Mother Nature Collage by Madeline Arendt

Mixing It Up With Makin’s Clay® and Mother Nature

Designed by Madeline Arendt 

Inspiration for this three-dimensional collage came from a piece that was created many years ago for an ATC challenge.  The use of Makin's Clay® gives ideas like this new possibilities. 

Materials:

Makin's Clay® - White, Earth Tones, Neon Green

                         - Professional Tool Set - blade with handle

                         - Clay Tools - roller 

                         - Texture Sheet Set C - Weave 

Embossing Folders, stars, flower pattern

Face Push Molds

Rubber Stamp

Earth Safe Finish Paints, Ann Butler Sheer Gold Pearl Iridescents

Distress Paints

Distress Ink - greens

Perfect Pearl Powders

Scrap watercolor paper

Scissors

Brushes

Wire, 26 gauge

Round Nose Plier

Instructions:

The majority of this project is made with just the use of Makin's Clay® in various ways.  For the lower half of the background, roll out white clay to somewhere between 1/16" to 1/8" thickness.  Leave the ends uneven.  Press the "weave" texture sheet into the clay, repeating to cover the entire surface of the piece.  It's alright if the pressing is completely even throughout.  Allow the clay sheet to dry completely.

Using the light shade of clay from the earth tone set, roll out to about 1/8" thickness.  Press the body stamp image into the clay.  Trim away the excess clay from around the stamped shapes with the blade. NOTE: Either trim carefully around the stamped images with a knife, while the clay is still wet or trim excess clay, as seen in the photo; then trim when dry.  Make holes where shown on the stamped pieces. Allow pieces to dry completely. 

Use remaining clay or more white clay to press into a face push mold;

remove piece and dry.  Once dry trim away the excess with scissors; cutting away between the sun's rays.  NOTE: Refer to finished photo.

Roll out a piece of white or natural clay like before, let dry.  Once dry, use an embossing folder to add a deeper impression onto the clay.  Tear the piece to form a ragged edge on the bottom.  Cut the piece to form a "dress"; refer to the photo.

Create extra embellishments like leaves, butterfly and flowers from clay or other materials, which ever you desire.

To finish the three-dimensional collage,  I embossed a piece of watercolor paper with an embossing "star" folder.  Paint it with a coat of the Pearl Iridecent paint.  When dry, brush the surface with Perfect Pearls turquoise powder.   Repeat the same process on the "dress", but  finish with Seedless Preserve Distress Paint and Perfect Pearls Berry Twist powder.  For the sun face, paint it with a coat of yellow paint, when dry, brush the surface with Perfect Pearls Perfect Bronze powder.

On the textured piece of Makin's Clay®, wipe on the paint with a small piece of cloth to cover the surface, blending the colors.  NOTE: If necessary, dampen the cloth slightly to spread the paint.  Dry.

Brush on green inks to color the clay leaves.  Paint the butterfly as desired. 

Join the clay stamped body with wire by feeding the wire through arms, dress and body on one side, bringing the wire through all three to the othe side.  Twist the wire ends with round nose pliers to fasten.   Do the same with the legs.  Glue the sun face onto the head of the body. 

Glue the textured clay piece to the embossed watercolor paper.  Glue the entire background piece to the wooden easel.  Add some moss to the easel edge; glue into place.  Bend the legs of the clay body and glue onto the easel ledge.  Finish with the clay leaves and other embellishments.  Glue the butterfly onto one hand.  Add a stamped verse.