Collector of Curiosities by Gill Humphrey

This week I have returned to probably my favourite ITD Rice paper collection - rabbits and one of the filigree frames that Laura has so cleverly designed so they fit perfectly. To start my make I took a Decorative Top Upright and painted it with black Primer Paste and left it to dry. NOTE I did not assemble the base before painting as it is easier to to the next steps with the main panel flat.

I chose a text stencil - Book of Numbers or Ghost Writer would work as you really can't see much of the detail on the finished piece - it is really just their to add some interest using Grey Multi Surface Paint. Once this had dried I added component one of the classic Crackle and left it to dry - you can heat set safely and you get smaller cracks. Once Step one had dried I painted over step two and again left it to dry before rubbing Silver Metallic Wax over the surface and then buffing it off the surface leaving it only in the cracks.

For the focal image I took one of the filigree frames and the larger of the oval pieces. The frame was embossed with silver embossing powder using Versamark to hold the powder in place before heat setting. You will probably need two layers and if you want more depth a third will work well without loosing the details of the frame.

Onto the larger oval panel I adhered a rabbit image from the rice papers with Matte Decoupage Glue and Varnish and then used black Archival ink around the edges to blend in the white from the rice paper (I did not prime the mdf first as I was happy for the brown to show through).

To adhere the focal image in place I added the frame to the oval with the rabbit on it and then used the smaller oval behind that to act as a spacer before adhering in place towards the top of the upright. I then added a quote chip edged with silver wax to the bottom - the black quote chips normally appear with the Autumn releases but the 2022 Word Plaques would work just as well as they have appropriate words.

I had a lot of fun making this dark and mysterious piece and think it would work well for a lover of all things Gothic or for Halloween.