Blackened Halloween Frame
by Roni Johnson
You’ve heard of blackened catfish…well this technique doesn’t really have anything to do with that—but will blacken your mixed media projects! Once you start you’ll find it hard to stop at just one. The whole idea behind this technique is texture, lots and lots of texture. Today I have a blackened Halloween frame to demonstrate this fun technique.
Skill: Intermediate
Time: 2 hours + dry time
Directions
Step 1
Spread a good amount of Creative Medium on the frame. (You can use any frame as it will all be covered up.)
Step 2
Crumble tissue paper and adhere it to the frame creating lots of texture as you apply it until the entire frame is covered. (I use old patterns as tissue paper!)
Step 3
To create a different type of texture, glue cotton netting to the frame with Creative Medium in a few areas. Let dry.
Step 4
Paint some dimensional embellishments with black acrylic paint. Let dry.
Step 5
Hot glue the dimensional items in place.
Step 6
Paint everything (the entire frame, tissue, netting and dimensional items) with a layer of black acrylic paint. Once the entire frame has been painted black, set it aside to dry completely.
Step 7
Now that your frame is properly “blackened”, it’s time to bring out all those textures. Begin highlighting the texture by daubbing on some of the wide range of pigment inks Imagine offers. Metallic ones are particularly effective. I used Delicata in White Shimmer for my skeleton, but chose Encore in Green for his wings. Encore Purple highlighted the spider. The texture on the netting and tissue was highlighted with Brilliance in Mediterranean Blue and Pearlescenet Beige.
Step 8
Add your favorite Halloween photo, image or card to complete the look.
Supplies
Imagine
- Creative Medium
- Encore – Green, Purple
- Delicata – Dark Brown Shimmer, Black Shimmer, Celestial Copper, White Shimmer
- Brilliance – Mediterranean Blue, Pearlescent Beige
- Sponge Daubers
- Palette Knives
Other
- Frame
- Tissue paper (or old sewing pattern)
- Netting
- Halloween plastic pieces
- Chipboard numbers – three and one
- Acrylic paint – black
- Paintbrush
- Glue gun or mixed media adhesive
(For the card shown in the frame I used Bazzill Basics cardstock, Just For Fun Stamps, and Memento inks.)
Imagine Blog 
OMG! This is fa-BOO-lous! Happy Halloween!