PaperArtsy Blog Summary of Topics 7-9 {Curated by Emma Godfrey)

Blog Summary: Resists, White Space, Mono-Printing

As Spring brings warmth, so did the creativity heat up on the PaperArtsy Blog too. Tempered with a touch of white space minimalism, we soon found more to challenge us from week to week.

Tonight's curator is Emma Godfrey and she is looking back on Topics 7-9: Resists, White Space, Mono Printing.

Leandra

Hi everyone, Emma here, and I'm so excited that Leandra asked me to do a summary showing you some of the fabulous projects from Topics 7-9 on the PaperArtsy blog this year.

Where has 2016 gone? This year has been pretty busy for me ... I've been teaching a lot and of course designing stamps. This summary in particular caught my interest as when I have had time to create just for fun, then I've turned to my Gelli Plate. To be honest I wasn't really sure what to do with it at first, but with some help (thank you Jo Firth-Young!) and of course the inspiration on the PaperArtsy blog, I've really loved creating pages and pages of backgrounds. Most of these have now been turned into cards, with lots of white space around the printed pieces ... which again ties in nicely with this summary!

I'm hoping that with a couple of changes that I have planned for next year I'll have a lot more time to just play and experiment (isn't that want we all want in an ideal world?) ... there are just so many techniques and ideas I want to try out ... some of which are in the projects below...

Topic 7: Resists

From the obvious to the unusual ... resists are something that I use a lot of the time, often without even conciously thinking about it. Wax, embossing powder, masking fluid, stencils, stickers to name but a few ... all of them can be used to block off or reveal negative space or a wonderful patterned layer underneath. My personal favourite is embossing powder, but I definitely need to try some of these other ideas...

My first pick is Box Of Sunshine by Paula Pascual. You can see the gorgeous finished project in the main photo above - and the reason I chose this project is that I thought it was fabulous how she incorporated three different types of resist into this "clean and simple" project.

And I hope you didn't miss Alison Bomber and her Fossil Resist ATC's. I love the aged and distressed look of these cards over the top of the crisp clear embossing powder.

I also loved Gabrielle Price's Grow With Me post. I would never have thought about using Glossy Accents as a resist (genius idea!) and the flowers stamped on book text are just beautiful.

Lastly, I loved the soft colours that Seth Apter used in his Spring Wings piece. He used wax crayon to highlight areas of the stamped images - which of course resisted his pretty watercolours.

Topic 8 : White Space

White space (or negative space as it is also known - after all it doesn't have to always be white) is a fabulous way of balancing a composition. Sometimes less is indeed more. Plain areas allow you to draw attention to the main focus (or extremely busy areas) of your projects. I personally love using "white space", especially in clean & simple cards and scrapbook layouts.

My first pick is Wonderful White Space by Keren Baker. We don't often see projects using the Cats Meow range of stamps, but this little boat is the perfect centrepiece, and the heavy typeface of the word "sea" helps balance and anchor it (excuse the pun!).

Next on my list is this Notebook from Anneke De Clerck. Anneke uses white space a lot in here projects to fabulous effect. This project goes to show that white space doesn't have to be a huge expanse - even smaller areas can still make all the other elements "pop".

This is Pretty Awesome (and it really is!) by Karen Hayselden. Adding some texture to the white space adds so much more interest without detracting from the focal point ... and I {love} how she coloured in the face and hair.

Last, but definitely not least is Wanda Hentges and her Sizzling Summer Cards. Wow! What a pop of bright colour, and how wonderful do those Ellen Vargo flowers look against that white space background. Using just a bit of colour in one corner on the background just ties them all together beautifully.

Topic 9 : Mono Printing

Perfect for creating one-off and unique prints, mono printing is a fantastic way of experimenting with layers. Altering colours, patterns, products, substrates and how much pressure you apply will give you wildly different results. I've always found this technique to be quite unpredictable, but if you're open to that then it can be so much fun! All my picks below have used a Gelli Plate, but there are lots of other options if you look at the Topic intro post.

First up is Marta Lapkowska and her Gelli Doodling. I adore how Marta has stamped these Lynne Perrella stamps on top of here Gelli Plate printed background, and then doodled the quirky hats and feet, before cutting them out to create little paper dolls. Genius!

My second pick is Tags & Dominoes by Alison Hall. What a riot of colour ... and right up my street! Alison used a Gelli Plate and Ellen Vargo stamps (in a resist effect) to create these fabulous backgrounds. Touches of black and white balance everything out.

Next up is Jo Firth-Young and It's In The Bag. This project also ties in beautifully with the White Space Topic above! By using one of the small shaped Gelli Plates, Jo has stamped a calico bag with a lovely pattern - and each hexagon is a mini and unique work of art.

My final link is another fabric inspired project by Sue Carrington. This is her Daisy Journal Cover. How gorgeous is this? The background is built up using layers of prints with stencils (first prints and ghost prints). Adding some stamps to the background, and then the stamped focal images, just pulls it all together into a beautiful finished piece.

So what did you think? Weren't they all fabulous? I have to say, it was incredibly hard to pick just a few to highlight, as every single post in all of these topics were amazing. 

I do hope they've inspired you to go and play and try out some of the ideas. If you want more details on how the projects were made, just click on the designers name above the photos. And of course you can find all of the other posts for these three Topics under April & May 2016 in the side bar.

Happy explorations!
Emma

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2016 #8 Sizzling Summer Cards {by Wanda Hentges}

 2016 Topic 8: White Space

Hi everyone!!!!  Wanda Hentges here.

I'm thrilled to be back on the PaperArtsy blog and tonight I'd like to share with you a post for the  white space theme.

White space is hard for me.  I did a couple cards last year where I was trying to leave white space and then went right back to my normal which is to cover the background completely with whatever technique I'm using that day and then build upon it.  When I saw white space as a theme this year and today was using Ellen Vargo stamps, which I love, I just had to give it a whirl again.  I've made a set of cards for today and I hope you enjoy them!!!

Step One:  To easily (that would be easy for me to add some color and not continue to fill up the whole background) put color in my background I began by putting drops of paint on my craftsheet.  I used Zesty Zing, Banana, and Bougainvillea.  I put a few drops of each color leaving space between each drop, sprayed each drop with water and used my finger to blend the water and paint of each drop.  I made sure this area of color on my craft sheet would just color the center of a piece of cardstock leaving lots of white around it.

Step Two:  I then laid a whole sheet of Heavy Smoothy Cardstock into the color pressing well but not twisting it around, lifted the paper and this is what I had.  I very lightly blotted in the areas with lots of liquid....

... and then dried the paper.  This is the piece dried.

I sprayed more water over the color left on my craft sheet, took another piece of paper and dipped again.  This time I left all the liquid and just set it aside to dry.  This will get used on a future project.

Step Three:  I took the original paper and cut it into 4 pieces to give me the beginning of 4 cards with plenty of white space.

I really like the EEV10 set of stamps that has 3 flowers and 3 quotes on it and chose this set to finish my cards.  I also added to the background using stamps from EEV06 and EEV07.

EEV06

EEV07.

 EEV10 

Step Four:  I stamped background images from EEV06 and 07 over the colored areas of the cards using Distress Ink Picket Fence. The flowers and words were stamped on Heavy Smoothy Cardstock using Archival Ink Jet Black and then cut out.  Color was added to all the flowers with Distress Ink. 

 The edges of the background panels were distressed and then layered to a folded white card created from Heavy Smoothy Cardstock.  I love the weight of the cards and how they feel in my hands when they are made from the heavy cardstock.  All the words were cut apart and the pieces edged with ink. For all of the flowers, after attaching them to the card, I trimmed the stem even with the bottom of the folded card.

For this card I used a waterbrush along with Squeezed Lemonade and Mustard Seed to color the flower.  The stem was colored using the Mowed Lawn Distress Marker.  The words were edged with Distress Ink Picked Raspberry.  I popped up the flower and words with foam mounting tape. 

Here I've used Picked Raspberry with a waterbrush and then the Shaded Lilac Marker to color the petals.  The center was done with Brushed Corduroy and Rusty Hinge using the waterbrush.  The Mowed Lawn Marker was used for the stem.  The words are edges with Archival Ink Jet Black.  The flower and words were glued to the card and I left the ends of the flower petals loose so they could lift from the card. 

This time for the flower I used an Ink Blending Tool to add the colors, Picked Raspberry and Spiced Marmalade, and then used a White Gel Pen to give it highlights.  The words are edged with Archival Ink Jet Black.  I put foam mounting tape just under the flower head and glued the stem and words directly onto the background 

Those three cards used all 3 flowers and all 3 quotes from the stamp sheet but I still had another background to use.  I decided that instead of making a card to match I would really change it up (giving you all another idea) but still use the same stamps.  I stamped my chosen flower twice, directly onto the background with black ink and embossed them with clear powder.  I then used a Black Copic Marker to color them in.  I used words from 2 of the quote stamps to create the saying on the card both stamping the words and edging the pieces with Archival Ink Jet Black. 

I really had fun making these cards and love how they turned out.  If you are nervous about white space or have trouble stopping yourself and leaving white space, then try this out because it makes it a lot easier.  It's also a great idea if you need a lot of cards and have limited time.  

Thanks so much for following along!!!  

Hugs,
Wanda Hentges

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Thanks Wanda, I would say you have mastered the white space challenge perfectly. I love the pressed, splodged transferred paint in the background, it is always unpredictable but effective. The added background stamping is a great bridge to the focal images. Fabulous colour pallette, so striking. ~Darcy 

We would love to see how you interpret this White Space topic by linking what you make to our 2016 Challenge #8: White Space, on this page HERE.

All of our bloggers love to see your twist on their ideas,  particularly if you were inspired directly by their post. 

All links go in the draw to win a £50 voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. The White Space link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, May 1st 2016. The winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

2016 #8 Good For Your Soul {by Debs Wainwright}

 2016 Topic 8: White Space

Hi everyone Debs here. Tonight I'd like to share with you a journal page I've created with some white space. I chose this topic because I love the effects you can create, and it is such a challenge for me. I love colour so much and always want to fill my page with lots of it, so often struggle to keep it minimal. There are so many ways to create white space in your art, but not wanting to influenced by others I just went with my intuition, and created in the middle leaving the sides free.

Step One: I have been so eager to get a set of Infusions Dye Stains, as I love the colours and flexibility of powders. So when I did, I couldn't resist using them in this project. In my journal I sprinkled Violet Storms and then using a pearlised spray activated the powder. I got so excited seeing the different colours; the powders have a brown base and the longer you leave them wet, the more the brown shows, giving a gorgeous vintage effect. I didn't want vintage so dried it quickly.

Step Two: I wanted to add a little more interest to my background so used a script stamp and Archival Ink in Sky Blue and added the words where in areas that would peep out from the focal point. I stamped my feature using Hot Picks 1507, and Archival Ink in Black. I heat set the ink as I didn't want it to move.

Hot Picks 1507

Step 3: at this stage I was itching to have more on my page but manage to restrain myself and settled for adding a little Vibez Spritz and let it run down the page. I do love drips!

 

Step 4: I wanted to bring my feature alive and so using Fresco Acrylic Paint in Southern Skies, I painted the flower, and for the butterflies I used a mix of China, and Glass Blue. The China being Opaque I lost the detail of the butterflies and so with a black pen I created these patterns, which were intend to knock the blue back a bit as I didn't want it too bright. I stamped my Sentiment from the same stamp plate Hot Pics1507 with Archival Ink in Black.

In this close up you can see how the Pearl Spray has caught the pigments of the Infusions Dye Stains making them shimmer, which is hard to see when looking at the page flat.

Well for someone who usually covers the page, herself, and anything near by, I don't think I did bad to keep some white space. And if I can do it anyone can. I hope this has inspired you to have a go, pick the area you want to stay white and create around it. Simple...

Well not simple, but not as hard as it looks. 

You can see more of my work on the following links, I also teach a monthly workshop at Birds In The Barn.

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Well done Debs for hanging onto that white space, really not always an easy thing to do, especially with pigments and sprays. Lovely combinations of colours with the Infusions and paints. ~Darcy

         

We would love to see how you interpret this White Space topic by linking what you make to our 2016 Challenge #8: White Space, on this page HERE.

All of our bloggers love to see your twist on their ideas,  particularly if you were inspired directly by their post. 

All links go in the draw to win a £50 voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. The White Space link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, May 1st 2016. The winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

2016 #8 A Box of Cards {by Ellie Knol}

2016 #8: White Space

Hi everyone! Ellie Knol here, joining you this evening with a post about white space.

White space can be dramatic; highlighting the focal point of your project!. I always try to add a lot of contrast, as that is what ART is about, isn’t it? Without contrast, there will be no expression in your project. What better way is there to add contrast than (a lot of) white space?

I’ve made a box from cardboard (to fit the envelopes and cards), and used the same technique on the outside of it, as I’ve used on the six cards inside it. It will make for a nice and unique gift!  I’ll show you the step-by step of the box, the decorating of it.

Step One: Make a box for the cards with cardboard (3mm thick). Paint the bottom part of the box with a dark brown acrylic paint. Now for the lid of the box - crinkle up some blotting paper and cover the whole of it by glueing it to the surface with decoupage glue; this creates a beautiful texture. Leave to dry. Paint it with Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics (Snowflake). This gives a nice chalky surface to use as a base for the technique. 

Step Two: Tap a little bit of Nuance and Bistre powders onto an acrylic block (the one I used measures 6,5 x 5,5 centimeters). Mist it with water. Stamp with this onto the surface. Blot with a paper towel if there is too much color or water in certain areas. Leave to dry. This creates a base for the stamping and a die cut.

PaperArtsy says: this effect would be wonderful done with our new Infusions, available from your favourite PaperArtsy retailer now. 

Step Three: Add some stamping with Ink & The Dog Mini Stamps (Mini 61 and Mini 29) with a permanent dark brown ink. 

ID Mini 61

ID Mini 29

These mini stamps are beautiful to use for backgrounds. 

Step Four: Spray the surface with a fixative. Add a diecut. Add a permanent dark brown ink to the edges with an ink pad. Paint the whole surface with a multi medium. 

As I said - I've made six cards with the same technique. I did not use blotting paper as the base though, just plain cardstock.I used two more minis on the cards Mini 28 and Mini 58. 

 Mini 28

Mini 58

 Here are the cards, made with the same technique.  

(Mini 61 and Mini 28)

(Mini 61 and Mini 58)

(Mini 61 and Mini 28)

(Mini 61 and Mini 58)

(Mini 61 and Mini 29)

(Mini 61 and Mini 29)

It's so easy to do! 

The most difficult with this technique is to keep the white space white! (grin)

The sky is the limit here: you can choose different colors, stamp with a bigger acrylic block, maybe even a round one, or with a gelatin plate. You could choose to stamp with any other ink or paint; use a stamped image instead of a diecut. 

I've used two diecuts from Memory Box in this post. 

Give it a try! 

Hope you will enjoy this as inspiration to create your projects!

Ellie Knol

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Welcome to the blog Ellie, your style here is just beautiful. Using an acrylic block to transfer the colour is a great idea and gives an element of control. Fabulous layering, so very effective, and a stunning gift to give. ~Darcy 

The PaperArtsy blog challenge is an opportunity for you to play along with the ideas our bloggers present. The current topic is #8: White Space. You can put your own twist on the ideas presented, share or try something totally new. As long as it fits the theme we would love to see what has inspired you! So please join in and link up your creativity HERE to your own blog post.

All links go in the draw to win a voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. This link will close 19:00 (London Time) May 1st 2016