KIM COLLISTER STUDIO: THE 2017 TOMBSTONE HALLOWEEN SWAP IS HERE!

Friday, August 4, 2017

THE 2017 TOMBSTONE HALLOWEEN SWAP IS HERE!

EeeeeeK! The 2017 Tombstone Swap is here! I look forward to this awesome Halloween ATC ART Swap every year, so for my post as a Design Team member for Retro Cafe Art Gallery for August is of course going to be my Tombstones. I am hoping to inspire you to join us in some Ghoulish fun!
All you need to do is to order your Tombstones from Retro Cafe Art Gallery link at the end of this post and get started. You will receive some fabulous Tombstones from other participants and can start growing your collection for Halloween! You will wonder why it took you so long.
These four will be also be included in this years swap.

No.1 Tombstone - Playful Spirits:

When the apoxie sculpt was still damp, I did a stencil press and then embedded my eye ball and a couple spiders that I actually cut from one of the paper stencils. I also pressed in my skull that was first painted and then took a little more clay and smoothed around it. Once this was dry I washed in a little white acrylic to fill in the cracks and edges trying to keep the concrete look and added some Copper Acrylic Metallic paint to the spiders. Then I glued on the lid of a casket to the back side after painting it and then glued one of the Dia Los Muertos Wooden Cats to it. Next, I added some Halloween words and one of the masonite Zombie hands and glued it on my stand.

No.2 Tombstone - Vampires

After adding apoxie sculpt to my tombstone and pressing in my bat stencil, I added some white to my tombstone when it was thoroughly dry (I usually just use my fingers lightly rubbing it on and wiping it off to get the look I want) and painted the raised bats. Next I added a coffin lid to the back side and glued it in place after painting it black and edging the sides with a metallic copper paint. I used one of the images from my Halloween stash and added some packaging board to the back of it and cut it out to give it more stability.

Then I glued it to the front of the coffin and added a Halloween word. (You will find the packaging boards in most of the die cuts you order from Retro.) I never throw these out because they are perfect for backing images. Next, I painted my wings red and added two of the bat cut outs to the top of each wing. Lastly, I added one of the Dia De los Muertos Wood Cats to the front of the tombstone and the stand.

No.3 Tombstone - Wicked Gravestones

On this one I did the same thing, adding the Aves Apoxie Sculpt and a stencil. However on this one, I added a brass Cherub decoration and pressed it into the clay as well as one of the little skull beads. Once my clay was dry, I painted over it with some white gesso and then gray paint which made it look like it was carved into the headstone. Then I added some white for a little distressing on the tombstone. Next I painted one of the larger skulls and glued it to the backside as if it was peeking around the tombstone. I glued one of the Dia De Los Muertos Cats to the top and also to the skull for more stability. Lastly, I added one of the scroll words, "Wicked" after painting it and one of the Halloween words "Gravestones" to the stand.

No.4 Tombstone - Shadows

I did the same thing on this one with the Aves Apoxie Sculpt and pressed the stencil and then added some of the little skull beads pressing them into the clay. I also added a little metal leaf stem and pressed it into the clay leaving it there to show through. To the top of the tombstone, I added a metal jewelry skull charm. I pressed it into the clay and once it was all dry, I painted the face with gesso and white paint. Then I used Rust and Patina paste to age the texture the crown. Lastly, I added another one of the adorable Dia De Los Muertos wood cats to the

front,added my wings to the back side after painting them and finished it up with one of the Halloween words, "Shadows".

I hope you have enjoyed the process I used making my Tombstones. Here is the link to get signed up for the swap. There are many ways to decorate your Tombstones, your imagination will take you there - CLICK HERE!

Oh my and did I mention, they glow in the dark?