You Make Me Smile Canvas by Barbara Rankin

Hi everyone!  Barbara here today on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog.  I am sharing my mixed media canvas inspired by the phrase "You Make Me Smile" chippie and this pretty little girl image.  I used Fall colors, as well, in keeping with the season.

Cut piece of wood planks paper from the 12x12 pad, use distress tool along edges.  Adhere to 8x10 canvas, and brush a coat of fluid matte medium over top of canvas.

Randomly spread light molding paste through stencil with spatula and let dry.

Mist canvas with Peony and Gilded Color Bloom (CB) spray mists.  Let dry.

Mist canvas with Tattered Angels (TA) Cork.  Let dry.

Next, brush on a wash of white gesso + water to blend colors and let dry.

Lay piece of chainlink chippie over canvas and mist with ColourArte Radiant Rain Autumn Leaves Mist, let dry.

Rub small amounts of Galaxy Gelato around the edge of the canvas, and on one side of the larger circles.  Use finger to blend gelato.  You can also wet your finger or use a damp baby wipe for easier blending.

Spray a clear acrylic sealer over canvas to keep water-based mediums, like the gelato and mists, from running.  Let sealer dry.  Dip paint brush into Peony CB spray mist bottle and color top half of circles.  While mist is still wet, add Odyssey gelato to center and blend with finger.  Let dry.

Draw around circles with a black watercolor pencil.  I used a Stabilio All black pencil, but use whatever you have.  Wet finger and blend pencil to add shading around circle.

Center and trace rectangular inner edge of filigree frame over collage sheet image and cut excess away.

Use flesh colored pencils to add a bit of pink to girl's face and cheeks.

Paint "You Make Me Smile" and large rectangular Filigree Frame with rich espresso paint and flat edge of makeup sponge.

Glue frame over collage image. 

Glue inner piece of chipboard from the frame to the back for added dimension when adhered to canvas.

Brush a coat of clear crackle glaze over image; let dry.

I added random patches of the Silver Spark metallic lustre over the phrase and frame to help it stand out a bit from the background.

Adhere chipboard frame, phrase, and embellishments of your choice around frame, as shown in final photo at top of post.

Here are a few close ups of the canvas.

silver spark metallic lustre added to chipboard frame and phrase

crackle glaze over image

shading around circles with black pencil

Supplies Used:
GSL Filigree Frames Shape Set
GSL Words and Phrases 2
GSL Chainlink 8 by 8 Inch Panel
8x10 canvas panel
Chubby Cheeks Collage Sheet (Altered Pages)
DecoArt Dazzling Metallics - Rich Espresso
DecoArt Media Clear Crackle Glaze
DecoArt Metallic Lustre - Silver Spark
Altered Pages AP-302 Chubby Cheeks collage sheet
Golden Light Modeling Paste
Prima Orbs Stencil (Finnabair)
Prima Color Bloom Spray Mists
  Peony
  Gilded
ColourArte Radiant Rain Autumn Leaves Mist
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist
  Cork
Faber-Castell Gelatos Iridescent Set
  Galaxy
  Odyssey
  Stardust
Krylon clear acrylic sealer
Aleene's Tacky Glue
Various floral and beaded embellishments

I hope you enjoyed today's mixed media canvas and that you may be inspired to make one for your own home decor or even as a gift.  Use colors to match the season or your home.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a beautiful Fall filled day!!!

Barbara