Wednesday 27 June 2012

great great grandad's done it again

So I was rummaging around in the loft to see what else I could find in my Great great gramps's stuff, last time was a vampire heart, this time I find a whole skull (might be able to reconstruct someone at this rate). There is very little info on this trophy skull, just another reference number, I will hopefully find his journal one day.
It looks old, to early to tell if its a real skull dipped in metal or just a head hunting trophy.It looks to have been enameled at some stage in its life but the finish is almost completely gone, It must have been important as he has had it mounted, I can just imagine it sitting on his desk in his drawing room.

This has been done for a couple of challenges. Over at Simon Says Stamp And Show where the challenge is  Depth of Distress.If this was my skull I would feel pretty distressed.

Im also entering this into the Haunted Design House, their challenge is Strange Brew. there is a whole list of Ingredients that need to be used to create your piece. I am probably stretching the intentions of the challenge but lets see ;)
first there needs to be two layers, Base and then the skull.then there is one main image, the skull :) some metal bits, thats easy, the corners. Drops of black pearls,  they are the brads holding the corners on, you can just see them in the first pic.a bit of ribbon or trim,  thats the black stuff, finally there is one punched element, sadly my vagabond has not come back from sizzix, it went bang last week.  so hopefully I will be let of for that indiscretion.

Im also entering for the first time at Art With No Boundaries their challenge is anything goes, they also have a bonus round of Performing Arts.
maybe this will count as both entries as it may be a movie prop from an Indiana Jones film.

I bought this skull from ebay, its moulded from a real skull apparently. I used the tim Holtz enamal effect and one of Andy Skinners rust techniques for the skull, the base was a box picture fram turned over, covered with velvet paper and some Tim Holtz embeleshments.

Im also putting this into Incy Wincy Designs Challeng, their challenge is anything goes,
and the Frilly and Funkie Challenge Blog, their challenge is show some texture and use some Material.(the velvet mount and ribbon should have the material covered, Hopefully)

Thanks for stopping by and having a look.
mark

33 comments:

  1. Oh wow...your great great grandad actually may have a whole person tucked away somewhere...only in bits and pieces! haha Your skull is really cool. Definitely has the Andy Skinner touch! Love it! Love the "pedestal" you have your skull sitting on also. Bright...and very inventive use of the pedestal feet!! Looks great! Thanks for sharing your art with us at Simon Says Stamp and Show. <3 Candy

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  2. Another Fabulous creation! I love the story behind your finds, hopefully you will find that journal soon :)

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  3. Ack! This is impressive to say the least! I loves me some skullduggery! Fabulous finish on that skull and the display base is perfect! I am enjoying the use of numbers to give the hopes of more treasures to come. I appreciate your attempt to adhere to our recipe as closely as possible. Perfect! Thanks for playing in the dungeon with us this week at HDH!

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  4. wow this is a fab effect ....love the effect you have created! trace x

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  5. ...oh Mark this is just AWESOME...you are so talented & your mind is bursting with creativity! I can see you designing pieces for movie sets or the theatre in the future...superb inventiveness, I loVe this skull...Mel :)

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  6. I agree with Mel above, but do wonder what is going to come out of that attic in the future! Love your Grandad stories too. You have done an amazing job on the skull.........Anne x

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  7. Excellent take on the challenge. I shall have to have a wee look at the Andy Skinner stuff as I love the techniques and would love to be able to achieve these results. Thanks for playing along with Macabre Monday again this week. ;p

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  8. So cool, your skull looks fabulous.

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  9. This is a stunner! I love the effects on the skull - the turquoise color and the rust. Fantastic!

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  10. Love Love Love this piece! I'd be interested in finding out what the chinese symbol means and the number 57...maybe we'll find the answers in your Great Granpa's journal when you locate it.

    Carol (Carol's Creations)
    4evercarolscreations.blogspot.com

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  11. Awesome skull and brilliant display you have created for it! A Powerful piece indeed! Like the others, I cannot wait to see what else may come out of that attic. Your great great grandad sounds like he was quite a character! I do hope you find his journal one of these days. I am now a Skinner fan. Have you taken any of his classes?

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  12. It screems (:o)I have to take a search. The skullhead fits perfect the top of my cabinet. Nice idea to welcome visitors*lol*

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  13. OK, so color me confused....great grand dad's or ebay? lol I hoping for ebay! lol Very interesting work here, I love seeing what a man creates! waving hi from the hills of North Carolina :)

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    1. lol, forgot to say he also time travels and sells stuff ;)

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  14. Fabulous Unique take on the challenge...... Love it! Thanks for sharing with us at Haunted Design House this week :)

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  15. ha, ha, loved the story about your great great gramp! i wonder what you will find/buy next!
    thanks for sharing!
    hugs,
    peggy aplSEEDS

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  16. This is great! LOVE the bit about maybe being on an Indiana Jones set! LOL--it could be, too! And it would be important! Fabulous creation! :)

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  17. Hi, once again you have me, gaping at this marvelous piece of art ... eh, family heirloom, whatever. It's absolutely stunning and I love the stories you're telling of your famous (I have the feeling he MUST be/have been very famous *g*) ancestor ;-) I hope you'll keep up with them.
    Suzanne x

    yes, hand is okay, thanks, wasn't that bad at all ... been busy doing a little book project and neglected my commenting on my favorite blogs ... :(

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  18. wonder what else is up that loft then!fab skull and hope your vagabond arrives soon
    Allisonx

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  19. This is about as cool as it gets. Love that you attempted the recipe. thanks so much for sharing with the Minions at HDH. xxD

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  20. Thank you for entering this into our challenge at Art With No Boundaries. I love it!!! Although I was thinking more Shakespeare's Hamlet. Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him. LOL
    Paula DT

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    1. lol, yeah Shakespeare would work ;) my mind goes to trash first and then the classics ;) lol

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  21. Gotta admit, it's the first skull I've seen on anyone's desk! What was great-grandpa into?? Well, we share the same blog background, so we are kindred spirits on some level. You weren't sure what my artwork was about. I think it was a zentangle I was working on. Fun stuff!
    Have a great week snooping at desks!
    Lisa
    #45

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  22. Hi Mark, welcome to the Frilly and Funkie challenge. I must say, you give new meaning to vintage! And what an interesting way to use the TH enamel technique. Thanks for sharing your art with your very cool twist on the texture and material challenge at Frilly and Funkie this time around!

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  23. Hey Mark. Your Granddad is sooo cool. Time-traveling relatives are the best!!! Really great creation! When I read the challenge rules, I immediately thought, "wonder what Mark is going to do with this one!" And you did not disappoint me! Wow! So much creativity you have in your own skull (the one attached to your body not the one on the box here - LOL). Fabulous story and creation. I went cute for the challenge - but the girls on my card would flip over your skull!!!

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  24. Fantastic project Mark, and a fabulous take on the texture challenge ! Thanks for sharing your work with us at Frilly and Funkie. Sue C x

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  25. Your children must be the most enthralled kids at bedtime with the stories of your revered ancestor. Loving the interpretation of the recipe. Thank you for sharing your artistry with us once more at MM @ HDH

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  26. Well this is a very unique and interesting project! Love all the texture and the story behind your creation! Thank you for joining us at Frilly and Funkie!

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  27. Oh Wow, this is a fantastic project, I love your idea that it could be a prop from an old Indianan Jones move, how very imaginative. Thank you for sharing this with us on Art With No Boundaries. It was fun to come and see this.
    :) Chris / CS Designs

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  28. Congrats again ... doesn't that get boring? LOL
    Suzanne x

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  29. Mark, your skull is...interseting,.. unique,.. WOW!
    Hugs from Slovenia!

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