Pipe Dreams

Hello steampunk friends and welcome to our January challenge at SASPC! We are encouraging you to use some of your new stash from the holidays on your makes this month. Highlight in your post, and we will put your name into the prize draw twice!

Wishing you a new year filled with health, joy and creativity! 

Do you ever wonder what the Moon is made of? (I've heard the stories of it being made of green cheese.) How about what makes it move around the Earth? Why does it stay in place above us? Well, I decided to let my imagination run wild and think about this. Maybe there are little robots on the Moon that keep it working...or maybe it's run on a huge gear system that we can't see! Of course, I do know the real story about the Moon from my years of teaching about it, but I always have fun imagining what could be. Isn't that what steampunk is all about, imagining an alternate universe?

PIPE DREAMS

I pulled out a variety of new stamps to play with on my project. 

Sometimes, it helps me to lay everything out as I am working on my idea. 

I started with stencils and texture medium and let that dry completely. 

Instead of consciously choosing my base colors, I reached into my bin and used the first two tubes I pulled out. I think it looks pretty darn good!

Then I chose the Green Gold to add, since it is a favorite.

details...

I spritzed the tag while the paint was still damp, laid a paper towel on it and lifted some of the paint. Once everything was dry, I stamped some words and designs on with black archival ink. 

I wanted to add more of a metallic look to my gears, and used the Metallic Lustres.

I felt like I had lost a lot of the blue, so went back in with a transparent fluid acrylic.

Adding the gears...later I decided they needed more of a metallic look to make them stand out, so rubbed on some more lustre. 

I tried my hand at painting with fluid acrylics, using the transparent and semi-transparent colors. Then, I fussy cut them out.

Now, I believe this is one happy caterpillar enjoying his hookah and dreaming of what might be.

Details...

PIPE DREAMS

Are you ready to pull out your new stash and create? No worries, you can always use whatever you have in the steampunk and industrial mixed media style. I'm looking forward to seeing what you make this month!

Many thanks to our wonderful and generous sponsors who keep the cogs and gears turning at SASPC!