Tag: #AECP #Altenew #spinroo

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AECP – Level 3 – Botanical Illustration Inspired Watercolor – Advanced Techniques

Hello.  It is wonderful to have you back to my blog.

My new set of classes were taught by Jaycee Gaspar entitled Botanical Illustration Inspired Watercolor – Advanced Techniques.  They were inspiring. As I am not an artist, I did not do these classes justice, but I thoroughly enjoyed them.

My inspiration was this picture of purple coneflowers.

I used the Altenew Build-A-Flower: Coneflower stamp set.  I started by stamping the floral images onto masking paper and then fussy cut them out.

Using Altenew Limestone Fresh Dye Ink, I stamped the first floral image onto smooth watercolor paper.

I placed the mask over the image and stamped the next flower.

Using the next mask, placing it over the stamped image and then stamped the third flower.

I did this twice, arranging the flowers in two different configurations, as I was not sure which I liked better.

I chose one of the arrangements and taped the watercolor paper to my board using painters tape to keep the paper from warping during painting.

Using a very diluted wash of purple and the wet-on-dry technique, I began painting the flower petals.

After the petals were dry I did the same to the leaves with a wash of diluted yellow-green.

I slowly added layers of detail to both the petals and the leaves with darker more saturated colors.

Using brown, orange and black I stippled the color onto the flower centers to try to recreate the prickly cone center of the flowers.

I enlarged the center of the flower on the bottom left and added a light wash of yellow to the background, fading from bottom to top.

Before removing the paper from the board, I added some splatter using black watercolor instead of gouache so contrast would not be so stark.

Using my A2 sized die I tested to see which orientation looked better.

After cutting the image using the die, I stamped a sentiment from the stamp set in black ink, using the Stampwheel 2.0 and my T-square to get it straight.

Then added it to a black A2 sized card base using dimensional foam tape to add a bit of lift since this is a one layer card.

I have learned so much in these watercolor classes.  Having a new appreciation for the medium, I plan to continue to take more watercolor classes.  Hope you liked today’s card.  See you soon.

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AECP – Level 3 – All About Layering 7

Hello!

The next course for my AECP certification is All About Layering 7.  These were very interesting classes and I learned a lot. Using ink blending, water color, embossing folders, colored pencils, alcohol markers, embellishments, etc. you can add beautiful layers to your projects.

I chose Altenew’s Craft Your Life Set – Illuminated Scenes for this project. This set took me way out of my comfort zone.  It is intended to be a single layer card and is a beautiful set to work with, but I wanted to add layers.

I stamped the image on white cardstock with black ink.

The set includes stencils to color the components and create illumination of a portion of the image.

I worked through each stencil and added a little bit of darker shading in areas of the images. The inks used were Altenew Fresh Dye Ink – Fresh Lemon on the window and some pink left in a blending brush, Wisteria and Ultraviolet on the pillows and Mocha and Fresh Lemon on the planter.

I continued working through the stencils and masking off sections so I did not over blend the ink.

I blended a bit of Altenew Fresh Dye Ink – Silver Stone onto the blanket and then wanted to try a technique I saw Jen Raza use on a live a few weeks ago.  I masked everything off and using Altenew Shimmer Paste – Pearl, I added it to the image but made it textured so it looked like the blanket.

I really liked how it turned out.  Thanks Jen!!  I added Glossy Accents to the windows to make them look shiny like glass. I then fussy cut around the image to add more dimension.

Using colored pencils I added a bit of shading to the pillows, the couch, the table, the tray, the book and the planter.

Using a fine liner black marker I added a few lines on the blanket to create the folds in the material.

I added foam tape to the cutout image and added it to a white cardstock panel.

After masking off the image, I added just a bit of ink blending on the edges of the panel with Altenew Fresh Dye – Caribbean Sky ink and a large blending brush.

Then using Altenew Carbon Black Gauche, some water and a stamping block, I added splatter.

The fan brush worked well as I wanted fine splatter.

I also did a fine mist of shimmer spray for a bit of sparkle.

I trimmed the panel to 4″ x 5.25″ and added it to a black A2 sized card base.

I finished it with a sentiment from the stamp set and added dimension, as well as a few teal gems.

I hope you liked the card and look forward to seeing you again soon.

 

 

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AECP – With A Twist

Welcome back!

This set of classes was “With A Twist” and so much fun. I was very inspired. I am using the Altenew – Bamboo Roses stamp and die set.  One of the classes taught us how to make a double sided shaker card.  I had never seen this before and knew I wanted to try it.

I watched a video from Jennifer McGuire showing how to do mirror stamping.  I tried it and it worked.  I am using the mirrored images on the inside of the card.

I colored the images with Zig brush markers and die cut them out.  For the mirror images I held the colored image up to a light.  With the die on the opposite side I lined up the image and taped it down, then ran it through my die cutting machine.

After cutting all of my images I cut the frame for my card out of a card base and an A2 size piece of cardstock.  Testing out the placement of the die cuts on the front and the inside, then glued them down.

I created the shaker with 2 layers of foam tape and packaging plastic.

I filled the shaker with chunky glitter as well as red and clear sequins.  I sealed it up with the second piece of packaging plastic and then added the panel to my card base that I cut the shaker window from as well.

I added a butterfly and a sentiment inside with a little ink blending with Altenew – Caribbean Sky.

The inside of the card is the mirror image with a couple yellow roses to change it up slightly.

I learned a lot with this set of classes and and it has inspired me to get out of my comfort zone.  This is not the card I first envisioned when I started but with change comes growth.