Sea Dragon Canvas TV show sample created for Chocolate Baroque

Sea Dragon Canvas - TV show sample created for Chocolate Baroque on The Craft Channel this week.

Materials:

• Seadragon, Mermaid Queen, Underwater Kingdom, Underwater and Seashell Collage stamp sets
• White stamping card, teal green glitter card
• 20cm square canvas board
• White Gesso
• Acrylic paints (blues, greens and teal metallic)
• Viva Décor Croco Crackling Colour (green shimmer -501)
• Viva Décor Precious Metal Colour (pink)
• Alcohol pens – for colouring die cuts (greens)
• Watercolour pencils (pinks, purples, blues, greens, yellow, orange)
• Versamark Inkpads (Vintage Sepia and Onyx Black)
• Archival inkpad (dark blue)
• Watercolour or acrylic transparent shimmer paints (blue, green – for dragon)
• Recycled jewellery pieces (chains, pearls etc.)
• PVA pearls
• Iridescent glitter glue (pink)
• 3D glue gel
• Dies to cut seaweed - mixed branches (Heartfelt Creations) and leaves (Couture)
• Stencils with swirls or water patterns (optional)

How to make it:

1. Add a coat of white gesso to the canvas. Note: The canvas was already primed but I find that the gesso adds a bit more of a key for adhering acrylic gels etc.
2. Paint the background with streaks of blue and green acrylics. Add some texture with stencils (if you like).
3. Stamp some of the weeds etc. with dark blue ink. Stamp the mermaid silhouettes in black ink.
4. Apply the crackle paste all around the edges using a palette knife and leave to dry overnight. Rub over the crackle texture with some pink metallic paint. Add some sparkly streaks into the water. Rub a little teal metallic in some areas.
5. Die cut a range of seaweed shapes using dies from plain card (colour with pens) and teal glitter card.
6. Stamp the dragon, seaweed, shells and starfish onto white stamping card using black ink, and brown ink for some of the shells. Colour with watercolour pencils and a damp brush. Add some shimmer paint to the dragon. Cut out and shape slightly to give them dimension.
7. Glue on the die cuts and stamped images using 3D glue gel. Add some ‘treasure’ – chain, pearls etc. Add PVA pearls to some of the shells, and extra sparkle with glitter glue.

Finishing your artwork: Optional: Spray the canvas with acrylic varnish. This will protect the canvas, particularly the watercoloured images. I used a Tim Holtz BigZ Easel die to cut a stand from mount board (attached to the back). Alternatively punch some holes and hang with cords.