Thursday 28 August 2014

August 2014 New Products {Darcy Wilkinson}

Good evening again folks, Leandra here to introduce the latest offering of stamps from Darcy. 

These lovely stamps were used a lot (by me!) when I demoed briefly at Stevenage recently - there are so many really great images which all work perfectly together in numerous ways. That's a winning combo in my book, and many watching the demos commented on how nice both sets are - difficult to choose a leader! {TIP:Just get both!}

Tonight Darcy talks you through both sets, and together with Helen Chilton they present you with some wonderful inspiration to kick start your muse into action! Enjoy!

Hi everyone, Darcy here. At last here it is the official launch night, I can finally share my new stamps with you in full!

These started as always with a page of doodles. I instinctively start with circles, bubbles, spots and hearts, and stamps develop from there. This time, the shapes turned into mainly flowers, but then I found myself sketching the feather... and so the theme of flowers and birds was born.

EDY09
Let's start with EDY09. This plate went through all kinds of changes, in fact I think only the bird, fence and quote are from the first draft. Quite often I have no clear image design in mind, the random doodles come first, just to get my finger muscles working. The flower head on the left was entirely different in early drafts, more of a real flower shape. I really liked the bubbly buds on the stem, but they didn't match with the petals and so taking inspiration from the buds the larger bubbly blooms came into being.



The spikey flower also started out quite differently. Each rendition was sent off to PA HQ for feedback, and over the course of about 4-5 drafts we eventually got close to the final placement, size and shape. My favourite image is the feather, I just love those gentle curves, it was the easiest and most relaxing image to draw. Somehow the repetition of those flowing lines is so peaceful. I do have a special place in my heart for that poor bedraggled birdie, his name is Neville. He is in need of some serious TLC, I do hope that some of you will give him a loving home.

EDY10
On plate EDY10 the heart shaped petals were the first ones that I doodled. If you are familiar with my very first stamp sets you will know my love of hearts, so creating a heart flower was natural. But after some feedback from Leandra, I plumped them out from their skinny early version resulting in a more generous area to colour in and a bigger flower head. I love the flock of birds, this is something I often doodle, so this was a great opportunity to have this made into a stamp. I know it is going to become a firm favourite of mine, both as a background in a muted colour and as a bolder image with black ink.

My favourite images on this plate are the two leaves, both of these contain my own handwriting, albeit very tiny. The text in the leaves is deliberately slanted to give the impression of veins. I have found that if you paint the background first with a bright green and then stamp the leaves, that addition of text really make the whole thing pop. The stones also contain some handwriting and various filler doodles, the shapes are placed so that you can repeat stamp and end up with a wall or border.

'Turn your face to the sun...' is a long time favourite quote of mine, I have used it many, many times; it has been a helpful reminder in difficult times. The other quote is one I found recently and fell in love with immediately, it is fun and quirky and sums up my attitude to art in general.

So there you have it, that is how the stamps were conceived and the amazing team at PA HQ turned my ideas into reality. However it is you guys who truly bring the images to life, you who breathe colour and personality into them, so I hope you have fun with them too.


by Darcy Wilkinson - Metal Butterfly

My first piece is an 8x8 grey/whiteboard, given the 'Fibralo' treatment to achieve a gorgeous blended background. I then stamped the flock of birds and created the top and bottom borders with the dry stone wall stamp.



The butterfly is made from pieces of metal card, each one painted, then stamped and coloured in before being shaped and glued into place.


Large blobs of matte gel support the underside of the wings and the body which give it a bold, dimensional appearance.



 by Darcy Wilkinson: Tick Tock

My second project started life as a pink and silver alarm clock, I rescued it from a charity shop where it looked unloved. I took it apart fully, painted, stamped and glued and then came the tricky part... Putting it back together.


Here it is all back as it should be, though much more colourful now. Yes it does still tick, and there were no leftover bits... though at one point I thought I may have killed it and the bag of assorted screws, washers and other bits did look daunting...who knew horology was so complicated lol


I really do love it now, it makes me smile. (Even though the first 2 days of loud ticking were a true test of my patience)



by Darcy Wilkinson: Miss Veronica

My third project is a big haired girl, I think you have come to expect seeing them now. Let me introduce 'Miss. Veronica' , she is painted onto heavy weight smoothy. Some of the images are stamped directly to the card and others are stamped onto painted tissue paper, cut out and glued on.



The sunglasses are made from metal card, lightly painted and stamped. As the piece is tilted the metal card really catches the light.




by Darcy Wilkinson: Bum Bag

Finally, I made this bag. A bunch of us recently went to V-festival, Chelmsford for a weekend enjoying loads of bands and comedy acts. While these bags are a blast from the past I did think it would come in handy. The whole thing is painted with Fresco paints and stamped, with a mash up of mine and Sara Naumann's new stamps. 


I love how my flowers change just depending on the colour used. This time they are done in Cherry from the new JoFY limited edition #2 paint set; this makes them look like poppies.

Painting the fabric does make it a little harder to manipulate the fabric, but not impossible, as you can see I managed to get in 3 pockets, all with zips.


I hope tonight's projects have given you some great ideas to explore. Next week I will share on my blog how I made them in more detail.

Darcy x


32 comments:

Lin said...

wow fantastic samples from darcy and Helen tonight well done ladies!! lots of loving Miss Veronica Darcy and Helens bird!!

Helen said...

Stunning! Love all these projects, think I'm going to have to get these sets soon... or sooner! Helen's bird is beautiful, and Darcy I just love the butterfly.

massofhair said...

BLOWN AWAY by everything on tonight's post, so many fantastic ideas and such a fantastic array of colours, textures and brilliant ideas.

My favourite post all week so far, so very very inspired, thanks Darcy and Helen :-) xxx

Claire said...

Wow well done ladies for all the amazing samples! They are all so beautiful and so colourful! I totally love both your new stamp sets Darcy - they really are great. Claire x

Gina said...

I love all your stamps Darcy...your style is so unique, and the sentiments you add really touch the heart :D XXX

pennylopes54 said...

What an amazing variety of samples. The clock is wonderful!

PaperArtsy said...

Woop woop. Love them, love them, love them...lots!!!

Deborah Wainwright said...

Wow wow wow like
Massofhair im blown away they are all fantastic. I love your new stamps and no i will spend msny a happy hour playing. All creations tonight are stunning xxxx

Unknown said...

Fab samples & gorgeous stamps! X

Kezzy said...

WOW WOW WOW and another WOW, truly amazing awesome creations, Darcy Miss Veronica is absolutely amazing, your art is amazing and your stamps are amazing. I already have bought these two stamps sets, I'm in the middle of sorting out my Craft room at the moment, but I can't wait to play with them. And finally my Fresco paints have a new home in a large drawer that fits the whole set in plus all the limited editions, and guess where that drawer is? Right next to my craft desk lol, really easy to grab, they all have painted tops with T, O or SO on them. Helen wow wow wow your creations are awesome, I have always loved your quirky work and you and Darcy, with Darcy's stamps are a match in heaven!!! Happy Creating Kezzy :-) xxx

craftytrog said...

Wowzers! Fabulous new stamps, & outstanding inspiration! xxx

Hazel Agnew said...

Psychedelic flower power gone mad. You should be a wild child of the sixties Darcy. Love these stamps, I have one of them, love your stuff. You are totally amazeballsXx

craftimamma said...

As the others have said these samples are mindblowing! Absolutely gorgeous projects all of them and Darcy, these stamps are my absolute favourites so far. Got to play with them a little last weekend and can't wait to buy them.

Hugs
Lesley Xx

Lucy Edmondson said...

Amazing and varied samples from Darcy and Helen! I just love these two sets!

Lucy x

Dana said...

Well done ladies!! I LOVE the new stamps and what you have both done with them are so inspiring!!

Julie Lee said...

Stunning samples! A really inspirational collection of makes with these beautiful new stamps! Thank you, Darcy for such adaptable images and to both Helen and Darcy for expanding our horizons with these magnificent makes! Julie Ann xx

Fliss said...

Wow!!! Fabulous new stamps Darcy and all the samples are just fantastic and so creative.
Fliss x

Craftyfield said...

Fab new stamps! Neville can come and live with me, he's too cute!

ScrappyCamperSisters said...

All I can say is wow! I want those stamps, your bum bag is so cute!, even if it is a flash from the past!

CastleKelly Crafts said...

Oh my, all of tonight's samples are stunning, well done to both ladies -- the wish list just gets longer and longer x

Maggie said...

So much gorgeousness all in one place love it! loving these new stamps Darcy and fabulous samples ladies. Lol with Darcy over the clock a great achievement and not a nut or bolt over well done.
Wow I need to go back for another look, thanks for sharing

Maggie :))

Unknown said...

Darcy such fantabulous stamps and your projects are amazing :) xxx

Anonymous said...

So many gorgeous projects!! Miss Veronica is especially stunning & I love Helen's funky bird. I think set EDY09 will be my first choice, that feather is gorgeous.

Steven said...

Great stamps, wonderful inspiration! amazing projects as always.. can't wait to use mine!

Etsuko said...

Excellent new stamps and great samples Darcy!! I have very fun to read how to create your new stamps. Lovely all stamps and pretty Neville and his new house xxx

pearshapedcrafting said...

Both of theses sets are brilliant and I am happy to say that I now have them both - already done two journal pages and absolutely thrilled with them! Chrisx

Art By Wanda said...

Wonderful stamps and projects!!!!!!!!!!

SCarol said...

Wonderful stamps and truly amazing and inspiring projects. The stamped birds on the sunglasses on Miss Veronica are sheer genius!

Bernie Simmons said...

First time visitor to your bog although I have quiet a few of your stamps ...thank you for SO much inspiration usually I flit over the blogs I follow this I read from top to bottom wanting to know how this and that was done Gorgeous stamps I will be buying some more I think xxx

Gillian .... said...

These samples totally rock Darcy & Helen. Loving your new designs bobs ... I think "bird" should be called George!!! xx

Cocofolies said...

Wow!!!! Love the new stamps by Darcy, and these samples both by Darcy and Helen are FABULOUS!!! Hugs, Coco x

CraftyLady said...

Darcy...beautiful...