Brazen Arts Feb show

I've started several projects for the show next month on the 2nd. (Details on the show listed below) I have other work currently there as well, but I am making specific things for the love and robot show right now.

These are all WIP at the moment.

 This will have a collage (I think) in the heart, but I haven't committed to anything just yet. We'll see where it takes me. As of now, it is a wood base, texture medium, metal and of course paint. I used heart shaped punchinella to create the added texture. Just tape (masking tape won't lift the paint) it down to your surface and carefully pull some texture medium across it. Lift the mask off very gently and let dry, then it is ready to paint. 

I am incredibly proud of myself for this one. In part because so far it looks exactly as I planned (always a good thing) but mostly because I managed to shatter a glass bottle, resin it, iron coat it and rust it without cutting or burning myself. Anyone that knows me knows I am forever covered in little stupid cuts, burns, bruises, scrapes and what have you. I don't scar easily, thank G-d. Otherwise I'd be a hot mess. I am debating what will go inside this decrepit rusty heart. I am considering a cupid that's been shot with his own arrows. Not sure yet. 

I've got some frozen Charlotte dolls hardening in my molds so I may play with a few options using those as a base. I found a great site for art supplies and they carry unique things for a good price, I've bought a handful of the dolls there and made molds of them all. It is far cheaper and I can alter those easier as I choose the medium that they are made in. Currently I am loving paper clay for them, it can be sealed and look like porcelain, but it is sand-able and paint-able. I've done both resin and plaster, both have their place but can be limiting when trying to change them up. Plaster is delicate and resin doesn't take paint well. 

To create something like this (You can skip any of these suggestions but I wouldn't recommend it.) : 

First, choose a bottle, something with a flat side will be easiest. Cover the parts you don't want shattering in masking tape. Use a glass cutter to score the outer edge of where you do want a break. Wrap in a towel you don't mind throwing away and be gentle when you hit it with a hammer. Once you have it roughly how you want, mix epoxy resin and coat the inside. Keep rolling it around in there, use a stick or q-tip to get the rough edges. Let it TOTALLY dry before you remove the tape. If you don't, it will come apart and you will have to put it back together, get resin off your favorite yoga pants and cuss under your breath a lot. Let it dry completely. 

You will want to scuff the bottle to give it something for the iron paint to stick to, I used a fine grit sand paper and just went over it a few times. It is kind of tedious, but you will be happy you did once you start to paint. You could use any metal paint, I preferred iron for this particular project, it rusts perfectly. I had to do a couple coats of patina, the smooth edges don't let it catch like more textured things do. Copper paint won't look as good as it is thinner but I am sure bronze would turn out great. Pewter won't patina much so it will not achieve the same old pottery look. I put masking tape over the cork as it would be next to impossible to remove paint from it. You could do this without the cork in, but I found it easier to do the resin step with the cork in. 

Some embedded resin and resin pendants. 

 I may turn it into an broken heart or anti-valentines day assemblage because I am morbid and it suits me more. I love romance, I'm just not into the hallmark and pink roses version. :)