The Mermaid and the Peacock

This Dover Publications peacock image from this week's Soartful Challenges is the inspiration for this digital collage (click on image for a larger view). The stylized tips of the peacock feathers immediately reminded me of a mermaid's tail. The reclining woman is from the vintage nude site Vintage Pulchritude. The fish scales are from Enchantedgal-Stock at DeviantART. I used Paint Shop Photo to create the collage. There are lots of selections, layering, smudging, erasing, cloning, cutouts and drop shadows. I really got in the zone for this one. When I got done I realized the woman's head, the hand-tinted border and the mermaid tail also formed a fish shape. Speaking of fish I have to get going and head out to the seafood department of the supermarket where I work. Before I go I'm submitting this to two sites where I don't know if they accept digital images. If not, I'm sure they will let me know and I'll withdraw it. Besides Soartful this is for the Netherworld Nymphs Challenge at Haunted Design House.

Fakin' It

This "journal page" (click on the image for a larger view)  was originally for this week's Favorite Flowers theme over at One Powerful Hour but it also fits several other challenge themes. At Mixed Media Monday it's all about "Past Loves". I'm interpreting that rather literally... I like to create pieces that have a Medieval/Renaissance/Victorian look to them. (One seems to emulate the other.) Then over at Gingersnap Creations the Spicy Supply Challenge is still Markers. I used Martha Stewart calligraphy markers from a set I found at Walmart. Yes, I admit it. At Theme Thursday the challenge this week is "Words". I definitely used several of them. Some in Latin no less. At Illustration Friday the theme is "Artificial". (I don't think there is a static link. If there is, someone correct me please.) This is the 13th page of a non-existent botanical journal and it's artificially aged. However the pressed flowers are real. Quite a paradox. Last but not least I'm taking "The Scenic Route" at Lots to Do. Lolly-gagging on an imaginary country lane picking wildflowers is certainly not traveling the straight and narrow path. Except for pressing the flowers, this probably took under an hour. I used fake parchment paper. Placed the flowers. Drew some pencil guidelines for the calligraphy. Moved the flowers aside. Wrote the calligraphy with the brown, red and black markers. Tore and creased the paper. Used a Tim Holtz "Linen" Distress Ink pad to "age" the paper. Glued the flowers down and that was it! I did scan the finished piece with black cardstock behind it to bring out the tearing and creasing.

P.S. Wednesday August 4, 2010 Fakin' It is in the Favorite Flowers Sampler at One Powerful Hour! Thanks!

P.S. Tuesday August 10, 2010 Fakin' It was awarded a Ginger Gem badge from Gingersnap Creations! The badge is proudly displayed in the right sidebar. Thank you! Wow... I have to get to work on a challenge!