Steampunk Bird for Ambassadors Post

Hi everyone! 

Well, its been a long time since I contibuted to the Finnabair Ambassadors blog, but it's finally getting somewhat settled here in the new house with my studio. Somewhat....so I jumped in this month to join the crew.

The theme was Steampunk using a Recycled or Repurposed product.  I used the wonderful computer parts that a friend gave me after her husband tore apart several computers. You'll see them throughout the piece in the eye, headdress, tail feathers, chain attachment and other curly little things. I used jewelry tools to curl the wires. 

This a Retro Cafe Art Gallery layered steampunk bird ornament. 

The ornament comes with 2 layers. The solid back one is painted with black gesso. The top laser-cut piece starts with white gesso and then gets highlights of Mint and Jade impasto paints, and Emerald Fluid Acrylic paint from Finnabair. 

(You can see some of the pieces from the computer stash in the background.)

3D Matte Gel is a great glue when using heavy ephemera. Gears, buttons, numbers, clips, hearts and stars are laid out and glued onto the base. Rust Effects Paste, Metallique paints, and Sparks, add color and highlights to the pieces.

 You can see the difference in the above picture and this one after the pastes and paints are added.

The eye and head feathers can be noted here as some of the computer parts. 

Layer after layer of texture and paint create this wonderful feeling of rust and corrosion. The feather above the clock is an older element I created from a Vintaj piece of brass with embossing powders. Kinda cool....and now it's found a home.

The Game Spinners are used for the wing feathers. 

This detail shot shows more buttons, charms, snaps and computer parts as well as lots of gears in metal and masonite. 

The star, of course, is a Finnabair mechanical. Can never have too many stars. 

I added a piece of fishing line to the top watchkey holes and this beauty is now hanging in my studio window. Perfect. 

Finnabair has listed Retro Cafe Art Gallery as one of her distributors in the US, and so I'll list links here for them as well as other links for supplies you can get elsewhere. 

Hope that works fairly for everyone.

Be Safe and Be Well.

Your Friend in ART,

Linda

Finnabair Products Used:
Heavy Gesso - White, Black

Sparks Paint - Ginger Magic, Night Shadow
Patina Effects Pastes - Red Rust, Brass, Green, Blue, and Brown Rust

Metalliques Paint - Flame
Fluid Acrylics - Emerald 
Mechanicals - Mini Knobs, Mini Flowers, Mini Stars
3D Matte Gel
Impasto Paints - Mint and Jade

Retro Cafe Art Gallery Products:

Steampunk Layered Bird Ornament
12mm Fancy Gear Charms Silver and Brass
Silver Gear Mix
Tim Holtz Mini Gears

Tim Holtz - Game Spinners, Ring Fasteners, Swivel Clasps, and Hitch Fasteners

Various computer parts and other ephemera from my stash