Turning a Project Around

Hi everyone!

This post is all about taking a project that you've put lots of time and effort into, only to see it ruined by a blotch of paint, a blob of glue, or other "can't fix this" misstep along the way. 

This started out on a 4x8" stretched canvas with lots of scrap papers, tissue paper, and stenciling for a background. It also was running the opposite direction with a stunning vintage lady on the right side where the metal turn is now. 

I had applied soft matte gel and then decided to spray some blue around her base. Well, long story short, it ruined the image of the lady and would not budge. That having been said, I ripped her off!!!

And the canvas then sat on my desk for weeks......usually I don't give up that easily, there's always a way to cover a mistake up, but in this instance, I pushed it aside. Rather gave up on it for a bit.

But then weeks later I decided to "turn this piece around."  Literally.  I added more tissue paper, some script and number stamps, a new vintage image, and we were off to the races!!!

I dug into my metal ephemera stash from picking my brother-in-laws garage years ago. I used this antique brass plate, and added a turn with a tiny number. Both pieces have Metallique Waxes on the high points to make them shine.

(If anyone knows the significance of the numbers on the plates that were nailed to a cabinet with many drawers, please let me know. We found no rhyme or reason to them.)

I wanted bright colors to offset the sepia-toned photo, so the butterflies took center stage. The Art Stones with various Metallique and Impasto paints got surrounded with a mixture of Micro Beads and Glass Glitter.

Shading brought the piece some dimension, and white splatters broke up the background just a bit.

I guess the lesson here is ~ never give up. Much like all events in life, there's usually a better day coming. Things will look different tomorrow. Hopefully you can take something that didn't quite work, and "turn it around" to create a whole new situation that makes you happy.

That's what I did here. That's what I hope you can do in your situations when life gives you lemons ~ you can make lemonade.

Be well and be good to each other.

Your Friend in ART,

Linda

Finnabair Products Used: Metallique Paints, Impasto Paints, Plaster Paste, Heavy White Gesso, Soft Matte Gel, Glass Glitter, Micro Beads, Mega Art Stones, Art Alchemy Waxes, and Grungy Grid Stencil

Other Products Used: Butterfly Paper Cuts, Tim Holtz Vintage Paper Dolls, PaperArtsy Mini Stamps, Black Archival Ink, Tissue Papers, Washi Tape, Tom Bow Markers.