Steampunk ATC #11 - by Claudia

Hi, everyone! I hope you're all fine!

As I mentioned two weeks ago I had an idea for another cool steampunk ATC - mainly inspired by the awesome ATC frame and one of the little diver's helmets from one of the nautical themed Mini MDF Sheets.

In my head there formed a story of a mad scientist doing crazy experiments in a water tank using electricity and a diver's helmet that was later meant to go onto the head of...a poor creature obviously...

...flashing light bulbs indicating electricity, turning cogs and gears, someone adjusting water pressure in the tank, adding a kind of gas and switching gears outside the tank, flashes from discharges...maybe this was how this octopus with the diver's helmet head came into being...

I am still amazed by how much can go on in a format so small as an ATC! And the fact that all of the Calico Craft Parts come in sizes from small to large gives you the possibility to create whatever steampunk (or other) story you want in a wide variety of ATC frames.

Calico Craft Parts used:

- Sheet of Mini MDF Nautical Motifs Style 2
- Plain ATC Wood Blank with Cogs & Steampipe Frame
- Sheet of Mini MDF Hardware Wood Shapes

I painted the backgrounds for the water tank and the lit bulbs and the cogs and the frame separately before I glued everything in place. Used paints were DecoArt media fluid acrylics Primary Cyan, Cobalt Teal Hue, Hansa Yellow Light and Medium, Titanium White, Diarylide Yellow and Raw Umber (the latter as a wash on top of the painted helmet).

The "metal" parts and frame were painted using DecoArt Moss Pearl Dazzling Metallics and Pewter and Vintage Brass Matte Metallic paints.

The light bulbs were painted and then I added DecoArt Liquid Glass on top.

Once all the parts were painted and glued in place I poured DecoArt clear Pouring Topcoat into the frame to make the helmet look like it was floating in a tank. The pouring topcoat took about a day to totally dry and harden - but the effect definitely was worth the wait!

I hope this picture shows the different surfaces I have created using the different DecoArt media and paints.

And finally once more the finished ATC - my #11. I hope you like it! 

Hugs and happy crafting!

Claudia

xxx