Saturday 11 January 2014

Dark Art

Hello.  Welcome.  It's a funny thing.  I'm probably talking about my brain, or maybe just yesterday evening which became a bit surreal.  I was wide awake and full of inspiration.  Over at PaperArtsy this week it's just crazy wall to wall everyday inspiration.  I want to try so many techniques but there aren't enough hours in the day.  Anyway, last night I started stamping and we had a power cut.  This was the third one but it didn't just last a few minutes, this was a good 'un!!  Hours!!  Luckily I had done the stamping so armed with one of those light you strap on your head the crafting continued!!!   I even took photo's!!  In the dark!!  Had to take lots.  It's a bit more difficult to see the subject in the pitch black!  I might do this again cos actually some are better than those I take in artificial light.  Go figure!   It was certainly exciting.  Anyway, here's the art.......




Last night Helen Chilton was over at PA with a fun project.  I started stamping a background with a range of PA stamps.  Some of these have never seen ink!!  Gentleman - Plate 6, a happy xmas to me stamp, made a great central image.  I used the small circles from SM12 because I know I like that, and a block of flats from SIBM4 along the bottom.  I used a piece of torn paper to mask between the images.  Managed to do this before the world was plunged into darkness.  Not a bad photo for in the dark eh?


I didn't have the oil pastels Helen used but hoped that technique this might work with DI.  So, in the dark with just a poor head light I sponged on Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean and Picked Raspberry.  Probably would have got better coverage if I could have seen what I was doing, but actually quite like the patchy look.  LOL  



Then I used three Tando Creative masks, leaves top left, bamboo group top right and one of the reindeer negatives bottom center.  If you squint maybe you can see the line of his back below the guy holding the number........  I used a babywipe to remove the colour through the masks. 



Here's a bit closer look.  Very pleased with this background considering the challenges.  You never know, maybe it's better because of the power cut!!  Isn't life strange. 



I had a stamp all picked out to finish with but in the end it was too small and vanished into the busy background.  So I went for big, bold simple lines.  My Prima doll is blue,  Dress, hair, scary featureless face. 

Joining the fun at
PaperArtsy
Tando Creative - Bold and Bright
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Blues
Stampotique Designers Challenge 130 - Something New Prima doll and Gentleman were new for xmas
Loves Rubberstamps Challenge 85 - Anything Goes

Thanks for dropping by.  I love reading all your lovely comments.  Thanks for your support.  My desk overfloweth with unfinished projects so back soon.  Keep warm, cool, dry, anyone want to be wet?  Just so long as we remain crafty.......

15 comments:

Craftyfield said...

All those vibrant colours are perfect to brighten up a winter day! The effect works just as well with the DI.

Sylvia said...

Love the stamps used and the colourful DI background, well done for working in the dark and taking such good photos for us to share.

Sylv xx

Darcy Marshall said...

oh Gail you are funny, I can just imagine crafting in the dark with only a miners headlamp on lol

you did a terrific job though and the background works perfectly for your lil girl.

Clare Lloyd said...

it looks great! thanks for joining the challenge. clare @ PaperArtsy.

Anonymous said...

I have never attempted crafting in the dark would probably end up with a serious injury, knowing me. :) You did great though, fab page.

Lucy Edmondson said...

You did a fab job!

Lucy x

Jackie said...

Lovely bright colours ... Love them
Thank you for joining us at Stampotique

Anonymous said...

Looks wonderful, great colours Gail! Well done for persevering in the dark!
Alison x

Kaz said...

Fabulous bright colours. Well done on carrying on without the lights! I shall thank you from both Stampotique and Tando!

Kay Wallace said...

Gail! You are certainly a "die hard" creator--right through the black out! It made me laugh reading about it! This is so bright and cheery, and you remain one of my favorite "colorists!"

Michelle said...

You are a pro! This is so colorful and fun...and it was done in the dark? Amazing! You did a fabulous job! Thank you for sharing your work with us for the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge. ~Michelle

Cocofolies said...

I love this funny and colourful project, I loved also the one by Helen. Yours is really brilliant!!! Thanks for entering our Tando challenge with it, that's a perfect illustration! Coco x

LARELLE-SUSANNE said...

loved the mixed media and the prima doll you did a fab job with the color pallet you chose, loved this super cute, Thanks so much for joining the Anything Goes Challenge at Loves Rubber Stamps, I hope to see more of your amazingly wonder projects in future events and challenges. Hugs Larelle-Susanne DT

Dangina Martinez said...

What a fun technique. It looks great. Thank You for joining us here at Loves Rubber Stamps this week. Hugs, Dangina

chrissie said...

Love the way you turned a black and white background into something colourful and special

Chrissie x