Life is Better with ART in it by Charmane Koch

 Love my title? Life is definitely better with ART in it! Especially these days! It definitely has helped me through tough times! Nothing better than some "Art Therapy"!

Looking at ART makes me happy too! I am loving the Street Art around Adelaide that I have been seeing as we explore our own city!

Today I am sharing with you a layout that I have been slowly creating over the last few weeks...

I wanted to create a similar feel to the actual photo of Street Art that I happened to find while walking past a backstreet in Adelaide!

I started off by colouring White Gesso with Rainforest Colour Spray, I have then used the Drifting Leaves stencil around the 4 corners of the White Cardstock. With the left over Gesso I have smeared with a palette knife lightly over the rest of the page. I have then dried using a Heat Gun.

Next I have then used a palette knife to stencil the Rose Reveal Stencil with White Gesso...

I've waited for that to dry naturally {or I was too busy and couldn't continue!}

Meanwhile I have torn some cardboard from a box and painted with Gesso to use as a backing to my photo.

After that I have decided to use the Brickwork from the Pavement Stencil in the middle of my page to create the similar brickwork on the wall. I've used White Gesso again & dried with a Heat Gun.

Once everything has dried I have slowly coloured the Rose Reveal Stencil using Apple of My Eye & Blush Mica powders with a splash of water. I have also used Leather Mica Powder to colour the brickwork. This has been done in layers until I was satisfied with the colours.

I also stamped using the script on the Bokeh stamp lightly over the top in places on my layout to create a "graffiti" effect like on the door of the photo.

I have doodled around the edges of the stencilled background, so that the images are highlighted a bit more.

I have layered the photo using the cardboard, I coloured part with the left over Apple of my Eye Mica powder.

I have then added a swirl of kitchen string and flowers to add extra interest. And of course a Charms Creations Heart to match.

Thanks for popping by, I hope I have inspired you to create your own background using a stencil or two ;)

XO Charm