Tropical Winged Torso
From the Designer: "I've had this papier-mach torso with wood accents lying around for more years than I can remember. I've painted her up with spray paints and stencils, embellished with handmade resin tropical flair and WINGS! I'm so happy with how this turned out! She is a beautiful addition to my creative workspace."
Time to CompleteWeekend project
Primary TechniqueMixed Media
Project TypeMake a Project
Materials List
- Scrapbook Adhesives Dodz
- Tonic Studios 5" Mini Snips Scissors
- Tonic Nuvo Embellishment Mousse - Powder Blue
- Rust-oleum Varathane Polyurethance - Carbon Grey
- Rust-oleum Gloss Protective Enamel - Rich Jade
- Rust-oleum Ultra Cover Paint + Primer - Satin Ink Blue
- Testors CreateFX Enamel Paint Marker - Grime
- Testors CreateFX Acrylic Wash - Black Wash
- Amazing Mold Putty - Alumilite Corp.
- Amazing Casting Resin - Alumilite Corp.
- Alumidust - Ocean Blue
- Steel Wire
- Mod Podge Matte
- Paint Brush
- Plastic Wrap
- Stencils - StencilGirl Products L213, S126
- recycled costume jewelry, gems, and findings
Instructions
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I added some color to the wood accents on the papier mach torso. I used Carbon Gray Varathane Wood Stain - its easy to apply and dries quick. I have never seen or used a gray stain... I love this color and the color it achieved. Some areas didnt take the stain too well and looked a bit spotchy {most likely due to wood glue in the composite shape}, so I added a little more color with a white-wash from a paint pen, then brushing over with a grey acrylic glaze. Set aside to dry. Now the finish is beautiful!
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Gather ready to use embellishments to paint or create your own. I created several molds using Amazing Mold Putty: an Art Deco style vintage mirror, a hand-carved polymer clay palm leaf, and some interesting shaped shells; then cast using Ocean Blue Alumidust colorant and Amazing Casting Resin. Ive brushed coloring into the molds and also into prepared resin to give pale blue blanks with a metallic blue surface. The overpour {flashing} tears away easy while resin is still soft and any remaining is trimmed away using Tonic scissors, then smoothed edges with an emory board. I brush the high points with Tonic Nuvo Embellishment Mousse to give shine and brightness to the resin pieces with a nice pearly pale blue.
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Take some plastic wrap to cover the wooden parts to protect from the fun part... spray painting! I painted on a layer of Mod Podge Matte finish to seal the papier mach torso in preparation to accept the layers of spray paint. Apply bright gloss green and a bright blue, sprayed by alternating colors in no particular pattern. Let dry for a couple minutes between layers.
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With nice base layer achieved, I continued to adding spraying varying between two stencils. The resulting shapes are organic and look like shadows peeking through palm branches at night. I also sprayed the backside of my resin pieces to match torso.
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I crossed the mirror shapes into an X shape, then wrapped with wire several times to form wings, then secured around the torso by wrapping with more wire. I brushed a little of the spray paint onto the wire to blend it in to the background torso pattern. I decided to leave off the other two shell pieces I prepared... in this case less is MORE! I finished off by adding a section of recycled gems from old costume jewelry and Scrapbook Adhesives Dodz around the neck. I dangled the resin palm leaf and a faceted gem using a large jump ring and this tropical beauty is complete!