This is the first card I made for the WT 527 challenge "Watercolored Background". Yes, there really is a watercolor background at the bottom of all this ;)
I had been playing around with glossy photo paper after Lindsey (The Frugal Crafter) said in one of her YouTube videos that you get fabulous results when coloring your stamp with water based markers and stamping on the glossy photo paper. She's right, but that's a card for a later date ;)
Since the paper was sitting on my table, I decided to see what would happen if you used it for a watercolor background. I started this out with Distress Inks and some unexpected but interesting results. Then I had the brilliant idea to add black Bisters. Got a little heavy handed so I had to lots of water to try to lighten it up. It was basically a hot mess, so I turned to my tried and true fix and painted over it with watered down gesso. That looked pretty good, so I grabbed the swallowtail stamp, spritzed it lightly with water, and stamped. Loved the result! I took a wide flat brush and stroked out from the edge of the image to create a little bit of a halo effect, and set it aside to dry.
I die cut the piece with a stitched rectangle die and decided it HAD to have a sentiment. That part was easy, but deciding what color ep to use was a struggle. I experimented on leftover scrap with black and white (and to see if the photo paper could take the heat), but I didn't like either and ended up with Liquid Platinum. It shows up better IRL than in the photo, but I think Silver might have been a better choice. I did end up with one crack from the heat embossing, but it it isn't terribly noticeable, and I like the card well enough to just go with it.
As always, thanks for looking!
Date: Friday, April 17, 2015 GMT Views: 1379
Favorited:5
Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Creative Crew SU Design Team Alumni
Registered: May 18, 2004 Location: Southwest Michigan Posts: 36959
Fri, Apr 17, 2015 @ 4:54 PM
This is really unusual and beautiful! Thanks for sharing your process, it was fun to read! BTW, did you used to be known as Texasjodylynn on this site?
------------------------------ Claudia Splitcoast Fan Club Member
Registered: March 31, 2008 Location: Eastlake, OH Posts: 22598
Fri, Apr 17, 2015 @ 5:20 PM
This is a style I just love! The muted colors, the intriguing background and the water stamped image, GORGEOUS! The background layers of paint, gesso and Bister are just beautiful. I just may have to try this!
Registered: September 12, 2007 Location: Wake Forest, NC Posts: 61357
Fri, Apr 17, 2015 @ 8:37 PM
Let me assure you, Jody Lynn, your initial 'hot mess' turned into a work of art. It's hard imagine you gesso'd this. What a work of art you've created with this oh so gorgeous work of art.
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Art Neko and Prickley Pear DTs
Former DT Dolce Designs, Rubbernecker, StampItCrazy,
I Brake For Stamps
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Registered: August 15, 2007 Location: Twin Cities MN Posts: 50415
Sat, Apr 18, 2015 @ 5:32 AM
WOW what an interesting concoction of art materials Jody..you're like a mad scientist mixing inks and bisters..lol. I think your bg looks like stone or granite and the brush marks add some wonderful texture. Your "hot mess" turned out very cool..;)
Registered: July 19, 2010 Location: Conway, MA Posts: 7513
Sun, Apr 19, 2015 @ 5:47 AM
Sometimes the best art comes in unexpected ways, this "hot mess" is a beautiful example of that! I love how just water on the butterfly stamp lifted the gesso and created a lovely marbling of the colors beneath. Amazing mix of techniques and tools, wonderful ethereal look!
------------------------------ Julie Proud Fan Club Member, CC595 Favorite, CC March 2017 Guest Designer, SC Winter 2018/19 Guest Designer