Monday 1 August 2016

Clarity Challenge 42 - "Fussy Cutting"

Hi there, thanks for visiting my blog to have a little look-see at my Fussy Cutting artwork for this month's Clarity Challenge.
I'm loving the Yupo paper and can't stop playing with the alcohol inks - it's quite fascinating to watch the inks react on it and every piece turns out so different.  If you haven't invested, I think it's a must-have in any craft room!
So on to my project.......A peaceful blue lagoon.
For my artwork I used the following:
Yupo Paper
Alcohol inks & Blending Solution
Felt Blending Tool
Archival Inks - Jet Black, Red Geranium, Cobalt & Olive
Tropical Fish & smaller fish from the Harbour Scene Stamp Set
Large Fern from the Entwined Cats Set, branch from the Journaling stamp set & the Bubbles Stamp
Alphabet Word Chains Un-mounted Set
(See links below to the Claritystamp website for the above products)
Start by creating a watery background on Yupo paper using a selection of green & blue alcohol inks.  I found the best way is to drip the lighter colours onto the paper first, then use a couple of drops of blending solution on a clean felt pad to dab & mix the colours as a base. I then gradually dripped more ink in each colour around the edges and dabbed lightly with a clean felt pad to mix the colours.  I wanted a more watery look to the middle to create an aperture, so I dragged the felt pad with the blending solution lightly a few times in one direction across the centre.
The glory of this paper is that you can keep going and going - it will never give up creating new blends as you add to it!  Wish I'd known about it long ago, so thank you to Barbara for the introduction to this on her blog!
Once you're happy with your underwater background, start stamping the seaweed. (Be careful not to slide on the smooth paper). 
Colours I used - Olive for the branch, Red Geranium for the fern & Cobalt for the bubbles, the letters were stamped in Jet Black.
All the fish were stamped in Black Archival on different coloured pieces of scrap Yupo paper, orange & yellow inks for the large fish and the smaller fish and word on a contrasting blue/green piece.
Once the Archival ink is dry (takes a while), cut out the fish & word and arrange them to create your tropical lagoon.  They can be stuck with a glue runner or a ballpoint-tip glue pen, either works well on this surface. 
So that's it.......Ahhhh......very peaceful.
I think I'll look in the charity shops to find a suitable frame as I may well add this piece to the gallery in our bathroom - a lovely scene to look at whilst relaxing in a nice bubble bath.
Hope you get inspiration from this, and all the other lovely Design Team ladies blogs. 
It would be lovely if you found time to join in the fun this month and share your artwork with us, and other fellow crafters on the Challenge Blog.
I look forward to seeing your projects over the coming weeks.  You've got until 31st August to create something "fussy cut" from your Clarity stash. 
Everyone's welcome to enter, so why not have a go?
Have a lovely day, Carole xxx
http://www.claritystamp.co.uk/Mounts-and-Card/20476-/Alcohol-Ink-Yupo-Paper---White---10-sheets
http://www.claritystamp.co.uk/Ink/Adirondack-Alcohol-Inks
http://www.claritystamp.co.uk/Ink/Adirondack-Alcohol-Inks/12941-/Alcohol-Blending-Solution-UK-amp-EU-only
http://www.claritystamp.co.uk/Ink/Archival-Ink-Pads
http://www.claritystamp.co.uk/Information/Search/18489-/Tropical-Fish-amp-Coral---Unmounted-Clear-Stamp-Set
http://www.claritystamp.co.uk/Clear-Stamps/Miscellaneous-and-Travel/18563-/Large-Harbour-Scene---Unmounted-Clear-Stamp-Set
http://www.claritystamp.co.uk/Information/Search/20202-/Entwined-Cats---Unmounted-Clear-Stamp-Set
http://www.claritystamp.co.uk/Information/Search/5123-/Bubbles---Unmounted-Clear-Stamp
http://www.claritystamp.co.uk/Information/Search/15301-/Journaling---Unmounted-Clear-Stamp-Set
http://www.claritystamp.co.uk/Information/Search/19990-/Alphabet-Word-Chains---Unmounted-Clear-Stamp-Set