PEP tangles - my Zentangle Inspired Art blog

Thursday 3 January 2013

Tidying The Creative Process

Whilst making the Alphatags I acquired a heap of odd images & die-cuts that weren't quite right for what I was working on. I never have a completed project in my mind - I start & then proceed by trial & error with the design evolving as I go. The image & the die-cuts for this card were in that discarded pile. Incidentally, the die-cuts had also been doctored slightly with elements trimmed off them so the die-cut under the image is missing a corner & the vertical has had both of its endmost parts removed.

This card actually developed over roughly three days of experimenting with different ideas of placement & additional components such as background & embellishing. Daily life & the incidentals of correspondence, commenting & tidying/rearranging etc...... carried on in the meantime. This is fairly typical of my creative process which means that I'm not particularly fast or prolific in production/execution.

front of card
angled view showing sparkle & pearlescence
of gems & matted layers
close-up showing watercolouring & inked edges
 of image panel plus tone on tone background stamping
inside of card showing textured red paper
plus silver inked edges of message panel

Recipe
Stamps Chocolate Baroque UDLSP0056 Butterfly Whimsy (retired).
Inks Black Soot Distress Ink (stamping & watercolouring plus edging image panel), ColorBox Chalk Warm Red (background tone on tone stamping & inking cardstock), Encore Ultimate Metallic Silver (inking message panel edges).
Cardstock Winsor & Newton Cotman 190gsm Cold Pressed/NOT Grain Fin Watercolour Paper; red, white, white, Moondust black & textured silver all from stash.
Paper Textured red from stash.
Dies Spellbinders Shapeabilities Ironwork Motifs & Nestabilities Large Deckled Rectangles.
The gems are from stash.

17 comments:

jackiescrafts said...

This is a great card Paula and the perfect way to use up those left over bits and pieces. Ive just been having a go at my first quintiles and have done 1, at least its a start

Jackie x

Paper Creations by Shirley said...

Beautiful & Elegant creation from bits & pieces Paula ! I think this would make a great 'manly' card. The bold colours look good together. Cheers, Shirleyx

Anonymous said...

That is beautiful.

Jean said...

Very striking colour scheme Paula. To me the red and black together with the style of the die cuts give the whole an oriental feel.I really like the tone on tone stamping on the red as well. Jean x

Sarah said...

It's come together so well Paula - love the black, white and red and that Ironworks die works a treat. Butterfly Whimsy image is super dupes! Sarah x

Sally H said...

It is beautiful, Paula. Wonderful when you can rescue bits and make something as gorgeous as this!

GinaA said...

Your work is always beautifully crafted so if it takes a few days why worry. I always rush into things so don't get the professional result that you achieve . Have sent in my first 4 quintiles as wont have access to craft supplies for ages .

Gill said...

A beautiful card Paula, and a great way to use up odds and ends.
Gill x

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

Wow! This is a gorgeous card, Paula. That detailing, layout and colors are spectacular. Is that one of your tangles? Happy New Year!

alexandra s.m. said...

Fantastic shading with the watercolors and i too, love the color combo. Wonderful card Paula! Bravo!!

xxxtglxxx said...

Oh Paula, what I nightmare I have had for the last 2 weeks with my internet - the cheeky so and so's throttled us for virtually the whole of december and upto the new year :( It almost broke me.

Anyway, lovely to visit your blog and see some fresh work - this card is stunning. Its kind of oriental in colour and style, but also masculine and very striking. Love the ironwork dies - they jus set everything off perfectly.

Wishing you a wonderful, healthy and happy new year hun :)

hugs

xxalisonxx

Debbie said...

Hi Paula. Absolutely stunning. A great use of bits and pieces. I usually have an idea of where I want to go with my card and along the way it evolves and looks nothing like I'd had in my original idea. I love the colouring off the thistle against the red. Debbie

Cathy A said...

Hi Paula, how funny, I was chatting with Elizabeth this week about designs evolving evolving and how great they can turn out when this happens, this is a perfect example, lve the richness and contrast of the red and black used.

Wiccababe said...

definitely a card of contrasts - the boldness of the colour yet the subtle tone on tone background stamping - stunning
Debz
x

Heather said...

Your card is fabulous Paula, I love your design and beautiful background stamping. Your colours and image are stunning!!!
hugs
Heather xx

brenda said...

I've no idea how I missed this post Paula so apologies I'm so late arriving.

The black and red make a very striking creation and white focal image stands out so well.

B x

craftimamma said...

Hi Paula, What a fabulous and striking card as a result of your tidying up. Would you like to come and do mine, lol? On second thoughts, no, I'd be too ashamed of the mess :-).

Seriously though the card is lovely and I love the contrasting colours of base card and the red matt. I almost never have any idea of where I'm going with a piece of work till I start playing and that usually begins with the stamps followed closely by the papers/colours. I often wish I could start with at least a rough idea of a sketch or something but it doesn't work that way for me.

Hugs
Lesley Xx