Monday, August 20, 2012

Starry Night In Paris

Before I get started I would like to says thanks for all the comments and new followers here! It truly means so much to me for all your kindness, and I hope I am giving you a little inspiration. 
Over at the All Things Tim Yahoo Group, the challenge for the ATC monthly swap is "Travel" plus a little bling. I've always wanted to go to Paris...someday...so I knew that the City of Lights would be my travel theme. Then, ever since the Renaissance challenge at Frilly & Funkie, I've been studying a few of the Master Painters, and rediscovered my love for my very favorite painting ever, Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh. This love grew even greater after a visit home to the mountains, where we star gazed every night. The view of the stars is unparalleled in the mountains....so clear and close. The whole sky is filled with white twinkles, a few planets, moving satellites, and the Milky Way expanding from one side to the other. It was amazing, and we even saw a shooting star that left a trail for about 3 seconds...awesome!!!
So...I thought I would combine these two, Paris and Starry Night, to create a quirky ATC. I have to be honest though, I really wanted these to turn out better than they did. The sky is just not bright enough for me, but I used the Whitewash Stamping Technique from Tim's Compendium of Curiosities II, for Linda's challenge this week, which dulled the sky a lot. Don't get me wrong...I love the technique. I just should have used it to do something else, rather than try to make it fit in with a project that is suppose to be bright. I loved the way the land part turned out though, and I used the same technique for it as well. Live and learn! And, my painting was not so good either. I am no master for sure, but it was fun anyway.
The before and after of using the Whitewash Stamping Technique on the sky.
Whitewash Stamping used again for the land part.
Tim's Eiffel Tower image was stamped with Distress Embossing Ink and embossed with Ranger's Sea Foam powder onto black cardstock.
I sprayed Blue Patina Perfect Pearls Mist on the sky.
I cut the land part out and adhered it to the sky part.
I used Claudine Hellmuth Studio Acrylic Paints to paint the sky and land parts. I affixed the tower, and gave the whole thing an inking with Distress.
I am also submitting this to the Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog challenge of "Going On Holiday".

Supplies:

I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!



17 comments:

  1. How wonderful to be able to see the stars so clearly and a shooting star too - that must have been fabulous. I think, like you, I do prefer the way the land has turned out but I do love how you have made the stars twinkle and also the way you have divided the land and sky. The eiffel tower is brilliant. I hope you get to visit that wonderful city some day. Crafty hugs, Anne x

    ReplyDelete
  2. I dunno...I think your paintings are pretty spot-on! Love seeing how your got from start to finish.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Very cool interpretation of a wonderful painting. Love both the sky and the ground. The eiffel tower looks wonderful against both.I also really appreciate and respect that you share all of your art with us, not just the pieces you love. I learn so much from you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love this Anita! I wouldn't change a thing!

    ReplyDelete
  5. These are SO cool!! I love how they came out. Very creative!

    ReplyDelete
  6. You are being far to hard on yourself these are lovely! You've made great use of the materials and a brilliant idea to use Van Gogh's painting as a source of inspiration. I love star gazing, i live in a very built up area and we suffer from a lot of light pollution therefore very starry skies are rare so I'm quite envious of your trip to the mountains x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Really cool Anita, I love this, I've always wanted to go to Paris!! I didn't participate this time in the ATC swap but I am hoping to get back at it next month!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Goreous artwork & I totally love the whitewash technique.I am in awe of those glasine envelopes. I have only managed to find small ones online.

    ReplyDelete
  9. How amazing to take inspiration from a work you really love and produce such gorgeous ATCs... So envious of all these wonderful swaps - I'm going to have to give in to Yahoo groups at least aren't I (but I'm staying strong about Facebook!!)?!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love Van Gogh and LOVE that painting! Your interpretation is wonderful and fun - thanks for sharing:) PS: the Paris spin is great

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love your inspiration, girl... you shoot high! I really like how you've set the scene and divided land and sky... that alone is hard to do and you rocked it. The whitewash is a great technique but as you said tough in some areas. Hey, as my blog buddy Carolyn recently put it, the world isn't hinging on any one project... it's all good, and your swap buddies will be thrilled to receive your art (love the packaging, btw!)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anita, your ATCs are GORGEOUS!!!!! Sit back and enjoy them! :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Gosh you need to get to Paris Anita. You would just love it.
    Loving how you got that land done. Hugs, Buttons x

    ReplyDelete
  14. Stunning ATC's! Paris is such a wonderful city! Hope you get to go some day! I just went a few weeks ago and I wanna go back! It's so inspiring! Hugs, Sandra

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love Van Gogh and I love this piece - beautiful! I think your painting turned out great and I kind of like the muted swirls against the brighter painted swirls. Of course, I'm always a fan of the Eiffel Tower - I try not to overuse it but it seems to gravitate to my hand whenever I'm stamping so I think it's great that you combined it with Starry Night - Awesome!!
    Hugs
    Lorna

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hope you achieve your dream holiday one day and get to Paris...Thanks for sharing your dreamy project with us at The Artistic Stamper this month ;)
    xoxo Sioux
    Mmmm love that VG painting too ;)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for viewing my blog and commenting on it! It truly means so much to me.