Artsy Inkers
Stamping/Crafting Fests! => Older Fests => AIR 2016 Challenges & Discussions => Topic started by: djc on June 11, 2016, 03:08:37 AM
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AIR16 -- Nighty Night Challenge
This challenge opens Saturday, June 11, 2016 and ends at midnight (your time) Sunday June 19.
The Challenge:
Create two backgrounds featuring the Pillow-Top Technique and use one of them on a finished card that includes stamping. You may use all or part of your background piece. You may die-cut it, but the pattern must still be recognizable after die-cutting. This technique is a blast from the past. I learned it four years ago from a Stamp TV video tutorial by Gina K. (BTW, if you mess up your first piece, you can still post it and count it as one of the two backgrounds required for the challenge.)
It is fun and easy to make this background although I’ve managed to complicate it with my tips and tricks. Here’s Gina K’s video tutorial for the Pillow-Top Background Technique. (http://stamptv.ning.com/video/pillow-top-background). She does this effortlessly without any special tools.
The first time I made one of these backgrounds, I just eye-balled it the way Gina K. did. I wasn’t very happy with my results. Check out the second background on this post: My First Attempts (http://www.scrapbook.com/galleries/13464/view/4938317/-1/72/0.html). The second try seen on the finished card was better. Practice helps a lot.
The next time I made the background, I tried to make it easier to keep the spacing the same throughout the piece. I also made the lines a bit further apart (1/2”). I liked it much better. You can see that card and read my tips in this gallery post: Two Days Later (http://www.scrapbook.com/galleries/13464/view/4938315/-1/72/0.html). If you don’t want to be confused, you might prefer to skip the tips. Lol.
Requirements:
1. You must make a new card. Don't forget to post two background pieces. (Only one needs to be used on a card.)
2. Please post your card in the Artsy Inker Gallery set aside for AIR 2016. Begin the Subject line with AIR16. Use the keyword, AIR16-Pillow.
3. Please link your gallery post to this thread and share your experiences here.
4. You may combine this challenge with other challenges.
The names of participants who adhere to the requirements will be drawn from my old straw hat to determine who gets a small prize.
I hope you have fun with this and end up with a couple of cool backgrounds.
Daria
ETA: (07.06.16) I learned a lot while making my backgrounds and thought I'd share some more tips here in case anyone comes to this thread to learn how to do this technique:
1. I found I liked the effect best with lines that were not too far apart. I settled on a half inch space between them.
2. I also am now using a glass mat that has grid lines on it. That way, I can temporarily attach the cardstock to the mat so that the opposite corners line up with the same grid line and just move the piece of plastic. I mentioned this to Cindi, and she suggested putting the grid paper in a page protector if you didn't have a glass mat. Great idea!
3. The ink applicator that worked the best for me was Tsukineko's Ink Sweeper, the long, thin ink dauber. However, start out using what you are accustomed to. It will probably work best for you.
4. The hardest part for me was to use a light hand. No pressure. I tapped the ink onto the plastic along the edge and then very lightly transferred it to the cardstock. I had to keep reminding myself to go slowly and not to press down. It worked better to just go over it a couple of times instead of pressing down to apply ink.
5. I had great luck using Memories Inks Made for Hero Arts Shadow Stamps. Yep, that's what they were called. The colors are soft. The nice thing about this technique is you can make it what you want, whatever suits the mood of your card--pastel or bright, soft or vivid, serene or wild.
6. One more thing. My rejects, even the worse one, looked great when die-cut with an intricate die. I used a sentiment die.
Have fun.
Daria
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I do not think I have ever tried this background, but I have seen it before and it does look really pretty! Thanks for all the tips and tricks. I will give it a try!
Thanks for hosting!
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PS, cute name for the challenge too!
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What a cool technique. Course I can't draw a straight line with a rule so I suspect this will be a challenge for me. :smile: Thanks for hosting.
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Sarah, I couldn't either. That's why I used a piece of thin plastic and used a ruler to draw an indelible line a half inch from the edge--instant straight line and spacing! Plus, by starting the dauber or ink applicator on the plastic, you avoid getting too much ink on the background piece. You need to leave enough light space in each diamond-shaped space so it will have a puffed up look.
Give it a try.
Daria
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I made two of them, one on vintage photo, and one in mustard seed.
I put the brown behind my warm up water color because it matched.
And the yellow behind my yellow flowers. I think I like the darker one better.
I remember doing something similar, but can't remember what!
I used a thin stencil for my straight line and started my ink on the stencil higher then the paper.
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Yankee, your cards are wonderful. I love the bright, cheerful yellow one, and I was blown away by the beautiful vintage floral. The backgrounds are just perfect.
Yankee's Vintage Card (http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?pid=2687&message_id=061eeafd89aca127bced321d1f686016&message_icon=info#cpgMessageBlock)
Yankee's Yellow Daffodils (http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=89&pid=2686#top_display_media)
Thank you for playing.
Daria
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I made the background, now just need to put it together into a card!
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My first one was so bad! I did get a decent one done today and will need to get it put into a card.
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Yea, my first one went in the trash, LOL My trash is getting full. :laughhard:
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Kathy, that's why I required two pieces! My first one got trashed too. lol. I know you won't give up. I saw your gorgeous Blend It! entry and all the ones that came before it. Take a picture; the trashed one counts as one of the two!
Good Luck.
Daria
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I was able to complete my card this morning. Here (http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=2720#top_display_media) is my entry and here (http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=2719#top_display_media) is the discarded background.
I did note my process in the gallery, but I would also add that I tried a color duster brush (I did not photo this attempt) and it simply did not work for this as a blending tool. It was too little color and you don't get a nice line. Plus, my color dusters seem to fall apart easily.
It was fun to do this technique, it is really pretty!
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Heidi, I just saw your gorgeous card and your "discarded" piece. I sure hope you didn't throw that out. If you don't want to use it or the "good" half on a card, how about die cutting it? I wonder what that would look like.
Thanks for the tips about the color duster and the thickness of the plastic. I'm surprised your color dusters fell apart; I've never had one do that--probably because I don't use them often. You're sure right about the coverage, it's very different than using an ink applicator--more like an air-brush look.
Thank you for playing. I love your card.
Daria
ETA: I'm visiting one of my sisters today; I'll check in as soon as I return.
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I wonder if my set of color dusters is just defective. I have had a lot of trouble with them. I may try to glue them in better with a glue gun and see if that helps.
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Thanks Daria for your challenge. It has been some time since I have played with this technique, and really love it. I think my card came out rather on the bright side, but here it is.
Nora S
http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=2726#top_display_media
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Here is are my backgrounds and entry. Explanation is with the pictures. Thanks for the fun challenge! :smile:
April
backgrounds -- http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=2729#top_display_media
card -- http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=2730#top_display_media
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Nora and April, thank you both for participating. I love your cards for entirely different reasons. April, I love that you did one of yours with two colors and shared how that turned out. I would have thought that it would have a similar appearance, but it is totally different. Thanks for the tip about ink applicators too.
Daria
ETA: Nora, don't forget to post a second background to qualify for getting your name in the hat!
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I made two backgrounds that I then made into two cards. This was an interesting technique to try. Thank you for hosting this challenge djc. Here are the backgrounds. (http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=2733#top_display_media) And here are the cards. (http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=2734#top_display_media)
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Sadie, your backgrounds and cards look wonderful. I love the Crazy Cat card; I think he looks great against that background.
Daria
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I loved this challenge. It was challenging, LOL. My first try was on patterned paper and it didn't come out at all. My second two were on a shimmery type paper that I have no idea where I got! Those photos are here: Pillow backgrounds (http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=-89&pid=2739#top_display_media).
The card I made is here: Rose Pillow card (http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=-89&pid=2740#top_display_media)
Thanks for hosting! I did eyeball these so some of the measurements are off but I don't think it's all that noticeable once you make it into a card.
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Sorry, Daria, that I didn't post my first two attempts to your challenge till after I posted my original entry.
Here are my samples:
Nora S
http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=2744#top_display_media
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Kathy and Nora, thank you for playing and posting.
I made a couple of these today. It has been so long since I made my earlier cards, I had completely lost the touch. I think I found an applicator that works very well for me. It's Tsukineko's elongated finger dauber--the long thin one. My first line was way too dark, but after that mistake that ruined the whole piece, the other lines looked good.
Daria
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Ah-h I finally finished 1 card for this challenge. Indeed it took considerable time for me to achieve a good background...note I am not even saying perfect.-LoL So here is my entry. (http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=2752#top_display_media)
Thanks Daria for the experience!...Jan
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I'm loving the entries for this challenge ... leaving comments in the gallery!
Thanks to the tips here, I didn't struggle too badly! I did one background in distress ink and because Gina K used it, I wanted to try one in Memento Ink. Both worked just fine.
Daria, I stood in the store and looked at the elongated applicator ... but I had such good luck with my Imagine Crafts Ink Blusher (foam petal) that I didn't buy it. I bought more foam! Both were on sale at J's.
Thanks for the challenge. I think I may have tried this technique before ... but it's been ages.
Pillow tops (http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=2753#top_display_media)
Baby card (http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=2754#top_display_media)
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Jan and Cindi, you both did great jobs with your backgrounds. I made several today. I think they came out well, but now I want them to be lighter. You already know that I have trouble doing things lightly. Sigh. I have some old stamp pads, Shadow Inks. I wonder if they have dried out. I'll give them a try.
Jan, I'm planning to die cut the ones that turned out badly, but with some kind of shape so you won't see the pattern, just the colors. I love the way you die-cut yours.
Just one more day.
Daria
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Today is the last day, and I am finally doing my own challenge. The sample cards are ones I made a long time ago, and I definitely have lost the touch since then. I have some rejects that I'm going to try to use for die-cuts. One is so bad, it might not even serve that purpose. I had used Tim Holtz's round applicator and I ended up with inked scallops instead of soft shading.
I liked the backgrounds posted here, and they seemed to have more spacing than I used before so I made my first backgrounds with 5/8" spacing. I liked them and made several, but I wasn't thrilled with the shading. I added more with an almost dry applicator to a couple of pieces and that helped. Then I switched back to 1/2" spacing, and that seemed to work much better. The way I was shading seemed to fit that spacing better, and the puffy look was more pronounced.
I used Distress Inks for the first backgrounds. When I tried to pick one out for the background for my card, they were all too dark and dominated the card. I had made them too dark. I decided to use some old Memories Ink Pads that I had. They were made for Hero Arts Shadow Stamps way back when so the colors are soft. I was so happy to discover that the ink had not dried out. The first thing that happened was that this ink dissolved my permanent black line on the plastic piece I was using. To make a long story a bit shorter, I ended up pulling out my EK Success glass mat that has grid marks a quarter inch apart. I used that and an unmarked piece of plastic to do the last two backgrounds with half-inch spacing. I love the way these turned out. I tried not to press so hard. Instead I just went over the any areas that needed it.
I found that if I inked the applicator and then tapped it along the edge of the plastic piece before applying it to the cardstock, I got better results. I noticed that when I was almost done, I started getting heavier lines so I had to remind myself to slow down and take my time.
That helped a lot!
Here are the backgrounds. (http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=89&pid=2759#top_display_media)
Here is my card. (http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=89&pid=2760#top_display_media).
This is the first Christmas card I've made this year!
TFL.
Daria
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I forgot to take a picture of my backgrounds before making the first card.
The snowman is first background I made. And there were a couple of spots that left dauber circles and didn't blend well. I figured out that if I started on the piece of acetate, I didn't get the unblended dark spots. I did that with the second background. I added scribblers to the corners to look like buttons on the tufts.
Reindeer (http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=89&pid=2771#top_display_media)
Snowman (http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=89&pid=2773#top_display_media)
Here is a picture of the 2 cards together.
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The dots were such a great idea to get an upholstered look!
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Sarah, your cards are wonderful. They both made me smile, and I loved all the details you put into them. The dimensional dots are terrific idea. I'm going to try that too. Thank you for playing.
I'll put the names in a hat a little later this morning. I can't do it right now. Be back soon.
Daria
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OK. Are you ready to find out who won my the Nighty Night Challenge?
You are?
Good.
However, first I want to thank everyone who participated. I loved your cards and picked up some really good tips along the way. Yesterday I posted a bunch that I made--thanks to the inspiration from all of you.
If you have any pieces that are headed for the trash, hold onto them. I used my very worse one--truly awful--to die cut some sentiments. They look great!!! So if you have an intricate die, use it to die-cut the pillow-top backgrounds that you planned to toss.
OK. Now I'm ready. I've already written out your names and folded the papers into tiny little squares. I put them into the straw hat (which lives next to the computer now) and tossed them around (my favorite part). Heidi has a headache today so I'm not going to wake her up. I got to do the honors this time.
I kind of miss Heidi's bleary-eyed look as she blindly reaches in for a name after stirring them up again as if they needed that after all the bouncing around.
OK. I know you want to hear who won.
Am I right?
The prize goes to SWLady! Congratulations, Kathy! Please send me your snail mail address so I can send off your prize.
Thank you to all the participants.
Daria
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Congrats Kathy! So fun you got some time to play between all your adventures!
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Congrats, Kathy.
Thanks for hosting, Daria. I always love learning a new technique.
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Congratulations Kathy!
Thanks again Daria! Great idea to die cut any not so perfect specimens!
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Thank you Daria! Thanks for hosting too, this was a fun challenge. I am sending my address!
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Congrats, Kathy!
Thank you Daria, for the fun challenge!
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Congrats, Kathy! :smile:
April
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I received my package yesterday. It is so cute! And I love the stencils! I will be using those soon. Thanks so much! I love it!
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I did another challenge, I have always wanted to try this since I saw Gina do it but never did give it a try. I used a transparency sheet for this technique, not sure I like how close the lines are but when I tried them farther apart that didn't look right either, this was the first one I did, the brown is the second, it was fun though and I colored the flower from the same distress ink onto watercolor paper, the dragonfly stamp cut out well too.
http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=2797#top_display_media
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That is great that you took the time to do this challenge, Connie. It looks great!
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Kathy, I'm so glad you got your package. I haven't checked this thread since the end of the challenge so I just saw this now that Connie posted another pillow-top card and put AIR16 in the subject line. I was getting worried that you might not have received it. The two white "stencils" are actually die cuts meant to be used as card fronts. Try putting some pretty paper or inked or watercolored paper behind the openings. I find that the more variation in color and the brighter the color, the better. They can also be used as stencils. Maybe I should have sent more! I confess that I liked that stamp set so much, I bought one for me too! It'll be fun to see what you come up with when using it. (Hmmm. Did that stamp set come with a stencil? I think it did. Maybe that's the stencil you're talking about.)
Connie, I love your backgrounds and card. It was fun to see that someone was still working on this technique. Like you, I found I liked the effect best with lines that were not too far apart. I settled on a half inch space between them. I also am now using a glass mat that has grid lines on it. That way, I can temporarily attach the cardstock to the mat so that the opposite corners line up with the same grid line and just move the piece of plastic. I mentioned this to Cindi, and she suggested putting the grid paper in a page protector if you didn't have a glass mat. Great idea! The hardest part for me was to use a light hand. No pressure. I tapped the ink onto the plastic along the edge and then very lightly transferred it to the cardstock. I had to keep reminding myself to go slowly and not to press down. It worked better to just go over it a couple of times instead of pressing down to apply ink. I had great luck using Memories Inks Made for Hero Arts Shadow Stamps. Yep, that's what they were called. The colors are soft. The nice thing about this technique is you can make it what you want, whatever suits the mood of your card--pastel, soft, bright, vivid; serene or wild.
Oh, one more thing. My rejects, even the worse one, looked great when die-cut with an intricate die. I used a sentiment die.
I think I'll add these final tips to the original thread in case anyone checks it out to learn the technique.
Thanks for playing.
Daria
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Such Great ideas, and yes I think I went a little heavy on the inking, will have to try to go a little lighter next time and see if I like those results :) Great challenge!
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Connie, I thought that when I first saw your background pieces; but when I saw the card, I thought that background worked perfectly just the way it was. That's what I like about this technique, and why it's fun to look at peoples' background pieces and see what they look like on a card.
Do you remember my very old Serendipity Challenge? Some of those full sheets looked pretty weird, and then they made up into the most gorgeous cards! I was amazed over and over again.
Daria