2015 Topic 22 Masterboards {Challenge}

 2015 Topic 22: Masterboards

Well hello everyone, Leandra here

It only seems like yesterday that we launched the blog with a fortnightly topic focus, and here we are at the end of the year with the final topic! 

I have got to say, that after many years of blogging, this past year has been my favourite -hands down! We have built up a group of over 30 different blog contributors. This allows us to bring to you so many styles, talents and skills for you to enjoy and reflect upon. 

The topics have alternated from products to concepts and techniques which seems to also suit you to opt in or out depending on what tickles your fancy.

Before we start, let's see who won the Topic 21: Abstract Art Challenge...

Hi, Darcy here. Some very inspiring entries for the last theme, abstract can be very freeing, but that in itself can be difficult for a lot of people. As always you rose to the challenge and really pushed yourselves to explore the theme. 

The winner of Abstract Art  is: Helen from Stamping by H

Email Darcy to claim your prize. Darcydotneedles@hotmail.com

Leandra back with you... 

So just one more challenge remains before we take a break over the Christmas/ New Year period. The Masterboards Topic will be open until Dec 6th, and winner announced as usual on that same Sunday evening.

As we near Christmas, 'Masterboards' is a topic that works well if you are in desperate need to embark upon a Xmas card-making frenzy. I know a lot of you like to get your cards sent by Dec 1st (showing the rest of us up!), so there is still time to use this technique for those of you who fly by the seat of your pants! 

I've even knocked up a video showing you how super quick it can be to do a masterboard using my brayer technique and some gorgeous colours, here is the finished card below. I didn't finish it properly in the video, so take a good look!...

...actually I made 7 cards - WOW!! 

As JOFY stamps are hand-drawn and quite finely detailed, they struggled to 'pop' off the bright background.o make them 'pop' I did really like using the white paint mixed with Satin Glaze on top of the stamped area, then additional touches of Bougainvillea or Tango as you can see in the samples. As you can tell from the video, a masterboard takes me about 10 mins, and then adding them to cards took me about another hour behind the scenes. But that included the white painting/ coloured accents. All good fun!

Here is the video showing how I made the masterboard...

Jo herself did a similar thing in summer , read about it here. Yes, she used YELLOW! Just like i never make Christmas cards, she NEVER uses yellow! Masterboards are empowering things! LOL

You can see lots of the cards up close on her blog post or on my Pinterest page for masterboards. How deliciously simple is this!

Jo is really good at masterboards, in this post she turned this amazing board (from PaperArtsy Blog post here)...

...into this... so gorgeous how the grid squares have been perfectly arranged. There are additional samples on Jo's blog here ....

and here she has made some stunning tags with the remnants...

But upon further inspections it is easy to see how addicted Jo is to this way of creating! Here is another that got chopped up see details here... and another gilded version here.

Next up Anneke, she also is great with bright colours. In the video I showed you a journal she sent us, and here is another done in a masterboard style with a gelli plate. Details here...

And here is the finished cover with additional stamping details added.

Ellen Vargo's stamps are perfect for masterboards. See her post here on how these came about...

I was chuckling this week as Chris Cresswell posted a series of photos showing how a masterboard she was working on developed. You can see the progression below and more on her blog here. She starts with papers, paints, paint-sprays and brusho glazes...

and has added some gorgeous top layers in different ways...collages...

and 'blocking out' images traced from stencils using different colours to block.

I also spied on her blog this journal page which is a stunning creation that could be called a masterboard too! I think this was made in a Tracy Scott class she attended...

And this year Chris has organised a circle journal for a few ladies this year, and this was Chris's page in Gabrielle's journal. She started with a masterboard and then blocked. Read about the process here...

It takes some willpower to turn a background like the above into the below, but I think this blocking concept is one of my favourite techniques at the moment. You can use stamps on the top and block around those too.

Masterboards are often flat to touch,  but they look awesome with texture too, check out this post by Brenda for Countryview Crafts using Frescos and Grunge Paste. Love the effect!

I think you are really going to enjoy this topic, it is so broad, and you can use the colours, stamps, gels and mediums of your choice. It pull a lot of recent topics together. Have fun!

Don't forget to follow my Masterboards pinterest board if this topic pushes your buttons, you will see plenty more examples to whet your appetite there! 

I am really looking forward to seeing what you create over the next 2 weeks!

Leandra

Topic 22: Masterboards PaperArtsy Blog Challenge (Final challenge of 2015)

We'd love you to share your ideas and link up your creativity to this page. Please familiarise yourself with the challenge guidelines below before entering.

All links go in the draw to win a voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. The Masterboards link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, Dec 6th, winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

1. The challenge is a chance for you to show how you have been inspired by a particular technique of the fortnight. Your entry should contain:

- a mention of which post inspired you and why, and 

- a link in your blog post to that original post on the PA blog.

The whole concept of this challenge is 'play along with us'. You are encouraged to put your own twist on ideas you see on our blog. We love to see how you are inspired and your twist!

2. The link you put on our linky page must lead directly to the specific post on your blog where you have explored the technique/ idea mentioned in point 1 above. Don't link to the home page of your blog, or we will be unable to find the post to leave you comments.

3. Spam links will be deleted.

4. We prefer your challenge post is created exclusive to our challenge, but if our topic fits perfectly with another challenge, then of course your post may link to both if you feel it is appropriate.

5. You are most welcome to use stamps/ products/ substrates you have to hand from a variety of companies, we do not expect you to exclusively use PA products - it's lovely when you do though!

6. You can enter as many times as you like in the fortnight. We don't want to restrict your creativity or participation! Link closes at 17:00 Sunday Dec 6th   (London Time)

7. The winner of the random draw will receive a £50 credit to be redeemed on the PaperArtsy Website, the credit includes VAT and postage. We request that one of your purchases is an A5 rubber stamp. You can add any other items to your basket, but the final total should not exceed £50

8. Each Sunday fortnight the winner will be announced at 19:00, also, in the same post, the link for the next fortnight will be posted. It's your responsibility to claim your prize coupon from Darcy: email her darcydotneedles@hotmail.com

Good Luck! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!