Exclusive Blog Extra: Andy Skinner for DecoArt

Good Morning!
As part of our As Seen On TV feature in the June issue of Craft Stamper magazine, the amazing Andy Skinner has created some amazing projects! Representing DecoArt on Hochanda TV, Andy showcases some wonderful techniques, and we're thrilled to be sharing an exclusive step by step from Andy today!

This is bound to be a big hit with those of you who love their art dark and moody..... and for those that prefer to work with a more upbeat theme, the background technique shared can of course be used across all kinds of art to amazing effect!

Over to Andy....

As well as having an industrial gothic style, I like to add elements of mystery and darkness into my work and thats from someone who cannot even watch a horror film!

I wanted this tag to have a dark mysterious look and only use 3 colours, Black, White and Red.

I also wanted to use the stamps in a different way that the norm, grabbing texture from areas of a stamp rather than using the whole thing.

These techniques can be used on a variety of surfaces including wood, canvas, paper to give an aged worn look.

MATERIALS LIST

Decoart Media Fluid Acrylics in:
Carbon Black

Pyrrole Red

Decoart Media Tinting Base

Stamps used...
Stampendous / Andy Skinner Stamps

Skulduggery

Unexplained

Handle with care

Other materials...

Stazon Ink (Jet Black)

Black Archival Ink

Tando Creative Mixed Media Tag

Step-by-step… Face your Fears

Step 1

Mix Carbon black with some White tinting base to make different shades of grey, blend these on the surface of the tag and cross hatching with a flat soft brush.

Step 2

Once dry place some circles randomly using a bottle top and Carbon Black and spatter the surface with White tinting base.

Step 3

Load some tinting base on the tip of the brush, wipe most of the paste off onto some paper towel and dry brush inside the circles to lighten them.

Step 4

Using the edge of a credit card and carbon black, add some lines in random areas.

Step 5

Stamp numbers with Pyrrole Red followed by the skull. Once skull is dry over stamp lightly with Jet Black Stazon. Stamp words and random texture from the skull stamp.

Step 6

Add clean water to some Pyrrole Red and drip this mix down from the top of the tag and allow to dry.

Step 7

Using the edge of the Heart stamp, add texture around the edge of the tag using Stazon.

Step 8

Blend Black archival ink around the edge of the tag using a sponge.

We love how there are just so many details to be seen in this pice, stunning!

Thank you so much Andy, amazing project!