Far North Village
Posted: February 9, 2022 Filed under: Penny Black, picturesque, snowy village | Tags: Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks 18 Comments
It is a little while since I stamped and watercoloured a card. It’s been all alcohol-inky and art-journally around here lately. Yesterday I stamped, painted and blended three cards with PB stamps which was a nice way to spend the day.
I had two pieces of inspiration for this scene. One is a youtube channel I have been enjoying for a year or so about life in Longyearbyen, the world’s most northern town situated on Svalbard, an island between Norway and the north pole. The other inspiration was a watercolour painting I saw on instagram by Evgenia Gorbacheva. My scene is different from both inspiration pieces as I featured the PB stamps, ‘picturesque’ and ‘snowy village’.
My panel of cold pressed watercolour paper already had masking fluid splattered over it so that is why there are random white ‘snowflakes’. I worked out roughly where the mountains would go then stamped the village below in soft sky ink. The first impression included the church spire but I left it un-inked for the second print so the building would look different. After stamping I sketched the snowbanks and coast line in pencil then painted over the church spire with liquid frisket (masking fluid).
I stamped the mountain stamp in chipped sapphire (also known as absolute favourite blue ink) taking care to leave a bit of the stamp un-inked so there would be an open white area of snow. I blended some of the stamped ink, adding black here and there but kept some untouched to look crisp.
I painted all the buildings with distress inks smooshed on my glass mat (iced spruce, hickory smoke, rustic wilderness and candied apple). While they dried I painted the water and the snowbanks around the village. After that all dried I painted the sky with chipped sapphire then returned to the buildings to add grey shadows on and around the snow covered rooftops. I added the windows and doors with a grey marker and extra definition to the shore line with a black marker.
Not sure if I will send this one anywhere; I’ve grown a little attached to it!
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Heather Telford 
Those cards are all beautiful. I wish I could do what you do.
These mountain scenes and trees are my favorites. This is ready for postcard. Absolutely stunning.
Can you explain just a bit more how you painted the snow bank? It looks higher than land; not sure how to get the height or depth, if that makes sense.
We had 2 days of snow this year which stayed on ground for a week.very unusual for this lake area.
It is always exciting to see falling.
Take care. Look forward to your postings.
Tish in South Carolina
Hi Tish,
my method for snow banks is to add colour behind them so I paint the shadow above the white area which ends up looking like shadow on the snow behind. I also painted a bit of shadow (blue or grey) along the edges of the snowbanks by the shore so they look raised.
Take care.
Thanks. Appreciate all you do and your replies.
Tish
Love how you created these beautiful and peaceful scenes.
Hi Heather, I so appreciate you posting your gorgeous cards and explaining in detail how you thought about it and your process. It really helps me and I consider it a “lesson.”
Very, very inspiring, thank you !
Hi Donna,
Thank you for your message, I am glad I am providing helpful technique information.
Beautiful!!!
Not only love the terrific scenics in this post but spent an hour enjoying the “Longyearbyen” and “Svalbard” side trip! Again was struck by your propensity to share your painting methods and tips with all of us…..thank you once more for your invaluable help.
So glad you enjoyed both my card and your Svalbard side trip. It is fascinating to watch the videos and see the amazing scenery.
Wow, an absolutely stunning card, Heather. So inspiring, as usual. But what has got me really excited is the information about Longyearbyen. My daughter’s ex boyfriend, who we still keep in contact with, spent 4 months working there last year, and just raves about the place. It sounded godforsaken to me, but he loved it, and it is so interesting to see another young person choosing to live there. I am looking forward to watching her posts, and many thanks for putting me onto them.
Thank you Cheryl, it has been fascinating to watch Cecilia’s youtube videos especially over a year to see how the scenery changes and the activities too.
WOW WOW WOW! If I did something like this I’d frame it! This is incredible and appears to be a painting as opposed to stamping. What glorious colors too. Your patience and precision to do those itty bitty houses just amazes me. This is outstanding!
Ahh thanks so much Nancy, the itty bitty houses were a little time consuming but totally worth it in the end.
I’m not surprised you are loathe to part with this masterpiece Heather. I just adore the combination of the mountains and that sweet village and the water, sky and added shading on the snow all with Chipped Sapphire which is the most perfect colour for this, and just some added bits of black which add wonderful depth. x
Thanks so much, Pat. I like making scenes with stamps as you know but it is not always as successful as this one.
I absolutely adore this card it reminds me so much of Lofoten, Norway. I have saved photos of that city as lock screen on my computer and many of the waterfalls of Norway. I hope to get to go back to Norway again to see more of these sights.
Thank you for explaining about the snow, I assumed that was what you did to make it look like snow, but now I know! Love, love, love this card!!
You should definitely keep this and frame it, Heather! What a beautiful scene that looks so cold yet cozy with the lovely buildings in the village!