Paper Doll Mixed Media

I wanted to enter the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge this month (I didn’t get around to it last month, sadly). The challenge is “Think Pink”.

I decided to create a small canvas using as much pink as I could, so set about rummaging in my paper drawers and embellishment boxes for pink things.

The basic box canvas is 8″ x 8″, I covered it with Ranger tissue paper then Worn Lipstick and Picked Raspberry distress inks. I patted the inks on my glass craft mat, added a squirt or two of water then painted them on to the canvas with a stiff bristled brush. This gives a nice, thin layer which is patchy. I didn’t want this first layer to be too heavy or bright.

Next I used some old stencils and pounced the Worn Lipstick distress ink through. I then used a stencil of some script and put gesso through this in the area I was going to place the doll – so she would stand out a bit better from the background.

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The doll is Zoe, a stamp and die set by Julie Nutting from Prima. I stamped her on to a page from my trusty old Webster’s Dictionary using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. After cutting her out with her die I stamped and cut her hair from a pinky rose design paper. I added a bit of pink blush with a Spectrum Noir pen and a tiny bit of shading with a lighter shade of pink. (You can see this pink thing is definitely something of a theme here, hehe)

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I stamped the middle part of the doll again, onto a nice pink patterned paper and die cut it, then trimmed it so I just had the bodice part. I coloured over the two outer parts of it with a darker shade of pink alcohol marker to add some variation, and dotted Signo white gel pen on the lace bits.

I drew around the doll on a scrap of paper then penciled in a large skirt for her. I cut each section of the skirt out of different scrapbook papers (a good way to use up small bits). I layered the skirt up and added it to the doll using Ranger Matte Medium gel. After gelling her to the canvas I added another layer of the matte medium over the top to ensure she was fixed down, and to make a non-porous surface.TTDreamPink2

TTDreamPink4I used a Soot Black distress ink marker and a pink Faber-Castell Pitt Brush marker to add some shading to the skirt, drawing on the ink then quickly blurring it with my finger tip. I made the border around the doll a bit thicker black to help make her stand out – all that pink could easily blend together!

I added some tiny Docrafts stick on gems for jewelry – a necklace and a hair clip. Her bow is a scrap of pink ribbon onto which I rubbed some Worn Lipstick and Picked Raspberry distress inks before fixing to the canvas with glue dots.

The John Lennon quote is from the stamp set called “A Little Bit Sketchy: True Colours” by Sheena Douglas. I stamped it with Stayzon black ink, onto a scrap of pink paper from the skirt. I cut this into a simple banner shape and matted it with white mulberry paper. I also cut three strips of the mulberry paper which I put behind the quote banner. I edged them with a Picked Raspberry distress marker and added a little white Picket Fence distress marker on top to help them stand out a bit better. I added white gel pen to the insides of some of the letters (which doesn’t really show up in photos, but is more noticeable in real life).

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I felt the canvas looked a bit flat, so I added some little stars using a mixture of Grange Paste and Shimmer Paste. I mixed the two products as I wanted the sparkly effect of the Shimmer Paste, but it is very thin and doesn’t work too well on tiny designs. Adding the Grunge Paste gave it a lot more body and it stayed in shape perfectly.

I added a line of sticky paper lace from Salco to the bottom of the canvas.

I used the same papers as the skirt to die cut some flowers. I used the Tim Holtz Tattered Flower Garland die from Sizzix, one of my very favorite dies. I daubed Worn Lipstick distress ink on to the edges of each flower piece, on both sides of the paper, then bent the sides up and over a bit. I stacked them up with tacky glue and added more of the Docrafts sticky gems. Before adding them to the canvas I painted a little dilute gesso to the area, again to provide a little more contrast to prevent all the pinks blending in together. Two little pink buttons were popped on.TTPinkDreams1

Finally I added a little bit of Barn Door distress ink around the edge of the canvas.

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Link to The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge for February. I quite enjoyed the challenge of trying to use only one colour as I rarely do something like this, and the overall analagous colour scheme is quite pleasing. In retrospect I wish I had used a wider range of pinks, more bright and dark pinks, to give a bit wider tonal range to the finished piece. Making this canvas has given me some good ideas for future projects too.

 

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Entry – February – Think Pink
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5 thoughts on “Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Entry – February – Think Pink

  • 18 February, 2015 at 11:51 am
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    This is lovely!!

    Reply
  • 20 February, 2015 at 11:52 am
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    Such a beautiful canvas! Her dress is stunning. Thanks so much for joining us at The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge.

    Reply
  • 27 February, 2015 at 11:53 am
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    Beautiful canvas! Love the quote! Thanks for joining us at The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge!

    Reply
  • 27 February, 2015 at 11:53 am
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    This is beautiful!!! I loved reading all your steps, very helpful for a newbie 🙂

    Reply
  • 1 March, 2015 at 11:54 am
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    how beautiful! i love the giant princess skirt you created for her. Thank you so much for playing with the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge!
    -Rachel

    Reply

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