ATC Workshop - Intuiitive Watercolors Study

In the Wisconsin Stampers Yahoo group, we are working thru Bernie's book, Artist Trading Card Workshop. While I've done several of the techniques, either recently or in the past, we're taking it 1 technique at a time. Here's samples of my 1st try at this. And, actually following directions. Ok, within 'my reason' lol! I don't usually follow direction. Right off, I change something. SO, I used 140# coldpress watercolor paper and water color wash by Stamp Zia, Ranger & Stewart Superior (Memories Mist).

B Yourself

This 4x4 really came together for me. The other day, I bought Iron Metallic Surfacer by Sophisticated Finishes along with some patina finishes. WOW. This stuff ROCKS! The IRON is a gritty, deep charcoal black, and when I went over it with the Copper patina, it gave it a rusty finish! And it was pretty quick. Four of the pieces above are Grungeboard, the B was done on canvas then cut out. I used Distress Powder Black Soot on it. All the white is done with the Ranger Inkssential white pen. The background on the 4x4 was done on white 110# cardstock, where I laid a piece of screen patterned mulberry paper on top of and brushed the Iron paint over it, then removed the mulberry. When dry, I went over it with Antique linen & Weathered wood Distress ink.

Summer Flora - Beauty of Livermoore

This is by far, one of the most favorite flowers we have in our garden. It is an Oriental Poppy called Beauty of Livermoore. It is HUGE. And BEAUTIFUL! I love the colors & size.

Lil Miss Liberty

I call her Little Miss Liberty. She's a image from Tim Holtz's collage clip CD. I resized it, then printed it onto silk. Isn't she darling???? The background was painted 1st with acrylic, then I went over it with Anq linen crackle paint, then some white acrylic. I wanted it weathered, so I lightened. I stamped flourishes & stars over it with new canvas white (Palette Ink). The Red piece is acrylic paint over a white grid pattern texture paper. I adhered the image with a double stick fusible webbing. Worked great, and allowed the crackle background to come thru. The little star is grungeboard, and I went over the piece with a Hot Foil pen for gold accents. It's all actually done on a tall house 'skinny'. 3x7" rather than 3x5. Trish Bee did some awesome house shapes on her Art site that sparked the idea for this shape.

ATC Trade

The Milwaukee ATC group held their monthly trade at Artist & Display on 5/31. WOW! What great artwork was traded!! We do have some amazing talent. Felted ATC's, quilted, stitched, dyed, hand colored, digitally manipulated and sooooooooooooo much more. Really beautiful work.

After the trade, we were visted by none other than BERNIE BERLIN!!!!

Author of Artist Trading Card Workshop, Create, Collect, Swap. A must have book full of techniques and fabulous art.

Along with Bernie was Kim Rae Nugent, an artist herself who is putting together a 3 day retreat in Cedarburg WI October 16-19, 2008. Seven artists from all over the country are holding 21 different workshops.

Visit http://www.raevns-nest-art-retreat.com/ for more information.

After seriously cleaning my studio, I FINALLY had time to play! Granted, they were pieces for themed swaps, but still play time!

The 1st piece is a Flip/Flap Fold card. The theme was Butterfly, but I just couldn't help but use my very favorite Luna Moth from Stamp Zia. I heat embossed it with black, then colored it in with prisma pencils for highlights and key-lime Radient Rain.

The 2nd piece is an ATC. The theme was 'No focal point'. I used a close up picture I took of a new mosaic gazing globe I bought for our garden. It's silver, black & grey. I added small pieces of fantasy film to the mirror pieces on the ATC, and highlighted the bright white areas with the new Inksentials pigment pen (LOVE IT!).


The Vintage Mom 4x4 is done with a vintage print of the mom reading to her boys. I printed it on silk.


I just LOVE the Punchinella Party Girl skinny!! She was cut from a mag, and is glitzed up with silver metallic punchinella and glass glitter.

Finally got to play!

Since it actually 'warmed up', for Wisconsin anyway, I've been out peaking at the spring flowers! Such a beautiful time of year.


But, I did get some 'work' done. Mostly to catch up on group swaps. But, art is art, and I am always happy to play in the ink!

Chunky Book Swap - Vintage Ladies

Nine fabulous ladies from an online group joined in a themed chunky book swap. A few were "chunky virgins" but each did a beautiful job on their pieces!

Our theme was Vintage Women and to work on a 4x4" coaster. All pieces and covers came to me for binding. I used the fabulous Bind-it-all machine.

Shown above is my books cover, and my page contribution. I printed the image on my inkjet printer, trimmed her out and dipped her in beeswax. The background is acrylic paint, stamped with a flourish and painted with gold Radient Rain with a brush. The 'curtain' is a lyra pencil rubbed on a texture plate and trimed out. I stamped a clock, and glued a clear pebble over it.