Pointillist backgrounds

[Marta]

Today I was trying polished stone backgrounds, trying different variations on the technique and having problem getting the right look. I got some nice backgrounds nevertheless, but they did not look much like polished stone.

This one was one of my favorites, so I wanted to share it. I was trying the felt method, when you take a piece of felt, put it on a block - I used a round wood piece and some double stick tape - than spritz with alcohol and put ink on it. I had some ink on it already than I just decided to randomly dot the felt with drops of ink of various colors. Than just stamped on the cardstock. i got these really neat pointillist looking backgrounds. Depending on how many times I went over the cardstock or how much alcohol I sprayed, and the colors of course, I got different results. Much faster than polished stone and the effect is really cool. I uploaded a sample of four sheets. What do you think?

[teatah]

These are really nice and quite a different effect. They are also different and cheerful. I could just see a gold or white embossed something to finish it off. Very nicely done. I would love to see what a card looks like when it is finished.

[stampire]

Marta,
That's a really cool background. Thanks for sharing it with us!

[mlbdds1]

I like the look as well....but here come my naivete.....what went wrong that you didn't get the polished look?

[Marta]

Well I am not sure, they are just not turning out like the examples in the gallery. I think it probably has something to do with the way I was moving the cotton ball. I got some instructions from Daylene (lovetostamp) and they made things much clearer for me and I did manage to make one or two that looked like polished stone. But by than I had the felt and the inks and I just decided to play with them, so this is how this one came about.

Thanks for your nice comments, I actually have not really thought about how I could use those for cards, I just thought they looked cool. Thanks for the suggestions, teatah, they really help to steer my thinking :)

Marta

[lovetostamp]

Marta,

These are great. In your email to me I think you mentioned that you didn't use metallic ink. That is probably why you didn't get the "polished stone" look. There is something that happens when the alcohol and metallic ink react that cause the "veining" and thus the stone look. But these are great for something different.

Thanks for sharing them with us! :D

[Marta]

Teatah, thank you for starting me thinking about how to make them into a card. I was thinking of what stamp to use but I just could not see any of the ones I have on it. Plus I was kind of lazy. Than I spied this postcard of a polar bear cub hugging its mommy, and I thought - it is white! Plus cute :) So I trimmed it to size, edged in gold and attached to the background. It looks very Christmasy. Does it still count as a handmade card if I use a photo or postcard?

Thank you, teatah! :)

[sarebear]

I LOVE these! you are so creative and come up with wonderful things, Marta, and your enthusiasm always inspires me!

Sare

[teatah]

It sure does count if you find a picture and add gold and add it to a card. I may start something here, but here goes. You know all those junk mail catalogs you get in the mail? Well, when I get them. before I throw them away, I look through them and if I see pictures that I like, I cut them out and save them in a ziploc bag. Then every once in awhile I will go through them and use them on cards. Free pictures for the asking. I usually save the ones that are at least 1 inch square or bigger. You never know when that picture just may be what you are looking for to finish off a card.

[i.r.stamper]

HECK, yeah, I agree with teatah! In fact, don't be afraid to use MORE than one image that's "pre-done".....it's still a handmade creation, just a different art-form. Add some torn papers, maybe a charm (even a stamp!;) ) and you've got collage art!:D

And I love these backgrounds, they'd make great frames! And for some reason, to me they have a New Year's celebration feel to 'em, I can almost see the confetti!:D Way to go, Marta!

[shelby]

Marta,

I think the backgrounds you did came out great! The colors really work together.


Patricia in FL

[Marta]

Well, I thought I'd try the same technique on a rainbow sponge instead of a felt. I dotted ink and misted with alcohol. I expected something like the pointillist one but this is different! I also had a bit of pink on my sponge so it turned out like a wild flower garden. It is also the easiest and fastest background to do!

[designerjoan]

This background is very pretty Marta:-)........ reminds me of print dress I used to have as a child. I just love the fact that you experiment so much. Keep going;)

[teatah]

I love this background, Marta. This is so cheerful. It would cheer up anyone. I will definitely have to give this one a try.

[i.r.stamper]

OH, now THIS one is WAY COOL!!!!! It does look just like a floral print!!! It just yells 'SPRING'!!!

Keep up with your experimentation, Marta, you're coming up with some great ideas (not to mention some great backgrounds!;) )

[Marta]

Thank you for the encouragement :) Here is another experiment of mine - thank you, teatah, for the idea :) You DID start something with that catalog picture suggestion! I looked through my catalogs and all the "free" postcards charities send you, and I used pictures that I liked for my cards, since my Christmas card project needed a bit of a speed booster LOL :) So I would just trim the pictures, maybe edge in gold and attach to the background. Except this one - it had text around so I decided to tear it. With the tear, it blends really nicely to the background! I think I am going to use this idea for my stamped images, too :)

So, what does a candle-less lady in need of speedy Christmas cards do? This: (thank you, teatah! :D)

[cbsumm]

Marta, I just love your new backgrounds using the compressed sponge for the polished stone technique.

I can hardly wait to try this myself. Yours are just great!

Carolyn

[teatah]

That card turned out really neat, Marta. I am glad you liked my suggestion to recycle pictures from catalogs. The candles that you picked made the card stand out. You did a nice job. It is so nice to be able to get ideas from others and make your own idea from it. Thanks for sharing.

[vangerhofer]

Marta, I just love all the backgrounds you have done. They are awesome and will work into lovely cards. Thanks for sharing these with us. Hugs, Verna

[i.r.stamper]

Yep, another winner, Marta!
But now I have to ask, what do the words mean that you've decorated the edges of the card with???:confused: (Why IS it that when someone ELSE hand writes on their cards, it looks like art....but when I try it, it looks like chicken scratch???)

[Marta]

Thank you, Char :) The text means "Merry Christmas" in Hungarian.

My writing is horrible, if I write fast even my husband has trouble reading it, heck, even I cannot read it often :) But if I take a nice gold pen and pay a bit of attention, and arrange it in a pattern, it looks reasonable. Also, I have noticed, that during the short time I have been doing cards and writing hand written messages, the quality of my hand writing has improved tremendously. So it really only takes a bit of practice - unless you aim to be a calligrapher, of course :)

I prefer to do handwriting because nowadays computers are so common that hand writing is special even if you only do chicken scratch. Have you noticed that Hallmark actually PRINTS cards that deliberately use uneven hand writing? Also, there are STAMPS with handwriting hardly better than chicken scratch? So I figure as long as it is chicken scratch, it should better be mine! :)

BTW I lifted the idea of writing around from Designer Joan's Christmas card, thanks, Joan :)

[designerjoan]

Originally posted by Marta
Thank you, Char :) The text means "Merry Christmas" in Hungarian.

BTW I lifted the idea of writing around from Designer Joan's Christmas card, thanks, Joan :)

You are more than welcome Marta, and thank you for the acknowledgement...............I take it as a compliment that you choose to do the same:D
I love your new backgrounds by the way, thumbs up to them all.
Stamping hugs Joan

[Grannystamper]

Do I have this right? Marta spristed her sponge with alcohol, not water? I love these dotty, pointilist, very impresionistic backgrounds. I am working on some happy spring cards and will try this technique.

Thanks, Marta,

Gretchen

[lovetostamp]

Hi, Gretchen,

I'm not quite sure how Marta did this, but I know she didn't use her sponges, she used felt. If you go back to the first post she gives the directions and mentions the felt and laying it on a block and spritzing it with the alcohol. Maybe Marta can jump in and clarify this one again for us! :) Spring colors would be very nice!

[kaybee]

These are really cool! I love it when you put the samples so that I can see what they look like. Some times seeing is lots better than just reading about it.

Kaybee