I'm travelling into a new way of working, a new country, a new language, and a new hobby which I'm passionate about. Come with me for some of the journey...

Sunday 23 September 2012

Train Track Triptych

Hello all, happy Sunday to you!  Thanks so much for stopping by today... especially if you've done it twice - this is the second post of the day (the other's here)!

I've a triptych to share with you this time, inspired by the wonderful Artistic Outpost SteamPunk stamp set, with the emphasis on the Steam!  For work, I sometimes live in Stratford upon Avon and every Sunday during the summer, a traditional steam train sets off from the station there for enthusiasts to take a ride into the steamy mists of nostalgia.

I've been down to see it depart a couple of times (including taking my young niece and nephew), but even from my tiny little courtyard garden, I could always hear it chuff chuffing away, and then the oh-so-evocative whistle as it picked up speed.  It's one of the most romantic sounds, the sound of escape and travelling; the American train whistle does it too, calling you to vast landscapes and wider horizons.  So this is a triptych tribute to the "Golden Age of Steam".

First a front and back...




On the front you get a traditional vintage scene, and on the back a much more fragmented, abstract view of the steam locomotives, with tissue tape 'train tracks' cutting right through it.  




The Artistic Outpost stamps are delicious.  First I stamped some lovely circles from the Whimsical Melange set onto white paper.  

Then I did my favourite tissue paper stamping technique with the station and train (twice, so that I could have one going in each direction for symmetricality on the triptych), and stuck them over the circle background, nice and 'wrinklily'!  

I used a blending tool to add Vintage Photo, Weathered Wood and Stormy Sky DIs.  




I already knew the sentiment I wanted to add, a snippet of a poem by Hart Crane, so evocative... and (with my Words hat on) I just love those alliterative Ws, so I lined them up over one another to draw the eye, and therefore hopefully liven up the lips as you speak them.






 
To live up to the words of the poem, I added some additional puffs of steam by loading a paintbrush with white acrylic, and just a touch of mushroom paint on one edge.









The tops of the panels are cut using the Brackets On the Edge Die, and the gears are TH Idea-ology ones.  

I wanted them to echo the circles hovering in the ghostly background under the tissue paper, but with an even more engineering-y, industrial look.





On the reverse of the triptych I collaged torn pages from an old children's encyclopedia (another casualty from the massive house clearing that's going on in preparation for leaving the family home of 40 years).  

There was a double page spread illustration of a steam locomotive, so I made that my central image but broke it up across the triptych.





I stamped some more of the Whimsical circles, quite randomly, added some stencilled polka dots, and inked, all the time echoing the colour blending from the front side from browns at the base to blues at the top.  

I gave it a little spritz of Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls Mist to get a vintage lustre.




For the hinges, I wanted to create some "train tracks" running across the back of the triptych.  I used some Tim Holtz tissue tape, the calendar, which has the straightest lines of the tapes I've got, so making the best train tracks.









It also has something of a train timetable feel, as well as marking the years that have passed since the great steam trains ruled those tracks.  I stuck the tape to some kraft paper, inked it, and gave it a good spritzing with Perfect Pearls in Pewter and Heirloom Gold.


So that's my train track triptych tribute to 'the Iron Horse'... somehow travelling on trains these days just isn't quite the same.  I had such fun playing with these glorious stamps... you'll definitely be seeing more of them!!




Since I'm in Stratford for most of next week (no steam trains this time of year, sadly), I won't be able to do any crafting (aaagh!), but I should be able to catch up on some blog visiting.  Looking forward to seeing you soon somewhere in Craftyblogland!

I'm entering this in the following:
The Artistic Outpost September challenge which is Anything Goes with an AO stamp
Second post of the day, and second entry for the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge to Tape It Up
Hels Sheridan in her guise as the Sunday Stamper is inviting us Behind the Mask to use Masks or Stencils on our projects
I know it's slightly more Steam than Punk, but I'd like to offer it up for the Happy Daze challenge Steampunkery too



Nostalgia is like a grammar lesson: you find the present tense, but the past perfect!
Owens Lee Pomeroy

The only way of catching a train I have ever discovered is to miss the train before.
G.K.Chesterton

52 comments:

Candy C said...

Alison...I am so in love your your triptych! My grandson is a train nut! He's 5 but knows all about trains..not just Thomas The Tank Engine and Chuggington! He loves the REAL trains. I have to got get this stamp set! He is starting to want to stamp with me...love that! Anyway, this triptych is so well thought out! I love your use of tissue paper to do the mirror images. That looks fantastic! Love your wisps of "steam". Love the scene in the center and the way you've finished off the back as well. Thanks so much for the lovely comments you left on my blog about the tape it up project, too! I so appreciate your thoughts! And thanks for sharing your wonderful talent with us at Simon Says Stamp and Show. <3 Candy

catherine said...

Oh my Alison!! Just love it, love it, love it!!!!
You are so very creative and love seeing what you come up with next
x catherine

Anonymous said...

This is captivating Alison. So much imagery to absorb and beautifully stamped, you captured the essence of the romance of steam train.
Wishes
Lynne
P.S. Sorry I have not thanked you for the beautiful comment you left for me to read re my Stampsmith tags and the way that I age the tags. Your words meant so much to me.

Deborah said...

So much to look at and admire in this piece. Truly outstanding!

Redanne said...

A truly stunning piece of work Alison, my DH would love this.....A x

Andrea Small said...

This is fab. I love the trains converging (or crossing?) and it has a real sense of movement. And the back is great - the front is all finished working product and behind is all the know-how that's gone into the creation and also the past - very, very nice! x

sam21ski said...

Oooh lovely images, so much detail

Sam xxx

Anonymous said...

how cool is that!!
Gorgeous!

Lg siljan

Janny Jager said...

This is great Alison.
Love every detail on it
Really beautifull.

Greetings Janny

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

What can I say Alison? This is so nostalgic and you show it in such an artistic way. I love this triptych!!! The steamy look from the past...you captured that time perfectly! Gorgeous...chapeau!

greetings, Alie :-)

Marjie Kemper said...

Stunning, Alison! Love the colors and the way you've done both sides just so beautifully.

mark gould said...

totally awesome, I really love the colour choice and the stamp selection is brilliant, It draws you into look closer at all the hidden detailing.
xx

Netty said...

wow your triptych is totally stunning, such a fab make.
Stratford on Avon is one of my favourite places to go and really envy you living there.
Thank you for joining in with the Happy Daze Challenge, Annette x

Anna-Karin said...

Wow, Alison! I love this, every single detail of it. Such a great sentiment to use. And that train stamp set is a favourite of mine too. Love the background, the paint smoke, and the back of your piece. Just gorgeous! Thank you so much for sharing with us at Simon Says Stamp and Show!

Debi said...

just gorgeous Butterfly!!! Debi x

Claudia N. said...

This is so incredibly beautiful, Alison!

I do not even try to describe all the details, that are to be discovered and enjoyed!

Looking at your triptych feels like being drawn deeply into a whole world on its' own, you have created there. Such an intensive mood in there!!!! Can almost here the train's horn. Where will it take me?

Wishes,
Claudia xxx

May said...

Simply Stunning Alison... This is so Beautiful, love the design & colours... My DH would love this piece.. love those stamps!! Hugs May x x x x

Sandra said...

another stunning piece! What a gorgeous stamp set! So cool that the trains are both heading to the station! Fabulous! Thank you so much for joining us at Simon Says Stamp and Show. Hugs, Sandra

Brenda Brown said...

A very evocative triptych Alison, beautifully designed and coloured, the whole piece really catches the eye and pulls you in. I also love your alliterative title, a real tongue twister.
Have a great week, even if there is no crafting.
hugs {brenda} xox

Anonymous said...

This is really cool and creative!!!

Chrissy said...

Fabulous Alison, I love the colours and images and the best part [for me] is the steam you added with paint...fantastic.

luv CHRISSYxx

Lisa Somerville said...

Stunning triptych card using the wonderful Steampunk Artistic Outpost images! Love the collage you created on the reverse side, fab addition of the puffs of smoke! Thanks for playing along with us at Artistic Outpost!

...the yorkshire fox... said...

...superb triptych Alison, super texture from the tissue paper, great colour choice love the way the blue bleeds down into the brown...crisp stamping too...a supeb project...Melx :)
Thank you for your warm words on my blog :)

chrissie said...

Fantastic work on every bit of this piece. Love the stamps that you used and the book pages on the back are an inspiration.

Love Chrissie xx

cbee said...

wow ... I'm always stunned by your beautiful projects! this is awesome!!!

Silvia(Barnie) said...

That's an amazing tritypch, front and back are wonderful.

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

ANother taped beauty!!! Love this stamp set as well, and the way you reversed the train is brilliant!!!

Hels Sheridan said...

WOW and THRICE WOW!!!! This is amazing, you know how much I love trains right? (being a train driver kinda gets into your blood lol) Anyways, this is amazing... seriously gorgeous creation, did I say I LOVE IT!!! Thanks for joining in with the Sunday Stamper x

Judy Biggerstaff said...

Fab, fab, fabulous. This is such a gorgeous project, love it.

Unknown said...



superbe realisation
bravo

Martina said...

What a stunning triptych, dear Alison! Love, love, love this!

Anonymous said...

WOW!! What a very creative design!! LOVE your triptych design along with the images and the stunning details you've put into this!! TFS! HUGS

Kezzy said...

WOW this is gorgeous, I just love the texture, I love using tissue this way, I really love the depth as well, stunning. The way you have added the puffs of smoke with paint is amazing. I'm having a real mojo no show at the moment, I think all this sorting is making me sort more which at some point mojo crept out of the craft room!!! lol Hugs Kerry xxx

Candy C said...

I so totally LOVE this triptych! :) Glad I came back to your blog to see it again! Thanks so much for the lovely comments you left on my blog about the Ranger feature. I'm so stoked about it! And being featured with Kaz...wow! <3 Candy

Unknown said...

Truthfully Alison, I'm running out of words to express your amazing creativity. This is such an intriguing project and I think I'll have my hubby cut some boards for me soon. ;) Thanks for always helping me experience new horizons through your work and the sweet comments you leave me. Hugs

Mrs.B said...

Hi Alison, This is just fabulous, and such fabulous inky details, love the way you have layered everything.
Avril xx

Mary said...

Oh my Goodness, this is amazing also!!! Your are one very talented lady...can't wait to see your future creations!

Hugs,
Mary

Sarah said...

I love every inch of this triptych! I have a fondness for anything vintage railroad related...must have something to do with being married to a retired railroader.

Princess Judy Palmer said...

Wow! LOVE it! Your triptych is so stunning. I enjoyed seeing the birth of it throughout your blog post and all the little touches you added. I didn't realize the calendars across the back were tissue tape. They definitely make you think of train time tables.

Dortesjs said...

aww so in love your your triptych, gorgeous

Paper Profusion said...

Hi Alison, your creations are fabulous works of art. I love your style! Nicola

Jenny Marples said...

Another triumphant project! You have created such depth with your choice of materials and stamping. Hugs and admiration, Buttons x

Julia S-W said...

Truly wonderful project Alison. I love old steam trains and can remember them as a child at Waverley (?) Station in Edinburgh and more recently the Bluebell Railway in Sussex. Stunning images and I love how they mirror. Great ink work with the blue and brown colours I love. I find the way you join these such a great idea and would love to borrow it at sometime but will of course say where I found it.
Your work is beautifully detailed and I love coming to see - every single time.
Juliaxx
Thanks for your lovely comment on my 'trees' and for the Frillie and Funky win - could have knocked me over with a feather when I saw that!
xx

Bärbel said...

Dieses Triptychon ist so atemberaubend, Alison, ein großartiges Werk! Ich bewundere die Vorderseiten und auch wunderbare Gestaltung der Rückseiten. Es ist eine perfekte Einbindung der Seiten mit den technischen Details der Dampflokomotive in dieses Projekt - Chapeau!

Astrid Maclean said...

OMG, what an out of the world creation!!! I totally adore everything about it, simply stunning! Thanks also for the clear descriptions as to how you did it. Fantastic inspiration, thank you!!!

Karen McAlpine said...

So many wonderful elements to look at!! I love how you do the reverse image with the tissue!! And, love how you added the smoke with paint. Gorgeous creation!!

Anonymous said...

Wow! Stunning work. Love everything about it. Inspiring as always.
Regards Florence x

Sam & Poppy said...

Alison this is an absolute work of art, I live not far from Stratford-On-Avon and haven't managed to see a steam train! Thanks so much for joining in with us at Happy Daze, good luck in the draw :o)

Shelby said...

This is so cool! You've captured that era perfectly and I absolutely love how you've done the steam.

Shelby

Sue said...

What an amazing piece of work - so much has gone into making this & it looks amazing. Beautiful colours-really stunning. Sx

Mrs Beez said...

This is absolutely awesome. An amazing piece. Thanks for sharing.

Robyn Phelan Sharp said...

lovely artwork and stamping.