This is a Titanic ATC I did for a recent Swapbot Swap. I loved how it turned out so much, I decided to do a blog post about the artistic process surrounding this particular piece.
First, the technical side of the journey:
I transferred an inkjet image of a famous Titanic newspaper story to a piece of primed canvas using a paint transfer method. I painted both the canvas and the image, then stuck the image to the canvas while both pieces were wet. I left that part to dry overnight.
The charm has been distressed with embossing powder and inked with Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Ink in Black Soot.
Once the image and canvas dried, I roughed up the paper with sandpaper, then wet the paper. The paper peeled away and left the inkjet image.
I then brushed over the canvas and transferred image with Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Ink in Pumice Stone.
The last detail was some chunky textured embossing powder sprinkled around the edges.
Now, the Artistic vision side of the story:
Having been a History buff since early childhood, it came as no surprise to my parents that I became highly interested in the Titanic after Dr. Robert Ballard finally found the wreckage in September of 1985. I remember that day as if it were yesterday; my good friend @Machmigo and I were the only children in our second grade class who poured over the Titanic issue of National Geographic while our classmates played house and kickball at recess.
It was an exciting time for the world, for science, for history. The greatest Ocean Liner in the world, lost for over 70 years, had finally been found.
Having just recently passed the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, it is amazing how technology has given us such a change in perspective. For many years, it was believed Titanic sank in one piece, despite an eye witness account that the ship broke in two before she plunged into the deep. Thanks to the continued research of Dr. Ballard, James Cameron and other dedicated scientists and explorers, we have been able to glimpse into parts of the wreckage such as the Turkish Bath and the stateroom of Isador and Ida Straus. There are also new theories surrounding the sinking process itself.
What moves me the most about Titanic are the stories of the survivors and the lost. My favorite story is that of Isador and Ida Straus, the elderly couple who chose to die together rather than to be separated. It was reported Mr. Straus, one of the founders of Macy's Department Stores, was offered a seat in a lifeboat beside his wife due to his economical status. He refused the seat as he would not step in front of the women and children still waiting on board the ship. His wife, Ida, refused to leave her husband and gave up her seat on the lifeboat to stay on board the sinking Titanic with him. It is reported they were last seen sitting on the deck together before a wave washed over them. Mr. Straus' body was recovered, but sadly, Mrs. Straus' remains were never recovered.
I wanted the card to be an abstract representation of the true love story between Mr. and Mrs. Straus. I had done a card prior to this one which featured the now famous photograph taken of the couple together pre-Titanic tragedy, so I decided to take a different approach with this card.
Above: Titanic Themed ATCs. The card to the left is based on the ABC Miniseries Titanic which debuted on the weekend of the 100th Anniversary of the Sinking. The card on the right is the ATC I did featuring Isador and Ida Straus.
I wanted the card to seem dingy, weathered and rusted, but not completely forlorn and depressing. I wasn't completely sure I wanted to add a three dimensional element; originally I considered a key, but it just didn't seem to tie in with the overall feel of the card.
However, when I found this heart shaped charm bearing the raised image of an angel, I knew this was just the piece I had been looking for. In Cameron's Titanic, the "Heart of the Ocean" is an essential part of the movie's plotline, so I almost didn't use this heart charm because of that. I enjoy the movie as much as anyone, but I didn't want to do a movie homage or some cheesy film throwback. I felt I owed Mr. and Mrs. Straus more than that.
However, the more I thought about it, the more I thought about their love for one another. It was so strong, so true, so pure that they could not and would not be separated from one another. After I distressed the charm with the embossing powders and inks, I realized it had become the perfect element to add to the ATC.
Explorers have recovered many personal artifacts from the wreckage from jewelry to hats to shoes to clothing. Though their owners have long since departed this world for the next, these small fragments of their owners still remain.
The heart charm represents "the love that remains." Though Mr. and Mrs. Straus have gone on, their legacy and beautiful story still remain after all of these years. The charm is a physical representation and reminder of that love. It is rusted and weathered, but like many other Titanic artifacts and tales, it has survived.
After all, love is what we all seek to find in some form or fashion. I think it is beautiful that these people had it and that it was so strong and so pure.
The best part is, it's not fiction; it's a real love story.
The chunky embossing powders around the edges symbolize sunken treasure and treasures lost. Titanic is a myriad of treasures from the ship itself to the artifacts to the stories of the survivors and those who perished.
I plan on doing more Titanic themed pieces of art once the film is nearer to completion.
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