Copper Treasure Box

Hello friends, and welcome!! For Sandee and Amelie's Steampunk Challenges I've made a treasure box with a copper patina to share this month. 

What kind of treasure do you think you would find inside the box? 

It could be a Pandora's box...would you open it? 

Was it found in an old shipwreck and dragged up from the ocean depths?

COPPER TREASURE BOX 

 I started with a small box, and covered it with grey Chalky Gesso, then added on some chipboard from Boozybear Chipboard, and a molded panel (Stamperia) on top that I had made a while back. Then, I added a second layer of the gesso. 

I decided I wanted more texture on the sides, to added some modeling paste with a palette knife. This also helped to merge the top with the sides of the box. Let that dry. 

I started by splatting on some black ink, let it dry and added the first paint coat of Quinacridone Gold.    From this point, I added multiple layers of the gold, Payne's Grey and Cobalt Teal Hue with the fluid acrylics. I dabbed it on with a brush to create the mottled effect. 

Final steps were to use the matte Decou-Page on the box bottom so it won't stick, and to smudge on some copper metallic to create some highlights. 

Below you can see the four sides and the depth in the layers of paint to create a copper patina. 

Here are the materials I used, plus a couple of brushes and some glue. 

I hope you have enjoyed my steampunk style treasure box and will join our challenge this month! I do love seeing what everyone is creating!

Many thanks to the wonderful support from DecoArt and Boozybear Chipboard!

Stay well and be creative! Maura

 

 

Steampunk Illuminati

Hello and welcome steampunk fans! Our March challenge at SASPC is up and waiting for you, and our theme as always is Steampunk/Industrial Mixed Media Anything Goes. We have so many awesome makers from around the world who join us! Every month it is a treat to see the creativity that is shared in our challenge. 

This month I decided to upcycle some of the cardboard I always seem to have on hand. I wanted to work in a different shape, and chose to cut out a triangle, and then I built it up with some awesome boozybear chipboard, and included the Eiffel Tower. 

Mysterious vibrations began to take over as the piece took form. Hmm, is that the Louvre filled with its amazing art collection hidden in the triangle? The Eiffel Tower built and turning with hidden gears, its true purpose hidden somewhere in that rusted steel. Is it a device to send and receive messages through the aether? The portal to another dimension? These thoughts led to the idea of the Illuminati, who must have been active in the steampunk world...

STEAMPUNK ILLUMINATI

It all starts with some upcycled cardboard to use as the base...

Laying out the chipboard and feeling out a design...

First paint layer - carbon black and raw sienna.

Layer two - quinacridone gold (oh, I do love this color!)

In order to get a good patina, I blended in some cobalt teal.

Then, I weathered the background with some chalky finishes. 

A touch of bright copper...

I even built a stand on the back so the piece would be free standing.

Detail...love that mix of blue and orange!

Lots of texture and dimension...

Gorgeous crackle from the crackle paint that I mixed with some chalky finish...

I used a variety of DecoArt media and boozybear chipboard, plus some gears and microbeads.

Ah yes, I am sure there were many Collectors of Curiosities in the Steampunk Era, just as there were in the Victorian Age.

I hope you have enjoyed my project as much as I did making it! Come join us this month with your own steampunk/industrial creation, whether this is your first project, or you create an abundance of steampunk makes! 

Many, many thanks to our awesome sponsors DECOART MEDIA and BOOZYBEAR CHIPBOARD!

Keep the cogs and gears of creativity turning, and have a wonderful March!

Maura

Yes, YOU Can!!

 

Hello Steampunk friends, and happy February! 

So glad to be here today and sharing my steampunk inspiration with you. I am so inspired by the amazing makes you share with us each month at SASPC! Keep it up!

When I started working, my plan for this month's project was completely different than what evolved. Sometimes, in the midst of working, events are occurring around us, and the day I was working on this, the Women's Marches were taking place in the USA. This beautiful image just called out to me to use her, and when I found the metal plate with the words YES YOU CAN, I was deep into this. I love the combination of sea goddess, woman, and steampunk...wonder what she is thinking about.

 I am a huge fan of the Stamperia papers, and they make such a great jumping off point. I always find ideas spilling out when I pull them out!

YES YOU CAN

It all started with a simple wood panel.

I added some strips of patterned papers. (Stamperia)

Now comes the fun part of building up the layers, and blues are brown look so good together. The brown marks are just laying down my brush. 

A bit of stenciling with black paint...

I mixed these colors together, and used the edge of key card to make random vertical lines. 

Meanwhile, as that dried, I cut out the image and adhered it to a piece of cardboard mailing envelope, to give it a sturdy base. 

Back to the panel...I mixed a bit of glitter dust into the white and made odd marks with a stick. Once that dried, I decided to outline them in black. 

Time to make this beautiful woman look like she has an encaustic layer on top. I used the amazing Vintage Beeswax embossing powder, and did two layers. 

Boozybear chipboard in a fishnet styl fits right in with the sea theme. Chunky Rust gives a nice patina. 

This little pink tidy tray helps me keep the embossing powder in one place. (well, mostly)

Media I used, starting with the Grey chalky gesso. 

I added a thick layer of the DecoArt Crackle to areas of the board and let it dry overnight. Then, I rubbed in some burnt sienna, and wiped it back, so it would bring out the cracks. 

Final board background...

I wanted the female image to pop up from the base, so adhered layers of cardboard to lift her. 

Put everything together, and when I saw this metal word element, it felt right. 

I really love the path my muse took me down with this!

I hope you've enjoyed my inspiration for this month, and will join us with your own creation. May the cogs and gears of your imagination help you create! 

Many, many thanks to our awesome sponsors, DecoArt and Boozybear Chipboard, for sponsoring our challenge each month!! 

Have a fabulous February!! Maura