Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

I have to admit, the art I am sharing with you this week tickles my funny bone. Perhaps some think art should not have levity, but I disagree. I believe art needs to bring some of the elements that humans most need in their lives: beauty, inspiration, insight, a glimpse of God, relaxation and humor.

Of course you know I'm picking the funny route.  

So for this piece I turned a miniature tin into a wooden crate containing fish that someone ordered for their dinner party. 

Except the fish, wearing hats, drinking martinis and blowing party horns, might not be what was expected. Even the clown fish are a little different.

The tin contains an accordion fold paper with five panels.

I create a mixed media scene on both sides of each of the five panels. 

To make this piece dry brush many layers of paint onto both sides of the Accordion Fold insert. Keep going until you are pleased with the result.

Stamp plant and circle images onto the  paper with black ink.

Remove the Little Crowns from the sheet that keeps them safe and ink the edges of all the hats with black ink.

Adhere the hats to a page from a vintage book and cut out with a utility knife. Further age the hats with brown ink.

Stamp colorful images onto vintage book pages and cut out with different sizes of circle punches.

Fussy cut fish from Something's Fishy--free!. Place the circles, fish and hats onto your paper to get a rough idea of your layout. 

Adhere the circle to the accordion paper with matte medium. When dry, repeat on the other side.

 Then adhere the fish and hats.

Write your message on white cardstock, cut out and adhere to one of the panels. Make party blowers, clown noses and martinis and adhere as well.

Print and cut out the Fish Crates and adhere to the interior and exterior of your tin with matte medium. Make sure to work out any air bubbles.

Add some greens and your project is complete. I hope you enjoyed this project. If you would like a free copy of the high resolution colorful fish, please visit my blog. Warmly, Betsy

Great Stuff

Little Crowns 

Altoid Tin - Coming soon!

Altoid Tin Accordion Book 

Paper Calliope's Something's Fishy 

Paper Calliope's Fish Crate

Acrylic paint

Ink in assorted colors

Rubber stamps

Black pen

White cardstock

Vintage book pages

Circle punches

Greens

Beacon Zip Glue

Beacon Fabri-Tac

Matte Medium