For more information on transfers see the new How To page on transfers.

Stamps Used:

• 26005 G San Francisco Opera Assoc
• 49004 F Filagree

I used the colors from exercise #26 from the color exercises for the background.  This included Cerulean blue, yellow yellow light, Cadmium Red, Titan Buff and Metallic gold.  

I started with a picture as my inspiration. It fill the colors from exercise #26 so well.  I first glued down a page from an opera guide to the painted background.  Then I transferred the lady.  I stamped the filagree stamp and painted the highlights with metallic gold paint.

The San Francisco Opera stamp was stamped on a blank page from the same book as the opera book.  This way I didn't have to "age" the paper.  It was already aged. I ripped the portions of the stamp I wanted to use.  The last step was to age the opera guide page with matte medium tinted with the dark grey shade from exercise #26.

Stamps Used:

• 22005 G Large flower
• 43001 J Abbey music

I used the colors from exercise #43 from the color exercises for the blue background.  This included ultramarine blue and burnt sienna.  Interestingly, these are the same colors from the artwork below.  I used burnt sienna and a touch of yellow ochre for the brown corner.  I used the colors from exercise #1 from the color exercises for the purple flower and embossed paper cutout.  I mixed titan buff with the purple to lighten it.  I also highlighted the flower petals with a white Neocolor crayon.

The violin/cello image is a transfer from some Christmas wrapping paper.  I transferred the wrapping paper using a transfer tool. I use matte medium on both the copy and the board so I could control the distress.

For more information on transfers see the new How To page on transfers.

For more information on transfers see the new How To page on transfers.

Stamps Used:

• 19001 J French handwriting
• 44008 F Hand with pen
• 49009 H Crochet border

I used the colors from exercise #47 from the color exercises for the green background.  This included ultramarine blue and yellow ochre.  I tinted titan buff with a bit of the green mix to create the pale corner.

I started with a picture as my inspiration.  The printed version had wonderful shades neutral greens.  I just looked through my color exercised book and found colors that went along perfectly.   I transferred the color laser copy using a transfer tool. I use matte medium on both the copy and the board so I could control the distress on the edges. I stamped the crochet border and hand.  I  masked these before stamping the handwriting but with a dark green paint mixed with the same colors above.  I  painted a pale green paint into some of the open spaces of the lace to make it pop off the page.

Stamps Used:

• 30008 H Dome
• 33013 I Latin phrases

This was my first attempt at using the new transfer tool.  I definitely need to practice.  The image did not transfer but instead adhered to the artwork.  So I scrubbed away the paper instead.   

The stars were punched with a star punch from a magazine page.  I love the instant mottled look .

• 26010 G Nina Foley
• 49006 F Corset

I participated in an ATC swap in which the theme was watercolor techniques.  After the last few years of working with acrylics, I figures how much different can watercolors be.  Boy was I wrong.  This was quite a challenge for me.

I used paints I just recently purchased using the information in "Yellow and Blue don't Make Green" to buy paints that would match my color exercises.  I used Burnt Sienna and Raw Sienna to make the background.  I put a wash of the 2 colors on the water color paper and covered it with wrinkled plastic wrap.  When it was dry I had the most wonderful organic effect. I stamped the corset on a ripped piece of a handmade paper and watercolored the image. I added the blue lace paper as a contrast to all the brown-orange ( blue being the compliment to orange.

Stamps Used:

• 48001 J Giant square grille
• 50004 H Pen border

I used the colors from exercise #43 from the color exercises to make this artwork.  This included ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, titan buff and titanium white.

The text was a page from an old opera guide book.  I glued and peeled paper using techniques in Claudine Hellmuth's book, Collage Discovery Workshop. The portrait of a girl was found on line.  It was painted by Antonio del Pollaiullo. I transferred the color laser copy using a transfer tool. I use matte medium on both the copy and the board so I could control the distress. You can see the text showing through the transfer. I will add the portrait to the free image gallery. For more information on transfers see the new How To page on transfers.