Mirainn shaker ATC

[eller]

This is Mirainn, an alchemist in the world of Kolthainn. Yes, she wears lab equipment as jewelry - here with scale earrings and hourglass around her neck.

This is a shaker ATC with four windows!

- In the fireplace is glow-in-the-dark glitter in yellow as well as a scroll (cut out of paper) that Mirainn must have just decided to burn.

- On top of the fireplace, a bottle of suspicious liquid is being heated and vapors are billowing up! In it there is glow-in-the-dark glitter in green.

- The bottles on Mirainn's belt are filled with pink glow-in-the-dark glitter.

- And in the background, it's snowing over the mountains! (Transparent glow-in-the-dark glitter.) A second raven is there too - cut out of paper, even though it doesn't shake so well.

If you're interested in the process of making it..

This was the sketch. Nothing special, I'm afraid - I didn't plan this picture properly, I just began to draw.



When I started to color the picture, I was appalled to discover the paper I had randomly grabbed was not suitable for watercolors. (This comes from not planning. LOL) So, markers and acrylic pens... Why not?



Of course, a shaker ATC needs foreground and background - since most of the background will be covered in glitter anyway, I saw no reason to make this particularly detailed. Oh, the raven and the scroll are scribbled in the margin... They will be cut out later.



I was careful with cutting out the windows, though. A mistake there can ruin the whole card. Here, you can see what that looks like from the back. The windows will later be covered with foil from behind. I simply cut up an ATC sleeve: that's nice material that doesn't crinkle or anything.



A preliminary test, no glueing yet - just checking that foreground and background match. Looks fine, Eller can proceed...



I'm adding an ugly, thick piece of cardboard as a middle layer. This is necessary to create space the glitter can move in.



Oh, and here's a close-up of the raven and the scroll, finally cut out properly.



This is the glow-in-the-dark glitter I used! (This is one of the ridiculous products I tend to hoard. Not a "serious" art supply at all, but FUN!) I simply poured different glitter colors into the four windows.



...and then it's the foil, and then finally the foreground picture on top.

And here is the finished artwork!

Comments

[yhlee]

SO COOL. I didn't even know this was a thing you could do with ATCs!!! GLITTERRRRR!!!

[eller]

Thanks! :D Technically, you can do a lot with ATCs, if you have the patience... I'm usually too lazy for this stuff, but, uh, GLITTER!!!!!

[goss]

Ooooh, how cool! Thank you so much for sharing all the details of your process. I bet this is stunning irl with the layering and glow-in-the-dark glittery bits!

[eller]

Thank you! :) Yeah, it glows a bit less in the dark than I'd have hoped (I suspect the glow-in-the-dark stuff is intended for party make-up, not as an art supply), but at least it SPARKLES quite a lot! :D

[lemonsharks]

I’m LOVING the process on this piece

[minoanmiss]

I like her. she looks ready to roll up her sleeves and get to work.

[eller]

Oh, she probably has several experiments running simultaneously. She's a very busy researcher! :)

[mific]

So intricate and cool, and her jewellery is rad!

[eller]

Thank you! :D

[wayfaringwordhack]

What a cool, involved process. I learned so much here. I was thinking "shaker?" "Four windows?" But all became (cleverly) clear. I second the rad jewelry comment! :D

[facethestrange]

This is SO frakking cool, so beautiful and detailed and SPARKLY. ♡♡♡ It's the first time I've seen this art technique and I love it! I tried to look up what "shaker ATC" means (or even "ATC" alone) and I didn't find anything that seemed relevant, so I guess I need to ask you? :) The process was fascinating to read about and easy to follow, I just don't understand the term itself.

I also adore your character and her taste in jewelry. :D

[eller]

Thank you! :) Oh, "ATC" means "Artist Trading Card" - it refers to small artworks in a certain format (2.5''x3.5'' which is the standard format of trading cards) that people swap. There are several websites dedicated to ATCs. I enjoy that format because it's my way of being able to "afford" an art collection without being a billionaire. XD

[facethestrange]

Oh, thank you! ♡ Today I Learned, and it's a really fun thing to learn. :D That's TINY, now I'm even more in awe that all of these intricate details are on a piece of paper that is this small!

Does "shaker" mean that the pieces of glitter are moving?

[eller]

Yes, exactly, the glitter is moving around - that's why I included the middle layer of cardboard, to provide space. :) The scroll and the second raven are moving as well.

[facethestrange]

That's how I pictured it when I read it, yay. :D I just pictured it much bigger so now I'm all "WOW" all over again! ♡♡♡

[eller]

Heh, I wouldn't want to do that in a larger format - the markers would be empty after a single drawing! XD

[scintilla10]

Here from drawesome. This is such a cool process, and I love the finished piece! It must be even more sparkly in person. :D I especially love the details of her dress and jewelery, and all the mysterious colourful bottles!

[eller]

Thank you!!! :D And yes, it is very sparkly indeed...

[adafrog]

Neat. :)

[eller]

Thanks! :)