Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Art Journal to Pallet Wood Art

In the spring, I asked my kids to drag a wood pallet home from a trash pile and then I asked my husband to cut it into scraps that I could use for art projects .... they all thought I had gone a little nuts.  (Well, it probably wasn't the best quality wood pallet ... but hey, free canvas right??)  The wood scraps have sat and sat in my pile, waiting.  And finally I took a couple of them and glued them together and used them to work on.  I took a fun page from an art journal and recreated the piece onto the pallet wood.  I had so much fun and got SO many splinters. Note - you just cannot finger paint on rough wood without consequences! (Art lesson for the day!)

So here she is - my bird on pallet wood!

Scrap wood - really rough and dirty!!



I used Carpenter's wood glue to stick these bad boys together!



Then I played around with inks, sprays and Archival Ink to see what would stick out ...  I knew I needed the background to be waterproof.  It was a lot of fun to just spray away.  I actually took the sprayers out of the spray bottles and put them right into straight-up ink bottles - MESSY!! (But fun!)



This is where I stopped playing and realized it was a little bit crazier than I really needed it to be.  Then I lightly painted a whitewash over the top - which I regretted!  The wood soaked up that white paint like a thirsty sponge and I actually lost too much color.  So after I had placed my paper pieces - I had to redo some of the background!

I took out my paper supplies ... the tree is brown paper bag.  The bird and leaves are scrap paper.  The nest is a Linnie Blooms canvas sun that I took a little bit off the top to make the nest.  Then there is a paint, doodles and some rub-on stickers! 

And here is the journal page with the final ... I don't think it turned out too badly!!   I kinda love this little bird!!

10 comments:

  1. Lovely work, so creative!!!

    Smiles, Saskia :)

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    1. Thank you Saskia!! Thank you for stopping by!!

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  2. Yup brilliant! You are amazing!

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    1. Awww .. Kelli! We just need to get some gesso on your fingers and you will be motivated once again!!

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  3. Oh my gosh I LOVE this! I am always begging hubby for old pallet wood and have yet to come across any by accident. He also thinks I am nuts. Every time we drive by a falling down wood building I insist they are NOT using that wood and we could stop and pull some of - he isn't buying that one either :P MEN - pffft!

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    1. Thank you!!! Seriously, there is a wood pallet out behind a church around the corner ... and it has been there for a few months - it is driving me crazy!!!! I have been too embarrassed to ask for it though because they might think I am crazy, but I also just can't just take it from behind a church, right?? lol

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  4. Oh WOW Karen, this is absolutely fantastic!!! I've never done mixed media on a wood pallet but I'm certainly going to give it a go now thanks to your incredible inspiration!!! What a wonderful piece!!! TFS and for your sweet comment on my Design Memory Craft post today!! Hugs and smiles!! :)

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    1. Aww, thank you so much!! I also love to use wood scraps from Home Depot - but they are mostly smooth - the pallet was really rough!! Thank you for stopping by!!

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  5. OK--I don't think I'll look at a wood pallet the same again, Karen!! Instead of seeing spare firewood/kindling, I will see a rustic wood canvas to create upon!! I just LOVE how you've taken a page out of your art journal and turned it into a piece of wall art!! I love that little bird, too!! This is FABULOUS!! XOXO-Shari

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    1. Awww, thank you Shari!! I grab any scrap wood that I can!! Luckily my mom and my father-in-law's hobbies are woodworking - so I make them keep everything for me!! This pallet was really more rustic than usual ... but so much FUN!!

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