Sunday 30 July 2017

The Road Less Travelled - Mini Canvases by Julie Ann

I can't believe we're already at the end of July! Here in the UK we've had some glorious summer weather with moonlit nights so warm it's been best to be out in the cool of the night.



 And it's the world of Nature after dark that has inspired my project for Calico Craft Parts today.



Have you ever bought the little wooden easels on sale in discount craft stores? They come with mini canvases that I have always put to one side, never quite sure how I might use them. I have been moving a pile of them from place to place in my craft room for some time now, so I decided to create a miniature mixed-media project with a couple of them and some tiny Calico Craft Parts.



I planned to use every surface of these miniature substrates. They measure only 4.5 cm x 7.00 cm, but I wanted to include lots of detail. If you are going to work on any reverse canvas, it's important to remember that this side of the canvas is not primed. I painted the entire reverse side with Gesso and allowed it to dry before making a start.



Working from the inside out, I created little worlds using muslin; heavy gel medium to fix it down and create depth and texture; bead gel; garden twigs and moss.



Building up the layers took several days. I liked to allow each layer to dry before adding the next and then finally painting with layers of acrylic paint; a pearl glaze and some gilding.



As you can see, once I was happy with the reverse side of the canvases, I flipped them over and built up the layers on the outside.



Once I was happy with my layers, it was time to use the exquisite little Calico Craft Parts to bring the tiny world of my canvases to life. Although it is miniature, this owl looks truly dramatic and the tiny hare running to safety looks so full of life.



I added one of my own MDF houses with a mini Calico door all ready to open and allow the hare to escape the hungry owl.



Scraps of napkin tissue; a bottle top; a hand-drawn face under a layer of ice-resin and some beautifully detailed Calico Craft Parts suggest we take the road less travelled. If we do we can expect the unexpected - twists and turns; a glimpse of fairy folk; danger when we least expect it, but help in the unlikeliest of places too!



A Dolls' House hinge kept the two canvases joined to form a miniature diptych.



The moon is a circle of MDF left behind when one of the windows from the sheet of windows was pushed out. Its light turns the owl and the hare into silhouettes as the hare scampers to the safety of the kindly haven up ahead.
Thank You so much for stopping by and looking at these adventures on a summer night. I'm really looking forward to sharing with you again in a fortnight's time.
Calico Craft Parts Used on this project
Word Elements - Travel and Explorer
Sheet of mini MDF Wood Crowns, Style 3
Sheet of mini MDF Wood Wings Style 3
Sheet of mini MDF Acorns and Oak Leaves
Sheet of mini MDF Window Wood shapes
Sheet of tiny MDF window and door Wood shapes
Sheet of mini MDF Bird Shapes (Owls)
Sheet of mini MDF Hares

20 comments:

  1. Julie Ann, this is so cute- I don't know how you work so brilliantly in miniature like this!

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    1. Thank You so much Helen. I find it very therapeutic to lose myself in tiny worlds! xx

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  2. This is enchanting, Julie Ann. I love the face in the bottle cap! What a wonderful idea to use the tiny canvases in this way,

    Lucy x

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    1. Many thanks, Lucy. I really enjoyed using the bottle cap along with the CCPs. I have loads of them along with the tiny canvases, actually. I'm such a hoarder! xx

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  3. Absolutely glorious! I love peeping through the netting to the depths beyond - and the natural twig forest surrounding the tiny CCP house makes me so happy. All the gilded doors and windows offer the possibility that if I could just open them up, I'd find even more miniature delights behind them! The bottle top face is wonderful too - and I'm so happy that I've just ordered some of those Word Elements. Beautiful opening of the imagination again... thank you.
    Alison x

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    1. Thank you so much, Alison, for your lovely comment. I have an obsession with what lies at the heart of forests and what goes on behind little lighted windows! xx

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  4. Oh Julie Ann, how I long to hold this little treasure. Such miniature beauty, grace and intrigue! Yes, am guilty of buying those little easels with canvas and now will be tempted to dig them out! Wonderful creation as always! Xx

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    1. It's really nice of you to say so, Hazel. I had hoarded these little canvases for ages and only used the easels. Now I'm quite hooked on making them part of projects! xx

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  5. This is a magic little story, from the woods, and I love it Julie. Your way of building up layers , in both your creations, and your stories are so wonderful, and here are so many sweet and exiting details. I love you used twigs for the trees , and your face-house is welcoming me inside, from the moon shine midnight wood.
    So love it. dear. xx

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    1. How lovely that you felt welcomed, Dorthe. That is exactly what I wanted the viewer to feel. xx

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  6. A wonderful project Julie Ann - I don't know how you work on such tiny projects - a true delight xx

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    1. I really love working in miniature, Sarah. Thank you so much. xx

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  7. So much detail, and wonderful textures! I love these Julie Ann!
    Alison xx

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    1. Thank You Alison. They were fun to create. xx

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  8. I just adore how sweet this is and how you created this!! Fabulous and genius!! Julie Ann, you are a star!!
    Jackie xoxo

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    1. Oh, thank you, Jackie. I just loved creating it - so much fun!xx

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  9. This is so wonderful Julie Ann! Chrisx

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    1. Thank You so much for dropping by and leaving such a lovely comment, Chris. xx

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  10. Magnificent Project Julie - Thisis so amazing that there is a fabulous world in this little canvas. Beautiful details, I love the bottle-cap queen and acorn. xx

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