Tag: distress inks

PSALMS of HOPE

Tutorial by Linda Fields

I can’t create without first being inspired. The television was on, and with it, all the stinking garbage oozing from it – enough to kill a thousand dreams. Yeah, I gladly turned it off! I needed to create a timeless piece, one that would reflect my heartfelt prayers for those in dark places. I don’t know what you are, or have been, going through but I hope this might give you a moment of peace and love.

I dedicate this to the native people of Maui.

AECP Level 3 – Elements of Floral Composition Course Work

Materials

Drawing It Out

If you look, you’ll see patterns everywhere. It’s this glue, a beautiful mathematical language, that binds us together in life. The very first thing I did was create a template. I wanted to make sure I had a balanced, structured design. There’s something so satisfying blending art and science together. Yea, my geeky side is showing… moving on…

As you might notice, I used the center as my focal point but it’s not enough to grabbed someone’s attention, you need to keep it! Don’t let their eyes wander off the page. You must guide them, moving them across your artwork to return to the beginning so they’ll repeat the pattern. Lines, shapes, light, shadow and color work together to achieve this.

Stamp & Leaf It

I grabbed my Mysti stamping tool. Now, if you don’t have one, you could always use a stamp block but a stamping tool will give you the freedom to stamp more than once to darken your lines without worry of missing the mark. I used the wonderful Grand Carnations Stamps by Altenew. It’s a Build-a-Garden set you’ll want in your craft box! I used a Micron drawing pen to write Psalm 73:26.

Graphite – Light & Shadow

I’m bringing the pencil back! There’s something so magical about the humble pencil. You don’t have to worry about making mistakes and you can layer as many shades of grey you wish to deepen the shadows. I used a kneaded eraser to remove pencil for highlights and to clean the paper. I used the Micron pen to add dark, permanent details.

NOTE: I used watercolor paper to create this card because I was initially going to watercolor it but I switched to colored pencils instead. I wasn’t disappointed! The weight of the paper is amazing. I highly recommend getting a larger size pad to cut it down into card fronts. I was able to get 4 card fronts from one sheet of 9×12 watercolor paper. This will save you money while giving you quality.

Feeling Peachy

Color Palette Inspiration

Pinterest Photograph
Golden Yellow Deep Colored Pencil
Peach Colored Pencil
Cadmium Green Colored Pencil
Distress Inks for Vintage Edge
Distress Ink for Splatter Effect

Finishing Touch

If you’ve been following my tutorials then you know I stress the importance of little details to have a complete, professional and clean finish with whatever you’re creating. Most of my cards have a black mat adding a 1/8″ frame to my piece before it’s added to the card base but you could use any color.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that it inspires you to create something amazing. Thank you for sharing and leaving comments. I hope you’ll share your creations! God bless

MINUTE MONDAYS – BAMBOO

Tutorial by Linda Fields

Welcome to Minute Mondays where you’ll create a beautiful mark in a matter of minutes! This Bamboo Card was made using an Altenew embossing folder and Altenew inks but any folder and inks you have will work. I recommend using water reactive inks to create unique backdrops.

Bamboo Card Handmade by Linda Fields

Materials

  • Embossing Folder
  • Distress Inks – Pads
  • Mixed Media Paper
Altenew Embossing Folder & Inks Used

Steps

  1. Ink the “cut” side of the embossing folder. I combined several greens.
  2. Mist your paper with water to get a deep embossment.
  3. Run embossing folder with paper through your die-cutting machine.

Can you believe it? That’s it! Add a contrasting ink around the edges and high points if you want a little more drama and framing, put on a card base using double sided foam or sticky tape and that’s it! Congratulations! You just proved a card can be created in 5 minutes or less!

CAFE CONVERSATIONS – Part I

Tutorial by Linda Fields

Aging Paper

Want to create an old book, ancient map, or freshly brewed cafe cards? This tutorial, is all you need.

AECP Level 2 Final Project

Materials

  • Coffee Grounds
  • Paper Towel
  • Paper
  • Water
  • Spray Bottle
  • Heat Gun or Hair Dryer (optional)

Tutorial

  1. Create a staining pouncer using 1-2 tablespoons coffee grounds in a paper towel. Instant coffee grounds yield the darkest results where freshly ground and used coffee will give the lightest stains.
  2. Twist the paper towel closed but not so tight it bursts or breaks.
  3. Spray the pouncer with water to start staining your paper. Mist with water as often as needed.
  4. The more water you use, the darker the stain. Putting several layers deepens the color.
  5. Whatever texture and/or folds in the pouncer will create a cool texture effect when you stain.
  6. Let layers dry before applying the next layers.
  7. You can let each layer of stain air dry, use a hair dryer, or use a heat gun to dry the paper faster.