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The home of exuberant amateurism.

Sunday 12 July 2009

ABAA Dragonfly Challenge July 2009. Drag Dragonfly ATC Series

My heart sank this month with dragonflies being the theme, they really give me the Heebee Geebees, what with their googily compound eyes, segmented bodies and strange bums...

So I thought I need to use artistic licence (which I think is still available from the Post Office) and get rid of some of the bugginess in them.

Seeing as I'm no good at small pictures (but I want to be), I thought I'd try some ATC's because they really are a challenge for me. Based on photos of Emperor Dragonflies which have very nice wing shapes, I made an ATC sized template designed to be used with brads so the wings are moveable. I got rid of its head just like the Queen of Hearts said, and gave it a round one.
I had to widen the body to accommodate the wings and brads. I used the smallest brads I could find called mini circle brads. I drew a heart shape for it's bum (You can't beat a little bit of lovey dovey donuts unless it's shiny lovey dovey donuts).
But it still wasn't enough, I thought these need to be comedy ATC's to finally banish the bug.
Sorry to anyone out there who loves proper dragonflies......... look away now!

So here are my

Drag Dragonflies ATC's, a series of seven. I'm sorry but the photos I've taken do not do justice to their shinyness... click on them to show them bigger.

1. Albert Einstein contemplates the shape of Dragonflies bums and just how they fit into life, the universe and everything.




2. Terry Thomas is a magnificent man in his flying machine.




3. Captain Mainwaring gets blustery in florals.




4. Darth Vader
"You don't know the power of the dragonfly."




5. Ferdinand
shows us his shiny bits.




6. Marc Bolan
is the Dragonfly King.
(This one is for my husband)




7. Kate Bush
- Babooshka "To see if he, would fall for her incognito."




I had a brain fart making this one and put the top set of wings on upside down - duh!

I sooo wanted this outfit when I was a teenager................




I've done a template, all you need to do is left click it to make it bigger then right click it, save it to your computer using "save as" and print it out at A4. It hopefully will print the right size, at least it did for me when I tried it.
I suggest you print it onto card, cut the shapes out and use those as templates. Remember to cut inside the black lines so the pieces don't keep getting bigger and bigger.

Go on, you know you want to...

Please let me see what you come up with :)



9 comments:

Rosie said...

Wow Gini what a wonderful set of ATCs you made - Terry Thomas is my favourite, love the colours in that one. Well done for working through your dragonfly phobia, and thank you for taking part in our challenge again.
Love
Rosie ABAA

SYLVIA-ANNE said...

Hi Gini
At last!! And I am NOT disappointed! I love your sense of humour as much as your artistic flair. Particularly like Kate Bush, and I would never have noticed the upside-down wings as I was so mesmerised with her headdress! You have definitely changed the face (and the bum) of the dragonfly, for ever. Well done!!!! Will chat soon, Crafty hugs, Sylvia xxx

Anonymous said...

Your ATCs are all brilliant, how clever you are! Very nice of you to share your template too, thank you Gini :)

Linda Vincent said...

These are just brilliant! And you have made me laugh out loud. (Even though I really love dragonflies and think they are incredibly beautiful ;-)
I am so glad you joined in...I hope everyone sees your work.
Linda x
PS Go on...post the picture of Kate Bush again with your face superimposed, lol!!

Unknown said...

you are so funny! I'm loving your dragonfly art and your fabulous humor! thanks for lifting my spirits (and thanks for dropping by my blog too - it's raining here too - so it must be summer - just like you!)

Karen said...

hahahahahaha I LOVE your sense of humour Gini!!! These are great!!! I think I love the Kate Bush one the best...and yes...I wanted the outfit too!!! Oh and the body to go with it X

Karen said...

Hi Gini!!! In answer to your question about the birdie!!! Its one of my favourite stamps!!! Its by Dimention Fourth and it wasn't too pricey either.....its a must have!!! HUGS XXX

Rosemary said...

These are so clever - it is a toss up for me between Terry Thomas and Kate Bush as to which is my favorite. Terry is very witty and I remember that movie so it gets a nostalgia vote but Kate Bush! Ah, I so loved "Wuthering Heights" and "Hounds of Love" and "Cloudbusting" and so on and on - no one here in the U.S. that I knew ever got why I liked her so much, but she is brilliant. Of course, her wings would be upside down, she's just arty and contrary like that!

LOVE THESE!

Anonymous said...

great post. I would love to follow you on twitter.