Snow Princess - mixed media on canvas with gemstones

"Soon afterward she had a little daughter who was as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as ebony wood, and therefore they called her Little Snow-White." from the Brothers Grimm.

This mixed media project on canvas features a digital stamp by Sheepski Designs, Distress ink and stain painting, die cutting, and jewelry elements: silver plate chain and beads, real stone cabochons, and cameo.

Supplies

LinkDeli.com

These are not affiliate links just the products I use and where you can find them, too (if they're not retired).

Putting It Together

My printer decided not to print on my watercolour paper but will print on thin printer paper, so I decided to take a different approach for this project. I decided to make a mixed media canvas project instead of a card.

I decided to try transferring the image to canvas using graphite paper.

 I used washi tape to secure the sheet of graphite paper over the canvas.

I then laid the printed image over the graphic paper and canvas and used a small awl to trace over the lines. I could have used a pencil, but I wanted something which would have a consistent tip.

A big disadvantage of the graphite transfer is that all lines are the same heaviness. If there is a light line in the digi or drawing, it will be the same dark line as all others. But.. it did work to transfer the image to canvas. It was while I was tracing that I thought about using jewelry supplies out of my stash to make her crown.

To paint the background easily, I fussy cut a mask from the printed paper.

Canvas to the left, printer paper mask to the right.

I used removable adhesive on the back of the mask to secure it in place over the image on the canvas.

I used Distress stain, Tumbled Glass, to add colour to the background. I used the dauber on the stain bottle. I wiped some of the colour away with a dry towel while it was still wet. The stains, and later inks, sat on top of this canvas longer than I am used to with watercolour paper and remained wet longer. I used a heat tool to periodically dry the paper.

I used a bit of plastic cling wrap, to add Broken China. The stippling from the plastic wrap gives a nice broken up colour.

I used the Broken China, too, to run along the edge of the canvas.

I die cut snowflakes from Neenah metallic white gold cardstock and dry fit them on the canvas.

I dry fit chain on the image and decided to do all the painting first before deciding on the rest.

 Using the colours mentioned in the Brothers Grim tale of Snow White, I coloured the princess using Distress ink, stain, and oxide. For her hair, I started with Chipped Sapphire stain and then added Black Soot oxide and Black Soot ink and marker for shadowing.

I went to my jewelry supplies stash and dry fit some beads for her crown. I also dry fit a thin ribbon with a tiny acrylic cameo. I loved the ribbon and cameo but these beads weren't 'singing' to me.

I trimmed the ribbon and glued the ribbon and cameo to the canvas.

I set the project aside as it had gotten late and I needed sleep. While pondering it, I remembered my cache of cabochons. A couple years ago I bought some mixed packs of various sizes and stones and glass. I dry fit various combinations until I found the ones that I felt fit.

I dry fit some silver plate beads. I've had them in my stash a few years and can't find links to similar. I also tried some antique silver and glass bugle beads as well as other seed beads.

Once I found a configuration I liked, I started gluing them on using a rhinestone positioner. 

I used Hero Arts rhinestones to secure the snowflakes.

Challenges

Tuesday Throwdown: Masking

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday: Anything Goes

Crafty Gals Corner: Anything Goes