Valley of the Blind - Art Journal spread by Cheetarah

Hi VLVS! fans, hope you all are doing great! It's Cheetarah here and I have a art journal spread to share with you made in my pocket watercolor journal. The stamps I used are listed at the end of the post. 

In my Hanemuhle pocket watercolor journal I stamped the whimsical Cyclops and Banksy line of punks with memento Tuxedo black on the pages. It didn't matter that the imprint wasn't as solid black because I am going to use watercolors over it. 

I really love the design of this cyclops, the eye is so wonderfully pronounced. Started with the face and just slowly built up layers as you do with watercolors. 

When I was satisfied with the look of the face I made a mask by stamping the image on post it paper and stuck it to the colored image before I went to do the background. 

Made sun rays by using a stencil and yellow, orange and gold watercolors. I extended the rays to the other page and darkened the 'punks' by using an indigo color mixed with a little bit of magenta to make it a little purple. 

To finish the page I stamped big and small numbers plus some dandelion seeds in orange to pull the pages together. The wrote the quote "In the valley of the blind, the One-Eyed person is King" with a Tombow fudenosuke lettering pen. 

Stamps used: 

Whimsical Cyclops 

Banksey Line of Punks 

Numbers set 

Row of Numbers 

Blowing dandelion and extra seed 

Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Art Journal: Perspective of Time by Cheetarah

Hi VLVStampers! Hope you all are having a wonderful day so far. It's Cheetarah here on the blog today and I have a little art journal spread to share with you made with lush VLVS! The focal point is a wonderful whimsical Scribble Girl designed by Tina Walker which is a new release! Check out the full plate HERE. Let me tell you how I made it and as usual, list of stamps are at the bottom of the post. 

I stared off in my pocket junk journal by adding gesso over some glued down ephemera (dictionary/book pages) and then scraping color with a used gift card until I was satisfied with the blend. I used midnight blue, fuchsia and a sea green acrylic paint for this. To add some more texture I took out my StencilGirl Stencils with some wonky geometrical shapes and lightly dabbed some paint through them. 

Next step I added more texture by stamping some yummy VLVS! texture stamps with Staz-On inks over the painted layer. The sentiment Past Present Future is also from a StencilGirl Stencil. I first used the sea green paint then traced it with a Fudeball pen. Now the base layer is done and went to work with the focal point. 

Tip if you want to use watercolors over acrylic paint layers: I bought this product a while back, watercolor ground by Daniel Smith Artists materials and really wanted to test it out as I love coloring images with watercolors. I applied a bit on the right page dried it with a heat tool to set then I stamped my focal image on it with archival ink. Then heat set it. My image was ready to be color in! Showing you some process shots of the coloring below:

The ground took the watercolors (Jane Davenport brand) very nicely and I was patient with adding the colors in layer and give it enough time to blend and dry until I was satisfied with the over all look of the the woman. Also the ground knocked down the background in brightness and to bring the pages together I stamped the previously used texture stamps over this layer. 

Stamped the word 'perspective' in the middle and splattered some rose gold paint & added a black border and called it done. 

Stamps used: 

Big Eyed Scribble Girl - Tina Walker  

Numbers set 

Row of numbers 

Row of Chevrons

Bubblewrap Texture 

Perspective 

Materials used:

Gesso

Dina Wakley paints

Daniel Smith watercolor ground

StencilGirl Stencils

Jane Davenport watercolors

Stazon & archival ink pads

Heat tool

black Distress crayon  

Hope this inspired you to take your your VLVS! and have a play with them!

Until next time! 

Have a lovely day.

We all Eff Up sometimes...

Hi VLVS! fans! It's Cheetarah here today and I wanted to share a postcard with you I made inspired by a recent mishap. It does contain sensitive language but as you all know VLVS! does have a wonderful array of stamps to be very expressive in your artwork with. All the stamps I used are listed at the bottom of the post. 

My base is a 6x4 inch heavy stock watercolor paper by Winsor and Newton. I used ranger archival ink to stamp the Fed up Vintage Lady with because that works well with the watercolors I am going to use. The ink stays put and doesn't contaminate my brushes. I did choose to stamp the image lighter so that I can add in details with a fine liner after coloring as you can see below. 

I really love the process of watercolor, esp choosing the colors that play well together and create an effect of their own. Like the turquoise and violet blends in the background. 

In the background I wanted to convey a certain contained aura around the Fed up Lady - like she is in her own thought bubble. Like we usually tend to do when things consume us... Also wanted to give you a view of how my desk looks when I am at work with watercolors. I sorta have an addiction when it comes to them, meaning I have several sets. Like stamps, they multiply. 

After I finished coloring I stamped texture in the background with Memento inks in corresponding colors. Trimmed and rounded off the edges then lined it with Tuxedo black which I also used to stamp in the word Fuck. Poor girl, I hope she gets out of her thought loop soon and realize we all eff up sometimes... it's what we learn from it and continue on that matters most. 

Stamps used: 

Fed-Up Vintage Lady 

Fuck Head  

Waybill/Invoice background 

Rows of Numbers 

Hope this inspired you to create and see you all next time. Also be sure to check out the new releases this month! Have a lovely day!

Mail Art Monday with Cheetarah

Hello lovely people, it's Cheetarah here and it's MONDAY and I'm on the blog today to share with you a Mail Art envelope I have created. 

I started off with stamping this gorgeous stamp by Kaity Paltridge on the envelope with Memento Paris Dusk which is a dark blue. And blocked off a segment for where the address is going to be. All the stamps I used are listed below, by the way. 

Then I went to color the image with Promarkers/alcohol markers. Chose yellow colors to compliment the blue colore that I am going to use around the image. 

Next step I used distress oxides in blue tones to color the rest of the envelope (masked off the main image before doing so) and added water drops & dried it with a heatgun for some texture. 

Next step I stamped some yummy mixed media stamps in blue tones and edged the envelope with distress ink chipped sapphire. 

After I took off the masks I doodled around the edges with a black fine liner and called it done. 

Stamps used: 

Aquarium Space Girl 

Rows of numbers 

Punchichella / Sequinwaste 

Stars 

Row of Scribble circles

Have a wonderful week and until next time!

Summer walks with Lady Grey by Cheetarah

Hi all, it's Cheetarah here and I'm glad to be back on the design team for VLVS! this term and contribute regularly to the blog. Today I wanted to share a page I made in my Molskine watercolor sketchbook using wonderful whimsical Lady Grey Stamp by Mary Vogal Lozinak as focal point. 

I stamped her in my molsekine with Memento Tuxedo black, masked her off and added the butterfly wings for some extra whimsy. She looks like she is wearing a poncho so I decided to give the background a feel of light summer rain and work with complimentary colors. The watercolors I used are from Daniel Smith, Winsor and Newton, Schmincke and a few other brands. I like creating my own custom color palettes which you can see here in the picture. 

 

Lady Grey looks like she is walking down some steps and I used the row of Scribble squares to emulate them. Stamped them with memento Dove grey and used light grey green tones to give her a loose yet convincing grounded look look. In the background I have lightly stamped row of numbers set for some extra texture. It looks like she is having a lovely walk in the summer rain. 

Stamps used: 

Whimsical Lady Grey - SKU19909

Row of numbers - SKU 20170 

Pair of butterfly wings - SKU 19647  

Row of scribble squares - SKU 20164

Until next time, have a lovely weekend!

Delight in the Little Things by Cheetarah

Hi all, it's Cheetarah here with my last post as part of the DT this term. It has truly been a blast! I've got a little ATC to share made with wonderful stamps from VLVS! and watercolors. I have used this gorgeous Whimsical Star Girl in frame by Mary Vogel Lozinak as focal point. She is the perfect size for an ATC. 

I started out by stamping her onto watercolor paper using Memento Tuxedo Black and colored her in with watercolors. I used different brands but started off the basic set colors from Sennelier which you can see on the right. I found that using watercolors to color a block stamp like this (where there is a lot of detail in the stamp) you can really make the image pop!

Here is a side by side of the stamped image and the water colored image next to it. What a transformation, right? A few tips to this technique: Make sure you work on thick (preferably a cotton blend) water color paper; Stamp your image lightly, let it dry completely before applying color and use a small #1 of #0 round brush for the details. Just let the water and color do it's magic!

I die cut the ATC with my nesting die and added some gold accents to it with a marker. Then stamped "Delight in the Little Things" on the top and bottom of the image. 

I have put it in a protective sleeve and it's on a shelf above my desk as an inspiration card to remind me to delight in the little things as they matter most. 

Stamps used: 

Whimsical Star Girl in frame 

"DDelight in the Little Things"

As I said at the beginning, it's my last post for the DT this term, as next year I am doing a new studies so don't have much time for many other things, sadly. Designing for VLVS! this year past has absolutely been amazing, was honored to be a part of it! Hope you liked the projects I shared with you as much as I enjoyed making them. 

With this I am wishing you all a wonderful 2018 with delightful cherished little moments filled with joy and happiness. 

Best wishes!

Mail Art Monday - In the pale Moonlight by Cheetarah

Hi every one it's Cheetarah here to inspire you with this winter wonderland themed envelope for this week's Mail Art Monday! It started to snow a lot this weekend and it inspired me to create the above envelope for you. Let me show you how I made it. 

I've taken an envelope and masked the address part off with a post it tape. Then applied these colors of distress Oxides over it and finished with a mist of water and some splats of black soot. 

Then took Picket Fence distress stain and spattered on the envelope with a small brush to create some snowflakes. 

Then stamped fir trees with Memento Paris dusk and also with London fog above the first row of trees to create some depth. 

Then on the bottom I stamped the city silhouette with memento tuxedo black and darkened it with a Higgins black marker to get a stark silhouette on the foreground. Added some gold accents to the windows and reflection in the black aria's. 

Some more stamping in the top aria and took the masking tape away to accentuate the blocked off part for the address. 

I wanted to use this woodland critter by Lesley Woods as my focal point so I colored with copics, promarkers and added shimmer with wink of stella. Then fussy cut and adhered it to the envie. 

Lastly accentuated with a white gel pen and doodled a border around it and some more golden accents in the city silhouette. 

Stamps used: 

Punichella border 

Forest Critter 

Fir Trees 

Stitching  

Stars 

skyline silhouette 

in the pale moonlight 

  

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!