Hello! It’s Robyn Wood with you today sharing an altered photo frame project. Recently, I reorganised my craft space and felt the need for some new art to decorate walls.
I’d bought a cheap picture frame ages ago with the intent to alter it somehow so it seemed the perfect place to start.
I love using text in my artwork so I covered the frame with torn pieces of pages from an old French dictionary. I would usually use just Helmar Professional Acid Free Glue for collaging the text paper, but I wanted a white-wash effect so mixed in some white gesso. It gives a wonderful opaque effect to the paper. I only collaged the front face of the frame but also allowed the glue/gesso mix to paint over the sides a little.
Once dry, I used Distress Oxide inks to give the frame some colour. Being a dye based ink, the ink will smudge/run when touched so it needed some sealer. A few quick sprays of Helmar Crystal Kote Matte Varnish and the issue was sorted. I love how this product leaves a wonderful matt effect that is protective but so touchable!
While the frame dried, I stamped a couple of butterflies from the Darkroom Door Wings rubber stamp set onto watercolour paper and coloured them with Ecoline watercolour markers.
For a bit of a different background I used alcohol inks with Yupo paper. Yupo is a synthetic paper that is non-porous and enables the alcohol inks to flow over the surface to create beautiful, abstract style effects. Firstly I sprayed the Yupo with a light spritz of isopropyl alcohol and then dropped alcohol inks onto the surface and moved the ink around by blowing through a straw. This gives a wonderful spread of colour!
Before the surface was dry, I scrunched on a large piece of cling film and left the Yupo to dry. (As it is non-porous & covered with plastic, the piece usually needs overnight to dry.) Once dry, I removed the cling film to reveal a wonderfully textured finish.
To assemble the piece, I cut the Yupo background to size and glued on the pair of butterflies in a pleasing arrangement using Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive. I like things to be dimensional so only applied glue to the butterfly centres, allowing the wings to raise a touch.
The frame needed a little finishing piece and this metal quote from the Tim Holtz Idea-Ology range was perfect. I painted it with a coat of gesso and just before it dried, rubbed the surface back a little with a paper towel. A touch of brown permanent ink and a few scratches and it was ready to add to the frame.
Supplies:
Helmar Professional Acid Free Glue
Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive
Helmar Crystal Kote Matt Varnish
Yupo paper
Watercolour paper
Ranger Alcohol Inks in blue tones & butterscotch
Jacquard Pinata Ink in Rich Gold
Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol)
Darkroom Door Wings rubber stamp set
Black & brown permanent stamping ink
Ecoline watercolour markers
Ranger Distress Oxide inks in black soot, faded jeans, ground espresso & peacock feathers
Tim Holtz Idea-Ology metal quote
French dictionary paper
I love how this frame came together and it is the perfect addition to my newly organised creative space. Until next time…
