GD: Ellen Vargo #3 ATC Masterboard

"Hello all, It's me, Ellen Vargo, here again for my last project share for February. Today we'll be working on a master board and cutting it down to make 9 ATC's (ATC = Artist Trading Card with a standard size of 2.5" x 3.5"). We'll be creating a brayered background (shocking!), adding some stamping and lots of stamped collage papers in bright contrasting colors, and adding some paint marks and pen work".  

Here's one of the finished ATC's ...

We'll start with our master board (Heavyweight Smoothy Card) and create a background. This time we'll start with some stamping to create a pattern. I chose the scratchy rectangle from EEV02. I stamped it over and over again, staggering the line-up so it looks sort of like bricks.

EEV02

Now it's time for the brayer. I used the following Fresco paints (in the order they appear below) to create a nice background over the stamping.

Now we'll stamp some patterns over the painting. We'll use the bold stripes border from EEV03 and Wendy Vecchi's Potting Soil Archival Ink.

EEV03

I stamped in both horizontal and vertical patterns over the whole sheet. For the small sections in the middle I just inked up a portion of the stamp.

Now it's time for some collage. This is where I started really having fun. Instead of choosing collage papers that coordinated with the background, I decided to purposely choose some papers that were really bright and bold and would contrast with the background. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but I've learned that when you cut it down to smaller pieces, everything sort of clicks into place. Hold onto your hats!  Turquoise, green, magenta, red, yellow! There are stamps from EEV01, EEV03 and EEV04 represented in the collage papers.

Then I added some painty markings using the edge of a flat paint brush. I filled in some open areas and painted over some of the collaged areas as well.

Then I decided to outline some of the collage pieces. This is where my happy accident took place. I was outlining one of the large collage pieces and went WAY beyond one of the corners ... YIKES! I started to panic a little, but then realized I could just turn it into a new pattern!

So instead of one dramatically OUT of place line, I created some fringe with little dots at the end... you're probably seeing a "pattern" emerge with me ... I LOVE patterns!

Here's the whole sheet, all marked up, and trimmed down to ATC size, including the little extra bits.

I outlined each ATC with a black sharpie paint pen (oil based). I love outlining with this pen. The oil-based paint gives a shiny finish to the border. I like the contrast between the matte chalky finish of the fresco and the glossy border.

Now... those extra bits .... what to do... I've been accumulating quite a stock of "extra bits" and didn't know what to do with them. I didn't want to use them as collage because they are on quite heavy card stock. I finally had an A-HA moment! Combine them all together for some patchwork ATC's! I love the random combination of patterns and colors. I stapled each section onto a lightweight card base and VOILA!

You may recognize some of these "extra bits" from the samples I made for the debut of my Eclectica stamps for the Stitches trade show.

OK... now that we have all these ATC's - what can we do with them?  Here are a few ideas...

1. Place card for your next fancy dinner soiree (does anyone have those any more???)...

2.  O r... lose the folded tent card, and it's a name badge to wear at the next trade show... (hmmm... think she would wear it? hint, hint). Same lettering style as our journal cover yesterday, just more sketchy / messy style.

3.  A custom business card. (used the smallest scratchy shape stamp from EEV02 with Sap Green Archival Ink)

4.  The feature of a card front. With more "extra bits" cut into skinny strips for a border. You could add any greeting or sentiment to this (birthday, miss you, thank you - whatever the occasion calls for!)

5.  Mount your three favorites onto some white card for some framed art!

I know this was a *MONSTER* post, but I sure had fun and hope you got some good ideas for how to use some of my stamps, and the many ways to use ATC's for different projects.

Thanks for such a warm exciting welcome into the PaperArtsy Family! I won't be back on the PA blog until March 16, 17, 18, but if you want to follow along in my arty adventures, please come and follow my blog at http://1036art.blogspot.com.  I'd love to see you and hear from you!

'til next time....

Ellen.

Leandra Says: Huge thumbs up Ellen on this week's projects, creative, bold and inspired art. Can't wait to have a little play time with these stamps. See you again next month.

Gillian Says: Awesome art Ellen, love love love the boldness not only of the stamped images but also the colour palette you chose to work with. Many congrats again on your new releases. See you next month.

 If you would like to join in this week's challenge and play along with Ellen's techniques, then do link up your creativity here, and go in the draw to win some PA stamps of your choice! You need to link your entry by 17:00, Sunday February 23rd 2014.