scarves

Add your lettering and embellishments using mine as a guide but I am sure there will be a number of different takes on this and I am excited to see them all

Note: Impasto sticks buttons and bulky embellishments down very well - though you do need to give it time to dry

I have added string to hang the piece... I punched two holes with my Cropodile and threaded string through.

Load the finished canvases onto Facebook under 'Babushka Magic Competition - for a chance to win the prize - these will be a random draw on Wednesday 30th June - perhaps send me a message too so I don't miss it - with the same pic.......

Have lots of fun creating your own babushka .... I cannot wait to see what you do!

Love
Carol

3 comments:

  1. WOW carol, i LOVE this step by step tutorial! I always always wanted to try to make a mix media art! This is wonderful...i am saving this for little future projects! Thank you so much for sharing!! Have a lovely merry happy weekend and love to yoU!

    jacqueline
    http://jqlinesocuteithurts.typepad.com/

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  2. Oh wow! These are do cute and what a good tutorial! I love how they turned out - now if I only had some time today to make my own....

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  3. Carol, what a fabulous, informative & easy to follow tutorial. You are an absolute 'gem' for sharing & I so look forward to following your blog :)

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