The challenge this month, from GreenPepper Press Street Team was to make your own stamp. I've been meaning to do this for quite awhile, and I really wanted to play with some of Matt's old linoleum blocks, but for now I just grabbed the pink eraser from my desk and an xacto. The plan was to create a cute, cool little stamp that I could use on children's cards, since I am in possession of only one such stamp, a rocket ship. Alas, I have failed again to produce something that would elicit dreams of sugarplums and lollipops. Instead of cute cool sock monkey or Mr. Alligator, I am left with Batboy (second cousin, twice removed by marriage from Tim Burton's Oyster Boy). Maybe it's just my disposition, maybe it's the glass of red wine I had before creating him (advisory note: Current OSHA standards forbid the consumption of alcohol before using an xacto knife, but I had nursed that glass for more than an hour and hey, I'm not that bright to begin with...) but I have a feeling that Batboy will end up in many a nefarious adventure. Stay tuned...
The second page was an exploration in painting photos. I had an extra one of me from a scrapbook project, so I gessoed it and then painted it with heavy body acrylics. It is definitely NOT like painting on canvas! It was quite difficult to work the paint, even with the gesso base. I learned very quickly that any bit of water on the brush brings up the emulsion, so you have to work with a heavily loaded brush, and catch any moisture coming off of it with a rag before it hits the paper. I couldn't work the colors the way I had intended, but I'm sort of satisfied with it, anyway. It's definitely a technique I plan on trying again.
Edit: I can't stop carving! Here are more stamps!
Casey - i'm giggling at the story of batboy-second-cousin-twice-removed-by-marriage-to-oyster boy who born in a pool of red wine. He definitely looks up for many nefarious adventures :) Thanks for sharing with the team, Love your painted page - so vibrant...fun to see the original in a post below.
ReplyAre you kidding? This little batboy is so endearing! I hope you don't have a trademark on it, because I have more carvings to make, you know...
ReplyBatboy is great! But you're right, wine and x-acto are not a good match LOL
ReplyI think painting on the photo sounds interesting - I hope we get to see more as you experiment with it.
Love Batboy!
ReplyI have a numb spot on my finger from the great first linoleum carving in adulthood Christmas card making with a glass of wine fiasco of 1999. It wasn't a total fiasco, I liked the cards...
Love batboy, what a great name, you could start a whole range. Your paintings great to, love the colours. Thanks for visiting my blog.
ReplyHi Casey,
Replymaybe you are not such a CUTE girl, that you cannot carve cute stamps LOL!!! You can buy cute stamps anywhere, but where do you find a real, authentic Batboy?? Nowhere! You you did the right thing girl! (Loved the rabbit post too, being not quite your style...)
ThanX for sharing, I enjoyed watching and reading,
Hedwig
Batboy is great, he's got character, so he doesn't have to be cute! And I love the colors on your photo painting! Thanks for visiting my blog! :)
ReplyBatboy came out pretty nicely!!! Very quirky and fun!
ReplyI heart Bat Boy!
Reply(It's my understanding that gin goes much better with exacto use...)
Laurie
Hey, batboys like sugarplums and lollipops too! He's so cute. Cutest batboy I've ever seen, in fact :)
ReplyI love bat boy & I think kids would live him too! He's irresistible!
Reply...but you welcomed him heartily and let him stand on your page. Nice. Love bright colours on your painting.
ReplyBatboy has such character, an original...he looks as though he has many a great adventures in him!
ReplyThe self portrait sounds like a fun technique, may have to give it a go myself - thanks.
Thanks for a great story, and creating a cool image. -Kim
ReplyI think batboy can crossover making both kids and adults smile!! Your story with the wine was too funny! Great painting - don't you just hate when the paint won't do what you want? Guess that's what trial and error is about... learning new techniques and overcoming new challenges. Keep up the good work!
ReplyI just love bat boy - I see a whole series coming...
ReplyI love this little stamp. Batboy is so darling :)
ReplyI *heart* batboy. He would make an excellent stuffie!
ReplyWhen you referred to batboy on your later post (I had flown through this one earlier) I was imagining the batboy who occasionally appears on the cover of supermarket tabloids http://sweasel.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/batboy.jpg
ReplyYours is WAAAAY cuter - although this guy might an interesting stamp as well.
by the way, you have an exceptionally beautifully desgined blog.
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