Let the good times roll canvas

Hello everyone! It's Bonnie here today with a fun little 4"x4"x1.5" chunky canvas I created for a swap with a couple of friends. I love this size because, although the face is small, there's lots of real estate on the sides to play around with. It also stands by itself so makes a wonderful shelf sitter. I started  the background by scribbling pink, red, and orange watercolour crayon randomly over the canvas. I spread these with gesso in my brush instead of water which gives a lovely blended effect. Once dry, I intensified the colour with red, watermelon, tangerine and hot pink gelatos smudged on here and there and spread with a damp finger. Now we're talking serious colour!

The words were printed from the computer onto French book paper which was then torn around and matted with torn black cardstock. Here are the three sides of the chunky canvas which show the message: Laissez les bon temps rouler (Let the good times roll) ... the mantra for Mardi Gras.

After drying time, I applied Studio 490 Gold Embossing Paste through the Dylusions Diamond of a Border stencil onto the face and sides of the canvas. Since I was going for a Mardi Gras theme, I wanted the richness of the gold next to the red...yummy! One side of the diamonds was outlined with black pen to emphasize the pattern, depth and to add contrast. A splattery dot stamp from TH was applied to the background using Jet Black Archival ink and I used the top of my Mini Mister dipped into gesso to make the small white rings. I give it a slight twist onto the canvas when I am setting down the rings.

The image is by Rick St. Dennis and is called Carnivale Masque. He was coloured with my well loved Prismacolor pencils, fussy cut, and matted in black cardstock. Foam tape was used to pop him up slightly. The legs were cut off two music note brads and they were adhered next to him with Glossy Accents and foam dots. An MFT banner die was used to cut the bunting adhered to the top left corner.

A combination of letter and shiny metallic beads were strung on jewellery wire. The beads were glued to the canvas using Glossy Accents and the remaining wire was wrapped to the back and twisted in place. Two tiny scraps of torn black cardstock were adhered under the letters for emphasis. To further deepen the colour on the edges of the front and sides,  red Big Brush pens were run along them and smudged while still wet. This gives less of a definite line and feathers the colour out.

And that's it for this fun little mixed media colour-fest. I hope you have enjoyed visiting today. I do thank you for your visit and kind comments. Maybe you'll feel inspired to have a play with some of your favourite products like I did today.

Bonnie

Liquitex Acrylic Gesso	Faber Castell Gelatos - Red Colors	Faber Castell - Gelatos - Yellow Colors	Faber Castell - Gelatos - 50′s Diner
Faber Castell - Big Brush Pens - Red	Wendy Vecchi - Studio 490 - Embossing Paste - Metallic Gold	Dylusions Stencil 5x8" - Diamond of a Border	Inksessentials - Mini Mister 3-Pack
Archival Ink - Jet Black Ink Pad	Inkssesentials - Glossy Accents 2 oz.