Once in a BLUE Moon

Sometimes art in the studio comes out exactly as you imagined, but often it doesn't.  There can be detours and wrong turns, or "ah ha" moments that change that dull that first image in your head.  I don't mind those times of "flux" at all, but today was not one of those convoluted days for me.  This project came out exactly as I had mentally pictured it.  I will savor the moment and invite you to savor it with me. 

I chose the following stamps to use:


               once in a blue moon
               spiral crescent moon
               catch a falling star

I must mention that these are new stamps as of a week (to me) so I was very excited to see what they would do together. I got out the following supplies:

              
               Pitch Black Adirondack pad
               acrylic paint:  blue, white, pink
               Gel Extreme gold gel pen
               black Sharpie

I then searched for a piece of background paper from my stash and found one that I thought fit well with the other choices.  The paper below is a waste paper of sorts that I make in droves after I've done one of my resist classes.  In this particular class my students use Ranger Cut n Dry foam with Ranger Adirondack dye inks to add color to glossy paper. I bring the pads home and set them out for about a week to dry out some.  I then spritz them with a mister and press cut glossy paper into them and set aside to dry.  The variegation you get is different with each pressing.  I add more water when necessary and then move on to the same pad when the ink is almost gone.  I then rinse the pads out for the next class.  So two purposes are served:  (1) I use up

the rest of the ink on the pads so there is very little waste.  (2) I get the most gorgeous array of papers ready to be used at a moment's notice.  Try this technique at home and see what you get.  It's a great thing to do when you are in an artistic funk.  The colors jumping out at you seem to jump start my creativity!!!!

The stamping part begins to make the composition come alive.  All three stamps were done in Pitch Black Adirondack Dye Ink (any black in would work well except a pigment.) 

I then began to add acrylic paint to the moon and flowers as a textural accent.  (HINT:  switching media automatically adds a visual texture to a project.  The opacity of the pinks in the flowers changed the look of the stamping on the busy background.  It made them pop.  While the dots of blues to make the moon indeed blue added a tactile texture with the thick application.  Two different ways to add textural interest and indeed make this a mixed media art card. 

 

When dry, I mounted it on a snippet of black glossy followed by a pale pink textured scrap of cardstock.  I have to admit, I am pleased as punch with it!  It's fun working with RubberMoon stamps because they allow you to really get creative in mixing your point of view with their whimsical nature.  It's a perfect fit for me when I want to get back to my roots.  You can find more RubberMoon stamps to add to your collection here and more of my work on my Nancy Curry Art page on facebook or my main website. 

Wanderlust

 Round and Round we go........where we'll stop nobody knows.

 

This is a whimsical project that stemmed from being cooped up with two standard poodles for a couple of weeks because of the snow.  I have WANDERLUST.  I was so excited when my good friend, Barb Rogers, dreamed up that stamp for Rubbermoon.  I couldn't wait to use it.  Who doesn't get wanderlust? Now, usually it means something a little more exciting than actually taking two dogs on their first walk in my subdivision for ages, but today it was just that. It was so exciting to watch sidewalks reappear this afternoon due to the melting snow and spring-like temperatures.  So I guess I had local wanderlust.  But I do have it for longer trips. too.  More on that later.

Wave hi to my inspirations, Angus and Tucker.

 

 

Today's walk provided the inspiration for the scenic nature of the tumbler.  As you can tell, my dogs are poodles so don't look anything like Sunny Carvalho's, but I was dying to use several of her brand new stamps so I went with a whimsical scenic extravaganza.  

I amassed some supplies including a photo insert double walled tumbler that I stockpile from Starbuck's, some Golden Fluid Acrylics, Adirondack Dye Ink pads (Stream, Bottle, Meadow, Butterscotch, Denim), Ranger Clear Resist (recently renamed as Ranger Watermark Resist Ink), Ranger Perfect Medium pen, cosmetic sponges, thin liner paintbrushes, Perfect Paper Adhesive, glossy (non-photo) paper, and an assortment of Rubbermoon stamps.



*******Linked list of those stamps to follow below.

The first step was to use the paper found inside the tumbler as a template.  I drew around it and cut it out. 

Once cut out, I planned my scenery by setting out some many of the stamps.  I left them there as I began the resist stamping.  I used several of Kae Pea's Mid Century Moderns as well as some of the  square stencils she designed for StencilGirl, and randomly placed them throughout the scene.  It does not show up well in the photo since it is clear, but you can see the lower border I stamped if you look closely.  Don't worry--all will be revealed. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                

 

I used the Perfect Medium pen to add some grass detail that would become ground level for my scene.

If you are familiar with my book,  Texture Effects for Rubber Stamping, this process took up the whole first chapter.  I allowed the resist ink to dry for about 15 minutes and then took one cosmetic sponge and alternated coloring in a circular manner with ELBOW GREASE, to bring out the resist ink. In the next photo, you will see the result. 

Once this dried in a few minutes, I added another layer of the same colors to make the color transitions a little smoother.  That can also be achieved by adding some brown in various areas to unite the color, but in this piece I wanted the colors to stay vibrant.  I did a lot of air drying for this project but you can heat to dry for about 10 seconds to hurry the process.

I then began the stamping process using the same inks that were already used and the addition of an Espresso Adirondack pad.  Many times I add detail to the resist with a reverse stamp, or by off-setting with the same stamp.  I started my stamping by doing that in the background and border. I repeated that concept with the stencil again as well.

Stamp List in Detail:

Lil Flower 1
Lil Flower 2
Sunflower
Lucy Bird
Beg Your Pardon
Linear
Three Rings
Mod Marks Dark
Mod Marks Light
Geo-Metric
Light Crescent
Inksplat
3 Story Home
Musical Notes
Forget Me Not
To the Moon & Back
Be Mine
Joy
Wanderlust (available at Rubbermoon, but too new to be online)
Star Tree
Braided Circle

Detailing the resist grass was a little more challenging but doable.  I wet a liner brush and drug it through my Bottle inkpad and drew grass.  (sorry for the lousy lighting).  I then put a drop of Titan Buff, Quinacridone Magenta, ,Bronze Golden Fluid Acrylic on my palette and began adding some "noise" throughout the grass area, highlighted some stars, the moon, the house, etc.  This is my favorite part, believe it or not.

I decided I wanted to add some more depth so I stamped the musical note background in meadow onto some of the leftover glossy. I loved that the pad was so juicy that there was extra ink on the solid part of the background. I stamped, separated by line, and outlined in black the Moon and Back stamp and affixed it to the glossy with matte Perfect Paper Adhesive.  I then handcut and outlined three hearts and affixed them just above the dog.  I hand drew balloon markings and strings to atttach the balloons to the leash. 

To finish this tumbler off, I outlined the perimeter with a black Sharpie and signed. I chose to spray two light coats with a Krylon UV Resistant Sealer to keep the colors sharp. 

Here it is in totality--flat.  There's a lot going on in it, for sure!  It changes, though, once it is in the tumbler because the circular shape allows the eye just to see parts and it becomes just enough for my eye.  

To place in the tumbler, just roll it up similar to the inner barrel and slowly push it in.  It will naturally expand once it reaches the top.  Screw the bottom of the tumbler back on. I handwash the tumblers I've done for myself and they still look fresh and brand new.  Make yourself one.  It will make you smile all day.

       AND YOU THOUGHT THAT WAS THE END??????? 

BONUS:  Here's my mainstay personal one that is 6-7 years old and used frequently:
(Angus photobombed the third picture that I took in my powder room in pitch black. I had no idea he was there until the flash delay occurred.  I had to leave it in.  He's such a ham.)

 And finally.......

THE END