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Sunday 24 July 2016

Songlines



I’m sharing my July tag for Tim Holtz’s 12 Tags of 2016.


In keeping with my challenge to myself to have my tags themed to the month they are made in this one is based on an Aboriginal theme, as this month sees Australia mark NAIDOC Week, which celebrates Aboriginal history, culture and achievements.

The image I used for the watercolour resist technique is The Circle Tracks  by Olwyn Avery, a free colouring page I found.  The image came up so much better when I added in the white dots with my Molotow paint marker, although my dots are nowhere near as well placed as Aboriginal artists.  Tim’s Distress palette worked really well for the image, the earthy tones mimicking the natural ochres used in traditional Aboriginal paintings.  For the background wash I used Gathered Twigs and then spritzed with Ground Espresso and I think it worked very well to represent the bark or wood on which paintings were done.

I was a bit worried about the layered words technique and if I would have any dies that were appropriate.  In the end I did, using ‘Spirits’ from the Halloween Words: Script set as the songlines are the tracks of the ancestral spirits and ‘Life’ and ‘Journey’ from the Adventure Words: Block set as those tracks represent the journey the spirits took in brining life to the land.  Songlines are the theme for this year’s NAIDOC Week.

I’ve added in some Mirrored Stars tinted with Mushroom Alcohol Ink.  I’ve placed these in a Southern Cross formation, the constellation most associated with Australia.  I thought it a good way to embellish my tag as songlines are sometimes mirrored in the sky to help Aboriginal people to navigate across vast distances over land and sea.  To finish my tag I used some plain string in a natural colour to echo the traditional string made by Aborigines from plant fibres.

Right on cue Edna has thrown out an R is for Resist challenge, maybe she too is just a little bit in crafty love with Tim?!  With my watercolour resist technique I am entering my card at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers.  Craft Rocket are looking for projects with spots and/or stripes and I have both in my image so I am also entering my tag there.

Ingredients:
Dies, SVGs & Templates etc
Tim Holtz Alterations Thinlits ~ Adventure Words: Block (660212) & Halloween Words: Script (660957)
Embellishments
Inks & Paints etc
Papers
Arches Paper ~ Smooth Watercolor
Bazzill Smoothie Cardstock ~ Huckleberry Pie
Ribbons & Trims etc
Twine from stash
Stamps & Images
Challenges
Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2016 ~ July
 
Thanks for stopping by!

9 comments:

  1. Love the tag Love the theme Thank you for sharing with Craft Rocket Challenges - Karen DT

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  2. This is lovely, Emily! Thanks for sharing your tag with The Sistahs... And for such an interesting and informative post! Jo x

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  3. Wow Emily! Your tag rocks, and I love all the symbolism you crammed onto it to celebrate NAIDOC Week! Thanks for joining us at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers!

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  4. You don't often see Aboriginal art on cards & tags, but this looks really great and the colours work beautifully.

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  5. Gorgeous tag, Awesome theme and very informative. Thanks for playing along with us at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers for the Resist challenge.

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  6. Fab tag!! Perfect for our R is for Resist challenge!
    Thanks for joining the sisterhood of snarky stampers!

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  7. This is all kinds of brilliant! I love how everything on this one small piece of art ties into your overall theme. And then it's so beautiful, too! Nicely done. Thanks for joining the fun at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers!

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  8. very nice.
    Thank you for joining us at the Craft Rocket challenge.
    Greetings Geesje DT

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  9. Great Tag and wonderful use of the watercolor resist technique. Thanks for playing along with us at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers for our "R" is for Resist challenge!

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Thanks so much for your comments, I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know your thoughts (c: