I'm travelling into a new way of working, a new country, a new language, and a new hobby which I'm passionate about. Come with me for some of the journey...

Sunday 29 October 2017

He's behind you!

Encore Posts
Projects which made their first appearances elsewhere for Design Team duties or Guest Designer opportunities, but which only had a sneak peek here, are being gathered together in the pages of my virtual scrapbook.  I'm calling them "Encore" posts and they're formatted differently (all the way down the centre), so you can spot them easily.
Please don't feel that you have to comment all over again!

There are a couple of Calico Craft Parts Halloween projects which have been patiently waiting to put in a full appearance here at Words and Pictures.  Since I've been visiting friends, I thought I'd take the opportunity to pop in a couple of Encore posts for this spookiest of seasons.  So here's the first of them - a haunted shadow box of a shrine that I had so much fun with - and here's what I wrote over at Calico back in September 2015.
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Hello all, I've been enjoying getting spooky - so much so that this is a bonus extra project.  I'm not supposed to be here until Monday - but BOO... surprise!!  And here's what I've been playing with.


There are so many amazing designs in the Halloween sections - and some of them, like some of the bare trees for instance, will work on non-Halloween projects too.  I've been playing with just a few of them, and came up with this haunted house - I'm just not sure who's haunting whom!


I started with the Spooky Shrine Kit, and I knew I wanted to try to get a zombie as well as a couple of skeletons in.  Given their relative sizes, I needed to pretend the zombie was in the background.  And given their relative shapes, I needed him to be part way up the back wall!  So I had to create a bit of a trompe l'oeil... a corridor for him to come walking down.


I plotted the basic position and laid in the doorway and the light spilling out of it.


I wallpapered and laid flooring, adding more light over the top.


I extended the papers onto the side walls and the floor.  I also did some distressing with the DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics.  Turns out Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide, Quinacridone Gold and Raw Umber are perfect for creating a tobacco-stained look!


Putting in the corridor - hand-drawn dado rail and panelling - I had to cheat the perspective lines a bit, so now it looks as though the corridor arrives at a slight angle.  And I created a door frame with matchsticks painted in Raw Umber.  Once all that was done, I glued it all together.


Once glued, I cut papers to cover the back of the shrine.  I find it best to leave this until after the gluing together, as then you can work right to the edges of the walls, covering up the interlocking edges.


I had lots of fun painting my Craft Parts with more DecoArt Fluid Acrylics.  (You can see how they look "naked" in that first making-of picture above.)  The Zombie Style 2 is done with Green Gold and Viridian and maybe a touch of Paynes Grey, and the fabulous Carved Pumpkin has Red Iron Oxide, Quin Gold, Raw Umber, Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide and Green Gold.  They each got a bit more touching up after this stage.


My somewhat depressed seated skeleton needed something to help him sit further "downstage" in the room.  In the end, the simplest solution was to glue his pelvis to a small wooden reel.  As you can see, he's now self-supporting, so I was able to glue him in his position quite easily.



And here they come... the Zombie in the doorway...


Skeleton Style 1 a little further forward, supported partly by the matchstick doorframe...


And Skeleton Style 3 slumped in the foreground.


I think he's so exhausted with the whole haunting business that he can't even be bothered to warn his pal that "he's behind you"!


You'll see that the spooky old portrait on the wall has changed position - it was just getting lost behind Skeleton 1's head.


Around the back and sides, the Halloween fun goes on.  The Carved Pumpkin sits on the back under the excellent advice to "Scream".  I shaded the papers using Quinacridone Gold, Green Gold, Viridian and Raw Umber so that it would all tie together.


On the sides, there are some bats hanging about - of course! - very simply painted with Paynes Grey.


I'm really happy with the look of the pumpkin - I think he's one of my favourite Jack o'Lanterns I've seen, even before you get the paint on him.  I'd happily use him "naked" on cards or tags too.


I love the sheen you get using the translucent DecoArt paints on the Craft Parts - very cool.


And because the Craft Parts are of such good depth and quality, the bats cast their own spooky shadows.


And finally, the Spooky front panel... same paints in action and then some DecoArt Crackle Glaze, Raw Umber rubbed into the cracks and wiped back, followed by a coat of Ultra-Matte Varnish because for once I didn't want it too shiny.



The Spooky word is done in Raw Umber with Paynes Grey - and the spider and his webs are basically Paynes Grey too.  It looks really cool over the dark wood of the basic Craft Parts.


So I hope I haven't spooked you too much...


No, I hope I have!  Mwaah hah haahhh!


I certainly hope I've inspired you to check out the Halloween offerings at Calico Craft Parts - there's enough inspiration there for even the most avid Halloween fiend.  As I said, I'll be back again on Monday - til then, sleep tight and mind the bugs don't bite!
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Back to the present day, and it's not Monday, in fact, but Tuesday that I'll be back.  Yes, that's All Hallows Eve and I'll be here with a creepy little creation just for the Halloween fans amongst you.  For now, just keep an eye out behind you...

You know what they say, when the going gets scary, the scared gets scarce!
Shaggy from Scooby Doo

24 comments:

Craftyfield said...

These Calico parts are too realistic for me, so spooky... But the way you've showcased them is great, even for a non Halloween fan like me!

Valerie-Jael said...

What a fantastic piece, I'm so glad you showed it again. Have a nice Sunday, hugs, Valerie

Tracey@Hotchpotchcreations said...

..and what a fabulous encore it is Alison. So much detail to take in and I have to agree those calico elements are fantastic. I love how you have built up the inside and created a scene but have surrounded it in like minded additions. So creative and I thank you for showcasing it in it's full glory.
I may steal *Encore* idea later in the year if I may..
Creativity Hugs Tracey xx

brenda said...

This is just such fun Alison and the dimension you always drawn into your artwork always impresses me.

B x

froebelsternchen said...

That's absolutely UNIQUE! What a fantastic make Alsion! Gorgeous! Great you showed it here as well! oxo Susi

Redanne said...

Your work is most definitely always worth a second look. I bought that 'depressed' skeleton as a result of you using him and he sits on my desk around Halloween, I love him! Anne xx

Hazel Agnew said...

Great "parts". Not a fan of Halloween, but this made me smile Alison! Xx

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Fabulous Alison, love how you added the light for your scene, fantastic idea. Love your Halloween scene, perfectly embellished. Hope you are well. Tracy x

Jackie PN said...

haahaaa I had to laugh- a quote from Shaggy!! heeheee You are something Alison!

This is way creepy cool! I love the dimension you gave it- it looks fabulous and the SCREAM is just awesome! Great scary make!!
Jackie xo

My name is Erika. said...

That spooky box is sure cool! Someone needs to make that zombie as a die for Sizzix. It is really cool and different! Happy Halloween. Hugs-Erika

Meggymay said...

It was good to see this encore post, its a fabulous project.
Yvonne xx

Dorthe said...

I love your spooky shrine :-) Alison, so much going on in there,- with the skeletons, and that scary fellow - The shrine itself so lovely , and yet so spooky, with the spiderwebs, the inhabitants , and visitor. And how I love the crackled front and outside papers , also made wonderfully with the bats and pumpkin head :-)
You told a fantastic story with your creation, Alison .
Hugs, Dorthe

Chrissy said...

Still very creepy Alison and still FANTastic..

Luv CHRISSYxx

Fliss said...

A really fabulous encore Alison as the spooky creation is fantastic. The zombie is really creepy and love the sitting skeleton who does look very miserable!
Fliss xx

Kate Yetter said...

What a fun piece! I am not into spooky but I absolutely love the pumpkin and old-vintage look from the crackle glaze. So many lovely details!
Kate

Jennie Atkinson said...

Fabulously spooky! Jennie x

Pamellia said...

What an amazing project Alison! There are so many fun element here! The skeletons, the cobwebs, the zombie, the bats and pumpkin, the fantastic textures and incredible colour blending.... but I have to say that your design of creating two floors with the perspective of being on the lower floor is just spectacular! You are super talented! hugs :)

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

These wooden parts are just fabulous, and love the way you've incorporated them all on this...each side wonderful! Happy Halloween!

pearshapedcrafting said...

Aah! I do remember this - love all theses details and how you created the Skelly scene! Chrisx

Mrs.B said...

A fabulous piece, so pleased to see it again.
Avril xx

rachel said...

what an amazing 3 dimensional piece alison - its like a scene from a play - I love it! Hugs rachel x

A Pink said...

What a fantastic spooky kit! So differnt to the mainstream stuff thats out there . Love how you have brought it to life Alison. Really cool!
x

Mary Elizabeth said...

What a great haunted house perspective :) No cheat here. It fabulous ... spooky corridors are supposed move around and come in at angles to rooms. I pinned just the background after you completed the hallway. It's perfect here. I love the back as much as I love the front. What a magnificent horror. -- ME

Mary Elizabeth said...

I got so caught up in the details of the project that I missed the Shaggy quote at the end. I laughed out loud! I must confess. I own DVDs of most of the original Scooby Doo episodes. -- ME