all in an inch

Cactus photo cards with Inchie Squares

From 2 different photos, mounted on dark cream Inchie Squares
 

I was recently in Arizona and took a ton of photos. I love mixing and matching textures from close-up photos. It's super easy to create these using a 7/8" square punch which leaves a perfect 1/16" border around the edge of the photo. Try using different color Inchie Squares and an assortment of paper backgrounds and card stocks to coordinate with the colors in the photos.

 

From 5 different photos, mounted on dark gray Inchie Squares 

 

From 3 different photos, mounted on dark cream Inchie Squares

 

From 9 different photos, mounted on black Inchie Squares

 

You just never know what you will see out on a morning walk!!

Instead of punching out the photo. Using a paper trimmer, cut the image down to a 2-5/8" square and then cut that into 9, 7/8" squares to create an inchie puzzle. Mounted on light gray Inchie Squares.

 

From 1 photo trimmed to 2-3/4" then cut into 4 equal pieces each measuring 1-3/8". Mounted on light gray 1-1/2" Inchie + Squares.

 No kidding...and this was atop at least a 7' cactus!  

2 new sizes and all new packaging!

 

We are pleased to announce (by popular demand!) two new sizes:

ATC size 2-1/2" x 3-1/2"

 and 3" squares

 

 These new sizes are available in all of our 7 colors; either in boxes of all one color, or in an assortment. From left to right; black, dark gray, light gray, wheat, dark cream, ivory and white. 

 
(bird stamp from Rubbermoon stamps)

ATC size, 3" square, 2" Twinchie Square, 1-1/2" Inchie + Square and 1" Inchie Square

But, ART SQUARES are a just a blank canvas until you apply love and art.

We have discovered that these new larger sizes are like opening a Pandoras Box of art techniques that were not quite possible with the smaller sizes.

Because of the larger size you are more aware of the uniqueness of the material and how it behaves like a hot press watercolor paper enabling the use of a great variety of wet mediums including
all manner of paints, sprays, inks and stains without the surface deterioration
that would normally occur with paper weight materials.

The artist grade surface is equally ideal for fine pen work, stamping,
all variety of markers, color pencil, chalks and pastels.

And the matboard weight of the material stands up to mixed media,
layering, collage, embellishment and encaustic.
the smaller sizes.

A few samples....

 

Image layering, larger format stamps and coloring with Copic markers, Prismacolor pencils and Twinkling h20 paints - yeah, larger coloring areas!

(stamps from Rubbermoon, sentiment from Impress)





Stamping and creating textures with gesso, then coloring with alcohol inks, Brilliance re-inkers, Twinkling H20 Paints or Pan Pastels.

(stamps from Savvy and Impress, sentiment from Lockhart) 



White pigment ink with white and white diamond embossing powder to create special chalkboard effects on darker ART SQUARES as well as the magic of white gel pens and Prismacolor pencils on dark gray. 

 (stamps from Fred Mullett and Savvy, sentiments from Rubbermoon and Impress, embossing powder from JudiKins)

And explore using larger stamps by coloring the stamp with assorted dye based markers

(stamps from Fred Mullett and Penny Black, sentiments from Impress and Savvy)

 

 

 This Valentines Day card was created by using white gesso as 'ink'.

Apply a few dabs of gesso to an non porous surface slightly bigger than the size of the stamp.You want it a bit 'gloppy' (vs. thin and smoothed out) so the stamp will 'pick up' enough of the gesso.

 Press the stamp into the gesso being sure to pick up enough to cover the entire stamp. "Stamp" onto a white 3" ART SQUARE. Repeat twice more without overlapping images. Immediately wash stamp off in warm water or set into a very shallow dish of water so the gesso does not dry on the stamp. Let dry completely, best overnight.  

 The color is actually just a small squeeze from two different colors of Brilliance ink refill bottles. The Pearlescent Orchid and the Platinum Planet. Either in a small egg carton style pallette or a non porous surface place a small amount of paint of each color. Using a brush, sponge or just about any type of applicator pick up a dab of the Platinum ink and quickly wipe it across the bottom half of the stamped square - full coverage left to right. Moving quickly with a rinsed or new brush, repeat with the Orchid color on the top half overlappying the Platinum slightly.

Finish by using a more wet than just damp paper towel and wipe across the entire surface. As you do this you will be removing almost all of the paint from the white gesso hearts. The more water...and the more you wipe...the more white they will become.

 The end result shows the 'ink' absorbing into the white 3" square and the gesso hearts resisting most, if not all of the overpainting of ink.

 (stamp from Savvy, sentiment from Lockhart) 

 Happy Valentines Day!!

 

 

 

Catching up - sample cards

It's been brought to our attention that we have been remiss in sharing some of the sample cards that have been going out to the stores, and cards that we taught in classes from the past couple of months. Guess we had "summeritus" cause when summer finally came to the Pacific Northwest it was pretty tough not to get distracted! And while we are now in the midst of a glorious Indian Summer we will do our best to be a bit more timely with sharing. So without further adieu....

This color waterfall above was created by drawing quick short strokes of overlapping color on a white Twinchie Square and then dabbing water with a brushpen. If you haven't used Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolor Sticks they are fabulous. We used quinacridone violet, quinacridone red, opera pink and hansa yellow medium. (don't be tempted to overwork it)

 

One of these days we are going to have to take an official Zentangle class! In the meantime we tinker with our pens, and whether replicating an official Zentangle pattern, like Antidot (above), or just doodling random patterns, using gold and silver Uniball Gel Impact pens on a black Twinchie Square make it really easy. (a great resource for a cataloging of Zentangle patterns can be found at  http://tanglepatterns.com/2012/09/how-to-tangle-a-pumpkin.html) 

 

A total experiment...this one. We hand colored this batik birds stamp from Memory Box with three different colors of Tombo Dual Brush Pens from the Jelly Bean set (purple 606, aqua 452 and green 173). After coloring the stamp with the pens, we moistened it with a big breath, and stamped onto a white Twinchie Square. To 'soften' out the colors we then went back in and gently dabbed with a water brush pen to blend...just a tad.  

Be sure and check back...we have oodles more things to share...

Photo cards - colors and textures

4 white 1-1/2" Inchie + Squares

We can't seem to stop making photo cards and just wanted to share a few of the latest that we have taught in recent classes. When you shift the focus of attention to colors and textures rather than just a pretty picture, the results can be wonderful. We invite everyone to get out in the garden, set your camera to a close up setting and snap away! Whether using 1-1/2" Inchie + Squares (as in the card above) or creating a sequence puzzle (below) with 1" Inchie Squares...it's hard to go wrong.

 

5 black 1" Inchie Squares

 

1 dark gray 2" Twinchie Square

 

9 black 1" Inchie Squares

 

1 light gray 2" Twinchie Square

 

3 black 1-1/2" Inchie + Squares

 

5 black 1" Inchie Squares

Tip: When we are creating photo cards with our Art Squares, we always leave a 1/16" border all the way around each photo to create an effect that is quite different from flush mounting the photos all the way to the edge of the square.

This can be achieved by trimming your photos as follows:

For 2" Twinchie Squares; trim photo to 1-7/8" square

For 1-1/2" Inchie + Squares; trim or punch photo to 1-3/8" square

For 1" Inchie Squares; trim or punch photo to 7/8" square

Prismacolor pencils on black squares

 

It's always such a pleasant surprise that pigment rich pencils such as Prismacolor retain their color intensity when used on surfaces other than white. We are such creatures of habit when using bright color mediums (most always on white) that it's easy to forget that these pencils work really well on even the super black of our squares.

We are often asked about cards like this that use large images across multiple squares - in fact, when we send these types of cards out to stores as samples we are told that they often 'go missing' from the shelves!

A few tips that will make creating this card super easy. Begin by selecting 4, 1-1/2" black Inchie + Squares. Adhere them to your work surface so they fit tightly together to make a square. Be sure and use a REMOVABLE adhesive. (our favorite is a dry, roller style made by TOMBO).

Ink the stamp, the Striped Outline Poppy from Impress, with white pigment ink. Stamp across all 4 of the black squares. Working one square at a time, pick them up and dredge (see tip below) them through white embossing powder and tap off the excess. Heat set these squares and fit them back together on your work surface.

Using a variety of similar color pencils (we used pinks, fushias, and purply reds) color the flower to your liking. Don't forget to keep your pencils sharp, don't press too hard and remember that you can overlap different colors to create new hues.   

When you assemble the card make a point to select card stock and papers that coordinate with the colors that you have used to color the flower. Try making a set of 4 of these, each with a different color solution! 

 

 

This next card utilizes a completely different technique. Instead of coloring the stamped image, you create a colored 'frame' with coordinating and overlapping color pencil strokes. 

Begin by stamping the leaf, Leaf with Veins by Gretchen Ehrsam for Rubbermoon, using a Pear color pigment ink by Fresh Ink on a black 2" Twinchie Square. Dredge the square through clear embossing powder and heat set. 

Using at least 3 coordinating Prismacolor pencils (we used artichoke, pale sage, and limepeel) create a frame around the stamped image by repeating and overlapping quick pencil strokes that begin about a 1/4" away from the edge of the stamped image and run off the edge of the square. Continue all around the stamped image changing colors and overlapping until the desired color is reached. This card is finished with one of our most favorite script style sentiments; thanks from Rubber Soul.

Tip: Our tip for handling embossing powder really comes from all of the classes we teach and the desire to figure out a way to make embossing powder easy to use. By putting the embossing powder in disposable plastic wear (we like the small shallow round ones best) we discovered that it's easy to 'dredge the stamped squares' into the powder and tap off the excess without any mess or hassle.  

  

A recent photo cards class

 It was the final card in the class...

The directions were to pick 3 photos from a table full of 4 X 6 garden photos of varying degrees of quality.

Then using a 7/8" punch...punch out 9 squares.

Then attach the photos to black Inchie Arts Inchie Squares and mount on a card.

These are the results....

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

The results are just stunning....

 

A very sincere thank you to the class participants from Art N Soul in Lacey, Washington for allowing me to share their work. We had so much fun that we are planning a 'workshop' class to spend 2 hours doing nothing but making cards using this technique!

A fall foliage collage

This is a great project for creating several cards with a variety of common theme stamps and an assortment of pigment inks.

 

All of the stamps used in this project are by Fred Mullet. If you haven't worked with his stamps before they are representations of the real thing because his signature stamps are from actual nature prints. And the wonderful Autumn Blessings calligraphy stamp is from Rubbermoon.

 

Create the foundation of the collage with squiggles and dots using a Krylon 18Kt. Gold Leaf pen. The gold will shimmer through all of the stamped layers.  

Your goal is to create a stamped collage over an entire sheet of ivory card stock. It's up to you whether you stamp a full 8 1/2" X 11" or just a half sheet, but know the larger the paper, the more raw material you will have for cards.

 

Create each 'layer' by stamping each leaf randomly all over the sheet. Remember to change orientation of your stamp each time. This first layer uses the Lil Paper Birch stamp with Fig color pigment ink from Fresh Ink.

 
Next, the Lil Silver Birch with Honey.

(note: since pigment inks are very sticky and often slow to dry you may want to lightly heat set your work after each layer - this will prevent transfer of each ink onto the newest stamp)

 

  
The Flowering Ash Branch is stamped with Tuscan Olive.

As you continue to layer be sure and fill in the white spaces so you are getting good solid 'collage' coverage.     

  

Lil Sweet Gum with Honey. 

 

 Finally stamp the Lil Maidenhair Fern with Pear.

 

 

Unless you began by stamping 'off' the edges you will want to cut a strip off the top getting rid of the white area at the very edge. Then, cut a 7/8" strip (above) from the top edge. Do you best to be precise because when you cut this strip into squares and paste them onto the Inchie Squares there will be a perfect 1/16" border around the edge of your photo squares.

 

Carefully trim the strip into 7/8" squares with a paper cutter. As you trim them out be sure to set them down in order and not mix them up. This will make it MUCH easier to match them up again as you are pasting them down on your card. For each card use 5 continuous squares, pasting them onto the black Inchie Squares. Set all 5 squares down on your card first before glueing. Arrange them exactly how you want them (use a centering ruler to position the middle one if desired) and then paste down one by one starting with the square in the middle.

 

 

(Hint: A set of 6 or 8 cards and envelopes wrapped in a ribbon makes a perfect hostess gift for Thanksgiving!)

It's all about "Ash"!

 
In February we did a posting about a class we were teaching, that created a unique pop up card. from photos from our local farmers market. The card stayed on display at Impress after the class and due to customer requests we are teaching it again. 

Even more exciting is to see what others have done with the concept! A dear friend of ours, Vee, has a precocious and photogenic cat named Ash. She designed a version of the pop up with a collection of pictures, all about Ash. This pop up concept is an easy way to showcase and share a collage of images whether that be a trip, hobby, children or special pet.

We love to see what others are doing with our Art Squares or project ideas - send us your photos!

Zentangle style Twinchie Squares

 

We are completely in love with the whole Zentangle^R phenomena created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. If you are not familiar with this style of drawing it has to do with purposeful pattern and line placement. (Visit their website at http://www.zentangle.com/ for more information!)  

Twinchie Squares of any color provide the perfect surface for this type of detailed pen work and it is especially fun to tinker with different types of pens as you experiment with this drawing technique. Our local craft store (Ben Franklin Crafts & Frames Redmond) is having a promotion about this style of drawing and so we created a sample board for them to illustrate the variety that can be created using different types of pens on black and white Twinchie Squares.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now you know why we took photos of each square....even though the poster is about 16" wide it's pretty hard to get a sense of it in a photo - suffice it to say it looks MUCH better in real life!!

More store samples....

  

In our last posting we ended with the Lockhart Ribbon Heart. It's part of a collection of three hearts. The opportunities for coloring these are endless; especially with this Paisley Heart. The heart was stamped with Tsukineko Memento Ink and colored using a combination of Copic Markers (first!) and then Prismacolor pencil detail work on a white Twinchie Square. The sentiment is from Rubbermoon.  

A little bit of this...and a little bit of that...seems to best describe the samples that are going out the door with store orders. But it's that versatility that demonstrates all of the different types of stamping and coloring...and direct art applications of our Art Squares.  

These next few samples use cards from our various Inchie Notes card packs. Each package contains 12, 3-1/2" square cards and white rectangular envelopes (can't imagine paying a surcharge for a square envelope!). They come in a variety of color packs, each with 4 different color cards (3 each). The color assortments have white insides and include Peach/Pink, Blue/Lavender, Green/Yellow, Wild Sherbet, Fall and Holiday, The neutral color assortment (Ivory, Khaki, Light Gray, Dark Gray) is solid color inside and out and coordinates really well with our neutral tone squares! Check out the web site, inchiearts.com for photos of the assortments. 

 

 The photo doesn't do justice to the next two cards. They both use White Diamond Embossing Powder from JudiKins which not only has a tremendous opague quality, but has sparkle as well, adding a fun dimension to your cards. We stamped Fred Mullett's Lil Maidenhair Fern using a gray pigment ink on a black Inchie + Square and then dusted it with the powder and heat set. To add extra attention we drew a line around the image with a silver metallic gel pen. The card is the dark gray from the neutral assortment pack of Inchie Notes.   

 

 

Whether it's Valentines Day or Mother's Day or just a perfect spring day there are many ways to stamp with Savvy Stamps Vine Heart. The color combination of pink and gray is a classic and we have again stamped with a light pigment ink, dusted with White Diamond Embossing Powder and heat set on a dark gray Twinchie Square. Placing tiny pink pearls over the 'dots' of the stamped image adds a special touch. The sentiment is from Lockhart. This card is the dark gray from the neutral assortment pack of Inchie Notes. 

(remember, you can click on any photo to see an enlarged view)

 

 

Simple and sweet but with a twist on a stamping technique. This Gerber Daisy stamp from Savvy has enough 'rubber' surface area to experiment with combining pigment ink and Twinkling H20 watercolor paint from LuminArte. Turn the stamp face up and carefully 'ink' the flower (Versacolor Orchid) and the stem (ColorBox Moss Green). Then dab in, just at the center of the flower, a concentrated drop of Lemondrop paint. Bring a white Twinchie Square to the face up stamp, press on to inked stamp, turn over, apply a tad bit of pressure and remove. You will be left with a blurring at the center of the stamp where the paint and ink combine. When it dries you will see the shimmer left at the center of the flower from the mica in the paint. This card is from the Peach/Pink Inchie Notes assortment.

 

 

From stacked squares to multiple ink colors, there is a lot going on on this small card. Begin by anchoring 4 white Inchie Squares to a piece of scrap paper, fitting them up against one another, with a removable adhesive (our favorite is from Tombo, the light green dispenser, of Mono Adhesive Removable). You can actually do a block of 8, or even 12 squares at a time (enough to make 3 cards!)

Stamp with Fred Mullett's Spider Mum stamp across all squares, running off the edges too. We used four different Fresh Ink pigment colors; Freesia, French Lavender, Island and Grass on the background and then Freesia on a diagonally turned white Inchie + Square. Separate the background Inchie Squares a bit when you glue them down, and use foam dimensional tape to 'llft' the Inchie + Square above the background. This card is from the Blue/Lavender Inchie Notes assortment.   

Hurray, hurray....the sun is out today!!