Watercoloured leaves the distressing way
Posted: September 30, 2015 Filed under: Filigree Foliage, Wishes | Tags: Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks, Ranger Distress stains 18 Comments
Watercolour and autumn were made for each other were they not? I went for a run this morning and there were deep red maple leaves lying on the path looking like mini masterpieces. I kept wanting to pick them up and bring them home to inspire some painting. I did not want to carry them however and there will be thousands (I am not kidding) in my yard over the next 6-8 weeks (again, not kidding).
I did a periscope comparing painting leaves with distress stains, ink pads and markers this morning. These cards use the same techniques I demonstrated on the video. The first one is my favourite distress technique, stamping with stains then moving the stain with a paintbrush to fill the stamped image. I added fine splatter to the leaves on this one but kept the next one fairly clean.
I used the same ‘stamp then paint and blend’ technique for the second card but inked the stamp with ink pads. The main difference is less liquid on the stamp and an image that soaks into the watercolour paper more quickly. The result once blended with water is similar but more of the stamped outline remains. Using markers gives a similar result to inkpads but transfers even less liquid on the stamp. With markers however you can apply colour to small areas of the stamp and have a more detailed and intricate colour result.
To finish I matched cardstock to the stamping for mats and die cut sentiments.
Supplies
Heather Telford 
Oh, Heather, your work is always exemplary, but this card of gold and green is simply outstanding!
Wish there was a YouTube to watch. I’ve pulled the plug on adding yet another electronic way to avoid housework. Can you say o-v-e-r-l-o-a-d?
Hi Carolyn,
The video I did on periscope can be viewed here until I remove it in a week or two…
http://katch.me/TelfordHeather/v/84039b12-7172-3a80-b00b-9744782d1098
From my laptop computer:
Thank you, Heather! I watched the Periscope replay you kindly attached and was really interested in your Distress leaf experiments and their results. Good stuff!
On a technical note, the picture was far better on this device when your paper turned “landscape” as it then filled the screen. Previously, it looked like a slim vertical slit on a black ground, with items half in and half out of the prescribed area of perhaps 35% of the screen. The focus also went in and out and in and out and in etc. Was dismayed to read that I cannot access these little bits of valuable information in future…boo, hiss.
I fully understand your need to keep up with technology in order to reach your target audience and know Any new program takes time to work out the kinks. Hope there is some payback in all of this work-not-art for you……and am eternally grateful I am finally out of that ever-changing technology loop!
Oh, Heather, these are gorgeous cards, and your leaves are so realistic. Amazing color, and I watched the video and loved seeing the side-by-side comparison of stains, inks, and markers. So appreciated it!! Hugs!
I loved the video too. Thanks for sharing. I loved the comparison and especially the leaf stamped with the Distress Stain, I’m going to try that.
Can you please tell me why you and others are now using Periscope rather than Youtube? I am too busy to always watch when it is going to air and also don’t want another way to take time away from my art. Is there a real benefit to using it?
Hi there,
I am glad you liked the video. As far as using Periscope instead of Youtube, that is not my intention. I am painfully slow in editing my youtube videos, which is one of the reasons I have only put up two so far this year. I think my periscoping will end up helping me be more efficient in filming my videos. I am using Periscope to share techniques, make comparisons and interact with some of my readers/followers. I am often asked to show how I did something and can show the technique quickly on periscope. I am still committed to providing youtube tutorials which will outline the whole process, provide lists of all the supplies and involve higher quality video and audio.
Now I need to put my money where my mouth is and get one done soon!
These are beautiful, Heather! I see I need to play more with Distress Stains! I enjoyed watching you work.
Heather, these are beautiful. I tried watching the periscope video, but way too tiny to actually see what’s going on. Is there any way you could post a photo of the page with all your leaf samples? Oh, and was that bisto powder? Thx
Hi,
I will photograph that page and add it to this post soon. The powder is called bister(or sometimes bistre).
Thanks for your kind words.
Thx!
Finally added the comparison sheet; sorry for the delay.
I love both these cards using these pretty leaves and the colours are gorgeous. I don’t have distress stains but can see from your tutorial that the results with them are better than with the inks. I have to stick to the inks mainly though as I don’t have enough space to diversify too much. x
They are both beautiful cards. Very realistic coloring!
I think I need distress stains. 😀 These are both beautiful!
Both cards are ultra beautiful…. Lovely Autumn splendor 🙂
These leaves are beyond words gorgeous!
Heather, your skill with this sort of technique is simply amazing! The bold colors glow with autumn! Thanks so much for sharing these beautiful cards at the Thanksgiving Crusade.
[…] This leaf is from a PB stamp set called ‘filligree foliage. I haven’t used it for a few years but it is perfect for creating some autumn leaves. As the name suggests each leaf has a filigree pattern on it but you can’t see it on this card because I am using the stamp for its shape not its pattern. To see cards I’ve made in the past with this set click over here, here and here […]