Round 2, ding ding!!!

The second round of the DT throwdown at 

Smeared and Smudged has begun.

This time the theme is Faux Finishes.

Here is my faux finished skull.

Paper Mache skull with bronze metallic paint and patina treatment.

I used the VerDay paint set from Retro Cafe Art to achieve this

awesome finish. Very realistic IRL. It looks like it should weigh quite

a bit, like solid cast bronze. 

All paper and card stock gears and cogs and such, 

given a faux rust technique using acrylic paints. 
I also used some navy blue rhinestones that weren't 
getting used very often, to act as faux rivets.

Stamped stylized steampunk gears onto tissue paper and adhered it 

over the bronze and patina. Next time, I think I'll apply it before 

the patina step. Might make it appear more realistic and less

sticker-ish.

Good shot of the bronze and patina, and a close up of the gears and 

stuff. I used some grunge board, but found the cardstock to work
better. Grunge board doesn't glue down very easily, either.

The Haunted Design House team won the first DT throw down, 

and we'd love to go two for two on this round as well.

We all worked really hard on our projects and we think it shows.

If you would like to see the entries from all of the teams

and cast your vote on Thursday or Friday, here is the link. 

You do have to be a Smeared and Smudged forum member

to participate and vote, but it's free and very worth signing up.

Check out our collective entry at Haunted Design House. 

WW Reminder Post

Saturday friendly reminder that WW ATC challenges is still

accepting entries in our challenge

Spring Fever.

I used this peacock from our sponsor, DigiDarla. 

I finally got to use my peacock embossing folder!!!

I think it looks quite elegant, all white like that.

It helps the peacock really pop!  

A little bling to finish it all off. Nice.

You still have until Tuesday to submit your ATC.

C'mon, it's fun!!!

First day of Spring?

We have had the most beautiful weather here, in Northern California lately.

Temps in the mid to low 70's, sun, everything is blooming. Just gorgeous!

Today? Not so much. Rain (which we do need) can suck it.

So, to brighten your day (and mine), 

I have a Spring Fever challenge for you, from

Wicked Wednesday ATC challenge.

We are sponsored by DigiDarla Designs this week.   

I have used the Fashion Fairy image from DigiDarla's shop.

Very fun to color and create with this image. 

Just wanted to show off the dimension and the Stickled sparkle 

from this angle. So glad I thought to use those fleurs. 

I have had them in my stash for years!  

Nice close up of the fleurs, beautifully accented by that adorable, 

teeny, ladybugg!! My dear friend, Jenn gifted me a few of those precious ladybuggs, and I had to add one to this ATC. It was the perfect touch!

Okay, let's get in the mood for Spring and play along with us at 

Wicked Wednesday ATC challenges!!!  

Another gorgeous undead girl

I had big plans for the Macabre Monday challenge at HDH this week.

I painted a pretty cool painting (for a newbie), but she was not my first

idea for the Drop Dead Gorgeous theme.

I am on the Rick St. Dennis EDT, and he is very well versed in the 

drawing of gorgeous ladies. His etsy shop is filled with beautiful 

women of all ages, sizes, and time periods. He really knows how 

to draw scary chicks too, but I had the idea to take one of his 

pretty gals and make them dark with my coloring. 

I have done this in the past with other, "non intentionally dark" 

images, and they turned out pretty good. Well, not this time. 

In fact, it turned out so freaking bad that I actually 

threw the image away.

I NEVER throw out images that I mess up on. 

I always try to salvage them, or at least let them serve as 

a cautionary tale for others. 

So,

I had to redeem myself with the intention of using a RSD image in the 

way that it was originally intended.

I used the image of Meena  from RSD's etsy shop 

(I'm not sure that she is still available, though).

I followed the "choose a sketch" challenge over at 

Simon Says Stamp challenge blog, and this is what I came up with.

I used a sentiment from Stamp Insanity's True Blood set. 

Those are some great sentiments (thank you, Catherine), and I get 

quite a bit of use out of them. Unfortunately, it appears that 

Stamp Insanity is no longer in business. 

Stop by HDH to check out the latest Macabre Monday challenge.

Then, check out Rick's Etsy shop full of killer art digis.

If you are still in search of inspiration, stop by the

Simon Says Stamp challenge blog.   

Show us your FANGS!!!

It's Wednesday, and you know what that means!

The new challenge for WW ATC challenges has been set!

Show Us Your Fangs!!!

Our generous sponsor this week is Rick St. Dennis.

Rick has tons of beautifully drawn images that will appeal to ever taste

and occasion. He can do creepy like no other, and his mainstream images

 are too die for!

Here is my ATC using, Mistletoe Kiss Me ,

which can be found under The Crypt tab in Rick's Etsy shop. 

I chose him for his nice, jagged, fangs.

I colored Mister Kissyface with Copics, and then used some red tinsel

embossing powder to give it all some bloody sparkle.

Pucker Up!

Please join us at Wicked Wednesday ATC challenge,

and SHOW US YOUR FANGS!!! 

I'd like to enter this ATC in the current challenge at 
Fun with ATCs  - #83 Gothic  

Drop Dead Gorgeous painting completed

So, about halfway through my painting for the 

Drop Dead Gorgeous

challenge at Haunted Design House, 

I realized I don't really have a clue what I am doing!

I'm no painter! How do I blend colors? What's gel medium used for? 

Which brush should I use? Ack!

She's turned out pretty good considering, I guess.

So this was the original idea, using chipboard letters to spell out

Drop Dead.

My son put the nix on it, and said it detracted from the painting too much,

making it look "scrapbooky". I rely on his opinions quite a bit. He's got a

good eye for color and design. 

I want to also state that this is not my original concept.

I found a really cool sketch on Deviant Art a few years (long before I 

became so diligent about saving artist's names with their art), 

and sketched it into my ideas book.

I scoured about 80 pages on DA for this sketch yesterday, but couldn't 

find it. I just wanted to be clear that this is not my concept, but rather my version of the original sketch.

This version was before the final (for now), fine tuning. 

    

The more she sat on my table, the more I kept messing with her.

Is that how most paintings are? The more you look, the more you want to 

fix and add to it?

I had to stop. I still want to fix her nose and lips, but I have to stop.   

Feel free to stop by HDH and get your hands dirty with our latest challenge.

Drop Dead Gorgeous WIP

The second week of the Haunted Design House

Drop Dead Gorgeous challenge begins today.

As usual, I am running behind.

My nickname in high school was the "Lag Master".

My license plate frame read: The Lag Master has arrived.

Yeah, it was that bad.

Still kinda is apparently.

I am bit intimidated by the challenge of painting my project. 

But I want to try. That may have something to do with my slow going. 

Here is a peek at my current progress.

Sketched and background blocked out

Skin and hair roughly added, and my feeble attempt at blending

the skin tones. 

Smoothed out some of the skin tones, added some dimension to 

her wounds, and painted her top (what's left of it). 

Added some color highlights to the hair and lips.

So far so good.

I'll pop in with the finished painting sometime later today or tomorrow.

Keep it CREEPY!!