Sunday, January 18, 2009

HHC14 Dude Card, plus SC211!


There's another great challenge taking place over at the High Hopes Blog starting today! This week's challenge is to make a "dude" card, in other words, a card that could definitely be given to a male without making him uncomfortable or feel threatened with lace and flowers and girly girl stuff, if you know what I mean! =) Niki, one of the wonderful Divas (linked on the right side bar) is the hostess for this challenge. The two cards below are my samples for the challenge.
Don't forget that every week, Tina, owner of High Hopes Stamps offers blog candy for one lucky winner! If you enter the challenge and link up a photo of your creation on the HH blog, your name gets entered into the draw!
I am approaching cardmaking differently these days, in that I am aiming towards turning my images into miniature watercolor paintings with each card. I am taking more time on the backgrounds and giving the color more depth than I used to. I am trying to anyway, and I still have a long way to go, but its fun to expand my horizons a bit. I am getting a lot of inspiration from Sirpaliina's wonderful art. If you've never seen her work, I encourage you to go visit her blog. Its like walking through an art gallery!
I made this card for my hubby Mike (he doesn't know it yet, nor has he seen it... I'm waiting for the right opportunity to give this to him! I might just wait til after his first fishing excursion this spring!).
I stamped Norman twice and cut out a mask, masked him and then used fillable beach scene, though I didn't ink up the sand castle so that it would not interfere. I had to draw a couple more sand bumps and add a few more sand dots with a marker under norman's feet. I didn't ink up one of the clouds in the sky either, I just preferred it to be simpler.
I also used the Great Escape for the lobster trap in the corner.
I watercolored all the images with artist quality paints. The sketch for the card came from this week's Sketch Challenge over at Splitcoast Stampers.

I stamped Matchmaking Maynard with Versafine Onyx black, watercolored him and cut him out. For the sky background, I did a watercolor wash, using a wet into wet streaked wash technique. Its done by using a very wet page, lots of water and pigment in your brush, and by adding random stokes of color. Then you pick the paper up and turn it this way and that, to get the pigment flowing in various directions until you are happy with it. Its a subtle way to make clouds appear in the sky and keeps the blue of the sky looking smooth, without showing brushstrokes. The trick is to have your paper wet, but not with puddles of water, or you will not get this smooth looking result. Try it, its fun and after a few tries, you will get the hang of it!
Thanks for looking today! Now you go and make a dude card, and link it up on the HH blog so you can have a chance to win sum rubbah!!!

15 comments:

  1. What a wonderful and fabulous cards. They are so much fun to watch. Hugs Marja

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  2. These are both amazing cards, Crissy. I've *always* thought of your cards as masterpieces, & I've always loved your coloring & shading. I never thought it was possible that you could actually get BETTER but I've noticed a difference since you started using lots of different media on one card. Makes a huge difference. Can I have your autograph, because someday you'll be famous!! (Well, more famous than you already are, lol!)

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  3. What stunning cards you have made, they are both gorgeous and coloured beautifully!
    Clairex

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  4. Wow Chrissy, these are both fabulous works of art!

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  5. Chrissy, your artwork is beautiful, I love your site!!
    Your sister in Christ, Cheryl

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  6. what a great cards you have made
    I really love them
    you are the best!
    hugs sylvia

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  7. I wonder your coloring, Stunning cards you are made.

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  8. I don't know what happened to my last comment so if this is a duplicate, just delete it.

    I love both of your cards, Crissy! Your cards have always been masterpieces. Your coloring and shading are amazing! Your Maynard card is a personal favorite of mine. :)

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  9. Both of your cards are fabulous Crissy and your colouring is awesome! I just adore your Maynard card and love what you have done with the balloons. Big Hugs, Nikki x

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  10. Crissy...wow...every week I am just in awe of your work. You are truley an artist! And I am so glad that you have chosen the stamping world to use your talent...that way we can benefit from your wonderful creations. I just love the scene you created on the first card! Such a great idea to just not ink up an area so you don't have to worry about masking or cutting out! And I just LOVE your clouds on the 2nd card! Not to mention your awesome coloring and those cool scrolls! Such an great take on the sketch!
    ~Lacey

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  11. Crissy- these are truly amazing! Really some of my favorites, I mean they don't get much better than these lady! Hugs

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  12. These cards are just amazing in every way Crissy! You are FANTASTIC!

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  13. Wonderful works of art! It's always a pleasure to visit your blog and be inspired by your gorgeous cards!

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  14. Truly neat. Fascinating to look at.

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  15. Wowza!! The addition of the "rope" is awesome.

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