Wednesday, March 21, 2018

good friday triptych

Hi everyone, today I am on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog sharing this special piece.
I can't quite believe that Easter is almost here. I know that many people celebrate in various ways; my family is very traditional. We attend religious services during holy week, including the sacred triduum. One of the most powerful services, for me, is on Good Friday. I have created this triptych to honor the sacrifice that took place on that day.



I began with Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts arch top triptych. This consists of 6 pieces, 3 solid backs and 3 decorative open fronts. I want the piece to have the look of an antique icon; many of the ones I have seen are gilded with undertones of red.
In order to achieve this look, I first paint the pieces with Distress Paint in candied apple.
Once the paint is dry, I coat the front panels with embossing ink and sprinkle it with ancient amber Baked Texture embossing powder. Baked Texture is a collaboration between artist, Seth Apter and Emerald Creek Craft Supplies, and I love the finishes it creates. I use a heat gun to melt the powder.
I search the internet and find the perfect image to put into my piece. I download The Crucifixion with the Virgin, Saint John, Saint Jerome, and Saint Mary Magdalene from useum.org. The image is perfect for my project and also free of copyrights.
 
I print the image three times and cut each section to fit on its respective panel. The right and left side images are slightly narrower than their openings. I extend each side image by painting along the right and left edges with Distress Paint in tarnished brass and set aside to dry. While this is drying, I align and attach hinges to the three panels. Although the hinges have mini screws that can be used for attachment, these will be sandwiched between the front and back panels so I use collage medium to hold them in place. I allow the adhesive to dry completely.
I would like the back sides  of the triptych to look aged and somewhat decorative. Using a Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz gothic stencil, I apply embossing ink through the stencil onto the painted back side and sprinkle with more Ancient Amber Baked Texture and heat emboss to the desired finish. This same procedure is completed on each of the three panels. I die cut a bible verse and edge the piece with the Ancient Amber as well. This is adhered to the bottom area of the middle panel and allowed to dry overnight. 
 Each image adhered to their respective panels is coated with a generous  layer of Distress Collage Medium Crazing. When dry, this creates a cracked appearance typical of an old painting. 
The last step is adhering the top frames to each panel. I use collage medium on the underside of each frame and put it into place. Each frame is weighted down to ensure it remains flat until it is completely dry. 
Once dry the triptych is ready for display.



Wishing everyone a blessed Easter!
 May the coming spring inspire you to create something wonderful! 
~Ann

8 comments:

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Absolutely gorgeous, beautiful imagery . Love the embossing. Tracy ❤️

ann barnes said...

Thank you Tracy, this piece was dear to my heart and your words mean so much to me. xo

Jackie PN said...

This is absolutely exquisite Ann!
Your images and the way you decorated these pieces is so beautiful, the red, crackle, stencil choice and embossing... If I did not know better, I would think this was a vintage triptych that was handed down.
I can truly see the love you created with in this piece Ann. Thank you so much for sharing this.
May you and your family have a blessed Easter-tide.
hugs,Jackie

I also love the new look of your blog!

ann barnes said...

Thank you Jackie, for taking the time to visit the blog and for your continued support of my work, that means so much to me! I loved making this piece and was hoping to create something that looks like and old heirloom, so your comments were especially humbling. I am enjoying being able to share pieces of my art on the blog and am so happy that you like it! hugs to you! xo

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Stunning and thought provoking....I feel like I'm in an Italian ancient church looking at this...just gorgeous! Happy Resurrection Day to you and yours!

ann barnes said...

Thank you so much for visiting and your wonderful comment, made my day! I hope that you have a blessed easter!

sarascloset said...

This does look like an old family heirloom, and your family is so blessed to have it now. May it ever be a reminder of God's greatest sacrifice and His Grace. Oh, yes, Good Friday gives me pause; I am forever changed when I learned that Jesus so willingly sacrificed His life by such horrific torture for the redemption of ALL of our sins. He IS RISEN!

ann barnes said...

It truly is wondrous how much His sacrifice means. Thanks for taking time to visit, I am so happy that you liked my triptych. blessings to you ~Ann