Vintage Jubilance
Posted: June 7, 2016 Filed under: CAS, Jubilance | Tags: CAS, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks, Ranger Distress stains 17 Comments
More vintage flowers on display today with a slightly different technique to try. As with my previous vintage style watercolours (birdhouse, butterflies, tulips) I stamped the image in vintage photo distress ink. Other water based dye inks in brown would probably work but I like the ease with which I can dilute and spread the vintage photo ink or stain.
After stamping, instead of pulling ink from the outline into the flowers and leaves, I pulled ink out into the background leaving the flowers and leaves white. The contrast of brown with white makes the flowers pop and look whiter than they would if they were not surrounded by colour. It is a simple technique you could try with any colour ink.
I would love to hear if you try some ‘vintage style watercolour’. Thanks for dropping by.
Supplies:
Stamps: Jubilance (PB)
Inks: Vintage Photo distress ink,Vintage Photo distress stain (Ranger)
Cardstock: Hot pressed Fabriano watercolour paper, brown cardstock
Floral repeats
Posted: May 12, 2016 Filed under: CAS, Poise, Sunny | Tags: CAS, Penny Black stamps, Tsukineko Memento inks 12 Comments
I played with a couple of smaller floral stamps recently to make some clean and simple cards. I guess they could have been even simpler by stamping the flowers once but I still managed to keep plenty of white space. To create both cards I inked the stamps with memento markers, spritzed the stamp with water then stamped on watercolour paper. I did some extra blending on the poppies with a paintbrush and stamped repeat prints without re-inking, which explains the difference in colour intensity.
To stamp a group of three sunflowers I inked only part of the stamp each time so the flowers could nestle into each other without the leaves and stems getting in the way. The layouts are the classic black mat+black sentiment deal.
Supplies:
Stamps: Poise, Special Thoughts, Sentiment Collection, Sunny (PB)
Inks: Memento markers(Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Hot pressed Fabriano watercolour paper, black cardstock
Layouts and sketches
Posted: May 6, 2016 Filed under: Alcohol Ink, CAS, Dies | Tags: CAS, Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Alcohol Ink 7 Comments
Recently I noticed how often my card designs involve a simple square or rectangle. Sometimes the panel is matted in black or a co-ordinating colour; other times it is popped up on the card base which creates a type of shadow mat. A matted panel with little embellishment is my most used layout. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with the matted panel approach; I often try to create a mini painting so framing it seems like an appropriate way to turn it into a card. However, there are many clever card makers who never default to the square or rectangular layout; each new card features angles, diagonal lines, curves, cutouts and all manner of creative designs. I’ve decided I need to mix things up a little in the sketch and layout area. Take the card above for example, the alcohol ink design reminded me of the ocean from beneath the surface with light above and bubbles all around. I really didn’t want to loose much of the blue pattern so I cut the sentiment out of the blue panel and popped it up. I like how it turned out but it was very much my usual style.
When I put this next card together I was working with a similar panel; the alcohol inks had done cool things creating a pattern I wanted to save if possible but not in yet another rectangular layout. By cutting a curve across the patterned yupo panel I was able to add some interest and bend a transparent sentiment stamp to hug the curve.
Once again I wanted to retain most of this warm toned alcohol ink design so I chose a cool new border die with curves that created a contrast with the angles of the stenciled pattern.
I have a board on pinterest where I am saving inspiration for new layouts. The card above was inspired by Paula Dobson’s bright happy card, pinned recently. Sketch challenges are another source of inspiration I hope to make use of more often. You may have noticed all the cards in this post were made from patterned panels, which of course, are easier to adapt to interesting layouts than pictures of real things! I may get adventurous and creative with my scenic or floral panels too, who knows?
Supplies:
Dies: Celebrations, Border Edges (PB)
Stamps: Happy Snippets, Sweet Wishes
Ink: Alcohol inks (Ranger) Versafine inks (Tsukineko)
Paper: Yupo paper, Neenah SolarWhite 110lb cardstock, Neenah Natural white cardstock
You’re Sweet
Posted: May 3, 2016 Filed under: Alcohol Ink, CAS, Dies | Tags: CAS, Penny Black creative dies, Ranger Alcohol Ink 5 Comments
Earlier today I was admiring yet another fabulous card by Ardyth Percy-Robb, who is not only clever and creative, but also a faithful challenge participant. The card that caught my eye was for the May Pinterest Inspired Challenge featuring the image below:
Even though I love watercolour and the image above is full of lovely soft blends and bleeds I chose to use my recent arty crush, alcohol inks. I dropped sunshine yellow, pool, raspberry and juniper one colour at a time so I could squirt air at each drop before it dried. You can see how some inks create a new colour when they intersect but others cover or push the other colour. I matted in black and attached my panel to the card base askew before adding a die cut sentiment.
Supplies:
Die: You’re Sweet (PB)
Alcohol Ink: sunshine yellow, pool, raspberry, juniper (Ranger)
Paper: Kirkland photo paper, Neenah SolarWhite 110lb cardstock, Neenah epic black cardstock
Out to Sea
Posted: April 27, 2016 Filed under: Alcohol Ink, CAS, Out to sea | Tags: CAS, Penny Black creative dies, Ranger Alcohol Ink 15 Comments
Is this not a stunning new die? I thought it was perfect to lay over my bright blue alcohol ink panel. Blue panels are the most challenging for me to photograph accurately. In real life there is more purple and the light blues are lighter. The speckled bits that conveniently look a bit like ocean spray or foam are silver accents. I created the panel by dropping some blue alcohol inks on yupo paper and blending. I added some silver alcohol ink and moved it around with extra blue ink and blending solution; the metallic inks don’t move much until another ink is added to them.
This die is also going to be beautiful over a watercoloured panel. If I am feeling patient and steady I might do the inlaid die technique but it really doesn’t need it; the overlay approach works just fine.
Supplies:
Die: Out to Sea(PB)
Alcohol Ink: denim, indigo, silver, alcohol blending solution (Ranger)
Paper: yupo paper, Neenah SolarWhite 110lb cardstock
Irises and blue
Posted: April 24, 2016 Filed under: Alcohol Ink, CAS, Love Art | Tags: CAS, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Alcohol Ink 13 Comments
I am enjoying teaching a batch of Alcohol Ink classes at present and we have been having so much fun. The depth and impact of alcohol ink colour is quite something. I chose to use these two similar colour panels as background for iris stamps from the Love Art transparent set.
I blended a few blue alcohol inks on photo paper for these two panels. The circle pattern on the one below was achieved using a stencil. I dabbed through the stencil with blending solution to remove colour but also printed the stencil back onto the paper once it was covered in pale blue ink.
The sentiments and flowers are stamped in jet black archival ink.
I am just going to squeak this stencilled card into the second challenge at CAS Mix Up; there are twelve whole hours left to participate. The challenge this month is below; I used alcohol inks as my choice.
Supplies:
Stamps: Love Art, Special Thoughts, Snippets(PB)
Inks: Jet Black Archival (Ranger)
Alcohol Ink: pool, denim, indigo, alcohol blending solution (Ranger)
Paper: Kirkland photo paper, Neenah SolarWhite 110lb cardstock, Blue cardstock
Sunny Wishes
Posted: March 29, 2016 Filed under: Sunny Wishes | Tags: CAS, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Versafine inks 8 Comments
Sunny wishes is the name of the set I have featured today and also how I am feeling. Over the Easter weekend we experienced sun, rain, warmth and chilliness, but my wish is for sunshine!
I have used the same stamp to create both cards today but have varied the technique and layout. For the card above I inked only the floral portion of the stamp with distress stains. With such a small image there was not much blending to do but I did fill the petals of the flowers by pulling stain from the outline and then added the darker centre with stain on a brush. To finish I added some green splatter and the coordinating sentiment and mat.
In the card above you can see the full image stamped in versafine onyx black. I painted blue around the image and in the vase with Dr Ph Martins Hydrus Watercolor Pthalo Blue and let it dry. I painted the flowers, butterflies and foliage with distress stain but you could easily use distress markers directly on the image and then blend the colour with a damp brush. To finish I once again added a sentiment and a coordinating mat.
Supplies:
Stamps: Sunny Wishes, Special thoughts (PB)
Inks: Versafine Onyx black & Majestic Blue (Tsukineko), Mowed Lawn, Vintage photo, Mustard seed, Dried Marigold, Barn Door, Forest Moss, Seedless Preserves, Blueprint Sketch, Aged Mahogany distress Stains (Ranger)
Paint: Dr Ph Martins Hydrus Watercolor Pthalo Blue
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton cold pressed watercolour paper, blue cardstock, orange cardstock
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