Foyles

Foyles Bookstores is a rather famous London landmark that has a colorful history and I've used a photo by Wolf Suschitzky of a man standing in front of it for this tag.

I began with a pile of scrap papers that were cut and pasted to form a background then laser printed a reversed version of the photo and used polymer medium to transfer the image.

Except for the very blackest areas, image transfers are transparent so I made a tracing of the man's face, book and hands to line up with the tag so I could paint the background white in those areas. This way, the parts would stand out better and not be obscured.

I liked the results but wanted a contrast to better emphasize the man so I used paint to simplify the background and found an image of books (actually wallpaper by Muriva) then cut it to fit before doing another image transfer.

The final result includes the addition of some Remnant Rubs and a bit of sanding to distress and bring out the uneven thickness of the original paper background.

The intense contrast of black and white in the original photo is what attracted me to it and the sidewalk shadow is a favorite part of this tag. Of course, the gentlemen is also terrific and I am happy that the glare in his eyeglasses came through.

The book (like a vintage smart phone) makes me wonder what he was reading and why it couldn't wait until he got home?

I'm linking to the Monday blog challenge at SSS where this week's theme is Make Your Own Background.

The Red Chair

The journal page I share today was prompted by Simon's Monday challenge, Take a Leap Into the Unknown, and it was all that and more!

I took several photos of each stage so my post is longer than usual but I hope you'll enjoy seeing the process. As always, you can click on the individual photos to see a larger version.

I found this lady's image on the net and know nothing about her but wanted to give her a bigger presence because she is so captivating.

I took a leap and cropped out the frame, reversed the image, then printed the photo in a larger size than I normally work with so she'd fill up the page.

I applied polymer gel medium over my trimmed laser-printed photo, placed it on the page and once dry, began the process of rubbing off the paper to transfer the image.

I penciled-in a scene then went over the lines with a black paint pen.

The next photo shows how I used various stamps with black archival ink to create a pattern for the walls, an orchid for the window sill, and a face and frame for the picture on the wall. I also filled in her dress using black and gray paint then took a leap and decided to add bits of tissue paper to her skirt to give it more interest.

Then I took another leap and decided to use oil pastel crayons to tint the window because I knew they would be easy to smear and help create the look of vintage glass.

I used chalk pastels to tint the wallpaper and brown acrylic paint on the wall base and floor. The orchid was tinted with colored pencils because the design is so small a paintbrush wouldn't be practical.

The wall base looked too plain so I stamped a row of images using brown archival ink. My last color decision was the chair and yes, I took a leap, and painted it with bright red acrylic.

I wasn't too happy with the lady's skirt so I dug out some black tissue paper which I added in strips and then finally opted to trim the skirt with washi tape.

Here's one more look at the final outcome (so you don't have to scroll to the top) and in case you're wondering, my journal is the large format Dylusions by Ranger (each page measures approx. 8" x 11").

To learn more about my image transfer technique, click here for a post that further explains the method I use along with some tips. Maybe you'll take a leap too?

No. 141

What is collage if not upcycle/recycle? Using found bits of ephemera and images from books is common practice for me and so I'm linking this tag to the Monday blog challenge at Simon Says Stamp in honor of this week's theme.

It's another exercise in working through the long, narrow format of a tag and attempting to create a sense of space/depth in the composition. It started with the remainder of a Found Relative photo that I used in another piece.

Book pages, an image transfer, stamping, Tissue Wrap, Remnant Rubs, and a bit of washi tape were used to complete it along with various inks and paint.

All I can say is the best part was placing that tiny airplane in the sky.

Stamp credit: Tim Holtz Components - Flourish

Birds

When I was a kid, there weren't many horror movies compared to today and they were pretty harmless by comparison. But I'll never forget one that really scared me and gave my sister nightmares--it was The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock.

So I made this tag for Simon's Monday blog challenge where this week's theme is Monster Mash. I used Distress inks and two stamps by Tim Holtz (the large bird and filmstrip) and one by Penny Black (Winter Ledge). The house was an image transfer of the school building from the movie and I hand-lettered the text.

No. 214580 - Special Edition

A friend recently asked how I do image transfers so I thought I'd share a simple step-out today in case others are curious too.

(Click on the photos to see a larger version with the lightbox feature.)

I begin with a photocopy or laser printer (toner-based) copy that I crop to the size I need after reversing it (the Photoshop command is Image-Rotate-Flip Horizontal).

Why reverse it? I may not need or want to but it will be essential if there's text otherwise, it will be reversed and unreadable. Pay attention to the direction Mona is facing as I work through this example and you'll see what I mean.

With a paintbrush, I completely cover the front of the image with an even layer of polymer medium making sure to work all the way to the edges. If an area's not covered--it won't transfer.

I flip the image and place the wet side face down on my support (in this case, a Journal Ticket). I gently press and smooth the image down with my fingers to remove any air bubbles. If there's an air bubble--it won't transfer.

I have to work quickly so the medium doesn't dry before I place it on the support. If it doesn't dry--it won't transfer.

Also, I try not to get any medium on the backside of the image but don't worry if I do--it just makes it a little more difficult to remove later.

If a lot of medium oozes out from the edges then I'm pressing too hard or I used too much medium. Blot up what you can.  No worries, my image will still transfer and I'll know better next time.

I let it completely air dry which, in this case, only took about ten minutes due to the small size. In the past, I've rushed drying with a heat tool which can cause the paper to bubble and if there's a bubble... (you know the drill).

Now comes the fun of rubbing the paper away to reveal the image.

I add a small pool of water on my craft sheet then use my finger to spread it over the back of the photo. I let it soak a bit then begin to gently rub the paper away.

I avoid getting water on the ticket border or rubbing it since it's not protected with medium and I could damage it. Using small amounts of water in a controlled fashion is best--I don't want to rush this part.

I just keep adding a little water and rubbing away all the white bits and it doesn't take long before the magic is revealed.

The edges are the most delicate so I use careful, gentle rubbing in those areas. In spite of my caution, it's not uncommon to lose tiny bits and I don't mind because it adds a distressed appearance.

Notice how Mona is facing the opposite direction? Hopefully, you now understand why sometimes a reversed image matters. In this example, it was important to honor the direction Leonardo originally intended.

I hope you enjoyed this step-out and that you'll give it a try. I think image transfers are a terrific technique to use on mixed media projects.

You can check out other projects I've posted here on my blog that were made with image transfers if you need some inspiration!

No. 526714

Tickets is this week's theme at the SSS Monday blog challenge. So I made another entry because I wanted to try an image transfer on a Journal Ticket.

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The background paper is from the Correspondence Paper Stash and I used my current, most favorite craft stash--Remnant Rubs.

The local big box only carries one kind and they're always out of them so I will order more online which is my reward (which I think I deserve) for cleaning up the craft room. Yeah!

Cecil

Cecil's death this month made us more aware of lions on the brink of extinction so perhaps some good will come from this senseless killing.

I've made this tag to honor him and hope you'll visit Lion Aid's facebook page if you'd like more information on what can be done to save them.

I began with a page from a very old cookbook (copyright 1887) pasted to the front of a manila tag.

The paper is so old it crumbles so a layer of acrylic medium was used to stabilize it.

An image transfer of Cecil was applied and features his distinctive black mane (which was his trademark).

I stamped the wing/crown image (Tim Holtz) on a scrap of tissue paper then embellished it with gel pens and colored pencils.

There's a strip of washi tape behind the Industrious sticker frame and a glaze of paint and Graphitint pencils added background color.

I'm linking to Simon's Monday blog challenge where this week's theme is no ordinary paper.

Ikat

i·kat  ˈēkät  /  noun

fabric made using an Indonesian decorative technique in which warp or weft threads, or both, are tie-dyed before weaving.


Beginning with a Distress-stained background (Tumbled Glass), I stamped damask-like patterns in Iced Spruce then drew many fine lines using gelly roll pens to imitate ikat fabric.

The girls were added via an image transfer but their faces got lost so I cut-out new ones and pasted them over the transfer.

I distressed the tag edges with a black Fude Ball pen along with some tiny stamped text and added a shadow beneath the girls with a colored pencil.

Credit for my inspiration comes from Simon's Monday blog challenge where this week's theme is the letter i.

Papillon

I splurged this week and bought a set of Gelly Roll pens and experimented with them on this tag.  They are called "Souffle" because they're pastel-colored and can be applied thickly for a 3D effect. They write on anything, including acrylic mediums, which is a big deal for me.

I began by distressing my tag with inks and paints then applied an image transfer to create the background and also added some stamping of grass near the bottom. I fussy-cut the girls (inking the edges with a Pitt pen) and pasted them on top.

I played around with the gellies to add color directly to the surface and also by diluting with a water brush. They are very opaque and also waterproof when dry. So, where I felt there was too much color, I used an Exacto knife to scrap bits of it away. In some areas, subtle color changes were made with colored pencils.

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This isn't the best example for illustrating how the new pens can be used but I'm very happy to have them in my arsenal of supplies and know you'll see lots more of them in future work. Stayed tuned ;)

I'm linking to Simon where this week's theme is anything goes.

Merriment

Torn scraps of pasted papers left-over from other projects became the background for this tag along with tints from acrylic paint, colored pencils and walnut ink-stained edges. The lady and flower are image transfers and I used a stencil to break-up the background with just a few tiny squares.

I painted the area just behind the lady's face with off-white paint before transferring the image to keep the background from showing through this transparent layer.

Here is Now

An image transfer on an old postcard is the main feature of this collage tag which I embellished with a tiny figure, some Remnant Rubs and stenciled dots.

The bottom border was cut from the back of a Found Relative photo. The tag was tinted with colored pencils and the edges were distressed and dotted with a Gelly Roll pen.

I made it for linking to Simon where this week's theme is coffee or tea.

Observations

Do you ever have this nagging feeling that you want to be creative amd make something but you just can't get started, you don't know what to do and you lack direction?

That's been my dilemma lately, it appears my muse has taken a vacation and some say when that happens, the best thing you can do is just show up and begin without her.

So I hoped that making this tag (an exercise in image transfer) would help and I suppose it did.

My paying job was always fraught with pressure and deadlines and some say they work better under these conditions. It's hard to accept but I think this may also be true for me.

Due Date

... and I'm running out of time.

I'm linking this to Simon's Monday Blog Challenge where this week's theme is due date (stamp credits: Tim Holtz and La Blanche).

Here's how I added the text:

I typed the statement in Photoshop, reversed the image and printed it on plain paper. I cut it out, covered it with gel medium, then laid it face-down onto the tag. I let it dry then rubbed off the paper to reveal the transferred text.

For more information on my image transfer techniques, see this post.

Blue Butterfly

I still have one more Flower Garden stamp to go but, after making five in a row, I needed a break!

So I played around with another new toy instead. It's an adhesive silkscreen from Martha Stewart and it's pretty awesome. It's like a stencil but with way more detail.

I began the tag by using acrylic paint to apply the fern design right smack-dab in the middle. Then I envisioned adding figures on either side, found a photo that would work and did an image transfer. Since image transfers are transparent, I went over the darkest areas of the ferns with some additional green paint to make it more opaque and stand-out better.

I painted in a blue background and added some black lines with a gel pen. I stamped a butterfly with white, then embossed it and painted the insides blue to match the background.

Martha probably didn't expect her stencil to be used this way but, nevertheless, it was good practice and great fun. If anyone's interested in seeing how these work, up-close and personal, let me know in the comments and I'll put together a demo for a future post.

It's pure coincidence, but I'm linking to the Monday blog challenge at Simon Says Stamp because this week's theme is in the middle and that is exactly where my fern ended up!

Miss Divine

I am in love with Miss Divine.

It's an image I'm sure to use again (and maybe again).

She must have moved a bit during the photo shoot as her clothing is a bit fuzzy but her face is beautiful.

The cameo, the curls, the mysterious hint of red, oh be still my heart!

I collaged some Ideo-ology Tissue Wrap and pages from the French Industrial Paper Stash after transferring the image with gel medium.

I used a gelly roll pen, a bit of acrylic paint and white Distress Stain to bring out some of the paper's scroll work then Black Soot to distress the edges of the tag.


If you'd like to use the image, I found it here. I'm linking it to the Monday blog challenge at SSS--this week's theme is anything goes.

Dear Thelma

My dear friend Thelma (I'm Louise), introduced me to rubber stamping a few years ago and, without sounding overly dramatic, my life (and my storage requirements) have never been the same since.

This is the card she will receive from me this year which began as an image transfer on watercolor paper, then resist embossing, layers of distress ink and lacey ribbons added to embellish.

The shiny border dots are Liquid Pearls, a 3-D paint by Ranger that's a bit tricky to apply but creates a great effect when you want some old-fashioned glam.

I'm linking to the Monday blog challenge at SSS where this week's theme is Red and Pink.

For Joseph

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Joseph Cornell was a brilliant artist and a pioneer of assemblage. If you are not familiar with his work, it's well worth your time to look him up.

Prompted by a challenge at Art Journal Journey to create something "inspired by the Masters," I collaged a page that mimics his Medici Princess box creation.

I used a frame from a magazine advertisement for a background filled with more magazine scraps, some rub-on letters and numbers, paint, gel pens, colored pencils, and embossed stamping.

I wish I could use symbolism more effectively in my art to give it a strong voice and invoke introspection. This is a skill Joseph Cornell mastered in a subtle, understated way and is what I appreciate most about his work.

Update:  I modified the original journal page posted here. Something was missing! The black vertical and horizontal lines in the original work were left out unintentionally. This simple addition made a difference and now I'm happier with it. (1/21/2015)

Together

"Make New Friends and Keep the Old" is the Monday blog challenge this week at Simon Says Stamp. It's also the name of a song I learned in Girl Scouts which was sung "in-the-round" (like Row Row Row Your Boat). I hadn't given it a thought since I was a Brownie xxx years ago ☺ and now I'm having major flashbacks. For you youngsters out there, here's what our uniforms looked like back in the day:

Imagine girls (of any age) wearing gloves today and why did the Brownies wear a manly bright orange neck tie? Strange, yes, but I liked them. Mom, not so much as they were a pain to iron.

The challenge prompted using something old or new so I grabbed the very first stamp I ever purchased, a vintage sunflower from Inkadinkado. It is based on this original engraving:

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I applied an image transfer of the girls to a blank tag and before rubbing off the paper, I stamped the background. This way the transfer acts like a mask and saves a step or two. I used distress inks and colored pencils to tint and washi tape for embellishment.

The "new" feature on this tag is the Tim Holtz Remnant Rubs text which I recently acquired and used for the very first time.

If you'd like to know more about the image transfer technique, you can find my tutorial here.