Artist trading cards - Jump in puddles

 Hi everyone,

I've got another pair of ATCs to share with you. They might be inspired by the many rainy days we had over the last weeks.

The background was made with alcohol inks on matte cardstock. Therefore I applied them onto my gelli plate, along with a little blending solution and directly add the paper on top - without letting the ink dry and without adding any acrylic paint. The light colors made me think of a sky and that brought me to the ATCs as they are. After inking the edges it even looked a little stormy.

The process of making the cards wasn't complicated, but I want to emphasize my way of creating a little dynamic. One aspect is the asymmetry I used to put my two card layers together. In addition to this, I aligned the woman with the umbrella in the opposite bottom left corner. Images that are "cut" at the edge of a project can make a real difference and add more interest to the composition.

Stamps used:
Girl With Umbrella facing away (19127)
Keep Calm/Puddles (19120)
Windmill Scene (19124)

Other material:
- white and navy cardstock
- alcohol inks (cloudy blue, rust) + blending solution
- gelli plate
- Versafine Claire ink (nocturne)
- Memento ink (london fog)
- Distress ink (black soot)
- Arteza watercolor pens

See you soon!

 

ATCs with a twist - Nutrition facts

Hey everyone,

Today I'm sharing an interactive and snarky artist trading card tutorial with you. They are easy to make, but nevertheless so fun. Let's get started!

Here's a little video of how it looks when you unfold them:

 

Since I made two ATCs, I cut two bases with a hight of 3 3/8 inch and a width of approximately 4 1/2 inch. I made a seam at 2 3/8 inch but didn't fold it yet. So one part of each card was a little smaller than an ATC. On the other part I stamped the hilarious lady on a scale. I placed her in a way that she almost touches the upper and lower edge. I cut everything that's right from her as well as between her legs and inked the edges with a black marker. 

Next I added some color blending with three different oxide inks to the inside of the card (where nothing is stamped) and a little speckled egg to the front next to the woman. I didn't do any masking here, just tried not to blend over the lady too much.

Then I stamped the nutrition facts to the inside and a fun quote next to the woman: 'I'm allergic to food. I break out in fat."

I colored her in quickly with my ZIG markers and folded the card after everything was dry. To keep the card closed, I wrapped a rose ribbon around the card and tied a bow to it. With double sided tape I added the folded part to some ATC sized pieces of black cardstock. The tape also keeps the ribbon in place.

Do you like interactive cards and ATCs as much as I do?

Here are some more detail photos:

 

 

 

Stamps used:
Lady on scale (18492)
Nutrition facts (4335)
I'm allergic to food (18391)

Other material:
- Canson watercolor paper
- black cardstock
- Oxide Inks (black soot, broken china, speckled egg)
- blending tool
- score board
- ZIG real brush markers
- double sided tape
- ribbon


See you soon!

Procraftinate - Quick ATCs

 Hey everyone,

you don't always have to spend endless hours on the crafting table to create something beautiful. So, even if you are quite busy, just take yourself a little time, craft and relax. Today's project is a set of four artist trading cards that I created in less than an hour.

The base layer is just black cardstock. The middle layer is some old paper from my stash, torn to the size a little bit smaller than the base.

Anf for the top layer I mixed four colors of Brushos with water and added them to a piece of watercolor paper. I just used one color for each card, but you can achive some cool effects by just adding layers with that one color.

 
I added a bunch of mixed media stamps and used foam tape to adhere it to the card base.
Now I just needed to add a quote and chose the "procraftinate" definition, stamped on some of the old paper to coordinate with the middle layer. I also added some pieces of the black cardstock that I had left behind the quote.

Hope you found some inspiration with my ATCs.

Stamps used:
Scribble Circle (20166)
Punchinella/Sequin Waste Border (20161)
Row of Chevrons (19829)
Doodle Dots (19827)
Procraftinate (19638)

Other material:
- black cardstock
- vintage book and ledger paper
- Canson watercolor paper
- Brushos (turquoise, violet, lemon, emerald green)
- Versafine Ink Pad (onyx black)
- foam tape


See you soon!

 

Boys just want to have fun!

Hello everyone,

I have a set of Artist Trading Cards to share with you. My inital plan was to create an art journal page, but when I finished the background I found that it was not really looking good for me. But I didn't want to throw it away, so I just cut it to pieces and it worked well then.

These ATCs were quite simple to make. I started building my background on a larger sheet of paper with the two bull's eye stamps and three different colored embossing powders. I heat embossed one color after the other. Then I added a layer of Distress Oxide sprays and also some Dylusions spray. You can't see much of the Oxides at the end, but it left a nice visual texture. This was the point where I decided to cut it apart. The pieces are slightly smaller than ATC size, just because I like to add some backing to them.

I picked some paper dolls as focal images, one for each ATC, and then created a little cluster for each of them. I stamped the row on numbers on tome old book paper and attached the strips and some thread to the cards with some staples. Next, I added a cut out Writing Chevron to each of the card.

The three quotes that I chose are stamped on the same paper that I used for the back. This helps to make everything appear more consistent.

So, here are some more photos:

Stamps used:
Bulls Eye Target Solid (19196)
Bulls Eye Target Open (19193)
Rows of Numbers (20170)
Writing Chevron (19824)
I Found This Humerus (19767)
Boys Just Want (19766)
Wake Me Up When I'm Famous (19765)

Other material:
- Canson watercolor paper
- blue cardstock
- Lindy's Gang Embossing Powders (midnight teal, sassy sapphire, morning glory azure)
- Distress Oxide sprays (black soot, dried marigold, antique linen)
- Dylusions ink spray (after midnight)
- old book paper
- thread
- stapler
- Tim Holtz paper dolls


Keep on stamping!

Just a rat in a cage

Hello stampers,

hope everyone is safe and sound.

I made a set of Artist Tradings Cards for giving you some inspiration while so many of us have to stay at home. These are a bit special, or did you ever think of combining Banksy with romantic Victorian elements? 

There are tons of pattern paper in my stash and I just randomly grabbed a pad. I tore four pieces to a size a little smaller than an ATC. To make it appear a little grungier, I used two rose shades of Oxide Inks, smooshed them onto my craft mat, sprayed it with water and swiped my paper pieces through it. I like the look this technique creates, especially on the dark paper.

After giving it a good dry with my heat tool, I started stamping. I chose a few different stamps that were some kind of florid or vintage inspired and stamped them with Versamark Ink. With the aim to stay in the rose color sceme I used a Golden Peach colored embossing powder to add some texture. It is quite striking on the darker cards and very subtle on the lighter ones - I like both variants. For a more distressed look, I added some Oxide Ink in Brushed Corduroy to the edges.

Time to work on my focal image, and while writing this post I'm still quite happy how this turned out in the end. I stamped the Victorian display case on some watercolor paper and placed the Banksy rat stamp right on top so that it looks as if the rat was in the display. 

Then I used watercolor to add some color and cut out the display cases. As a finishing touch I used a glossy medium to add some shine to the glass. I first thought of using Glossy Accents for that, but I was too impatient that day to wait for it to dry, so I chose the other one which I could apply in a thinner layer. I tried to catch that pretty shine in the photo.

I always like to work in layers and I like texture, so I used my sewing machine to attach the torn and altered paper pieces onto black cardstock that I cut to 2.5 x 3.5 inch before. After that, I glued down the Display Case with some foam tape.

Now I just needed a quote and "I'm still just a rat in a cage" seemed like the perfect match to me. I stamped it onto watercolor paper, cut it into little pieces and added some of that Brushed Corduroy Oxide Ink to the edges so it blends in nicely. 

I finished my set by gluing down that quote down with liquid glue and some foam tape. Here are some more (detail) photos of the project.

Stamps used in this project:
Waybill/Invoice Background (19416)
Vintage Flourish (19623)
Leafy Twig (19591)
Victorian Flower Background (20343)
Steampunk Victorian Display Case (20348)
Banksy Rat Walking Chain (19426)
I Am Still Just A Rat (19281)

Other material:
- watercolor paper
- patterned paper
- black cardstock
- Versaclair Ink (Nocturne)
- Versamark Ink
- Distress Oxide Inks (Tattered Rose, Victorian Velvet, Brushed Corduroy)
- Embossing powder ("Golden Peach" by Altenew)
- glossy medium
- sewing machine (optional)



Stay safe, keep stamping and see you soon!

Artist Trading Cards by Jenn Engle

Hey everyone! I have a pair of ATCs to share with you today. I was playing around with Plaster from the Hardware Store. It makes an interesting finish and it is super fun to play with. I used the same "Fortune Tarot Card" Stamp on both ATCs but applied them in different ways.

I would love if you checked out the process video to see exactly how I made these ATCs from start to finish. (Video at the bottom of the post)

Stamps Used:

Mesh Texture

Numbers Set

Fortune Tarot Card

Pair of Butterfly Wings

Thanks for looking,

~Jenn

Coffee Time!

Hello Again!!!

Who else here is a Coffee Addict?
Some of you know I am!!!

In Honor of my love of coffee, I have decided to make a set of 3 ATC's. 

Stamps Used:

Coffee Ring Stain

Fancy A Cuppa

Lady with Cuppa

Man with Tea Cup

I stamped these all with black stayzon ink, and versa fine sepia ink.  

(I also used the verafine to edge everything)