Saturday, April 19, 2014

I'm Here For You

I tried something sorta new to me today. Having looked at all the lovely Copic air brushing that Sandy (of OWH fame) has been doing lately, I had to dig out my air brush and give it a whirl. What, you didn't know I have a Copic air brush system? I might have used it once before, maybe. I got it when someone was getting out of the teaching business and selling off everything she had in multiples. I scored a Copic air brush system - the can version. I wasn't ready to commit to a compressor.

So today I dug around in boxes -- you know, that whole "I KNOW I HAVE ONE SOMEWHERE" exercise -- until I found it. Had to look up online how to screw it all together. Then I pulled out four Copics and made a background. I wasn't in love, so I set it aside.

Then I perused my stack of DO THESE challenges I'd printed off. The current Friday Mash-up wanted us to use the sketch OR do an ombre background OR do both together.



The current Card Concept challenge, which was printed right next to the Mash-up challenge on my sheet, wanted us to use an umbrella:


A plan began to formulate in my grey matter. I immediately pulled out my WPlus9 umbrella die and stamps, picked up a piece of Wayfarer paper still out on my desk, saw the air-brushed background sitting off to the side, and made this:


You can see my air-brushing skillz are severely lacking and need MUCH practice. And doesn't it look like FIRE!? Hardly the best background for the sentiment I used, but oh, well. I think soft blues and greens might have been the better choice, but this was already made and on my desk, so it got used.

I die-cut the umbrella first, since it's a solid die, then carefully stamped the umbrella top and handle onto the paper. I'd also die-cut several umbrellas from white, so I stacked them up for some dimension.

There are two photo frames layered together, but only one inside piece, so it's a bit nestled in there. I'm terrible at coloring, so I just made a bunch of dots with my B0000 Copic marker to make it look like rain. It's tough to see due to my crack photography skills, but there is no color under the umbrella. For a little more definition, I went over the edge of the square piece with my blending tool (the one I use for all my blue inks - it still has residual ink on it), then stuck the square into the photo frame.

Except for the fire, I rather like it! :)

In other news, Bobra has acquired a new skill: housekeeping. But just his stuff, not mine. He decided he didn't like how I'd placed his blankie on his chair, so he grabbed it with his teeth and pulled it through the opening in the arm of the chair:


Much better. He has also rearranged his blankie in the craft room. Sigh. Now if I could just get him to make my bed ...

Thanks for stopping by!

Products used: Taylored Expressions Instant Photo Frames dies, and the following:



5 comments:

  1. Airbrushing is not easy and I think you did quite well. It actually does look like fire, or one of those heat signatures from a thermal imaging device. It's pretty and I like the Copic rain dots, too. Cats and their blankies, what are you gonna do? Nibbles still likes sleeping in the bathroom sink on his flannel pillowcase with his fuzzy mouse.

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  2. Turned out great! And love the Bobra pic. xo

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  3. I've been trying to figure out what is wrong with all your posts, with all these random blank squares at the end of them.... then I realized it was due to the Simon Says Stamp change over. Your links to products no longer link. Well, that's good for my wallet! I have clicked on many of your links and either bought them or added them to my wish list.

    Too bad you weren't using that umbrella against snowflakes. Then you could pass it off as a fire and ice card. I can see the potential for the air brush system, so give a nice soft swirled look. You can see that you were close in your try. It kind of makes me think of tie dye.

    As for Bobra, if you teach him to make beds do let me know the secret. I have one cat who loves to paw and "dig" at blankets but because he is standing on them they don't move or change. He probably can't figure out how we manage to get under them.

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  4. I love the colors you used on your background..nice an bright! I haven't tried using and air brush, but whatever you did turned out great for the ombre effect. A great card with a wonderful sentiment. Thanks for joining us at the Friday Mashup.
    Sara

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  5. You did a fantastic job with the color airbrushing. You did great with the other challenges, too. I like the fiery background! TFS with the Friday Mashup this week!

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I'd love to hear what you really think! :-)

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