Airbrushed Lake Scene

Inspiration

Here's another airbrushed sunset - I love using this method for quick backgrounds! And the sunset theme is perfect for the summery lake images. This treeline image (an old one from CC Rubber Stamps) is especially good for this technique, since it is solidly black, and there is no extra coloring to do.

Ingredients

Note: Finished card size is 4 1/2" x 6"

Paper

Not Quite Navy (SU!)	6" x 9"; scored at 4 1/2"
Neenah Solar Crest	4" x 6"
Whisper White (SU!)	3" x 3"

Inks

Not Quite Navy (SU!)

Basic Black (SU!)

Versamark (Tsukineko)

Stamps

Treeline (CC Rubber Stamps)

Dream a Little (SU!)

Accessories

COPIC markers (Imagination International)

COPIC Airbrush System (Imagination International)

Eclipse Art Masking Tape (www.eclipsetape.com)

Big Shot Pro (Sizzix)

Grand Labels 11 Nestabilities (Spellbinders)

Clear Embossing Powder (Stampendous)

Heat Gun

Modern Label Punch (SU!)

Sponge

Foam dots

Stamp-A-Ma-Jig

ATG (Scotch)

Scor-Pal

Rotary Trimmer

Instructions

BASE CARD

Score and fold the blue cardstock; then align the Grand Label 11 die just above the fold and cut/emboss the card. By positioning the die above the fold, the fold remains intact, and you create a shaped base card.

IMAGE

Stamp the treeline image on the eclipse tape, and carefully cut it out - splitting it into two masks at the shoreline of the image.

Ink the treeline stamp with Versamark ink, followed by the black ink. Stamp the image in the lower center of the white cardstock panel. Heat emboss the image with clear embossing powder. Position the Labels 11 die around the stamped image, and cut/emboss it. Leave the image in the die for airbrushing - this will create the white frame around the finished image.

Stamp the treeline image on the eclipse tape, and carefully cut it out - splitting it into two masks at the shoreline of the image.

Put the mask over the lower half of the image, and use a post-it note to cover any remaining open area in the bottom half of the card front. The sunset is created by airbrushing 3 colors of COPIC markers, starting with the lightest color. Airbrush the yellow (Y15) right around the one area of trees. Then, airbrush the (YR16) marker on the outer edges of the yellow, all the way to the outer edge of the panel. Finish up with the YR18 marker, around the outer edges of the card.

To do the water, take the masking material off the lower half of the card, and place the mask for the top of the treeline image onto the top half of the card. Add any post-it notes you need to cover the remaining area of the sky. I used 3 colors of blue, and painted lightest to darkest. Starting with the B93 marker, airbrush the center of the lake area, then use the B95 marker just outside the light blue, and then add the B99 marker to the the outer edges of the card. I finished the water by adding a little bit of extra dark color around the edge, using the C10 marker.

Remove the mask, then use E35 and E39 markers to darken the shoreline.

Remove the image from the die - you can clean the ink from the die with hand sanitizer. I found some sanitizer hand wipes at Target that work for this just great.

SENTIMENT

Stamp the sentiment with blue ink on white cardstock. Punch out the sentiment, using the label punch and sponge some blue ink around the edges.

ASSEMBLY

Adhere the image onto the front of the card. Mount the sentiment label with foam dots.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sunset Sail

Inspiration

I usually have to cast around to find ideas for a masculine theme for cards. Here’s one that came to me as I searched through seldom-used stamps for ideas to use on the several March birthdays that require a masculine touch. 

Of course, the technique is from Michelle Zindorf – on this one, I used a sponge instead of the brayer to create a color gradient across the card. I also came across a technique on Splitcoast Stampers that incorporates COPICs and colored pencils (2 of my favorite ways to color images) on the same image.

 

 

 

Ingredients

Note: Finished card size is 4 1/4” x 5 1/2”

Paper

Bashful Blue (SU!):  5 1/2” x 8 1/2”, scored at 4 1/4”

Whisper White (SU!):  4 1/8” x 5 3/8”

Stamper’s Select White (Paper Trey):  4 1/8” x 5 3/8”

Inks

Versamark (Tsukineko)	Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Apricot Appeal (SU!)	Bashful Blue (SU!)
Pumpkin Pie (SU!)	Brilliant Blue (SU!)
Dusty Durango (SU!)

Stamps

Medallion (SU!)	On Your Birthday (SU!)
Seagull (CC Rubber Stamps)	Sailboat (PSX)
Sand (CC Rubber Stamps)

Accessories

Colored Pencils (Prisma Color)	Gamsol and paper stubs
COPIC markers (Imagination International)	Clear embossing powder
Sponge	Heat Gun
Scor-Pal	Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch)
Rotary trimmer with deckle and straight blades (Fiskars)

Instructions

Sunset and Sea 

Step 1: Stamp the medallion sun in embossing ink on the left side of the white panel and emboss with clear powder.

Step 2: Sponge the sunset colors starting with the lightest orange color over the upper left 2/3 of the card.  Add the darker orange colors to create a gradual darkening in color as you move away from the sun.  After sponging on the color, you may want to “polish” the sun with a paper towel – this will remove some of the orange color from the embossed image, but still leaves a glow.

Step 3: Sponge the sea using the blue inks, again going from lighter near the sun to darker in the lower right corner of the card.

Step 4: Stamp the sand dots over the sea with the darkest blue color to add a little texture and movement to the water.

Step 5: Stamp the sentiment and the bird in black to the right of the sun.

Sailboat

Step 1: Stamp the sailboat on the heavier white cardstock using the black ink.  My sailboat image also has clouds and water – when I cut the image out, I eliminated the clouds – nothing to “block out” the sun!  I left the water around the boat as part of the image.

Step 2: Color the image with COPICs.  I used these colors:

• Sails: BG0000
• Boat: E30, E31, E37

Step 3: Add color shading using the colored pencils, and blend with mineral spirits and a paper stub.  I did all of the color for the water with pencils, but you could easily pick a blue shade of marker to lay the base color for the water.

Assembly

Step 1: Mount the sunset panel to the front of the card.

Step 2: Add the sailboat, using foam tape for a little bit of dimension.

Thanks for stopping by!

Scarecrow

Inspiration

Another fall card – I’m really enjoying the fall season this year1  This one is fun, and could be used for either a man or a woman.  It employs some really rich fall colors – I especially like the dark purple.

The special touches in this card are: a) using Gamsol (mineral spirits) to blend the colored pencils in the image, and b) punching out the stamped leaf image.  I bought the stamp and punch set years ago.  The leaf stamp (by CC Rubber Stamps) was made to match the leaf punch. I think the punch is from Marvy, although it is not marked anywhere on it.

Ingredients

Paper

Note: finished card size is 4 1/4” x 5 1/2”

Elegant Eggplant (SU!): 8 1/2” x 5 1/2”, score @ 4 1/4”; Autumn Traditions DSP(SU!): 4” x 5 1/4”; More Mustard (SU!): 1” x 5 1/4”; Ruby Red (SU!): 1” x 4”; Soft Suede (SU!): 2 1/2” x 3 1/4”; Very Vanilla (SU!): 2 1/4” x 3”; small scraps of Ruby Red, More Mustard, and Always Artichoke

Ink

Soft Suede (SU!); Always Artichoke (SU!); Ruby Red (SU!); More Mustard (SU!)

Stamps

Happy Blessings (SU!); Leaf (CC Rubber Stamps)

Accessories

Prisma Color Pencils; Gamsol; Paper stub; Leaf punch; Foam dots; Scor-Pal; Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch); Rotary trimmer with straight blade (Fiskars); Scissors

Instructions

Images

Stamp the image using the brown ink on the vanilla panel.  Then color using colored pencils.  Use the Gamsol on a paper stub to blend the colors, and achieve the shading you desire.

Stamp the leaf 3 times using matching colors – green ink on green paper, etc.  Then punch out the leaf image with the matching punch.

Assembly

Quick & Easy!  Build your card layer by layer:

1. Base card
2. Patterned paper
3. Yellow vertical strip
4. Red horizontal strip
5. Brown mat for image
6. Image
7. Add the leaves using foam dots

Hope you are enjoying your autumn, and this card gives you some inspiration to try some bright fall colors.

Thanks for stopping by!