L'Affaire de la Joconde

I'm always thinking of ideas for future projects. I would jot the ideas on post-it notes and leave them on my desk. The problem was that I didn't have a good system for storing the notes and there wasn't enough room to make sketches. Brittany, the ever practical one, suggested that I use a small sketch book to jot down my ideas. This would not only keep my ideas organized but also allow me to make a sketch of the project.

I have been reading Vanished Smile-The mysterious disappearance of the Mona Lisa by R.A. Scotti. L'Affaire de la Joconde was the inspiration for this project. My sketch book was drab and uninspiring-the perfect candidate for a make over. I chose an earth tone color palette to compliment the picture and give the project an aged appearance. Since visitors to the Louvre often placed flowers on the floor beneath the painting I decided to add a rose at the base of la Joconde to represent the flowers left by her admirers.



Directions for L'Affaire de la Joconde:

Recollections Mulberry paper flowers-available at Michaels
5 inch by 8 inch Sketch book
Slate green and parchment card stock
Light brown hand made paper-available at Michaels
Tan flower patterned tissue paper (This was recycled. It had originally lined a shopping bag from a small boutique.)
Modge Podge decoupage glue
Martha Stewart Rose Leaf paper punch
Ink jet photo paper-matte finish
Gesso


1. Scan a picture of the Mona Lisa into the computer and print a 3x5 inch picture onto photo paper. Trim the excess photo paper off so that only the picture remains. Cut a piece of light brown hand made paper 1/4 inch larger (on all sides) than the picture. Attach the picture to the hand made paper using double stick tape. Cut a piece of slate green card stock slightly larger than the light brown hand made paper. Attach the hand made paper with the picture to the slate green card stock using double stick tape.

2. Cover the cover of the sketch book with gesso and let it dry overnight. Apply a second light coat of gesso and let it dry.

3. Tear the tan flowered pattern tissue paper into large pieces and glue to the top of the sketch book, slightly over lapping the pieces until the entire book is covered. Let it dry thoroughly.

4. Center the Mona Lisa on the sketch book and glue in place.

5. Print L'Affaire de la Joconde on parchment card stock using Microsoft Word and the Trebuchet 24 pt font. Cut the title to fit the front of the sketch book. Center it over the Mona Lisa and glue in place.

6. Lightly apply Modge Podge to the cover of the sketch book to seal it. Let it dry completely. It may take a day or two depending on the humidity. Lightly sand the piece and apply another light coat of Modge Podge. Let it dry and lightly sand the cover again.

7. Attach a mulberry flower rose to the bottom of the picture. Punch two rose leaves out of the slate green card stock and glue under the edges of the rose.