Altered playing card challenge

Claudine Criner is sponsoring the Altered Playing Card Challenge.  This is the second week of the challenge, last week prepping 52 playing cards with gesso or sanding. You can also find the group on the FaceBook site.  If you are daunted by prepping 52 cards at once gesso doesn't take long to dry, so you can make them week to week.

For my first card I kept with the theme and colors.  I used my Stampotique's large Fleur Fly rubber stamp and had to improvise the black border.  My card was treated with clear gesso and lightly sanded.  I applied Inktense for my color.  I added a little scribble with Prismacolor pencils. 

My second card followed Claudine's lead, however I used Inktense again for my color.  I also used the Vera Lane Studio digi image set February's Moon and colored the images with Copics.  I added  Stardust and white Gelly pen accents along with white Prismacolor pencil. When I created by digi layout  in a Word Document I filled my page with numerous images and sentiments prior to printing.  If you are new to digi stamps I have started a couple of videos that may help as well as info on my previous post. I am sizing my main digi image to 2.75" - 2.8" to utilize my card space.

I applied my gesso on the front of my cards to get a variation of images in under layers.  Since the back of my cards are not all clean I am finishing the backs by laminating scrapbook paper. 

Claudine is giving a weekly challenge and demonstrates techniques for two cards at a time.  Follow the link and play along -- the art is tiny-- you can do it!
 

Digi Stamp Tutorial

In this YouTube video, Vera Lane Studio shows you how to create a page layout of your favorite digi stamps to get ready to print and color.

You will learn to insert your stamps, resize, rotate and flip.  The page can be printed and is ready for you to cut, arrange and insert into your composition.
This video shows you how to fill a page with multiple images to take advantage of paper economy.  It does not address specific card layouts.  I recommend using a 100 - 110 lb weight card stock for printing.

Why digi stamps?

I love rubber stamps.  I've been designing rubber stamp images for about thirteen years.  But not every image I make can go into rubber.  So I design for the digital stamper too.  As a rubber stamp designer I understand media used and how artists like to color their images.  I take this into consideration when I create my sets of digi images.  Vera Lane Studio images always offers a variety of options in each set.

So WHY digi stamps?  And what is the deal about them?
Digi stamps are designed by artists specifically for the purpose of paper crafting as you would with rubber stamps.   Unlike "clip art" digi stamps are made to design with.  They come to you in a high resolution file to allow resizing and printing.   The small license fee allows the end user to use again and again for personal use.  While they can not use the dye and pigment inks and certain techniques as rubber stamps, they do have many desirable advantages.

1. Cost effective
2. Resizable
3. Images can be reversed
4. Colors can be altered even in Word -- no fancy program needed!
5. Save images in a file system on your computer -- no storage issues
6. Overlapping with ease
7. Save money and storage -- you can have hundreds of images concealed on your computer drive!
8. Great for the beginner -- not a lot of supplies are needed
9. A great addition to your rubber stamp collection as "make up stamps"
10. Instant download -- instant gratification!

Thank you for taking a look at my posting.  If you have jumped on board to Claudine's Altered Playing Card Challenge I am offering a 20% discount in my Etsy shop.  Discount is good through September 14, 2014.

Have a little fun

The Stampotique Designer's Challenge (SDC 163)  is calling up the use of an older stamp and give it new life.

Large Fleurfly is most definitely a blast from the past.  She's part of the Fleur de Girl collection, my original line for Stampotique.

I found a book text "Have a little fun" -- and I did, creating a funky little background for this image.  This little card fits into an A2 envelope and the art measures 3.75" x 4.5". 

Large Fleurfly is colored with Prismacolor pencils.  The background is patterned scrapbookpaper that I brayered with white acrylic. I smeared some more paint with my fingers, collaged a bit, and accent black acrylic with my liner brush. 

I have a box of nice quality A2 envelopes and I like making cards this size in advance.  When I am looking for something to send, I peruse my collection and see what fits.  Certainly the message "Have a little fun" would be a welcomed greeting.  

Under the sea

Arwen is calling the Stampotique Designer's Challenge (SDC 162) this week and the theme is "Under the Sea."

The design team has really pulled together an exciting group of cards and projects for this theme.

I've decided to use Amy Wilson-Wellenstein's  Caerleon  and Gawan  in this collage card.  My background is a light colored wash on an old book page.  Layers with collage scraps and stitching.  The fish are colored with Copics and accented with white gel pen.

Now for a little fun.
 If you want to create ATCs from cards you will mail to friends  and family you can scan them into a photo program.  Adjusting and varying the color, you can create a set of ATC's to print and add a little Prismacolor or any other media touch. 
Below is a sample of how you can alter color on your completed art.

It's also a fun way to keep a little scrapbook of cards you have made and mailed.

The video below shows you the range the color can be changed with this sample.  All I have done is adjust hue.  You can also adjust saturation and other enhancements.  I used Adobe Photo Elements which is a relatively inexpensive program and has more features than you'll ever use.
Save copies of the art sample you like under different names. You can import them into your Word program, create a sheet of cards to size and print on cardstock.

Enjoy!

Vera Lane Studio's photographer

"The Photographer" is Vera Lane Studio's latest digi stamp set. 

Dorothea  (do you get it?) comes with four sentiments and a frame.

The frame can be resized to layer with your photographs or use digitally as I have done here.  You can also crop another digi image to be inserted in the frame or use Dorothea alone.

So capture life!  This isnstant download is available with many others in my Etsy shop. 

I hope you'll check her out!

 

Chimayo memory

I was happy to see my large sunflower stamp used this week for the SDC161 (Stampotique Designers Challenge) sent out by Kristen.

It's interesting to see other artists' interpretation of the sunflower images.  My favorite sunflower memory was the abundance of them one sunny summer traveling in New Mexico.  Quaint floral yards with sunflower stalks hugging and hovering over fences. My, they were large.  The color was intense with a variation of hues on the petals.

I thought the line of the single stamped image (in Copic marker) speaks for itself against the sprayed and stencil background.  This reminds me of filtered light through a lace certain, perhaps in a little sunny yard in Chimayo.

Simple as this card is, it makes for a greeting of most any kind. 

I hope you enjoy it.  

Image release Monday

Happy Monday!
Vera Lane Studio Digi Stamps just released two new image sets. 

"Hope and Honey" is a set of five files, three images and two quotes.  Hope is a sweet little clown that would be perfect for a good cheer card, children's birthday, invites, or a thank you.  She is versatile with her little pup Honey.  He comes with a hat too!

"Thinking of You" is also a five file set.  Colette comes holding a flower with a sun and cloud image for layering or using alone.  Two quotes are in the set for your designing options.  The expression on Colette's face makes her suitable for so many difference uses.  The simple sun and cloud images enhance the mood, use together or alone, change the layering to create the feeling tone of your choice.

I hope you enjoy Vera Lane's newest additions.