Second entry for Visible Image June challenge

Second card for June challenge  'Visible Image has character' is

Clara, she is first card I made and took me 6 hours to complete the card. I was working on card sketch layout. She and Edgar were embossed on 250gsm cardstock and coloured in Distress stains.
For her I chose Seedless Preserve, Aged Mahogany, Walnut Stain, Scattered Straw and Brushed Corduroy. The skin tones are a mixture of Spun Sugar and Scattered Straw as glazes, I tried to remove the stain from her face and area become napped up hence importance of having clean hands.

I always used precoloured embellishments as it saves time. I believe the lace is in Chipped Sapphire and Pine Needles. The background is light mix of Aged Mahogany and Tarnish Gold with middle section stamped in old free rubber stamp of Craftstamper before they gave away clear.

There's more paper flowers here accented in Stickles Shabby shutters and Weathered wood. I used Tim Holtz's method of adding acrylic paint to foliage Idea-ology to give worn feel. The reason I added a clock well it originally piece of grungeboard and thought using clock face would better because influence by Doctor Who. Current Doctor played by Matt Smith, he's assistant is Clara Osward otherwise known as 'impossible girl'. Besides there's lot of Steampunk influences in Doctor Who and can't wait for next one.

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Visible Image June challenge

Ever heard of Visible Image I haven't until I discover them in July 2013 issue of Craftstamper magazine. Not only was free 'clear' stamp designed by Visible Image but in their advertised it showed some of range of stamps produced by the company and they are great too. What caught my eye was anime/manga inspired character stamps, I normally stay away from cartoon stamps because to be honest they are rubbish and stamps cost money so I only buy high quality impression.
I had bad experience with 'clear' stamps especially Stampendous as they tend to squishy and yellow but with Visible Image I gave an exception they use high quality photopolymer, their stamps are firm and give a good impression. Pop along to their website and gave the stamps a try.
Also they have monthly challenge going on their blog, For 'Visible Image has character' I will enter 2 cards, first one:

Edgar and his pet raven. I chose Steampunk style because character really suited to this theme. I did some research to get idea of what Steampunk the best way to do is look at fashion for colour scheme and definition. Majority of art involves clocks and gears but it's much more about this. Think of Doctor Who, HG Wells it's a good idea to watch some films/animation such as Steampunk.

Distress stains work well if layered or mixed with other colours here I used Seedless Perserve and Brushed Pewter for background. Edgar I coloured him using mixture of Distress Stains and Markers plus Ink palette as help to separate the different colours which are Pine Needles, Black Soot, Chipped Sapphire, Brushed Corduroy, Scatter Straw and Aged Mahogany. Highlights I used Inkessential white gel pen. I'm still practising with watercolour techniques using the Stains made it easier, the Markers were harder to manipulate the colour.

There's so much metal components on this card it kept falling over as I trying to photograph. I was thinking of dials and gears which compliment they each because everything is on the card for a reason as to convey a story. Idea-ology Sprocket gears, locket keys, Time pieces, Game spinners and other miscellaneous antique brass embellishments.
The side panels is stamped in Stampers' Anonymous ledger and others with embossed in Stampendous Fran tage aged bronze.
This month has been hectic with all these monthly challenges I'll leave Craftstamper for next one because need a rest. These challenges are good thing as keep the resistance and block way.

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