Mah Jong ATC

This is an ATC (Artist Trading Card) that I made for an exchange that the Surface Design group organized. The background was actually a piece that I made in the previous open studio get together. I've been trying for quite some time to get a particular effect using paper in which I have not been successful in achieving. If you follow my blog, you will know what I'm referring to. It was, once again, a Quilting Art article. I started off with canvas that I gesso'd and painted. Then added torn papers, Sudoku, in this case and then laid distressed cheese cloth over it. Dried it with a heat gun...because I'm very impatient and then added more paint. I didn't like the piece and it sat in the corner of my studio for months but when I broke it down into smaller sections, I ended up liking it much better. It's very ironic how I had trouble doing ATC's in the beginning because of how small they are and now I'm quite happy to break it down into a manageable piece. At least mentally breaking it down. The Lapis beads were purchased when I was on vacation in Turkey and they seemed to be the only beads I had that matched the blue denim paint. And I have a lot of beads....a LOT!!