Christmas Card in Black #VLVS #VivaLasVegaStamps #VLVS #ChristmasCard

Black isn't a color you usually associate with the holidays but it works surprisingly well as a base when using metallic or glittery gel pens.

Supplies

VLVS! Stamps Used:

Santa Smoking - Item 19314 Plate 1411

Sakura of America Gellyroll Pens
     Stardust: Red-Star, Lime-Star, Green-Star, Sky-Star, Golden-Star
     Metallic: Green, Gold, Blue, Red
     Standard: White

Tim Holtz Distress Markers: Barn Door, Peeled Paint

Elmer's Paint Pens: White, Black

Kromecote A2 Cardstock
Strathmore 140 lb cold-press watercolor paper 8 x 10
Golden Black Gesso
Miracle Tape
A finger or blending tool

Fold the sheet of watercolor paper in half so the more textured side is on the front.

Paint the front with black gesso, leaving a white border around it.  Don't worry about crisp  or even edges.

Stamp the Santa on a piece of Kromecote and color him with the Distress Markers.  
Place enough Miracle tape to cover the Santa.  Leave the strip on the back side of the tape for now.

Cut him out.

Remove the back strip from the Miracle Tape, and place the Santa so he is flush with the bottom of the card and outside the black area.

Add some blue metallic around the Santa and smudge it with your finger or blending tool (I really find the finger does a better job.  The oils I think).  Smudging must be done immediately while the ink is still wet.

Use the Gold Metallic pen to draw a border around the black, but keep a black border around the gold.

Continuing with the gold pen, outline a simple christmas tree, each section a triangular shape with three loops on the bottom.  Keep a line of black between each section.

Add the gold ornaments.  Simple again--just round and oval blobs.

Outline the packages, still using the gold pen..  Don't worry about perspective.  This is a primitive-style drawing so simplicity is what counts.  Make one large package next to Santa, and then draw 2 small packages behind him and the tree.  If you can fit another small one between the large package and tree do so, but don't sweat it.  

Fill in a stripe around the boxes for ribbon, and draw loops for the bow.

Color the area around tree, packages and Santa with the Red-star pen. Throughout, while you are coloring, leave a thick, black line between your color and the gold lines.  The black does not have to be an even thickness. It's more interesting if it isn't.

Use the red metallic to place stripes that run from the edge of the card toward the tree.  They won't show much, but will add a little depth.

Switch to the green metallic pen and color each section of the tree completely.

Switch to the Green-star pen and draw stripes from the bottom of each section to the top (same reason as with the red stripes)

Now switch to the lime-star and add similar stripes.

Switch to the Golden-star and make dots along the center stripes.

Use the blue metallic to draw the strings for the lights. Use the Red-star to color the lights (simple ovals), then use the Elmer's paint pen for white highlights.

For the rest of the black (except the border on the outside of the gold) color it with blue metallic.  Rather than making it solid blue, color a section about the size of your fingertip, and then smudge it as far as you can.  Keep doing this until the black is covered, but hints of it show through in places.

In the white border, on the left edge, color a dot of blue metallic about the twice the size of the pen's tip, and smear it in a fan shape.  Go down 1/2 and inch or so, and repeat this on the right edge.  Continue doing this around the entire border. Just skip over Santa and continue on the other side of him.

Use the black Elmer's painter pen to adjust your black lines.  If you have places without a black line around objects, add one.  If you have an area where it's just too, too uneven, even it out a bit (don't get to fussy about this.  It's a primitive-style, remember?).

In the white border, where you created the blue smudging, draw a line or two and smudge.

Finish by using the black Elmer's to thicken the Santa's outline on one side.


I hope you've enjoyed creating a Christmas Card in black!

Don't forget to check out the VLVS! November Challenge for a chance to win (plus it's fun!).

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you've enjoyed your visit to Wonderland!For more of my work with Viva Las VegaStamps!, Amazing Mold Putty, zentangle-inspired art, and daily links to tangles, tutorials, and giveaways please visit my "Life Imitates Doodles" blog.   ~ Sandra Strait

Helpful Links: VLVS! Store for all your stamping needs; the  VLVS! Blog for new projects; VLVS! on  FaceBook,  Pinterest and Twitter

Alice in Wonderland Redux

'Alice in Wonderland' was one of my favorite books when I was young, and I count the original illustrator, Sir John Tenniel, as one of my artistic influences.  I thought I'd see if I could bring some new life to one of his drawings.

Supplies
VLVS! Stamps Used:
Alice With Caterpillar - Item 19300 Plate 941
Mushroom - Item 19118 Plate 923
Small Mushroom - Item 19121 Plate 923
Leafless Trees -  Item 15881 Plate 1260
Tall Tree - Item 14917 Plate 1210

7Dots Studio 'Love is in the Air' 6 x 6 Scrapbook Paper
Sakura of America Standard Gellyroll White pen; Stardust: Golden-star, Sky-Star, Green-Star, Copper-Star, Red-Star
Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers-BT7, CG7, CT3, DG3, OR1, TB3
Ranger Archival Black ink pad
Distress Vintage Photo ink pad

I often find myself using products in the same way over and over, and it's a shame.  The phrase 'thinking outside the box' is a cliched saying, but only because it is true.  For the month of November, I was challenged to use 7Dots Studio scrapbook paper and Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and it suddenly occurred to me that I could use them together.

You don't generally think of using alcohol markers on colored paper and, truthfully, I don't know why not!  Most of the colors are translucent so you can't use them on black or dark colors, but why not lighter paperstock?

I started with a sheet of 6x6 scrapbook paper in bright yellows and oranges.  I laid out the VLVS! stamps I'd chosen until I was satisfied with the layout, and I stamped Alice and the Caterpillar, and the mushrooms in black.  The trees I stamped in brown, so there would be a feeling of distance.  (NOTE: It is important that you do NOT use StazOn ink for stamping when you will color with alcohol markers.  The solvent-based StazOn will react and smear.)

Even without color, the scene almost looks finished with the 7Dots Studio background!  

I chose my Spectrum Noir colors based not only on color, but on opacity.  Rule of thumber-darker colors tend to be opaque, not allowing the background to show through at all.  Lighter colors tend to be more translucent, letting some background show through.  There are exceptions so I do recommend testing first.  Your colors might look entirely different based on the background behind it.

I had a scrap of the same 7Dots Studio paper and I tested several colors on it.  Most collections do have more than sheet of the same color.  If you don't have a scrap, then do some abstract images--lots of circles or stripes, and use your test sheet for another project.

I used a mix of Citrus and Dull Greens in the foreground.  The Citrus allowed a little of the background color through, but the Dull Green didn't. I used Citrus in the midground.  Both True Blue and Turquoise Blue were used on Alice's dress and for a touch of shadowing on the mushrooms.  Orange was used to color the mushrooms and the Caterpillar.  I used True Blue to border the entire page, but left the background uncolored for a mottled yellow sky.  Citrus Green was used for the tree's foliage, and I added some Dull Green shadows in the midground.

The biggest issue with using colored paper now presented itself.  Everything was too dark.  I had expected this, and had my gellyrolls ready to go.  I used white for highlights, and to tone down the Caterpillar and mushrooms.  I used the green Stardust all over the grassy areas to tie everything together.  The yellow Stardust was used for Alice's hair, and the center grass of the midground. I blue Stardust was used to even out Alice's dress.  Alice's skin tones were created with copper Stardust overlaid with white.

As usual, it was difficult to get to get a scan or photo that shows the sparkle from the Stardust pens.  They added a glitter that made the scene other-wordly and defined the magic that is Wonderland!

I hoped you enjoyed my Adventure in Wonderland!  

Viva Las VegaStamps! is having a swap with 7Dots Studio for the whole month of November!   and don't forget to check out the VLVS! November Challenge for a chance to win (plus it's fun!).

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you've enjoyed your visit to Wonderland!For more of my work with Viva Las VegaStamps!, Amazing Mold Putty, zentangle-inspired art, and daily links to tangles, tutorials, and giveaways please visit my "Life Imitates Doodles" blog.   ~ Sandra Strait

Helpful Links: VLVS! Store for all your stamping needs; the  VLVS! Blog for new projects; VLVS! on  FaceBook,  Pinterest and Twitter

If Camels Had Wishes

If Camels Had Wishes...Everyone Would Ride Horses!

I really love this image of a camel's head  from Viva Las VegaStamps!  I've had it for the longest time, but I wasn't sure what he was doing.  Yodeling? Blowing bubbles?  And then I saw the Dandelion stamp and I realized he was making a wish!

Supplies:
VLVS! Images Used--

Camel Head Item 12753 Plate 1140
Camel Item 4995 Plate 493
Camel Running Right Item 1722 Plate 457
Camel Silhouette Item 1766 Plate 457
Blowing Dandelion and Extra Seed by Susan M. Brown Item 19045 Plate 918

Sakura of America Gellyroll-Gold Red Stardust
Faber-Castell ArtGrip Color Pencil-107, 125, 133
Distress Markers-Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Frayed Burlap, Antique Linen, Picket Fence, Crushed Olive, Walnut Stain
Distress Ink pad-Walnut Stain
Exacompta Journal Forum

The challenge with this project was the slope of the pages in the journal.  It's a thick one and impossible to lie completely flat.  I used unmounted stamps and didn't use a stamping block for the images that fell in the crease between the two pages, so the stamps were more flexible.  I practiced a bit on other pages, curving the stamps juuuust a little before touching the page.  White space was inevitable in the crease itself, but it wasn't much, and was easily filled in using the walnut stain marker that matches the inkpad.

I penciled in the words first to be sure they would fit, and then filled them in with Distress Marker.  I outlined them with Gellyroll pens.

Then it was just a matter of coloring the background with the Distress Markers.  I colored the dark areas first, stippling and making rough circles and dots for texture.  Then I used the lighter colors blending them into the darker.  I dotted the white Picket Fence to tone down some of the colors that I felt were too bright and to add more mottling in other areas.

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you've enjoyed my art journaling page.

Have you entered Viva Las VegaStamps! August challenge? It's great fun and a chance to share your projects with the world!

Wanderlust

I have to admit I was never a wild child.  
I always envied those who were.

So I decided to celebrate the spirit of Wanderlust!

VLVS! Stamps used: 
Children Playing on Toy Car-19187 Plate 927
Wanderlust-19170 Plate 927

Sakura of America:
Cray-Pas® Expressionist® Oil Pastels-Red, Orange, Yellow, Pale Blue, Black, Yellow, Green
Gelly Roll® Stardust® Glitter Pens-Rose, Sky Blue, Gold, Red
Gelly Roll 1.0 Metallic: - Gold, Blue 

Other Supplies:

Heavy 5" x 5" Chipboard or Masonite tile

UmWow Studio Chipboard-Hexagon Background

Silk Tissue Paper (aka very thin rice paper/mulberry paper.  White tissue paper would also work, but would harder to color)
Faber-Castell Stampers Big Brush pen-Ivory 103, Light Flesh 132
Miracle Tape
StazOn Inkpad-Jet Black
Hair Spray
Golden Regular Gel Medium
Golden Acrylic Ground
Plastic Eraser
Stylus
E6000 adhesive
Scissors
Bone Folder

The Tile-Using Cray-Pas® as Scratchboard (Sgraffito)

1. Seal the tile with two coats of regular gel medium and 1 coat of Acrylic ground, letting each layer dry in between.
2. Color the tile with the Cray-Pas®, adding each color at random applying the color heavily. DO NOT USE BLACK AT THIS TIME.
3. Blend the colors together with the plastic eraser.
4. Lay down a heavy coat of black, completely covering the other colors.  Don't worry--the other colors won't smudge.
5. Use the stylus to carve designs into the oil pastel, allowing the first layer of colors to show through. 
6. Spray with cheap hair spray and let set overnight to set color..
7. Seal with regular gel medium. Let dry.

(NOTE:  Julie Fei-Fan Balzer has a video showing this technique )

The Chipboard Hexagon

1. Seal the chipboard with two coats of regular gel medium and 1 coat of Acrylic ground, letting each layer dry in between.
2. Lay down stripes of yellow-green Cray-Pas®, alternating with sky blue stripes.
3. Spray with cheap hair spray and let set overnight to set color.
4. Seal with regular gel medium. Let dry.
5. Attach chipboard to tile with E6000.

The Stamped Images

1. Stamp the ''Children Playing on Toy Car' and the 'Wanderlust images onto the silk tissue paper with StazOn ink.
2. Cut around each image, leaving a generous border around each.
3. Flip over and add layers of Miracle tape onto the paper to stiffen it. Leave the backing on the tape for now.
4. Flip right side up, and color the children using the Gellyroll and Big Brush pens.
5. Trim the Wanderlust image so it has a white border all around,
6. Pull off backing and stick to the bottom corner of the tile.  Burnish with bone folder or spoon, taking care not to tear the tissue.
7. Fussy cut the Children's image so no border is left.
8. Pull off backing and stick to the bottom corner of the tile.  Burnish with bone folder or spoon, taking care not to tear the tissue.

Check out the VLVS! Store for all your stamping needs and the  VLVS! Blog for new projects. VLVS! FB - VLVS! Pinterest - VLVS! Twitter

For more of my work with Viva Las VegaStamps!, Amazing Mold Putty, zentangle-inspired art, and daily links to tangles, tutorials, and giveaways please visit my "Life Imitates Doodles" blog.   ~ Sandra Strait

One of These Is Not Like the Others

Have you ever played those games where you have to pick out the object that is different than the other objects?

VLVS! Stamps used: 
Sitting Elephant - 19157
Whimsical Elephant - 19219
Whimsical Sheep - 18979

Sakura of America: 

  Gelly Roll Standard  -White,  

  Gelly Roll 1.0 Metallic: - Gold, Silver, Blue, Emerald and Purple

  Galaxy Gelly Roll Stardust Pens - Rose, Sky Blue, Lime Green, Purple, Gold, Red

   Pigma Micron Pen .08

Strathmore Toned Tan Art Journal

StazOn Inkpad - Jet Black

Pencil

This journal page was fun! The toned paper of the Strathmore journal makes everything POP, and gellyrolls are one of my favorite ways to color Zentangle-Inspired Art.

The steps are few:

1. Stamp the elephants and sheep. I put the sheep in the middle...'cause its the 'Not Like the Other' one, if you hadn't guessed, lol!
2. Write out the wording in pencil, to get the placement you want.
3. Outline the words with the Micron pen.
4. Draw strings (lines to create sections on the page).
5. Fill the string sections with tangle patterns.
6. Use the Gellyroll pens to color, color, color!

Some tips with using Gellyrolls:

Draw on some scrap paper to get your pen flowing well if you haven't used it in a while.  You'll see ink forming on the tip.

Make sure you've done most of your Micron Linework before using the Gellyrolls, or else wait until the gellyroll ink is completely dry before using Micron over it.  Otherwise, you risk clogging your Micron.

The slower you draw, the more even coverage you'll get.

The color that beads up on the tip is a mixed blessing.  It means you'll get a lovely flow, and fantastic coverage.  But that bead will dry, and then prevent flow.  So when you stop using the pen, wipe the tip.  If your flow gets thin, wipe the tip.  If you want a thinner line, wipe the tip before drawing it.

If you want to add a second layer of color, let the first layer dry or you'll just move the ink around.

If you want to lighten the intensity of the color, scribble a line or two and smear it with your finger (yep.  You'll get your fingers smudged).  You can also let the color dry and add white gellyroll pen over top.  Different effects, but both lighten.

You can find tangle patterns online.  Some of my favorite sites are Zentangle.com, Tanglepatterns.com and you can search for Tangle Patterns at my Life Imitates Doodles blog.

Check out the VLVS! Store for all your stamping needs and the  VLVS! Blog for new projects. VLVS! FB - VLVS! Pinterest - VLVS! Twitter

For more of my work with Viva Las VegaStamps!, Amazing Mold Putty, zentangle-inspired art, and daily links to tangles, tutorials, and giveaways please visit my "Life Imitates Doodles" blog.   ~ Sandra Strait