Monday, October 31, 2011

Scenic Stamping

I haven't done much scenic stamping, but I saw a video a few years ago with an interesting technique I thought I'd try.


First I colored the stamp by applying markers directly to the rubber.  Then I breathed on the stamp to make sure it was still moist, and pressed it onto watercolor paper.  Then I used a water brush to go over the images slightly.  There are six stamps in total on this ATC.


Sunday, October 30, 2011

Lines and Bubbles

This Artist Trading Card was inspired by a free webinar I attended lately:  So You Say You Can't Draw, an art journaling event hosted by Quinn McDonald.


The drawing of lines and bubbles was suggested as a prompt if you're not quite sure what to do in your journal, but I decided to try it as an artist trading card.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Moving Sale

Our local art supply store moved recently and had a moving sale.  Needless to say I picked up a few stamps.  The set on the right side isn't exactly my style, but for 26 cents I had to buy it.  I like the guitar anyway LOL


I've been practicing my handwriting for my journal too!

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Wonder Girl

Today begins another series of Vintage Collage Artist Trading cards.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Crow at the Window

There are two versions of this new Artist Trading Card series.  The second one is on a watercolour spritzed background.



Saturday, October 15, 2011

Many Hearts

This Artist Trading Card is a Magenta stamp on black card stock coloured with pencil crayons.


Thursday, October 13, 2011

Coloured Birds

This Artist Trading Card is a Magenta stamp coloured with Prismacolor pencil crayons.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Home for the Holidays

I'm still working away at Christmas cards.  This one is easy - embossed with a bit of Bic permanent marker and pencil crayon on the door.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Stencils are All the RAGE.......

in art journals.  They look like this:


Only I didn't do this with stencils.  I did it with stamps and masks, which I already have.  Recently, I was admiring the lovely stencil work done in journals, and was contemplating the acquisition of some stencils.  They aren't horribly  expensive, but another storage problem I DO NOT NEED.  Then I thought "Wait a minute, can't I do this with stamps?  And I have lots of those."

Right about now, you may have some questions, such as:


What's the difference between a mask and a stencil?
A mask covers an area so you can apply colour around it.  See the bird in the tree on the left side of this journal page?

With a stencil, you apply the colour inside the cut out area.  So a stencil is a positive image and a mask is a negative image.

Are stamps positive or negative images?
They can be either, but usually they are positive images.


Sunday, October 9, 2011

Behind the Scenes

One of the journals I keep documents techniques to create backgrounds for stamping on or for other paper craft projects.  I finished Volume One some months ago.  Volume Two finally got its title page:

DSCN2607

The background idea came from Sonya at stamp club.  It is created by embossing a background stamp on watercolor paper and then dabbling with distress inks .  To apply the distress inks, apply them to a craft sheet, spritz with water and use your fingers.  What fun!

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends!