Tam and TCW go together

 Hi lovelies!

Tam back to share another creation in celebration of TCW month!!

I thought I'd share one of the gorgeous Art Journal pages that I've been creating, playing with an image by the amazing Michelle Grant.

I'm still learning to create faces, and am really not confident with them, and I find capturing emotions and expressions so difficult, and sometimes I get bogged down in that part of the creating and my play time kinda loses it's shine.

So.... using these images frees me up to really focus on the freedom of creating.

It means I get to have fun with the background, focusing on TCW stencils!

Let's dive straight in and see how this came together.

Begin by adding a layer of gesso to your page.

Then cut out the image you wish to use.

I used one from the 'Silent' Pack.

Adhere with TCW Gel Medium, adding a layer to the top of the image too. 

This protects the paper when adding paints etc.

I tend to place the face on one side of the background, giving more space to play.

Now it's time to add some colour.

I grabbed a few PaperArtsy Paints that appealed to me.

I went with:

Cherry Red

Peach Nectar

Slimed

Twilight

Cerulean 

Jade

I began with the darker colour, Twilight.

I added that around the image, and a touch on the right hand side to balance the page.

I then placed down NEW stencil TCW Floral Spectacle in 12x12 size and working quickly while still wet, I removed some of the paint with a wet baby wipe.

I then added a touch of 'Jade' and repeated the above step.

I then added some of the 'Slimed' over the space inbetween the two colours.

This time I used TCW Deco Leaves Stencil in 12x12.

Once the background is done, I began to focus on the image.

Firstly I added some flowers using TCW Floral Spectacle in 6x6.

This time I used a sponge and paint through the stencil.

I used 'Cherry Red' and 'Peach Nectar'

It's important to have some variegation with this part for it to be more natural.

I also added some to the right hand edge, again some lighter, and some deeper in colour.

I then added some vine work using TCW Jungle Vines Stencil 6x6.

I used a variety of paint colours for this part,mainly in blues, greens and white.

Now I needed to ensure the image looked part of the page, and not just plonked on top.

I added shadows and depth around some of the edges and then added colour to her face and hair.

I find this step really important.

I actually enjoy it, as it's the moment the magic happens...

her face comes forward and it all ties together.

I also grabbed the Tracy Scott stamp ETS43- and stamped a few feathers onto PaperArtsy Smooth Cardstock using black archival ink.

I then added colour and cut them out.

I adhered these with TCW Gel Medium to look like they were hanging down from the flowers in her hair.

I also chose this Paper Artsy Stamp EEG23 to add the title and a quote.

Add a few scribbles and flicks of paint.....

That's it from me today....

I love seeing what you're creating with your TCW goodies.

Don't forget when sharing them on Instagram, add the hashtag #tcwstencillove and then TCW can see them too.

Much love and creative play...

Tam

xx

Either/Or with Tam

 Hello creatives

Tam here today to share my Either/Or page for our current challenge.....

A cutesy page with a touch of naughtiness.....

I selected the following:

Page

Circles

Brights

(I tried to do pastel but I couldn't help myself - me and brights just go together)!

Naughty

First I gathered a few supplies that were circly and appealing to me.

I had no plan - I just opened my art journal and added some pieces of Art by Marlene paper torn into strips from the Collage Paper #3. I also added in some torn words from a magazine.

I adhered with TCW Gel Medium - this is my new fave for sticking down images in my journal - I find using my finger works best and there's no left over residue! YESSS!!!

I then added some 'Ocean' and 'Yellow' in Dina Paints - randomly swiping across the page - they mixed together to form a lovely limey green colour.

Whilst still wet I used the stencil TCW Circle Jumble  and a wet baby wipe to remove some paint.

Immediately I saw hills - so I marked in some hills and then I added some 'lemon', 'turquoise' and 'magenta' into the sky section - couldn't have a green sky and these colours were a bit sunsetty.

I also added some circle background stamps from the Art by Marlene Little Ladies stamp set. There's quite a few circle ones in the pack.

Ok so the background is done, time to start working on what to add to the rest of it...

I love that girl in the stamp set who's leaning to the side - she definitely looks like she's doing a cartwheel - this reminds me of twirling and again has a circly vibe.

I stamped her out onto PaperArtsy Smooth Cardstock 3 times and then added colour.

I then cut them out and adhered them onto the page to look like she was twirling down the hill.

Once I had glued them down with TCW Gel Medium, I felt the background was too muted. I needed some POP so I grabbed my Dylusions neons - these are quite translucent so they're perfect for adding over paint to brighten it up....

Much much better...

The final step was to add in some flowers and grass to the hills, some doodles to the sky and a bit of a naughty quote - the Dylusions Back Chat are perfect for this - you could choose any - most of them fit the naughty brief!

When I saw the one that said

"Does running away from your problems count as exercise?"

I knew it was perfect.

I also added "I'm calling in fat tomorrow"

There you have it - a fun and little bit naughty page.

That's it from me today.

I've already been working on another one for this theme so keep your eyes peeled to that Facebook Shares Page.

Colourful kitties...... by Tam

 Hi creative souls

Tam back again with some colourful kitties this time.
Yep it had to happen!! 
Many of you know how much my kitties mean to me, so I just HAD to create an ode to them.

A trio of Colourful Kitties!

Purrrfect!

Let's take a look at how this came together....

I began by selecting my paint colours.

I chose Paper Artsy Paints in:

Cerise

Slimed

Banana

Cerulean

Twilight

Electric Violet

Southern Skies

I applied them pretty randomly to my page, adding in torn strips of paper from Art by Marlene Collage Paper and leftover bits from a Gel Printing Session.

I adhered these with TCW Matte Gel Medium.

Then fill in all the gaps...

Now I added some stenciling...

I went for one of the NEW TCW stencils.... TCW882 Fantasy Tile in 12x12.

I placed it down and then added paint through different sections using a sponge.

I constantly moved the stencil around, changing paint colours as I went.

I love that this stencil gives you 2 or 3 different looks.

I then added in some Dina Wakley white paint using TCW Brick Poetry Stencil....

the white really helps brighten it up.

I also added in some mark making - random brush marks.

As the paints are a mixture of translucents and opaques and semi-opaques you get some gorgeously interesting layers....

I then added more white paint using another new stencil TCW889 Dash 12x12.

This one does the mark making for you!

Love love love, know this will get a lot of use in future projects.

I then added in some stamping marks using Black Archival Ink.

I'd recently purchased this Art by Marlene stamp - Little Ladies and love the background stamps that are in this.

Ok, that's the background done....

Now time to create those kitties.

I roughly sketched them onto the page and then using the Twilight Paper Artsy paint, I painted around the edges....

Now that you've done the background, keep building up those colours.....adding extra shadows around the kitties.

This pushes the background back and brings the kitties to the forefront.

I added some markers to add details around the edges and to add in face, collars etc.

I also added a few touches of fluro paint using the Dylusions Tropical Sangria and Lemon Drop.

Eventually this happens....

For the quote, I used one from the Dylusions Bigger Back Chat Sticker pack. 

There were a few in there that suited cats, but this one summed it up perfectly....

Yep my cats to a tee.

(this is actually one of the things I love about them, their sense of independence, their air of not giving a hoot)

Finally, some flicks of white paint and a scribbly border....

So what colourful and quirky characters are you creating this month?

Here's our moodboard for extra inspiration, thanks to these amazing artists and their work on Pinterest....

See you over on the Facebook Scrap Matrix Shares Page where you can enter your project.

Much love 

Tam

xxx