Monday 25 March 2013

Predatory At The Craft Barn Alpha Challenge. . . .

The Alpha Challenge continues at the Craft Barn and what good fun it is! The letter for this fortnight is P. I usually choose my word  by flicking through the appropriate pages and see what pops out at me. This time, for some reason, the word 'Predatory' jumped out. All I had to do then was dream up something to illustrate my chosen word.

With all the talk of Spring, Easter and Tim Holtz' latest tag, I decided to use a lovely bunny die and go from there. I don't have anything against bunnies but it was just too tempting to do something slightly on the dark side! However, for bunny lovers, you will note that my sweet little bunny is safe behind his chicken wire!

The only other thing I should mention is that I only had stamps showing crows. I believe they will go for prey which is dead or alive, so I hope that if the idea of crows attacking bunnies isn't quite accurate you will forgive my artistic licence!

Here's my page spread, hope it makes sense to you and apologies if you don't enjoy the subject matter:

Please excuse my thumb in the picture - it was the only way to stop the page flopping over!
The chosen word for my entry.
An extra little sentiment which many of you will recognise from childhood I'm sure. . . . . .  the words were printed out on a label maker and inked to match the background. Die cut letters from inked card follow the stencil design around in a curve. Punched flowers were made from inked and paint stamped card.
The rather dark and creep page was made by brushing with gesso then layering with stencils, stamps, paint, ink and a little washi tape. The little flowers are more punched shapes treated as before with a little bling in the centre.
Close up to areas of the background. The hollyhocks were created with versamark through the stencil followed by distress EP.
All the crows were stamped. The solid crow shapes were embossed twice: once with ordinary black EP followed by a layer of distress EP. The other crows were stamped, coloured with distress ink (I used lighter colours just so that they stood out better). Finally, the painted crows were embossed with a double coat of clear EP.
Bunny is a die cut coloured with distress and given a snazzy flower on his bow. I also gave him an eye so he appeared more alive and therefore in danger from the birds. He is protected by chicken wire which is attached to two fence posts. The posts were made by stamping a woodgrain image, adding colour and cutting into the post shape. I don't have the grass die so just cut a strip to show some very well cut grass!
The two crows on the fence are holding on by their claws - luckily they were part of the image but a bit tricky to cut out! This page was brushed lightly with gesso and then, same as the other page, stencils were used to build up layers in lovely spring like colours.
Background detail.
The detail shows the effect you achieve using versamark and distress EP. In addition, you can see a barbed wire stamp and the acrylic random stamping on one of the flowers.
Many thanks for looking and leaving a comment if you wish. I'd also like to say welcome to my latest followers and thank you so much for wishing to see more of my work.

38 comments:

  1. Wow, wow, wow! Yes it's dark but you've portrayed your word so well. I love the idea of the bunny protected behind the chicken wire. This reminds me of Hitchcock's The Birds.

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  2. Aiksssss Julia...it scares me...
    Although I can see that you've been soooo creative with these pages, that's great!
    I feel like the rabbit that has to run :-))

    Hugs, Alie :-)

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  3. Hitchcock meets Beatrix Potter. Great choice of word and illustration. PS I'm glad the bunny is behind the wire too.

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  4. ha-ha, love your poor rabbit maybe in alarm, but not in danger behind its chicken wire !... But most of all I LOVE the great imagination you put into the scene and all perfect details and work behind these two pages !!! Coco xx

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  5. As said earlier you have very different approach while making a project and I admire it very much ! I liked the idea of bunny behind chicken wire! Loved the textures you have created on the pages to !

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  6. Love the choice of word and your interpretation. I'm with Scrapmate on this it made me instantly think of Hichcock's The Birds.

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  7. What a great page full of atmosphere! Love the mask you have used ..I need it! Ad how you have used it to create such drama. Wonderful pages full of atmosphere! Hugs trace x.

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  8. Hi Julia, it reminded me of the Alfred Hitchcock film too but at least the little bunny is safe! I really do like that swirly mask you have used and the way you created your chicken wire fencing too.

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  9. OMG this is absolutly great in more than one way. Colors, background, design but especially your supporting text about the Rabbit made me laugh. Glad you shaved it behind the wire. WTG.

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  10. Wow Julia, what fabulous contrast between the two pages. Love the crows (yes, they are like 'The Birds') and the wire fence on the 'sunny bunny' page. A stunning piece of work. Xx

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  11. Stunning! Truly wonderful! This has such impact with the cute bunny page and the darker page featuring the crows. I love it totally! I think you have illustrated the word 'predatory' perfectly. After all, not everything can be illustrated with lace and flowers! Annie saw this too - she was very keen to look at your other work and we sat for ages looking through your blog. She thought this page was "Fantastic!" and she wants you to know that she thinks you are an "Amazing artist" Lots of love and hugs from Laura xxxxxxx

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  12. Wow, I'm missing words, that's a gorgeous piece of art, just wonderful. Great idea.

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  13. Wow this is so atmospheric! Love the darkness of the crows swirling down to attack the bunny...but he looks fairly safe behind the chicken wire. Brilliant depiction of predatory!!

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  14. Two fantastic pages Julia, so much detail, pages are small and it's more of a challenge the smaller the piece gets, I love it thanks for sharing and have a great day....

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  15. Very Hitchcock and a typical field view here in Shetland! Seriously an amazing atmospheric piece of work.

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  16. So dark but colourful at the same time, poor bunny hope he's got a lot of hopping to do tehe
    Von ♥

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  17. Such extraordinary pages - full of menace and suspense... that poor rabbit stuck behind the fence, those fantastic predatory crows on the attack: this has such fabulous energy and excitement. The AS template works brilliantly to add to all that, and as usual your technique and skills are impeccable - astonishing artwork, Julia!
    Alison x

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  18. HI Julia, I LOVE your page, what a great interpretation of the word and I think the real chicken wire is a real find! Thanks for visiting my blog and for your sweet words on my page. Hugs Frea

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  19. Hi Julia. I love the atmospheric feel you have created with your pages. The crows with their glistening feathers look great, as does the chicken wire barricade. A fantastic interpretation of predatory. Have a great week,cheers, Di

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  20. brilliant - love the contrast between the innocent looking bunny and the menacing birds. wonderfully creepy.

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  21. You can't beat a bit of crow attacking bunny action, Julia LOL. Seriously, this is incredible!

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  22. I pleased to see that no innocent looking bunnies were injured during this production haha!!!! This is amazing, exciting work Julia!!!! I just love all the thought that you have put to this my lovely! HUGS xxx

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  23. Oh No! Oh no!!!! Hide Bunny, hide!! Wow -- Julia as scary as this is, it is wonderful!! So full of energy and special details. Your crows are fabulous and they look so real!!! Wonderful work - just wonderful. It really reminds me of a Van Gogh.
    Sandy

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  24. Lovely spread! Great idea and that poor bunny!!! Superb idea with the chickwire and the predators!

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  25. FANTASTIC pages - love all the details - going back to look again... MMx

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  26. This is remarkable. I love the contrast between the two pages yet they support each other so well. Wonderful illustration of the word. The blackbirds are incredible. The shine on them is a fabulous detail. Great call on using the chicken wire. It adds lovely texture and makes me smile. The movement on these pages is incredibe.

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  27. Wow! Those crows look very fearsome! Fantastic page Julia, what a great word you chose! xx

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  28. Wow - brilliantly atmospheric Julia - those crows are so 'Hitchcockian'! I'm even clenching myself with tension the scene is so fabulously staged. The chicken wire is inspired. Whatever that chilled out little bunny is on - well I want some of that! Nicola x

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  29. Amazing pages and great details, very Hitchcock reminds me of the birds too, poor bunnie hope he is safe behind the wire he looks calm enough

    MaggieH

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  30. Amazing pages Julia.
    Really great and i love every detail on it.
    Greetings Janny

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  31. Absolutely stunning Julia...love your dramatic pages...wonderful and clever details! :)

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  32. Oh my goodness! This is exquisite. The chicken wire fence over the bunny and those amazing swirls in the background.... love these details!

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  33. Well, you have certainly appealed to the morbid part of my brain! The contrast between the two pages is so powerful and I LOVE the use of chicken wire. I don't have anything against pet bunnies, but the crows are welcome to the pesky wild ones that attempt to decimate my garden each spring!

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  34. Tee hee this is brilliant, I love the imagination and composition (and dark seasonal humour!!), superb sweetie.
    Huge hugs x x x x

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  35. This is very menacing to say the least but wonderful combination of stamps and the darkness for the crows and springlike colours for the bunnies. So much thought and what a fabulous word you selected.
    Wishes
    Lynne

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  36. poor rabbit... another fantastic page Julia!
    Thanks for playing with us at the Craft Barn
    Izzy

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  37. SO SO cool. really apeals to me and my sense of humour ;)

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Juliax