Friday, March 6, 2020

Great Big Birthday Wish

Happy Saturday, everyone! It's been the National Day of Unplugging and for the most part I've stayed off most of social media but not the blogs, I'm already behind in my visiting as it is, lol. Hope you've made fun weekend plans to either go somewhere or stay in and relax, whatever makes you happy!

I rarely get a chance to make Artist Post Cards any more and so when tasked with making a guy card, I perused the challenges for ideas and decided on something Nature-related where I could be a bit artsy and then mount it on a card. I have multiple elephant stamps but this Deep Red stamp is the only realistic one. I colored him with my new Polychromos colored pencils and ran a black ProMarker around him for depth after I fussy cut him. 
 The background is patterned map paper from a DCWV paper pad; in fact, I collaged the paper onto both sides of a 4x6-inch card recycled from junk mail before I remembered the backside wasn't going to show, lol. Since I used Collage Pauge, I think it kept it from warping to do both sides. That and spending the night between sheets of wax paper in my very heavy Botany book.

 Once dry, I temporarily adhered a TCW Mountain View stencil with Pixie Spray and added the terrain with distress inks and blending brushes. Then I masked a big yellow moon and added the sky. I removed the mask and colored the moon with ProMarkers. I took a black graphite pencil and outlined it and the mountains and then took a black Pitt Artist Big Brush pen and drew around the perimeter smudging it with my finger as I went around. I fussy-cut the elephant and then stamped the sentiments on Avery Elle and Lawn Fawn die-cuts.

  
 To make my birthday card, I cut a grey A7 size Stampin Up card base, some DCWV patterned paper to frame the post card focal point. I added the die-cut Wish Big sentiment over the Do Not Disturb die cut and my card front was complete. I was inspired by the repeating circles in the sketch and the photo of Nature in the Fusion challenge.

 Inside, I created a computer-generated sentiment cut with a Spellbinders label die.

I added more DCWV map paper on both sides as mats.

 For the back of the card, more DCWV map paper and a bottom arrangement of leftover scraps and an EK Success siggie stamped on top.

I love this guy. I've had him a couple of years and this is his first ink-up (I used grey ink). He's realistic but also cute. I had tons of fun with the colored pencils and also creating the terrain behind him on map paper, which I think looks pretty cool!

Thanks for visiting and have a great rest of the weekend - wash those hands! ;-)

CHALLENGES:
1.   Fusion Card Challenge: Sketch and/or Nature -- Sketch is shown above. I took inspiration from the circles in the sketch and the overall layout, and in the Nature theme. 
2.   Stamplorations Theme & Photo Prompt Challenge March: Stamps + Nature -- I used rubber stamps (elephant and sentiments on front) and I have a Nature-inspired theme.  

1.   Sunday Postcard Art: Maps -- Am linking the artist postcard before I adhered it to a card base.
2.   The Three Muses: Elephant
3.   613 Avenue Create #231: AG + Opt. Use Colored Pencils -- I've played the option. I colored the elephant with Polychronous pencils and also shaded parts of the map background with them.
4.   2 Crafty Critter Crazies #36: AG with a Critter -- Elephant
5.   Colour Crazy Week 8: AG with Colouring -- I used wax colored pencils on the elephant and distress inks, water color pencils, and ProMarkers on the map background.
6.   The Creative Crafters #25: AG
7.   Outlawz Festive Fridays 3/6-3/19: Birthday Theme
8.   A Vintage Journey: Celebration Time Sixth Birthday -- I'm sharing a mixed media birthday card and congrats on 6 years to AVJ! (MM = stenciling, inks, stamping, pencil, collage)

16 comments:

Unknown said...

That is so cool Aimeslee, love how you used the maps to showcase this beautiful elephant!

Heidi MyLittleStampingBlog said...

Oh my heavens! I adore this style and that wonderful elephant! WOW!

Let's Art Journal said...

What a fabulous Mixed Media card! I love the background map paper that you used and the beautiful scene that you created with that majestic elephant - gorgeous 😁. Thanks so much for joining us at A Vintage Journey for our birthday celebration and wishing you a wonderful weekend! Hugs, Jo x

Cindy McMath said...

This is a wonderful card - so glad you were able to play along! Thanks for joining SPA this week!

Loose Stitches said...

Such a fabulous creation Aimeslee! Thank you for sharing with us over at The Creative Crafters. We hope to see you again.
~ Sherry DT/Admin xx

Laurie Unger said...

Wow! This is awesome. Love all the detail and all the techniques used to create this. Thanks from playing over at the Fusion Card Challenge. -Laurie DT

Craftyfield said...

Gorgeous card! I love the background and the elephant image! Thanks for playing with us at STAMPlorations Theme & Photo Prompt challenge.

Michele said...

absolutely beautiful what you've done with your elephant! i love it! xo
(ps i had to add comment moderation too -- it has been a spammer holiday lately!)

crafty-stamper said...

Beautiful elephant stamp and great background
carol x

Taluula said...

Beautiful elephant and gorgeous background. Love it.

froebelsternchen said...

An absolute amazing Mixed Media card Aimeslee!

Julia Aston said...

A wonderful masculine design Aimeslee - love the colorful map background and that awesome elephant! thanks for joining us at our A Vintage Journey b'day celebration challenge! xx

Words and Pictures said...

I've always loved maps - especially vintage maps - so this really appeals to me. Your elephant looks very happy against his rainbow background.
Alison x

Chana Malkah said...

All I can say about this project is, it is brilliant! I am so in love with this that I must CASE it! You did such a magnificent job using colored pencils! Thanks for leaving this beauty on our front porch here at 613 Avenue Create!

Hugz,
Chana Malkah, Owner

Chana Malkah said...

Congratulations! You have been chosen as a Top Rocker at 613 Avenue Create for the week March 3 - March 7, 2020. Thanks for your awesome submission!
Hugz,
The Resident Design Team

Words and Pictures said...

I should also have said thanks so much for joining us on A Vintage Journey!
Alison x