Longing To Be Free

Today I was playing with layers - lots and lots of them! I started out trying to do a Monoprint over collage, but I got impatient [for those who know me, that is nothing new] and ended up tearing one of the heart sections. Which you can't see now because it got covered with the large butterfly wing. Though I do like the effect the pealing away of masking tape created over the woman's face. Torn, and tattered and yet trapped in her heart frame no way to escape.

So I added more layers of Gesso, gel medium, cut a moth in two, and fiddled a wee bit more. I thought I was done, until I realized that I didn't have any stamped images on the card and my whole reason for starting it was to use it for another swap I'm in titled "Layered Collage with Stamping". SO at the last minute I found one of the smallest stamps I had and inked it in red on white sketch paper, and snuck it in the corner. Can you see it?

What I like about this piece, is the fact that some of the collage layers underneath are still visible through all the acrylic paint, Gesso, etc. Can you find the heart and the 70's smiley face???

For those who may be interested in what a Monoprint is.... You mask off an area of your paper, card, or whatever, using masking tape. Cut out the tape however you want. I did hearts for this ATC. Then find an acetate sheet to paint on. I used one that came with my sheet of inkadinkadoo stamps. The acrylic paint washes off with water when you're done. Paint your colors/design directly onto the acetate then lay your piece of paper on top. using a roller, press along the back of the paper [or inthis case, collage] until you think you have it coated enough. Then peal the two pieces apart. Let it dry, then peal away the masking tape and you can see the images underneath.

I will do another one soon to show how to correctly do it. I will try my best not to get impatient.