Western Red

Red is such a strong and powerful color. I often use it as an accent in my work. I have been holding on to hoarding a found, red metal washer for the longest time. Today was the day to actually use it!

I started with a piece of hand painted watercolor paper with subtle shades of reds and greens, plus hints of blacks and blues. I cut it into a rectangle and then die cut (using Spellbinders Standard Circles) out a circle in the center. I edged the rectangle with black ink.

I created a base for this piece by cutting a vintage book cover into a larger rectangle. I chose an army green color, as it picked up the accents of green in the hand painted paper. In order to add some character, I distressed the book cover with sandpaper and ran both a brown and a black ink pad around the outside edge.

Always wanting to add texture to my work, I found a piece of corrugated cardboard, cut it to size to fit under the hand painted paper rectangle, and dry brushed gesso over the ridges for contrast.

Using a die cut (Spellbinders Sprightly Sprockets) that matched the size of the cut-out circle, I cut some red/maroon color card stock into a shape that I thought would draw the eye toward the center of the piece.

I chose to die cut (Spellbinders Labels Thirty-Two) a lighter shade of decorative paper for more contrast and cut it into a shape that echoed the red sprocket. I edged it with black ink to make it pop.

Again, wanting to add more texture and interest I used a die cut (Spellbinders Gold Facets) to add a circular design to the paper.

I knew that I wanted to highlight my found red washer in the center of it all, but I didn't just want it to sit there alone. It was time to draw from my bezel collection. I chose a circular bezel (Spellbinders Circles Three), edged in hobnails for even more complexity.

I decided not to use the attached jump rings and for a more finished look, I snipped off the prongs from two brads and glued them into the rings.

I took out my red washer and looked through my stash of other found metal objects until the perfect combination to fit inside my bezel and to fit with the look of my artwork appeared.

A perfect fit!

Time to layer and glue. My favorite time for sure.

Available for purchase in my Etsy shop.

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Supply List

Spellbinders Paper Art Supplies:

GC-001 Spellbinders® Grand Calibur® Machine

GC-015 Spellbinders® Grand Calibur® Junior Magnetic Placement Mat

S4-114 Spellbinders®  Nestabilities® Standard Circles Large

S5-048 Spellbinders® Shapeabilities® Sprightly Sprockets

S5-203 Spellbinders® Imperial Gold Shapeabilities® Gold Facets

S4-407 Spellbinders®  Nestabilities® Labels Thirty-Two

MB1-007 Spellbinders® Media Mixage^TM Bezels Circles Three 

Preferred Promotional Partners: Tsukineko StazOn Ink Pad 

Cross Promotional Partners: 7 Gypsies Paper

Other: card stock, corrugated cardboard, vintage book cover, decorative paper, hand painted paper (watercolor paper, gesso, acrylic paint, acrylic medium, ink), gesso, found metal hardware, brads, adhesive, sandpaper, guillotine cutter, scissor, tin snips