Edith

There is a great challenge going on for the next six weeks at AALL and Create called the International Tournament of Art and Craft.  I thought it might be fun to try and participate so this is my offering for the first challenge, which is called Europe.

I have made a collage around a photo of Edith Piaf, who was a French cabaret singer who died in 1963 at the age of 47.  I love old music (and jazz) and remember seeing her on TV.  The song she sang was called La Vie En Rose, which translates to Life in Pink, which is why I added the pop of colour in the form of a rose.

There are a list of criteria for the challenge and while you are only required to use at least one element in your creation I thought I would go for as many as possible.  Here is the list and in red is what I have used.

• A face - Photo of Edith Piaf
• Papers (newspaper, printed paper, rice paper…etc.) - Music paper that I printed
• Letters, numbers - The words of one of her songs
• Blue for the colour of the European Union, Union Jack... - The background pint colour
• Ribbon, twine, string or lace… - Lace and thread
• Textures – take inspiration from history from ancient civilizations to the fall of the Berlin Wall - Background stenciling 
• Something both vintage and modern - Black and silver button is vintage and Washi Tape is modern

Here are the steps I used to make my collage along with a few process photos.

1. Use some texture paste and add stenciling to a flat canvas
2. Cover canvas with white gesso

3. Paint canvas with blue acrylic paint
4. Sponge some metallic blue acrylic paint over the base paint
5. Glue thread randomly over paint
6. Water down white gesso and spatter over canvas
7. Dry brush a thin coat of white gesso over canvas and blot off while still wet

8. Print music paper and roll around a piece of dowel

9. Talk your husband into designing an Eiffel Tower for you and then cutting it from chipboard on his laser cutter :)
10. Coat the Eiffel Tower with heavy black gesso leaving it bumpy

11. Rub pewter wax paste over the raised areas of the Eiffel Tower and some metal pieces

12. Stamp feather on a scrap of card stock and emboss with black embossing powder
13. Fussy cut the feather

To finish the canvas:

14. Coat some chipboard honeycomb texture pieces with white gesso
15. Print text on the computer, distress and ink the edges
16. Dye a paper rose in some watered down distress ink
17. Adhere all the pieces to the canvas and add a few gems

This was fun to make and now I am on to challenge #2, which was launched today.  I sure hope I can keep up.

Supplies List:

• Flat Canvas (Artist's Loft for Michaels)
• Geometric Stencil (Teresa Collins)
• Molding Paste (Golden)
• White Gesso (Liquitex)
• Heavy Black Gesso (Prima Art Basics)
• Chipboard Honeycomb & Eiffel Tower (My Husband)
• Pewter Wax Paste (Treasure Pewter)
• Metal Bits (The Funkie Junkie)
• Lace & Button (My Stash)
• Washi Tape & Gems (Dollarama)
• Butterfly (Prima)
• Music Paper & Text (Computer Generated)
• Rose (Excelsior Warehouse)
• Feather Stamp (Inkadinkado)
• Watermark Stamp Pad (Versamark)
• Ebony Embossing Powder (Recollections for Michaels)
• Black Thread (My sewing cupboard)
• Mod Podge
• Super Thick Slap it On (IndigoBlu)
• Worn Lipstick Distress Ink (Tim Holtz for Ranger)