Book Study - Intuitive Watercolor

We are starting another Book Study over on Next Generation Stampers. This time we are going through Bernie Berlin's "Artist Trading Card Workshop". I recommend getting this book, besides the fabulous technique and step-by-step directions with colored photos; Bernie shows other artist's ATCs using these techniques. This gives you an opportunity to see a variety of styles with using the same techniques. We are starting with the first technique "Intuitive Watercolor".

Cut watercolor paper to size. Dampen the paper with water, then drop on some color (using liquid watercolor or dye ink), spread the color over the paper with a wet brush.

Drop another color onto the wet paper and blow it around with a heat gun.

If desired, add more color and repeat with the heat gun.

When the paper is dry, look and try to envision shapes to outline. I had difficulty finding any shapes it this piece. Bernie says not to worry, if you don't see any shapes, just start doodling with a fine point black pen, shapes and images will come. I'm not sure about any images, but I liked how this has a stained glass appearance, especially having used the iridescent colors. I think this will make a good background for a project.

Decided to try again with another type of inks: Distress re-inkers. I found a little bit went a long way with this ink:

Dropped on some more Distress ink and blew around with a heat gun.

Noticed extra blue ink on the craft sheet, so wiped it up with the edges of the card to color the edges.
Dropped on some darker green, again blowing it around with the heat gun.
This time, I thought I could see a sea horse, so I outlined the sea horse with a fine-point black pen and added in some details.
This reminded me of worn packaging, so I added some fish postage stamps, over stamped some script and postage images with brown StazOn ink, and added a few charms. What fun!

The best part of all this was I had never been interested in this technique. I didn't get it. This book review forced my hand and made me realize: I'm not supposed to "get it", I'm supposed to just play and let the random movement of the colors show me the way to go. Fun!

Comfort Quilts

Most of this year, I've been working on comfort quilts for a teen program. These are larger than the usual lap ones our group makes, about 60"x70", big enough to wrap around oneself. These will be joining ones made by others in our group, and given to the program director at the end of Sept. I hope this variety will be enjoyed and bring comfort.

Fabric Paper ATCs

I'm making ATCs with Fabric Paper. Started with cutting the Fabric Paper I made in the post below and ran it through an embossing folder and colored with Platinum Brilliance ink.
Took some Fabric Paper that I'd made earlier with Tyvek and cut it to be the base of wings for a dragonfly.

The die cut dragonfly was run through a Cuttlebug embossing folder and adhered to the main fabric paper and layered onto black card stock. Added black brads and a printed black ribbon.

Fabric Paper

I cut a piece of fabric out of an old pillow case for the base. Coated the fabric with watered down pva glue. Then covered with torn out paper napkins leaving small space between pieces and gently covering with more of the watered down pva glue.
Next, cover entire piece with sheet of tissue paper and covered with watered down pva.

Then painted over the piece with watered down acrylic paint. I wasn't gentle enough and tore out a section.

I added more torn out napkins to the hole in the piece and covered with a small piece of tissue paper and painted. Then sprayed on some pigment spray and some Perfect Pearls wash.

Here is what the sheet looks like when it dried (this took about 2 - 3 hours in the sun).