Time to chillax….
Hi there.
Thanks for popping in. Just got lost in some colouring in. Such a relaxing, therapeutic thing to do, don’t you agree?
I took Tina’s floral bouquet, and stamped it onto a scrap which has been hanging around my artroom for ages. It’s on our Clarity coated cardstock, hence the ultra glossy finish.
Years ago, when we used to use this card, we struggled to apply colour to it. It was tricky to stamp on, and it was tricky to colour in. Now, with our blending pens, a blending mat and our Perga Colours – the effect is pretty professional; like a proper print. Have a look at this little step by step.
We got right into the dropshadow technique yesterdayduring the Craftalong Tutorial on TV, didn’t we? Here I am doing the same thing, but using a blending pen and diluted ink on shiny, coated stock. Really great for practicing, because it moves around on the coated surface.
The old background scrap is dye based bottled ink, dragged across the card with a sponge. Tina’s bouquet is stamped with a permanent black ink pad – a black Archival.
The moon was already in the scrap.
A moon mask…
Rats! Missed a bit. Keep going. 
Dye based Artistry ink. 
Blend colours. The background will influence what you add too. Magic. 
The blending pens are fantastic for detail colouring as well as shadow work. 
Add water to dilute vibrance. The card can take the water easily. 
Mix up the colours 
Use a Pergacolour pen on the blending mat and then dilute with the watery blending pen. 
This adds the darker shadow. 
Black Pergacolour, Grey Pergacolour – excellent for this technique. 
You will be surprised how often you can go in and add colour and tones – the card is very VERY robust. 
You can also wipe it away if you have overcooked it. 
See how it is beginning to lift off the page again? 
When you have done enough shading, buff the card to a high gloss. 
Looks like a professional print.
Very, very easy to do. You just need:
- a stamp,
- this Claritycard,
- a Black Archival ink pad,
- a few Artistry inkpads (one of those little boxes of 12 will be perfect),
- the Perga Colours,
- our Clarity blending pens
- and about an hour
Very chilled now. Until tomorrow –
Love and Hugs
Barb xxx
22 thoughts on “Time to chillax….”
Just love the way you manage to get the flowers to have that 3D effect as if they are standing off the page. Must have another try at stamping when I have a free hour or two….
Gorgeous project. Love the 3D effect.
It beautiful Barbara. The background is lovely. I need to to use up my huge folder of backgrounds, so you have inspired me to dig them out and do some stamping tonight.
Finally feeling warm again, after getting totally drenched by cars driving through puddles and splashing me tonight on the way back from work: the joy of trains being cancelled! So once I have stamped a few images, I will coorie on the couch with a quilt and do some colouring.
I love this stamp , will have a go at this , need to practice shadows, thoroughly enjoyed yesterdays shows xx
Wonderful blog and real learning curve on how to do the shadow. Gradually getting the hang of it. Thank you for such expertise.
Need to practice my drop shadows. Getting better at the charcoal lines smudged round the edges but the shaped shadows that you showed on Saturday and Sunday are a step ahead. Glad you have had a relaxing day. Xx
Received the Groovi arches and the border circles today so spent the afternoon “Groovin'”, will try stamping tomorrow, see what effects I get with my scrap.
Glad you had time to chill today. Have a good evening.
Sleep well. 🍒🍒🍒
Have all of the ingredients -just need to watch the play-back of the drop shadow again and then have a go! Love the effect and this is my current favourite stamp. I’m waiting for the chinese lanterns too as I’m sure they’ll also be a favourite. Thanks for taking the time to do the blog and all the step by step photos -so helpful
Love your step by steps. I have the stamp but have not used it yet. Hope I will be able to play with it this week.
I just love what you do with stamps but really scunnered with them today! I just never seem to get the desired effect. I clearly need a lot more practise! I am hoping that I will learn where I am going wrong when I am at one of the retreats this year of indeed when you come to Glasgow! You said yesterday on the Craftalong that stamping was a real skill and you are absolutely right! I’m just glad I am not dependent on them to make a living!! Hope you enjoy chilling. I’ve gone back to parchment! At least I am making progress with it! Lol. Hx
I just love what you do with stamps but really scunnered with them today! I just never seem to get the desired effect. I clearly need a lot more practise! I am hoping that I will learn where I am going wrong when I am at one of the retreats this year of indeed when you come to Glasgow! You said yesterday on the Craftalong that stamping was a real skill and you are absolutely right! I’m just glad I am not dependent on them to make a living!! Hope you enjoy chilling. I’ve gone back to parchment! At least I am making progress with it! Lol. Hx
Oops, it has printed twice!!
Love how you manage to turn a paper scrap into a wonderful piece of art. Need to practice, practice, practice as the saying goes & have the confidence to go for it. I have all the ingredients so no excuse really.
Just beautiful. I was tidying in my craft room yesterday and found my blending pen and nibs and my coated card too. Maybe I’ll have a little colouring session this weekend!
A beautiful look on another of your pretty scraps for a background Barbara. I love it! Colouring is very relaxing and time just goes by without you realising. x
So very beautiful, thank you xx
Gawjuss! Looking forward to my Chinese Lantern stamps arriving so I can have a go at this. Got all the gear and due to the step by step now also have the idea lol!
Beautiful little piece of art need to practice drop shadow never looks right to me may be just my critical eye of my own work. Struggling with that at moment. Xx
Hello Barb, what a beauty, you always make it look so easy, how to get the shadows, the professional look. I guess I just need to practice more. A lot more! Take care all. Bx
Beautiful, just love this stamp and how it works with different techniques. I must admit the coated card is always a challenge for me but I will have a try with this to see if I can improve.
The shadow work on the craftalong was a great lesson and it’s so relaxing to get completely absorbed in something like this. Thank you xx
Hi Barb,
This is fabulous. I’m really looking forward to having a go at this. Like Sue, I’m looking forward to trying it with my Chinese Lanterns. Thank you for the step by step, it’s great to refer back to. Love and hugs,Alison xx
Hi Barbara
Really enjoyed your craftalong on Sunday. I do have a few
polychromos pencils but wondered which colour grays you used for the shadowing please ? Were they from the ‘warm’ or ‘cold’ gray range? I’ve always struggled with the light/shadow thing but you explained it so I now understand – thank you x