Sunday 7 June 2015

Shabby Vintage canvas for CVC

The lovely Astrid has chosen 'shabby chic' as the theme for this months challenge at Country View Crafts and I have created a canvas as my second DT project for the month. These are the same process steps as I used on my summer canvas for the Pickwell Farm workshop.



Process steps

Apply gesso with a palette knife and press some torn dictionary paper into it whilst it is still wet and heat dry.


Adhere some die-cuts to add both contrast and texture to the background. Again heat dry.


Stamp numbers randomly using black archival ink.


Use chosen distress paints and smear colours one at a time randomly on the canvas using a babywipe rub them in gently. Heat dry between each colour. I used frayed burlap, pumice stone and antique linen.


Using gesso, a piece of cut and dry foam and a stencil, add texture onto the canvas (woops sorry missed the photo for this stage). Then using texture paste, a different stencil and a palette knife add further texture randomly over the background - I used the Tim Holtz flourish. 


Daub some stains onto the background and spritz them with water, let the colours drip around the textured areas. It doesn't matter if your colours are getting a bit too dark or intense at this point. Heat dry. Daub small amounts of your chosen colours in distress inks on the craft mat, spritz with water and dip the edges in them to provide continuity of colour around the whole canvas.


With a small piece of credit card drag a thin layer of light modelling paste over the raised areas and quickly dry. Then drag white gesso over the same areas and again dry them off quickly. (The gesso absorbs the water based colours underneath and needs a white base to stay whiter).


Daub some picket fence distress paint on the heat mat, spritz it with water and dip the canvas in it quickly drying it - repeat if required. Drip some spots of paint in random areas.


At this point I didn't want to cover up the background I like the texture and colours so much.


I gathered some elements together that I thought would look good for a shabby vintage collage and I never know if I am going to end up using all the pieces or not.


I ended up using the Tim Holtz film strip and leaves which were painted with some gesso and picket fence distress stain mixed. The hessian flower was one I bought on my recent trip to California.


A lovely group of found relatives with the backing peeled off and used as part of the collage with some ideology elements; the pen nib was given the rusted treatment.......


.... as was the lock and the beautiful lace was given a very light spritz of antique linen distress spray.


I love the contrast of the collage elements over the textured background.



It's not often I use the shabby style these days, but I thoroughly enjoyed creating this canvas.


Thanks for stopping by, I hope we will see you over at the Country View Challenge where there is a £20 voucher to the Country View web shop for the lucky winner.

Have a wonderful Sunday

hugs Brenda xxxx







34 comments:

Chrissy said...

STUNNING Brenda..I so loved the tutorial and the end result is magic..I'm a newbie at canvases and made a right disaster the other day with a reaction to something I used and the pastels look all dirty now..but I love this...gorgeous.

luv CHRISSYxx

crafty creations said...

Wow Brenda this is amazing - love all the texture and the muted colours - thanks so much for the tutorial -certainly one I would like to try. I am on hols at the mo so have limited supplies with me so that will add to the challenge xx Hilda

Scrumplescrunch said...

Hello Brenda,
A great tutoria and will help many who want to try out mixed media. This is a wonderful example of Shabby meets Mixed media.
Smiles:)
Sue

Annie said...

a beautiful canvas Brenda and I love the wonderful details you have shared. The background looks amazing and I understand why you don't want to cover it !! The layout is beautiful and there is so much to look at. Love that hessian flower........ !!!

Have great Sunday

Annie xx

Nikki Acton said...

A superb canvass that has it all! The techniques are wonderful, thanks for sharing. Love the addition of paste and gesso over the original embossing. The canvas itself is a work of art before you added the beautifully composed elements! This looks wonderful online but having had the pleasure of the real life version I know it is even better than the pictures. Happy Sunday Brenda. Nikki xxx

Shilpa Nagaonkar said...

Wonderful post, tutorial and canvas Brenda! Love It!

aussie aNNie said...

Wow love this and your tutorial is awesome. I have just started getting into mixed media and about to do a canvas so this is a really easy and wonderful example to follow. Thanks so much Brenda and I will be back. Also I have had to join as your follower.xxxxx{aNNie My Personal Blog}

Suzanne C said...

So many lovely layers of texture and interest. Beautiful canvas! I love that piece of alphabet running right along the bottom of the photo.

Jac said...

this is a fab canvas, love looking at your tutorials as well they are so clear and easy to follow, this is a stunning piece x

Pamellia said...

Wow Brenda, I am so in love with this one!! There are just so many elements I love it's hard to narrow it down! A gorgeous shabby chic work of art from top to bottom! LOVE! hugs :)

CreativSpirit said...

Absolutely beautiful and inspiring.

Lys said...

Such Great work on textures for this background ! Thanks for sharing the process!

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Gorgeous! LOVE that yummy background and all the texture!!!

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

This is gorgeous Brenda. The texture is amazing, so many layers!
Happy crafting, Angela xXx

Redanne said...

Oh wow Brenda, I have just spent the best part of 15 minutes oggling this gorgeous canvas! I love the colours, the beautiful texture and all the finishing elements you added. Thank you so much for sharing the 'how to', you are always so generous with those of us who aspire to create such beautiful art! Hugs, Anne xx

Meggymay said...

A gorgeous canvas, I enjoyed reading how you created this piece, the textures look fantastic.
Yvonne xx

Patty O'Malley said...

This canvas is so beautiful, Brenda! I really love the texture of the background. Perfection!

Unknown said...

BEST part of this project for me is that it is a canvas!!! It's just WONDERFUL Brenda. It is sooo PERFECTLY VINTAGE that it reminds me a bit of my Grammies house. Rather like her wall paper and coloring. Love the lace and the burlap flower. Just the way you put everything together on the page is STUNNING. This is REALLY REALLY BEAUTIFUL and gives me a WARM feeling inside too! THANKS BUNCHES for the great pics and tutorial. j

joyful said...

Thank you so much for sharing such an interesting and lovely creation. There are so many techniques and i have had fun following along, though mine is a pale imitation!

What i would like to know are which colours you used apart from frayed burlap, pumice and antique linen. Again, thank you for sharing and helping me.

sarascloset said...

Brenda, this canvas took my breath away over at Country view challenges, and now that I see it up close, I am ever that much more in love with all the texture and shabby-grunge collage composition. Your background truly looks like chipped away layers of old stucco'd and peeled wallpaper'd walls. Just love the bit about adding back texture paste and gesso before dipping into Picket Fence DP. I will certainly give this background a go, but I'm afraid if I did the collage it would just look like a huge mess! Well done, again! Love it! Hugs!

Astrid Maclean said...

Completely fabulous Brenda!! I can see why you had a hard time covering up the background, it is stunning! But all I can say is that the collage elements have enhanced it even further! It looks fantastic and perfect for the challenge theme! LOVE this big time!!

A Pink said...

Such a gorgeous canvas! Brenda So many layers n texture n detail , ya could look at it for hours and still not have seen it all . a perfect setting for your chosen ephemera . Thx so much for sharing how you created this x

Inkypinkycraft said...

a great project, love al those layers and the neutrals are just a joy! sorry I am so behind commenting!

Dunja Trautmann said...

Your Canvas is totally gorgeous Brenda. I love the vintage Look and all the textures on your creation. Great job.

Hugs, Dunja x

Unknown said...

Gorgeous!! Simply Gorgeous, Brenda!! XOXO-Shari

Gio said...

Amazing! Love the texture, the lace, the soft shades, everything is perfectly matched!

Deb said...

Brenda, that is stunning! Amazing layers and textures and thank you so much for sharing your detailed step by step tutorial, I learn so much from you. Amazing journal page that is perfectly shabby and chic, love it!

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Lovely Brenda, lovely vintage feel to this. Love the composition and the background. Lovely. So pleased to hear you go some time in your garden . Tracy x

Junibears said...

Just gorgeous Brenda! I've always loved your work! Hugs xxx

Jenny Marples said...

Finally got chance to come over and see this - fab tutorial and the end result is just... WOW!!! LOVE how all that layering comes together. Jenny x

Mrs.B said...

A stunning canvas Brenda, thanks for sharing the process.
Avril xx

ursula Uphof said...

This is a stunning project Brenda. I have some canvasses, but not yet had the courage to start, so I have become a follower so that I can get some inspiration. Your tutorial will be my guid. Hugs, Ursula...my blog

crafty creations said...

Hi Brenda - I did give it a go !!!

Not anywhere as brilliant as yours but I am pleased with it

You can see it here

http://inkythings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/textured-canvas.html

Carol said...

Gorgeous and canvas and thank you for the great tutorial .Have a lovely day x