The Artful Whale

January 21, 2014

I have to tell ya, I am particularly pleased with this little project!!

This turned out so well and came together very quickly.

I think it's gonna live in my bedroom.

Want to make it?

Yippee!

Remember, you can use whatever colors you like and choose a quote that speaks to YOU.

What you need:

Genuinely Jane Studios Whale album

Gesso, Mod Podge, Wood glue, Acrylic paint (I used black)

Quote stamp, swirly stamp

Black Mixed Media ink, black Staz On Ink

Black embossing powder (from My Stamp Box)

Scrap of card stock

Scrap of washi tape, ribbon, or some other trim

Glitter

Studio Calico veneer pieces (or die cut your own shapes)

Glastique (from Piccolo & Globecraft)

Two wooden blocks (I got 'em at Hobby Lobby)

Black paint pen (mine is the Sharpie brand)

Gelatos

Heat gun, scissors, paint brush, water, toothpick

What to do:

1. Paint the whale with gesso and let dry.

2. Use the Mod Podge and glue the card stock to the whale's tail to hide the hole.

3. Color on the whale with gelatos.

4. Blend the Gelatos using your finger, then blend a little more with a wet paint brush.

5. Trim the card stock tail. Sand the edges if you're feeling froggy.

6. Add washi tape/ribbon/whatever to the edge of the card stock on the tail.

7. Use the paint pen and doodle all around the edges of the whale. Add some more gelato and blend with your finger if desired.

8. Paint some of the veneer pieces black. Paint some with Mod Podge and dunk in glitter. When dry coat with Glastique. When they are all dry, glue 'em onto the whale (this is where the toothpick comes in handy- to apply the glue to thses teeny tiny pieces!)....or make life easy and die cut them out of glitter paper instead.

9. Stamp the swirl onto the whale using Staz On.
10. Stamp the quote onto the whale using the Mixed Media ink. Add black embossing powder, remove the excess, and heat it up.

11. Draw a sweet little face on your whale. Add some more hearts and stars if ya want to.
12. Use the wood glue and add the wood blocks to the back of your whale. This will make a kind of easel and he will stand up all on his own. You're all done!