A scrapbook inspired sketch

Goga is hosting the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this month, and as always we kick off with a sketch.

Poorly me, poorly daughter and a trip to the New Forest mean I'm running a bit late on this one! It didn't help that I decided to copy an approach that I saw someone do in a scrap book, that is quite involved and took a while! Here's the link to the original.

I started with designer papers, I went through my stash and pulled out ones I didn't particularly like. I don't really use DP, but I'm still a bit precious about the ones I like.

I cut plain card to size, then cut up the DP to make the sketch design and attached. I also did some squares for spares, making a random pattern.

I then brayered and brushed white gesso over the top - this is why I wouldn't use the good papers, they won't really show.

The papers take the gesso to differing degrees, which I like.

The next step is to add texture paste through a stencil. I used a snowflake spray on two and a damask pattern on the others.

Once the paste dried, I added spray inks, with water spritzed on to encourage it to run. I used pigments and mica sprays, so lots of shine.

This is the sketch ones once dry. I left the others at this point to play with another time.

I stamped my sentiments and my images onto rice paper, with a black archival ink - I started using versafine but it bled too much.

I used a water pen to tear out the images, and added them to the bases with mod podge. The rice paper disappears into the background, so it looks as if I've stamped onto the background, except of course I'd never be able to get a good image over an uneven base like this. Plus if the stamping goes awry I can have another go without having mucked up the background.

Once dry, I went round the papers with a black pencil, to redefine the sketch. I went round the edge too.

The one on the right was too pale, so I added more colour by painting on distress oxide with a water brush.

To add detail and interest I stamped over with black archival and detail stamps - music and script. Mostly second generation.

The images looked a little washed out so I coloured them lightly with distress oxides.

I also splattered gold paint over both, especially the poinsettia. I was happy with the reindeer at this point, but the other is still not working for me, so I decided on the nuclear approach. I covered a background stamp with peacock feather distress oxide and went over the lot!

Much better - I did lift a lot of colour from the oval and the sentiment strip. Possibly would have been better to mask these.

I then used gold gilding wax on the left side. I'm much happier with this, it's got more oomph somehow. It was a bit wishy washy before.

Final touches with pens - black on the poinsettia and white on the sentiment.

This is much better now, although not sure about the poinsettia still - might have a further play!

This one came together much more easily - the papers didn't take the gesso so well so there was more colour and texture in the base to work with. It's funny how that usually happens when I make two cards alongside each other, they diverge along the way!!



So, how will you use this sketch? To join in, head over to the 52CCT blog, the challenge is open until Friday 8th March. Have fun!!