Paperartsy Challenge - Mr Arthur The Wise Owl

Hi ya, at last I have managed to dwindle down the photos and tutorial for Mr Arthur The Wise Owl lol.  It's so exciting, Paperartsy Blog has changed around things for 2015 and instead of challenges inspired by designers (which you can still do) the challenge has a name and you work on that.  They are still fabulous designers showcasing lots of Paperartsy Goodness but based on the challenge.  Now as you know I am a huge lover of Paperartsy and especially the paint and Ellen Vargo stamps (I have all of Darcy's stamps as well most of the other designers).  I found that since summer I have struggled entering their challenges, not because of the designers, each project was utterly awesome, I just struggled to keep at that designer theme and kept going off on my own.  I felt then even though my creation started as inspiration from the designer by the middle I had completely gone off in a different direction.  So in the end I have altogether 12 projects unfinished.  But now it's great, I get to play and share my step by steps as well.  Now lately I have been playing with Ellen's stamps to try and make different images, I already had a stamped version on scrap paper when the new challenge popped up - FRAGILE PAPERS, well seems I was planning on stamping on different personal papers I owned it fitted right in.
I have a step by step (50 pictures of step by step!!!), I think you can see how I did each process but if you have any questions then please do ask.  All products are Paperartsy except for the Pan Pastels and journalling pens and pencils.  All products are mentioned at the end of the post.
I don't like adding challenges to the Paperartsy challenge but for this (I hope it's ok too) I would like to enter my creation into the new challenge at Craft Stamper Magazine Blogspot which is Take a Stamp.

I actually drew the tree trunk and leaves, not perfect but I was

delighted with myself :-)

Lots of close up pictures.

And now for the step by step.

The owl was made from playing around with Ellen Vargo stamps,

I just felt that I needed to play more, and during November I just played,

I don't even think any of it made it to the blog, but I have learned so much

that I can't wait to show you all over the next few months :-)

I really did love my tree trunk and leaves, I have to admit, it was rubbed out many times

before I was happy lol.

To secure the pencil and pen I added some soft matte gel.

Next I really wanted to have my Fresco paints added to lots of water on the

canvas, this way I kept adding colours and then moving the canvas around.

I also used a waterbrush to tease paint in the direction I wanted.

After all the colours I used snowflake last which really helped blend and

brighten up some areas.

Next was the tree, I kept using the colours over and over until I got the textured

look I wanted.

Next was the moon/sun, I didn't want white and my other half teased me

when I was doing it yellow, he kept saying that owls are at night.

But when the whole canvas was completed he actually agreed that it

still looked darkish, almost as if it's first light just before the owl sleeps.

I have been watching YouTube videos regarding blending, I knew I wanted

to have a few colours but the blend be natural.

I just kept working the blending between each two colours, 

at least going over it around 4-5 times.  I am pleased with the end result

(further along lol), it's not perfect but practice hopefully in the future will

help me get it right.

Next was the leaves, now when I did the tree I didn't quite get it thin enough 

with the paint at the top, I didn't realise it at the time, plus my leaves just didn't paint

the way I wanted them too.  So overall I was disappointed at the end result of the leaves.

I have a stash of papers from family members I keep, old patterns from my sister

which she didn't use anymore, old dictionarys from my mum who is a 

crossword addict, the dinasaur sheet is from my kids craft kit around 8 years ago.

I have also papers from books I have read from my favourite authors, my dad (step dad)

used to be a builder and he used to draw up plans, so I have also some of them, plus

some photocopies of my dads death certificate and other bits from then,

he died when I was 5 in Ireland.  We lived right down south of Ireland and

he is buried there, well you can imagine, I don't get to see his grave :-(.

This papers only come out when I know it's something that I want to keep,

it helps reminding me of my family :-)

I decided to use these below, I wanted the papers to be different in

texture for a nice end result.

I gathered all my supplies together and started stamping with mixes of the paints

on all the papers.  I made sure I had plenty of the feathers (petal stamps).

 I had a tub of water which I kept chucking my painted stamps in, I know you would

think they are ruined but ....................

All new (the black is archival ink not paint).  I found popping my stamps

in water and then cleaning them straight after really works.  Plus I used normal

soap with an old toothbrush.  Paperartsy's rubber is such fantastic quality and I never

manage to ruin any of them (not that I had planned too lol).

All the images ready for cutting out.

Next I went in with my Pan Pastel (my very new play thing I like).

I started with one colour around the edges, then went in lighter and then lighter.

Now I managed not to take a photo of how I seal it.  I use the Fresco Satin Glaze.

I do show later on the body.

They look quite awful here, but I then wipe over each of them with a dry cloth

and then add the glaze which makes the paint pop right back.

Here I was working out the body, then after I messed around painting it,

not sure exactly what colour I wanted.  I then stamped with Tikka (my new love)

with a Ellen Vargo stamp, added Pan Pastel and the Glaze.

Next all that was left was to start adding all the pieces together with matte gel,

I love the way the stamped body with Tikka gives really great texture.  Plus the

shading with the Pan Pastel really works well with the Fresco colours.

Next I mixed some Pan Pastel (two colours blue and the yellow) to Grunge Paste

to add a bit of stencilling.

I wanted some flowers so yet again I did some grunge paste and pan pastel mixing.

I started using my Stabilo All pencils to add shading.

Next I took a journal pen and started making the owl really whimsy,

I decided I wanted a really sketchy style edging on everything as well.  

I then went in with a white pen to finish it off.

Some pea coat edging.

I have wanted to start marking my work, so I have been playing plus

letting my teenagers try some as well so I have quite a few to play with and decide

which I like.  It's a play on my initials.  Plus I am dating my pieces that I keep at home,

to remind me of when I made things.

Right that's the lot, 73 pictures in total.  I really do need to stop playing and learn to edit my videos lol.  I am back tomorrow as it's time for a DT project that lets me use all Paperartsy, so another tutorial with fragile papers tomorrow.  Thank you so much for visiting, and don't forget any questions just ask away.
Happy Creating :-)
Hugs Kezzy xxxxx

Product List
Paperartsy Fresco paints - pea coat, vanilla, pumpkin soup, tikka, brown shed, cinnamon, autumn fire, haystack, blood orange, tango, honeydew, holly, toad hall, irish cream, mocha mousse, chocolate pudding, mermaid, bora bora, beach hut, south pacific, eggplant, snowflake.
Paperartsy Mediums - satin glaze, grungepaste.
Paperartsy Stamps - EEV09, EEV02, EEV01, EEV04, EEV03.
Stabilo All - orange (8054), brown (8045), red (8040), blue (8041).
Uniball Journalling Pens - signo white, eye black.
Prima Art Basics - soft matte gel.
Pan Pastel - diarylide yellow shade, phthalo blue shade, magenta extra dark, permanent red, titanium white, red ironoxide, orange.
Stencils - Dylusions (letter jumble), Crafter's Workshop (mini chicken wire reversed, mini tiny circles).
Spellbinders circle die to draw around.