all in an inch

We are off to CHA!

This is our first visit to CHA! While we are not quite yet brave enough to host a booth, we decided we had to see what it's all about. Our intent was to go, observe, be a sponge and take it all in. Well, we are pleased to share that we have been invited to do a demo for SAVVY STAMPS on Sunday!!

We are crazy busy getting ready and hope that if you are attending you will be sure and stop by and say hi!  

 

Also, if you visit the COPIC Marker booth you might notice that they will be using our products for some of their demos too!!

 

First Valentine

crisp and contemporary

Using the pen and coloring technique from the last posting we thought it would be fun to try a valentine by using appropriate colors and 'drawing in' a tiny heart. This technique is highly addictive, but relaxing at the same time...we can't stop making them!!!!

 

 

Since we knew it was going to be a valentine we picked the colors before we even started the pen work. If you are using multiple colors in a project it's often helpful to create a tiny palette made of the same material as your project (in this case a white Twinchie Square). Not only can you use it to test and select which colors to use, but once you decide on colors it is a handy reference to remember which marker is which color as you work on the project. Be sure and use the pointed tip end of the Copic markers when coloring small spaces like these and color on the 'top' side (the side with the more textured surface and rounded edges) of the squares for the best results. 

(for more information about coloring on the 'top' side refer to a posting called Frequently Asked Questions from June 2010)  

 

 

The key to this technique is drawing one continuous line that connects back to the original starting point. The fun is coloring, because you really have no idea how it's going to turn out until you fill the spaces your pen has created! The pen work goes so fast it's easy to make several white Twinchie (2") Squares at a time.

 

 

After coloring, give the heart a little extra emphasis by applying Glossy Accents by Inkssentials. It's a clear liquid that dries leaving a hard, shiny 3D finish. It's tempting to check to see if it's dry, but resist the urge to touch it until completely clear and hard.

(An easy way to check for dryness is to take a piece of scratch paper and apply a drop about the same size as on your work - you can check this for dryness instead of touching your finished piece)

 

 
with a feminine touch

Creating these 'art' twinchies also gives you an opportunity to experiment with the card components. For each of the four finished pieces we created 4 completely different cards.

 

 
clean and simple

 

 
a bit more masculine

Looking at the calendar I guess Valentines Day is only a little more than 3 weeks away!!

(Mix and match valentine sentiments...Love, be my valentine and Queen of Hearts from the Lockhart Stamp Company and valentine wishes from Savvy Stamps)

Miro or Kandinsky? Art inspired twinchie's and inchie's

 

I am horrible at New Year's resolutions but just might change my mind due to a certain book I received for Christmas. It's called, "The Daily Book of Art - 365 readings that teach, inspire and entertain." At odds for exactly how to explain this absolutely wonderful book here are a couple of paragraphs from the back cover....     

"What do the Mona Lisa, the Parthenon, and a pinecone have in common? Why did van Gogh purposely sever his ear? When did coffee evolve from a morning beverage to an artistic medium? What colors should you wear while dieting? And who was Caravaggio?"

"Learn the answers to these questions and more with the engaging readings contained in The Daily Book of Art, a yearlong journey through lively and thought-provoking discussions. Inside, ten rotating categories paint a picture of the compelling world of art in broad brushstrokes." (fyi...the book is available at amazon.com)

As I embark on this journey of 365 readings from The Daily Book of Art, I find my mind wandering to teachings, ideas and projects from long ago. My personal career origins are art based and I have morphed through a few different directions over the years. No matter what tangent I seem to be exploring I find myself coming back to art basics; whether they be technique, creative exploration, history or personal imagination - art is the center.

I remembered a project we used to teach in Art Docent Training. It provided an excuse to do a little art history lesson about a style of art and artists, and also proved a wonderful exercise to get the adults to 'loosen' up and not be so afraid of putting pen to paper!

Inspired by the Expressionist and Abstract styles of Wassily Kandinsky and Joan Miro you apply a continuous line to paper and through random directional changes and overlapping, create shapes that are then colored. 

And what a fabulous project to try with Twinchie and Inchie Squares!!  

 
The supplies for this project are pretty basic...a handful of brightly colored Copic markers, white Twinchie and Inchie Squares and a .05 Sakura waterproof Micron pen. 

(a hint...your pen work will be the most crisp if you do your drawing on the 'top' side of the squares. You can learn more about which is the top side by looking up a post we wrote on June 10, 2010 called Frequently Asked Questions) 

 

 
Begin with the larger 2" white Twinchie Squares to get comfortable with putting pen to paper before trying the much smaller Inchie Squares.

Ready....set....draw!

 
The trick is to draw one continuous line...weaving, bending, looping, overlapping and finally connecting back to your starting point. 

 

 
Then, taking your time, color in the enclosed spaces that you have created...using one color at a time to fill in selected spaces. 

 

 
It's always a surprise to see how each one turns out!

 

 
Then try a few more lines, creating a few more spaces to color.

 

 
Or one colored with just 3 'cool' colors...

 

 
or 3 'warm' colors!

 

 
Now that you have gotten comfortable with the 2" size, go ahead and switch to the 1" Inchie Squares. Put four together to create a larger square puzzle design or lay out 5 squares horizontally for a long continuous design. Remember, it's all about letting loose with the pen...but eventually coming back and connecting to your starting point.

It's recommended that you anchor the squares with a removable adhesive so you are free to move the pen across the multiple squares without having to worry about them moving.

(Our favorite is the TOMBO Mono Removable Adhesive roller) 

 

 
You just never know how your squiggles will turn out until you start coloring in the shapes.

 

 
Since the Inchie Squares are solid core white you are able to color the edges...don't forget!

 

 
Never would have guessed that this one would have yielded so much white space!

 

 
How can you resist creating such fun...and random...designs?!

 

 
And finally a single Inchie Square...

(well, actually it's stacked on top of black 1 1/2" Inchie + Square!)    

These cards wouldn't have been nearly as successful if it weren't for the wonderful set of greetings from Hero Arts. This Poly Clear set contains all the greetings used, plus more, and is called Essential Messages.

Happy New Year!

 

Not only for the year...but think of all the ways you can use numbers on individual Inchie Squares! Special occasion dates, reasons to do something, number of ways that you love someone....all quick solutions for a fun card.

 Technically, there is quite a bit going on with this card, but in reality it's pretty simple to create. The concept that drove the design was to utilize the same background for both the card and the Inchie Squares. 

 

 

A really easy way to get one continuous background for a card is to use one of the Mega Mount patterns from Impression Obsession stamps. Several different patterns are available, this one is called, Cover-a-card Vines. The 'stamp' is cling rubber that adheres to a curved acrylic mounting block insuring complete coverage over a large area.

 

 

Using an ink color that is just a tad darker than the card stock keeps the overall image somewhat subtle - perfect for a background effect. We used a Pear colored pigment ink from Fresh Ink.    

 

 

Clean the stamp and re-ink it with a soft, light gray (Provincial Gray) and stamp across four white Inchie Squares. We used a bit of Tombo Mono Removable Adhesive under the squares to make sure they stayed put while stamping. 

 

 

Certainly one of our favorite alphabet/letter stamp sets is from the folks who make the Magnetic Poetry sets. Each letter is mounted with it's own little 'stem handle' making it really easy to use, clean and store.

 

 

 

After stamping each Inchie Square with the appropriate number ( French Lavender pigment ink) quickly coat with clear embossing powder. It's worth investing in a large jar of clear powder and keeping it in a plastic container. It's SO MUCH EASIER to use a pair of reversable tweezers and DIP, rather than constantly cleaning up sprinkled powder! The color of the numbers really comes out when you heat set, and they match perfectly the little purple flowers in the background paper.

Finish the card with a sentiment of your choice - we used one from the Holiday Sayings set from Hero Arts.

Happy New Year!!

Masterclass article in Papercraft Inspiration Magazine!!

 
 
It was months in the making, but we were invited to design and write a 6 page Masterclass article all about INCHIES for the latest issue of Papercraft Inspirations Magazine. You might not be familiar with the magazine but it's HUGE in England! Due to the holiday mail we haven't seen a copy of the article yet, but if the number of e-mails we have been receiving from readers in the UK is any indication, it must be creating quite a bit of excitement!! Word has it that several better quality bookstores here in the states do carry the publication, and we have been bugging our local BORDERS store to see if it has yet to arrive.

Needless to say, the article is a wealth of information about creating inchies with loads of photos and detail images showing everything from stamping and coloring, to doodling, collage, recycling, embellishment, watercolor, pastels, photos and even journaling!! And a very special thank you to those that we worked with to create some very special inchies for the article; Kim Andersen at Art in Red Wagons and Naomi Haikin from You Can Call Me Gwen.   

If you happen to see this article, post a comment below, we would love to hear more about it!