The long awaited sponging tutorial

At long last I have created a sponging tutorial.  The photos from the tutorial worked well and the colours are accurate.  Unfortunately I had trouble photographing the final product(above) and getting the colours right.  In reality they are a little more vibrant.  (Also I think the camera lense has smudges on it as my photos always end up with smudges at the top or right hand side)  I know I have taken forever to do this tutorial but in deciding what to do I realized that it would be best to start with the simpler version: a sponged card without embossing so this is it.  I may even get around to another tutorial which includes embossing, but I know you will only believe that when you see it!

First I positioned post-it notes to create the borders of my scene.

Next I cut a hilly edge on another post-it note and positioned that two thirds of the way down the white space.  When doing a snowy scene I often divide the scene to allow two thirds sky, one third snow, otherwise there is too much white space.

I punched a circle out of post-it with a circle punch and positioned it in the sky.  For sponging I use a quarter of a circle sponge.  I have some from Stampin’ Up and some Dollar Store; the SU ones are better.  I start sponging with the lightest colour first and it often takes quite a while to build up the colour.  Remember you can always add more colour but you can’t take it off!

This is how I keep my sponges.  When I started sponging I didn’t allocate one sponge per colour I was a bit more random.  I soon discovered it was worth having more and keeping them labeled.  Mine are sorted in the old SU categories because I still think in the rich regals, soft subtles, etc.  I have yet to move on.

We interupt this tutorial to show you the downy woodpecker who flew in for a little suet mix while my daughter was taking a few photos for this tutorial.

After sponging with the lightest colour, which was Almost Amethyst, I started sponging with Brocade Blue.  I left a ring of amethyst around the moon and started the brocade outside that.

Then I moved onto Elegant Eggplant.  I just keep on sponging until I am happy with the blend and coverage.  It always looks more dramatic once you have lifted the masks at the end, so I peek underneath occasionally to see how strong the colour is.

Next, some trees.  I repositioned my hill mask, moving it left  and a little below where it was previously and removed the moon mask.

I stamped the trees in black, being careful to avoid the little grassy bits at the base of each tree.

At this point I also did a little sponging to show the edge of the snow bank.  I usually do a bit with the sponge, but to sponge a smaller area I use a q-tip.

Then I added some trees in Eggplant which I first stamped on scrap and then on the card so it would be paler and appear more distant.

I moved the hill again and sponged the edge of the hill to create the next snow drift.

You can add another few trees here also if you like so you have some more in the foreground.  Then move the hill mask again and sponge along the edge again.

Once you have the snow drifts and trees you want remove the hill mask and sponge a little colour along the lower edge so your scene will have an edge one the masks are removed.

There you have it.  If you lasted this long, well done.  If you are interested in having the original card leave me a comment and I will pick a name at the end of the week.  If you make a card using this tutorial let me know and I will put your name in the draw twice.  Thanks so much for dropping in and for all the encouragement you give me.

Supplies:

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Hugs & Wishes
Inks:   Basic Black, Almost Amethyst,Brocade Blue, Elegant Eggplant
Cardstock:   Flourishes Classic White