Walnut Ink Tag Trio

Servus!

How lovely to see you pop by today! Claudia here - welcoming you to Our Creative Corner as their proud Resident Guest Designer!

I would like to share with you a tag trio I made some time ago when experimenting with Walnut Ink Crystals. Walnut ink is a die ink and mainly used to antique papers and also comes in liquid form, but I love the crystals as you can also sprinkle them onto wet surfaces to create stunning (random) effects. But this time I used them for some mark making with a Chinese calligraphy brush to create these three tags:

I have taken steps images so you can see how I built up the different layers:

Step 1: I simply dipped my calligraphy brush into my walnut ink solution and tried different brush and splatter patterns on some tags I had cut from heavy watercolour paper. I let the ink pool in some spots which formed the darker areas. I tried to speed up the drying process with my heat tool but that only started to shift my ink puddles around - so I decided to let everything dry naturally.

Step 2: I added some stamped script in dark brown archival ink.

Step 3: next I glued on some scraps I tore from old dictionary pages using Matte Medium. My design followed the walnut ink drawn shapes and I tried to create visual tension, adding to the shapes and directions that were already there and trying to enhance any focal spots.

Step 4: with a palette knife I added some "Rusty Paper" from Viva Decor here and there.

Step 5: I also scraped on a little bit of white Gesso in some spots to fuse all my layers with the white background and to add some texture.  The secret to a satisfying result is to not add too much so you still have some "emtpier" areas on your projects that create visual tension (and therefore interest) in contrast to the more busy ones.

Step 6: I finished off my tags by adding some word stickers and handwritten words.

Here are some close ups to illustrate some of the effects in more depth:

I love the circle shapes where the ink has puddled in some areas. These were "stamped" on by dipping a felt tip pen cap into the walnut ink.

The large circle was hand drawn.

If you use Walnut Ink Crystals on mixed media pieces always keep in mind that they react to moisture (from paints other inks, water, glue,...) and will bleed through.  You can spot this a bit with the image above where the white Gesso got a slight brownish tint.

You can either make this effect an intentional one with your projects or make sure you seal those layers before you continue adding other media that might re-activate your walnut ink marks. But no matter which way you choose - using Walnut Ink or any other die inks always is great fun!

There are still two more days to enter Candice's lovely Gipsy Fayre Challenge! There have been some fantastic entries so far but I am very curious to see YOURS too! ;)

Hugs and happy crafting,

Claudia 

xxx

Make Your Own Expermenting Journals by Giving Old Planners a New Life!

Hello and servus!

Claudia here to bring you another inspirational post as OCC's "Resident Guest Designer"!

If you - like me - are a hopeless hoarder of notebooks and planners and - like me - can't cope with throwing away half or un-used planners from the year before, you may like this post as I am trying to give one of them a new life as my new "experimenting journal".

With "experimenting journal" I mean what it says: not use it or create in it with a finished and presentable journal page in mind but to experiment and use it as a working tool - try out new markers, paints, how one works on top of the other and such things. Do some doodling exercises. Practice drawing or handwriting skills....or simply throw on some paint, glue on scraps...just to be creatively "movin'" to stay in the flow.

I had only just received my awesome Brett Weldele "Creepy Trees" stencil (I finally managed to buy online without having to pay a fortune for shipping costs) and I knew I HAD to use that one!!!

So the first thing I did was cover the front cover with a layer of black acrylic paint. Once that was dry I worked over that with some DecoArt Americana acrylic paints  that I stippled on wet on wet and let them mix during that process.

Stippling a new colour tone over an other one that is still wet creates a lovely blending effect:

During the whole process of stippling on and mixing colours the trees stencil was being held in place firmly! As it is made from a rather rigid material I had no bending or smudging from paint creeping underneath (as it happens sometimes when using paints that are too fluid or masks or stencils that are made from softer material)!

Next I stamped on some texture using an opaque white stamping ink and an Andy Skinner stamp with a scratch pattern.

I added some finer branches using a 3rdEye stamp and black archival stamping ink to create more depth:

 Before I put on the idea-ology word stickers I also stamped on some small scrip patterns here and there. The word stickers were outlined using a white gel pen to help blend them in.

 I also drew a thin white outline around the cover's edges to repeat the white outlines around the word stickers.

Some white and orange DecoArt Media Mister paint was sprayed on to create beautiful splatters and drip lines.

 For a finish I also sprinkled on some bright green using the Liquitex splatter brush. I covered the two word stickers with paper strips during that process.

I used my fingers and the paints I had used on the cover to tone down the bright neon orange colour of the rubber band that holds the planner shut! (and as I am writing this post I find that I forgot to do so with the little ribbon that is used to mark the page you're on).

My plan with this old altered and barely used planner is to hopefully also share some of the experiments I will be making in it from time to time. I will have to glue together pages to make them more sturdier or maybe also gesso them first...but the main aim is to use this as a place where to create without the hindhought of showing (or showing off) but to discover new paths for the creative journey.


Maybe that would be something you would love to try too...and of course I would love to see part of your journeys shared with me as well ;)

Hugs and happy crafting,

Claudia 

xxx

Rustic Christmas Angel Tutorial

Hi and servus!

Claudia here to share another tutorial with you as OCC's Resident Guest Designer. I hope by now you are already in full Christmas swing and my how-to finds you in perfect Christmas-blings-and-wings mood!

And maybe you are also in the mood for playing along with our actual "Topsy Turvy" challenge which can be found HERE. Don't forget - DecoArt are OCC's prize sponsor this month and are giving away a fantastic bundle of DecoArt media goodies to one lucky (randomly selected) winner! There are three more days to enter the challenge!

I created Gwendolyn (my little winged friend has a name of course) from white Fimo air microwave which is a polymer clay that can be hardened in the microwave within ten minutes (yesss!), creates no toxic fumes and is especially light weight. Perfect for a collection of angels to hang on your Christmas tree...

And as a rustic or naive look is what we are up to you can also try this with your kids as they are the best sculptors of all, right?

What else did I use to create Gwen?

- sculpting tools (or cutlery)
- DecoArt media fluid acrylics: Titanium White, Yellow Oxide, Quinacridone Magenta, Titan Buff, Burnt Umber
- DecoArt media fluid acrylic Interference Gold
- DecoArt "Gold Rush" Metallic Lustre
- paint brushes
- clay rolling tool (or rolling pin covered with plastic wrap)
- non stick sheet


First I sculpted Gwen's head using my fingers and some sculpting tools. If you don't have any scultping tools cutlery will do the job as well.

Don't worry if the face isn't too precise - a lot can be "saved" when painting the face. Also make sure you keep the rest of the clay in an air sealed box or bag so it doesn't dry out in the meantime.

Your angel also needs a bit of a bust to fix the dress and wings to. 

Using the rolling pin create the skirt by spreading the clay into an elongated oval of about a hand's width. Torn and uneven edges are more than welcome because they add to the rustic look! You can even tear off pieces once you have fixed and sculped the skirt around your angel's bust until you are content with the shape.

As you can see I created some folds and wrapped my rolled out "sheet of clay" around the neck. Smudge the upper edges of the skirt so it mixes with the clay of the head piece.

Model two simple arms and attach them to the bust the same way as you did with the skirt. Use a tool to press in the fingers' shapes.

Gwen's wings were done as quickly as easily. I simply pressed the clay flat with my hands and spread and tore the clay in all directions as needed. That also created the torn looking edges. Don't get too thin with the middle piece as this will be needed to fix the wings to the skirt on your angel's back.

To fix the wings to Gwen's dress I roughened the clay on both pieces at the spots that were to be fused with a sharp tool. That creates some "grip" for both pieces to hold on to.

Then it was time for Gwen to be hardened in the microwave. I used an old glass plate. To make sure that all parts kept their shapes I formed little balls of the clay and used them as supports (for the skirt and the slight bend with the wings).

I followed the instructions on the package and it went just perfect. No fumes, and really just ten minutes - and Gwen was ready to be painted. Wow! 

I mixed a skin colour from Titanium White, a tiny bit of Yellow Oxide and Quinacridone Magenta. To paint Gwen's face and hands I used a fine detail brush.

Then I painted her dress with Quinacridone Magenta. I also added paint to the inside of the dress so no white spots would be left.

Gwen's wings got a coat of Titan Buff.

Her hair was painted with Burnt Umber. (don't worry - this was just the base for the gold highlights).

 
Then it was time for the first addition of Bling by adding some Interference Gold here and there. Interference paints are perfect for "moving" (dangling) pieces, because depending on the angle you look at it you either see the colour underneath or the gold sheen.

 For more golden Bling and to highlight the texture on Gwen's wings, her hair and her dress, I applied some Gold Rush Metallic Lustre with my fingertips. Before that I dry brushed some Burnt Umber around the wings' edges to create a visible outline.

Here's Gwen's face in the middle of being painted. You could of course paint her face with more visible details (red cheeks and lips and such) - but I loved the gentle expression on her face so I only did a bit of highlighting and putting a hint of red to her cheeks. 

To hang your angel on your tree all you need to do is screw in a small ring bolt at the back to fix a ribbon to.

I hope you like Gwendolyn and have fun creating your own angels!

Hugs and happy Christmas crafting! 

Claudia

xxx

Let's go Trick and Treating!

Hi and servus! Claudia here to bring to you another (hopefully inspiring) tutorial.

I know it's been quite some time since my last post over here as the RGD (Resident Guest Designer) - due to my usual creative silly season. But once it gets colder and darker outside the cosier and more comfy it gets inside the house - and then spending time at my crafting desk (with a warm cup of tea and all of my paints, dies, stamps and mixed media supplies around me) is what feels right and good again.

This year I am in a very Halloween-ish mood and have already admired a lot of inspiring spooky goodness in blogland! This is my share:

I created this art journal page using some of my all time favourite Tim Holtz dies (the On the Edge "Graveyard" and the "Rickety House" Alterations die) and my new favourite Dreamweavers forest stencil and combining it with some hand drawn images.

I always keep the acetate packaging the Sizzix dies come in for later use. This time I die cut my own reusable stencils and masks from it to combine with other stencils to create some scenic backgrounds for my illustrations.

I just love this cute little graveyard and the mask I made with it! I decided I wanted to use it together with the forest stencil in one go and fixed both to my journal with masking tape, making sure both were in place. The page's background had previously been given a coat of rough wide brush strokes in dark grey and black acrylic paint. Now - with my masks in place - I stippled on some Medium White, Beige and Orange with a stipple brush, making sure the paint wasn't too liquid and the brush was dry.

I had also die cut an acetate mask using the "Rickety House" Sizzix die and I used both - the outer frame and the house-shaped mask to create my house shape first by adding more black paint using the house stencil (=outer frame)...

...and then stippling in the yellow-ish lit windows (using the house mask) and their shine thrown upon the ground in front of the house (you will find that I redid this once I had finished my trick'n treatin' children's drawing as I wanted their shades to be in a specific spot and angle on the page). You can also see that I had to go in again with the Dreamweavers stencil and redo the bit of forest that was now covered from creating the dark background for the house (the spot at the veranda).

The owl was first stamped on, painted over with beige and black where needed (to cover up the branches that showed through) and then I hand drew in the feathers and face using a black permanent fine tip Faber Castell PITT artist pen. 

Here you can see the redone thrown light from the window - ready for my fussy cut children's image and the stamped and painted on quote to be glued in place:

Once I had found the proper spot for my drawing I glued it on with matte medium and then painted some shades of the green-yellow colour from the window lights and some orange  shades (from the sun shining through the fog behind the trees) around the children's shapes to blend them in and make them part of the whole scenery.

The drawing was done freehand - after doing a rough sketch with a soft pencil first - with the fine tip black Faber Castell PITT artist pen. I didn't worry too much about them maybe looking awkward - with Halloween projects this may well add to the spooky impression, right? But here they are - obviously a bit scared of the house and still deciding whether to ring the bell and shout their "trick or treat!" or not.

I hope you like my little Halloween scene and what I did with my selfmade masks and stencils!

Hugs and happy crafting,

Claudia 

xxx