African Trees 2 Ways
Posted: January 23, 2017 Filed under: African Trees, Darkroom Door | Tags: Darkroom Door stamps, Ranger Distress inks, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks 14 Comments
I have something new to share with you today, some stamps from my homeland! No, not Africa, Australia. The images are of African trees but the stamps themselves are from Darkroom Door in Australia. I have recently added Darkroom Door designs to my teaching schedule so I will also be sharing some projects here on the blog. My first class with Darkroom Door stamps is in February; it features these trees and you can find it on my Upcoming Classes page.
I decided to make two cards of similar design but with different techniques. On the one above I painted a distress stain background to create a graduated wash then stamped the trees in distress inks. I did first and second generation stamping to get some paler more distant trees. I stamped and spritzed the darker foreground trees then painted grass at the base.
The second card doesn’t include any watercolouring. I began by brayering a pale green sky, dark at the bottom and pale at the top. I used first and second generation stamping again to add background trees then sponged some ground at the base and stamped darker trees followed by even darker ground. I like the misty feel of this one; I haven’t been to the African plains but I think maybe they look a bit like this in the early morning or perhaps when its very dry and dust is in the air.
Supplies:
Stamps: African Trees (Darkroom Door)
Inks: Memento new sprout, bamboo leaves, olive grove (Tsukineko) & Distress peeled paint, forest moss stains and inks (Ranger)
Cardstock: hot pressed watercolour paper, neenah natural white cardstock, co-ordinating green cardstock
Heather Telford 
So realistic…………like a photo!
Beautiful cards! I love Darkroom Door and am super excited to hear you are adding DD to your repertoire of future art offerings! 😀
Great cards – especially like the first one.
Sales for Darkroom Door are going to go through the roof!!!! These are wonderful cards Heather.
Looking good Heather. Misty morning like the photo I took. Lovely.
Those trees! What a dramatic scene. Beautiful.
Two different feelings to these, could not pick a favorite. Love the look of early morning misty sun just coming through on the 2nd. Just splendid! Thank you.
very cool, I think I like the first one more, guess I like that darkness to it but the second does give a feel of it being in the fog 🙂
I adore these DD trees Heather and both versions are beautiful using them, they are very atmospheric and I really love the misty look you have managed to get on the second one. x
Both cards are just beautiful – you really get such a realistic feel for the trees and the air! Thanks so much!
i really like having a new option with Darkroom Door. Thanks for calling it to our attention. Your cards are lovely.
Beautiful, and I appreciate the two versions.
beautiful, love the misty images
Love your cards! Those trees are amazing!