The February challenge encouraged you to enter with a Steampunk theme. Claire from Powertex UK wrote a poem to inspire you and Powertex tutors had plenty of ideas to get you crafting.
There are over 70 photos in The Powertex Studio for the Monthly Challenge and you can see all the entries, including some from Powertex tutors, in the February album.
Powertex art by Secretly Enchanted Powertex
“Wise old owl; his lucks come in Lucky sixpence gets him a win! Steampunk funk the cogs just spin My heart is black but full within”
Claire Ivins
The winner of the prize from Powertex UK this month is Jenny Shepherd with her fabulous mixed media art. Jenny has layered lots of details and mixed media embellishments in her art while following the theme.
The entries ranged from glorious hats to fabulous mixed media art. Here’s the entries from Powertex Addicts.
Animal projects
Animals are always a popular make and these entries from Alison and Chris are amazing!
Top Hats
These hats from Michael and Rita are brilliant ideas for the challenge.
Great clock creations
Clocks are a popular choice for a steampunk theme, like these from Sarah, Kelly and Trinity, who added hers to a hat! Clock parts are a great way to put a steampunk twist on your mixed media creations.
Mixed media
These mixed media art pieces are by Julia, Sue, Audrey and a great piece posted by David for his wife. These creations have some fabulous details using cogs and gears and metal textures. These are brilliant examples of mixed media layering.
Thank you so much for all your entries and congratulations to Jenny for her winning Powertex art. The next challenge will be posted on Facebook on the 5th March. We hope you’ll join us. Remember there’s a prize for a UK entry. You can find all the in The Powertex Studio Announcements and here in the magazine.
When I first opened the Secret Art Box February, I was amazed to discover all the fantastic goodies inside and I couldn’t wait to start creating. As I was deciding what to make I came across some chipboard words ‘Discover, Create, and Share’. They seemed to fit the bill perfectly, so I used them on my canvas, and now I would like to share my creation, and how I made it, with you.
Take the large heart from the Feb Box, use Easy Structure through stencils, and do the same with two smaller hearts.
Step 2:
Once dry paint the large heart with Bronze Powertex and the two smaller with White Powertex from the box.
Step 2
Step 3:
On a 10in, x 8in canvas panel spread structure paste through stencils and spread white Powertex thickly using a spatula in some of the blank areas.
Step 3
Step 4:
Before the Powertex dries, spray the canvas with Blue Bister and Aqua mixed media ink, to encourage cracks to form.
Top Tip: Use an old packaging box as a spray booth to avoid everything on your table from getting covered in ink.
Step 4
Step 5:
Paint the cogs from the MDF sheet with Bronze Powertex, then sprinkle with sand and 3d balls and another coat of bronze Powertex to give texture.
Step 5
Step 6:
Highlight with Copper Penny acrylic paint, Aqua media ink, applied with a brush and Colortricx clear gold pigment mixed with Easy Varnish.
Step 6
Step 7:
Start to layer the hearts, MDF cogs and chipboard pieces using the off cut MDF from the box underneath to support the layers.
Step 7
Step 8:
Paint the chipboard words with White Powertex, then spray with Acrylic Inks in Aqua and Violet.
Step 8
Step 9:
Spray Brown Bister under hearts and cogs to add depth. Then highlight all over using Acrylic Inks –Aqua and Violet and Copper Penny and Silver Sixpence metallic paints.
Step 9
Hint: Don’t just think you have to use the Acrylic Ink Sprays as a spray; I very often spray them onto my glass mat and apply with a brush, for more controlled colour placement.
There is so much in these Secret Art Boxes, I was able to use other pieces from this month’s Art box to create this journal cover, and there is still plenty left for more projects.
Powertex Journal by Suzanne Tarburton
I hope I’ve inspired you to ‘Discover, Create and Share’ all your Powertex Projects and perhaps inspired you further to order next month’s Secret Art Box. Why not join us over on Facebook at The Powertex Studio group. We love to see your makes and it is a great place to get some inspiration or ask questions.
I am a certified Powertex Tutor, if you would like to find out more about my art, and me you can check out my Facebook page Crafting with Love and Fairy Dust. You can also see more projects using the Secret Art box here in the magazine.
The Powertex UK Secret Art Box is also available from uOpen subscription boxes. It’s a great way to sign up and a gift option is available too. Plus, they have a Valentine’s sale on until 16th February 2020 so you can get 10% off.
Powertex Art from Secret Art Box by Suzanne Tarburton
Have you noticed a theme appearing this month! Alice in Wonderland is a popular theme with crafters everywhere. From the white rabbit to the mad hatter everyone has a favourite in Wonderland.
Powertex hat by Tracey Evans
This Powertex hat by Tracey from Powertex UK uses an mdf shape, Stone Art clay, printed rice paper and then coloured using the Secret Art Loft paints from the Powertex UK range.
To enter the challenge, create your own Wonderland inspired project and add it to the photo album. You can find all the details in the group announcements or here in the magazine. Here’s some Alice inspired Powertex creations from the design teams.
How about a journal cover to show off your Wonderland embellishments? Anna uses Easy Structure through the Wonderland stencil for texture.
Powertex Wonderland Journal by Anna Emelia Howlett
Use mdf shapes to add a Cheshire cat smile like this character by Annette Smyth.
Powertex Cheshire Cat by Annette Smyth
Pocket watch by Fi Potter
Decorate a hat, make a rabbit sculpture, pocket watch or create your own Powertex tea party! What will you create?
The Alice Collection
You can browse The Alice Collection on Powertex UK if you’re looking for supplies. Join us on Facebook to see more Alice inspired Powertex art and to enter into the challenge.
The December Secret Art Box had an Egyptian theme and there was a limited edition Fresh Mint colour Powertex too! Other materials included: Large stencil, Printed rice paper, Scarab mould, 3D Sand, Varnish, Bronze Gold Colortricx pigment. In my Egyptian art I wanted to use the Eye of Horus as the focal point as this is one of my favourite symbols.
Prime the MDF base with the gorgeous Fresh Mint Powertex Universal Medium. Create background texture with Easy Structure through the hieroglyphs stencil.
Prepare the background
TOP TIP: While this dries, make your scarab piece with Stone Art clay. Mix up your clay 50/50 Powertex and Stone Art powder and press into the mould. Remove immediately and leave to dry.
Step 2
When structure paste is dry, brush over with Powertex and assemble the pieces using Powertex as your glue. Use the printed letters on the mdf as a guide.
Coat and glue with Powertex
Step 3
Mix 3D sand from the box into some Fresh Mint Powertex until you have a textured paste. Apply to the surface using your fingers and fix into place.
TOP TIP: You can fit the triangle in place before adding the sand paste.
Mix Powertex and 3D sand for texture
Step 4
Add scraps of fabric coated with Powertex to the surface. Coat your chosen clay and mdf embellishments with Powertex and lay them out. Glue into place with Powertex.
Adhere mdf and clay embellishments
Step 5
When dry, spray with Palm green acrylic ink spray from the box. Leave to dry and repeat if needed.
Spray with Palm ink
Step 6
Spray the base with Bister to “age” the surface. I used Yellow but you can use Brown Bister for this.
Age with Bister
Step 7
Leave to dry and wipe away with a cloth, any excess Bister and ink from the surface to keep the aged look.
Step 8
Add colours to highlight your embellishments. I used Blueberry Pie acrylic paint to darken some elements and painted on some more Bister to darken the triangle shape.
Bronze Gold pigment mixed with Easy Varnish makes a gorgeous metallic paint to add highlights to the Scarab and the sand textures.
Add colour with paint and pigments
Step 9
I was struggling to get contrast at the centre of the triangle so I tried using Fresh Mint Powertex to colour the central piece instead. I liked the result but took it a step further.
Try to find contrast
Eventually I chose to cut a circle of card and harden it with Fresh Mint Powertex. I was unable to remove the Eye of Horus piece from the centre but I had another in my stash so I used this, painted with Bronze Gold Colortricx mixed with Easy Varnish. I layered these in the centre.
Finishing touches
Brush Fresh Mint Powertex for highlights on the embellishments. I wanted the circle to look like it was illuminating these parts.
I hope you like my Egyptian art. There were so many gorgeous elements in the box it was hard not to throw them all in! If you like the look of the Egyptian Secret Art Box you might be lucky to get one of these limited edition boxes on the Powertex UK Website.
You can also find more projects using the Secret Art Box on the magazine.
Whatever you’re making with your Powertex supplies, we love to see, so join us in the Powertex Studio on Facebook.
This month’s Egyptian Secret Art Box is a stunner! The theme, inspired by Tracey’s visit to the Tutankhamen exhibition is all things Egyptian and amongst the fabulous goodies, a brand new colour of Powertex, a gorgeous mint green.
Powertex Universal Medium in White and Yellow Ochre
Pigments in Bronze gold, Blue Curcao and Ultramarine
Powertex UK Secret Art Box December 2019
How to make my Egyptian art
Step 1
The new shape of MDF panel, lent itself so much to the theme and screams pyramid, so I used the fabulous hieroglyphics stencil and added texture to the top of the panel with EasyStructure paste. I also added a coating of Easy Structure across the pyramid and marked it with a palette knife like blocks. Once dry, I laid out my composition of the MDF pieces, I’d cast a plaster piece of the new scarab mould and also used the Nefertiti bust as a focal point.
Step 2
Then using the brand new mint colour Powertex I coated the complete piece, using it to glue all the elements in place. I added some Paperdecoration to the sides and created more texture using the sand included in the box. I mixed it into the Powertex with a palette knife and spread it across the bottom of the canvas. Allow this to dry thoroughly.
Step 3
Once dry, I used the palm leaf acrylic ink spray, included in the box, and liberally sprayed across the whole piece. Don’t panic at this point, it looks a lot of colour, but there’s a long way to go. Again, allowing this to dry thoroughly before starting my favourite process on any Powertex piece, the dry brushing.
Step 4
I initially dry brushed the MDF elements and the plaster pieces with white Powertex and the pyramid in yellow ochre. I then added depth with darker pigments to make the pyramid stand out and used the bronze gold pigment included as well as blue Curacao and ultramarine blue to bring out the highlights on all the plaster pieces and MDF embellishments. Mix pigments with the Varnish.
Finishing touches
My final touch was to dry brush the pyramid with more white Powertex, making sure your brush is really dry so it just highlights the texture and make it stand out…..
This month we were asked to create a piece, inspired by one of our favourite artists. Not an easy task for me as I have quite a few to choose from, Georgia O’keeffe, Vincent Van Gogh, Edvard Munch, to name but a few. Then there are artists who I admire and inspire me such as Anna Emelia Howlett from Rosehart Studio, Kore Sage from Kore Sage Art and to be honest the rest of the design team, decisions, decisions!
Starry, starry night
In the end I chose Vincent Van Gogh as the piece I chose to recreate I have always loved from a child and I also love the song by Don Mclean.
I wanted to push myself and try and recreate Vincent’s famous painting “Starry night”, now it was not going to be a straight paint job, that would be too easy. So, I set about thinking how I could achieve a similar look and others knowing who I was doing.
I started by applying a wash to a medium sized box canvas using the blue pigment powder. A few key elements to my canvas were marked out first.
I decided to use Easy 3D Flex as a texture paste, to create the look I desired. For this, mix together the Easy 3D Flex and some Ivory Powertex into a thick cream like paste. Using a palette knife, I added this to the canvas and used an embossing tool to drag through the Easy 3D texture paste to create a similar look to the famous painting.
I left the canvas to dry.
Applying the paint
Did you know that you can use Powertex pigment powders as a watercolour? especially if a piece is not going outside.
Use the bigger brush to painted the whole canvas with the blue and let it dry. With the detail brush, paint the yellow stars, mixing with a little white for highlights. I painted the bottom piece with the green for the hills and dry brushed white over the texture.
I then added blue and white tiny dash lines in the lower parts of the texture, this took a little while to do but I personally find this therapeutic. Add brown highlights to the centre part of the canvas and dry brush the whole piece with white to finish.
Starry, starry night by Jinny Holt
Are you inspired?
I do hope you enjoy reading the articles of this Powertex online magazine and I do hope that myself and all the DT members inspire you to create with Powertex yourself. If you are inspired by Van Gogh too take a look at Donna’s art too. You can always come say hello over at at THE POWERTEX STUDIO on Facebook, or you can find hours of inspiration here on PINTEREST . You can get all your goodies you need over at POWERTEX.CO.UK.
If you would like to check the latest things I have made, you can also find me on Facebook at MUMS SHED and on Instagram at JINNY HOLT.
This month I was asked to write an article about whose art influences me. As an artist this made me think and question, am I an artist or a crafter? I have been a crafter for many years and have recently crossed the line from crafter to artist in some of my art work.
Colours and nature definitely influence my mixed media art work. I love to blend colours, create texture and experiment with different mediums and Powertex products are perfect for this.
I love the work of Maria Fondler-Grossbaum (Abyssimo). Her work has such great texture and depth to it, blending colours and creating beautiful, bright pieces of art.
People who inspire others to ‘give it a go’ inspire me along with those who have such great enthusiasm about art and craft. Kirsty Allsopp and Marta Lapkowska are people who I enjoy watching and learning from.
I would love to hear who influences you. What has led you to create pieces of art, maybe a photograph or even a piece of music?
Remember you can share your art in the Powertex Studio or have a look for more inspiration here in the magazine.
For a very long time I have wanted a vintage style pram. It goes back to when I had my own babies, living in a flat there was no room for such a majestic pram. So, children long grown up, I decided Powertex gave me the perfect opportunity to use a pram as a base for my Gothic Art.
This involved much searching online sites to find one and I finally did at an amazing cost of £45. It was found in a house clearance, looking a little tired and worn as it would at 50/60 yrs old. It was love at first sight, just to push it to the car to take made me bristle with excitement.
On arrival it was tucked up inside my Powertex storage garage where it silently waited while plans were made. The plans changed many times, the only certainty it was going to be black.
It was going to make it’s debut at The Whitby Gothic Weekend on October 25th-27th where we go twice a year to show our creations, let the work begin.
Sand it all down and give it a coat of gesso, then black Powertex, suddenly it no longer looked sad and tired it began to breath life. I left it for 48hrs to dry out while cutting up of lots of fabric.
Stage 2
Dave, re-upholstered the inside, deep buttoned style in black leather. It was taking on a whole new personality.
Stage 3
Turned upside down I started to apply the fabric cover to the base in long strips leaving it quite wrinkled to give a texture. At the handle end I attached a ceramic baby curled in a leaf, roses and skulls.
Stage 4
Now the sides were a whole different story as I wanted them very ornate and busy. I covered the sides with Powertexed fabric. We started to gather lots of plaster pieces then bedded the pieces into the fabric. In the centre as a focal point I added a plaster face, with wings.
This took a few days to dry out. Then I coated it all with Black Powertex. Flipped it over when it was dry and did the other side to match.
Stage 5
Time to start working on the hood, I coated it all over with black Powertex inside and out. I cut up lots of twine and laid out a spider web pattern, which I then filled in with skulls of different types and faces, adding scrunched up fabric coated with Powertex around them to make sure they were securely fixed. Once more the whole hood was coated with black Powertex.
Stage 6
So excited to reach this stage; Dry Brushing. Keeping it reasonably simple I started with silver Colourtrix, lightly brushing all over to bring out all the texture , it instantly came to life and really needed very little more. To finish off I added touches of dry brushing with white Powertex Universal Medium.
Stage 7
The back of the hood and the apron, they changed many times as they progressed, we wanted them to almost tell a story, of derelict buildings and overgrown trees, we used some MDF pieces for this.
The Hood
So finally it was time to put her all back together and take her out for a photo shoot.
So here she is our much loved Gothic Fantasy Pram who made her debut at Whitby Goth Weekend. She met some amazing people who ooohed and aahhed over her and photographed her from every angle and she even had the pleasure of a delightful baby boy try her out for size.
The Hood
The Apron
Finished Pram
At Whitby
Where do we go from here I asked myself as after finishing
such an intense and exciting project there is always that feeling of anti-climax,
but we have two fabulous projects on the books, so even more exciting times to
come.
See my last project the Dark Dreamcatcher or if you would like to see more of our work head over to our Facebook page Alex Henry. Don’t forget to add your projects onto The Powertex Studio, I would love to see them and you will also find lots of inspiration there.
I love being on the Design team as every so often we get asked to do samples for the Hochanda TV shows. As soon as I saw the goodies I had to play with, I knew what I wanted to do. So this is a step by step of the shrine to Buddha that I created for the latest show.
I started by building up my kit and giving it a coat of the Red Powertex and leaving it to dry, although you could force dry with a hairdryer if desired.
Adding texture with Easy 3d Flex
Step2
I decided to add some texture, one of my favourite products to use is Easy 3d Flex. I added the Easy 3d Flex and patted it down and then rubbed it gently into the Powertex, then left to dry overnight.
Add more texture
Step 3
I had some black glass stones in my stash and decided I would glue them using the Transparent Powertex. The white in the photo is the Transparent that’s not dry.
Stone Art
Step4
I decided to add texture to my Buddha by coating it with Powertex and then pressing in Stone Art powder, to give him an aged feel.
Black and gold Buddha
Step 5
Once the Stone Art powder was dry, I re-painted my Buddha in black Powertex. When dry, dry-brush on some gold and set him in the centre. I used Transparent Powertex to adhere him.
Paperdecoration
Step 6
I used the Paperdecoration, thoroughly soaked in Red Powertex and draped and pulled into pleasing shapes across the boxed canvas.
Step 6
Top Tip
When working with Paperdecoration material, I find it easier to use if I mist water on to it first as it helps to make the edges softer quicker.
Step 7
Once I was happy with how I had laid out the texture, and whilst the Powertex was still wet, I rubbed in some Easy 3d Flex to add even more texture to my piece.
Using Black pigment and Easy Varnish
Step 8
Using Easy varnish mixed with black pigment powder, I painted my piece and then wiped away, to add some depth and to highlight all the texture.
Use mdf shapes
Step 9
In this step I chose a couple of the MDF pieces that came with the pack and decided only on using 2 of them. To these pieces I mixed in a sand texture with Black Powertex and then dry brushed gold over them when completely dry.
Close up of texture
I love the finished piece. These colours are my own favourite colour combination and I also love the theme.
I hope myself and my fellow design team members have left you feeling inspired. Crack open that bottle of Powertex that you keep thinking about opening. Go on, open it and just do it!
Have you been inspired by this shrine to Buddha? Then come and say hello in the THE POWERTEX STUDIO. Don’t be shy to upload any photos of projects you have created too.
You can get all your Powertex goodies at POWERTEX UK. Find Powertex on PINTEREST and INSTAGRAM too. I post all my other creations at MUMS SHED on Facebook and you read about why I love Powertex in this blog.
The Powertex UK mixed media subscription box for October was packed with spooky mdf and embellishments. The sturdy mdf frame was perfect for some gothic mixed media art.
I also used Easy Structure, Red Bister spray and White and Lilac Powercolor but these are totally optional. I added a square of corrugated card packaging, if you have it.
How to make this gothic mixed media art
Prepare your mdf frame
Slot the frame together, paint and glue with Black Powertex
Use the black Powertex Universal Medium to paint and glue your frame together with the raised square in the centre.
Add texture to the frame
Easy Structure textures and Red Bister
Scrape Easy Structure over the outer frame. Dry with a hairdryer before coating with Black Powertex.
TIP: I also sprayed with Red Bister but these steps are optional. You can use any texture you like and the stencil would also be great for this.
Corrugated card texture
Add corrugated card to the centre
I tore a square of cardboard packing for the centre. I used Black Powertex to paint this piece completely and to glue it down.
Add fabric texture
Use Powertex to harden and glue the fabric
Massage some Black Powertex into some of the loose fabric until it’s completely coated but not too wet. Press it into place with Powertex.
Layer mdf pieces
Layer up the mdf pieces
Paint your mdf pieces and embellishments completely with Powertex as you stick them on. Start with larger pieces and add more until your happy with the placement.
Next layer
Keep adding embellishments until your happy
Use a plaster skull as your focal point. I placed it in the centre of the spider’s web. Don’t worry about finger marks as we’ll fix those later!
TOP TIP: If any of your pieces aren’t sticking well, use pieces of kitchen paper in Powertex as a sticky pad to hold them in place.
Small textures
Lastly add small textures
Add small textures for detail. Use Powercotton threads and the medium balls in areas that look a bit empty. Coat everything with Black Powertex and leave to dry.
Adding colour
Dry brushing layers creates lots of depth
For this piece we mix a dry paint using the Easy Varnish and powder pigments. Use a flat paintbrush to dry brush the textures.
TOP TIPS: Put a tiny amount of varnish on a craft mat and use a flat brush to pull some to the side. Dip your brush into the powder and mix this with the varnish. Mix a little at a time.
Start with dark colours first, dragging your brush over the top of the textures. Build up colour in layers and add highlights with the Interference colour or White at the end.
Gothic Mixed Media Art by Kore Sage
Everything you need to make brilliant gothic style mixed media art is in the Secret Art Box this October. I hope you’ll have a go and share your creation in The Powertex Studio Facebook group. Use #powertexaddict on Instagram so we can find you!
Gill’s creation uses the same Powertex UK subscription box and you can find out about the Secret Art Box subscription at Powertex UK.
Until next time, make a little time to let your art out!
