Thursday 3 February 2022

Reflect and Hope


Hello and Welcome
After a long week, I enjoy watching a live on Friday nights hosted by Vicki Boutin.  
For those of you that don't know her, she's a mixed media artist, has her own brand, creates live online for free every Friday night and is a fellow Canadian with a big heart!
(You can catch her videos on FB or YouTube)
Last Friday, she showed one technique for creating Bokeh backgrounds. 
 I haven't done that in awhile so decided to make one.
For those of you that are unfamiliar with the term 'bokeh' basically it is a photographic effect that photographers can give to a photo to make the lights looked blurred and reflective.

So here's what I did to create my card.
  • I cut a piece of white cardstock and placed the Marvelous Masks Rectangle from ACLD over my cut panel.  These masks are so great when you want to have a crisp, white border left around the edge of your inking or stamping.
  • I used my Infinity Circle dies to cut some different sized circles on a sheet of acetate so I could reuse it.
  • Using the different size circles, I inked them randomly using some Blueprint Sketch, Peacock Feathers and Cracked Pistachio.  The DOX inks are opaque so they blend over each other which is great for this technique.
  • I kept blending different sizes of the circles, most without reinking my blending brush to give some a more faded look in the background.  
  • When I was happy with the inking, I removed the Rectangle mask and placed the panel into my Misti.
  • I stamped the dragonfly and the sentiment from the same set.  I clear heat embossed the image to help show more definition to the wings and body.
  • I replaced the mask over the panel, then splattered with my black, then white Posca pen.
  • I glued the inked panel onto a piece of navy cardstock, then onto a white card base.
 

Thanks so much for coming by and taking a look.

Here are the masks I used:

Discount Code for A Colorful Life Designs
(affiliate with no extra cost to you)

Adding my card to these challenges:
Crafts Galore Encore- ANYTHING GOES


Supplies
Stamps- Dragonfly Refection (Visible Image)
Inks- DOX, Versafine Clair
Paper- white (Scribes Nook- Waterloo, Ont.)
Accessories and Tools- Rectangle Mask (ACLD); Misti (My Sweet Petunia); 
Infinity circle die (HA);  Clear eb powder (HA); white and black Posca pen

12 comments:

Mac Mable said...

The crisp edges from the stencil show off the bokeh technique to perfection. Fabulous blended colours, great technique and WOW to that stamped dragonfly Karen x.

Kathy said...

how beautiful and creative this is. The colors you chose are just perfect. Several neat products that I have not heard of...a source of great ideas for me. Thanks!

Unknown said...

So pretty! I never thot to use my poscas for splatters!

Glennis F said...

Beautiful design, I love that dragonfly stamp

Pat said...

The bokeh background looks fabulous Karen, and the large added dragonfly and sentiment by Visible Inage are perfect as a focal images and finish it beautifully. x

cuilliesocks said...

That's a wonderful dragonfly image and I love your fabulous background, beautifully designed and coloured, Kate x

I Card Everyone said...

Your bokeh is the bomb - and there's my friend the hitchhiker again! Always a pleasure!
=]

Christine Alexander said...

Beautiful Bokeh background Karen I love it as the background for you Dragonfly ♥

Bonnie said...

A fantastic background and awesome dragonfly, Karen!

Michele said...

I love your card and may have to try this technique. Thanks for sharing and i love the colors too!

cass said...

Beautifully created card. Thanks for entering your wonderful creation in our CAS Challenge at The Crafter's Cafe this fortnight.

Dagmara Gorczyńska said...

Lovely background, I have to give it a try!

Thank you for joining us at the Crafts Galore Encore Challenge.
~ DT Dagmara