May 17th, 2019
Inside: how to make amazing altered art projects from stuff you have in your house! A wise man once said: creative people can make art from anything and I happen to agree. Us crafters, designers, artists (or any other name you want to use) see a potential craft project in things other people don’t. How many times did you see an item thrown out that you thought you could transform to something beautiful? I bet more than once… Creating art from everyday items and turning household objects or even unused or empty things to something beautiful is called altering or up-cycling. Altered art is a transformation or ‘alteration’ of ordinary, everyday objects into decorative pieces using a wide variety of different techniques and materials. It describes a way of recycling, and giving new life to all sorts of commonplace and functional (or perhaps even useless) items. WHY CREATE ALTERED ART Once you get the idea of …
March 29th, 2019
Inside: the ultimate guide to make a steampunk project including all the materials, steps and secrets you need to know. I previously wrote a few blog posts and tutorials about steampunk projects but I feel I did you a disservice. All those posts were informative but lacking in information. So today I’m collecting all the scattered information into one ultimate guide and sharing everything I know about steampunk projects and how to make them! WHAT IS STEAMPUNK? Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction or science fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. The steampunk style works are often set in an alternative history of the 19th century’s British Victorian era or American “Wild West” and incorporate mechanical parts and fantasy alongside old futuristic and Victorian elements like hot air balloons, light bulbs, wings and pipes. TYPES OF STEAMPUNK PROJECTS Steampunk is a movement that extends beyond …
January 7th, 2018
Inside: how to decorate a box with chipboard My one great craft supply weakness is boxes! I admit I can’t throw them away and every box I see is a potential craft project for me. So I have a pile of boxes from all materials in my craft room and I get to stare at them daily. But sometimes inspiration strikes and I take one box and make it into something beautiful… ALTERING AND EMBELLISHING BOXES Boxes are a great thing to alter or embellish: They are made of materials that are easy to cover with paper, paint or color. Boxes are useful so altering them is not just taking care of the environment but also creating more storage for you. You can find boxes in all shapes and sizes. They are 3D which allows more design options. You can decorate them with almost any object or embellishments. DECORATE A BOX WITH CHIPBOARD …
September 29th, 2017
Inside: how to make a mixed media canvas with an empty chipboard sheet What do you do with your empty chipboard sheet after you take out all the shapes? You are left with a sheet full of holes in all kinds of shapes right? Did you know you can use it to make a mixed media canvas? WHY USE AN EMPTY CHIPBOARD SHEET AS AN ART MATERIAL Other than the fact that using the empty chipboard sheet is utterly cool, here are few more reasons why it’s a good idea: You save money – instead of buying supplies to make a mixed media canvas you use what you already have Recycle and reuse – being a caring artist is important and we all do what we can to minimize the amount of trash we throw It’s creative – using an unusual material in a project forces you to be creative and think about …
July 25th, 2017
Inside: what are artist trading cards and how to make them look amazing Artist trading cards (ATCs) is a conceptual art project initiated by the Swiss artist M. Vänçi Stirnemann in 1997. Artist trading cards are 2.5 by 3.5 inches in size, the same format as modern trading cards (hockey cards or baseball cards) or playing cards. They are self-made unique works or small series, signed and dated on the reverse by the artist/producer, exchanged and collected by the people who participate in the collaboration. WHAT ARE THE RULES OF ARTIST TRADING CARDS If you’re not familiar with ATC’s here are the basics that you need to know: Size: 2.5″ x 3.5″ vertical or horizontal You can use all mediums Create more than one and show your style Sign your name and add the card’s title on the back ATC’s are for trade never for sale HOW TO MAKE ATC’s? Cut …
April 11th, 2017
Today I want to share with you how to create a Butterfly Mixed Media Canvas. I get asked a lot about how I create these canvases and how I get that crisp rusty look. Well, today I want to share with you some of the products I use to achieve this look and how exactly to create it. Butterfly Mixed Media CanvasOne of the most important steps in creating a canvas like this is to layer the embellishments and create a 3D look. So I started with a layer of chipboard empty squares and added the butterfly on top. The butterfly is the focal point of the canvas so I made sure to create a raised surface from little chipboard squares so The butterfly would be raised above all the other embellishments. The next step was to add all the embellishments around the canvas. When I create a canvas like this I use all kinds of embellishments, some of them with more …
November 8th, 2015
Inside: how to make a festive steampunk Christmas tree canvas to decorate your home If you’re a steampunk fan then you would love this steampunk project. How to make a steampunk Christmas tree canvas to decorate your walls or as a special gift. All you need to “steampunk” your tree is to make it out of metal and industrial looking embellishments. THE BASICS OF A STEAMPUNK CANVAS Making a steampunk project requires a few basics: Making the right background for the canvas: the background needs to complement the steampunk look so it can be with industrial colors, pattern or image. If you use a pattern paper with pink flowers for such a canvas it will not complement your canvas. Paint or add the right colors: the best colors for a steampunk project are the colors of metals, rust and oxidation or corrosion. Using the right elements: you can make a steampunk canvas with any …
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