Embark, Voyage, Discover

Hello everyone - I've an Artistic Outpost double whammy for you today... one here at Words and
Pictures and one over at the Artistic Outpost blog.


Here's a simple tag I made using the wonderful Huck Finn plate.


It's a great set with deliciously nostalgic images, filled with that yearning to break away, travel, discover, explore...


















The background is created with Fresco paints and Distress Inks, Colorwash and Dylusions sprays.  I used a natural sponge to apply the Antarctic and Sky paints to the greeny-blue background already there (from mopping up all those inky ingredients from my mat during other projects).

The boat is stamped in Cornflower blue - I like how it merges into the water and sky - almost a mirage, just a dream of escape...









I did another of my "cheating" reflections.  It's just the stamp turned upside-down, so actually it's backwards - but really you barely see it, so I thought I could probably get away with it.

I used the tiny meadow flowers from the Generation Redux set to add some grassy texture at the bottom.










The two boys are stamped on whitewashed book pages, and given a little touch of Gathered Twigs DI.  I wanted to have them standing firmly on the shore - but gazing at that boat - the escape route.

I used a pastel pencil to solidify the earth under their feet a little so that they're not floating amongst the grasses.












The bulrushes in the foreground (or cattails as I understand some of you will know them as) are by UmWow Studio, and I think they're so beautiful that I couldn't bear to do anything to them, barring a touch of ink to just freshen the colour very slightly.












I added some ChitChat stickers to the mix - the boys' desires made manifest.













In fact, one of them is looking at the suggestions written here, rather than at the boat I think!













I used some clear embossing powder around the edges for definition, and then mounted the whole piece onto some card covered with another book page.











That meant I could position the bulrushes just a touch more sweetly so as not to obscure Huck too much.













There's a touch of raffia and paper string at the top to finish it off.

So that's that one - a tag full of boyish longings...












For a contrast, you'll find the yearnings of a young girl over at Artistic Outpost if you hop over there!













I'll leave you with a little glow of sunshine on the tag - thanks so much for stopping by.  


There are some pretty exciting things going on here later in the week - so I hope you'll be able to drop in again...


Travel and change of place impart new vigour to the mind.
Seneca


A good traveller has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.
Lao Tzu


Make voyages.  Attempt them. There is nothing else.
Tennessee Williams