Hi everyone!
How are we doing? Keeping safe and occupied or going stir-crazy? It’s ok to swing back and forth between the two, I know I do! These are trying times and we can only do the best we can do deal with the situation but please do be safe and stay home if you can!
Today’s card is a sort of juxtaposition of my feelings, in that it’s a flower but coloured in very non-natural colours. At least for this kind of flower. I love the Face The Sun sunflower, and yes, I’m well aware that I say I love all the flowers! LOL! I can’t help it, big flower lover over here.
I started out by stamping it on a Neenah card base, directly, with the Hybrid Black ink and of course with the Mini MISTI to get a super detailed image. This stamp has so many fine details I’d definitely recommend using a stamping platform tool of some sort to make sure you get all the little bits stamped.
Scanning my Copic Hex Chart, from Sandy Allnock, I picked out teals markers to colour the stem and foliage bits. Instead of colouring it as I normally do though, I decided to try something new. I have drawn one line with one colour, starting with the darkest, and then with the next colour I have slightly overlapped it, without making any attempts at blending them.
I wasn’t sure how this would turn out but I must admit, I love it!
Next it was time to colour the actual flower itself and the only choice was another bold colour! I went for an array of deep red, fushias and light pink. The petals I coloured in the same way as the stem and foliage and it turned out pretty cool too.
I also added lots of white highlights with a white Posca pen. I have had zero luck finding a gel pen that doesn’t dry up on me right away so I’m sticking to the Posca pens from now on.
Of course I could have stopped there but did I? No, ma’am, I did not. I decided to shade the flower in grays and a light blue to make it pop. It didn’t exactly turn out as I was hoping but I’m not hating it either.
The only thing left to do was add a sentiment.
I picked one from the Face The Sun stamp set, and it says ‘Spread seeds of happiness, joy and love’. Which I thought was quite perfect. Looking for the silver lining in every situation makes it easier to deal with it, at least I find that.
Well, with that, I’m done. I hope you found some inspiration here today.
Lots of love, germ-free virtual hugs and happy crafting from Erica