Organic Effects with Vivian

Vivian Keh here today, totally jazzed about guest blogging for Two Peas!  In addition to being a great source for my supplies, Two Peas is my daily virtual escape where inspiration and gorgeous projects abound.  Today, I want to share with you a bit of my own inspiration with details of how I made the tag below.  The simple techniques which I utilized have brought me much grungy joy in recent projects, and I hope you'll give them a try, too!

Die-cut a tag from a neutral sheet of cardstock. Note that most of the pattern will not ultimately be visible in the final project.  Lightly paint the tag with gesso, making sure to leave random areas of the paper underneath exposed.  By doing this, you create interesting variegations in the ability of paper surface to absorb the media you will later apply.

Once the gesso dries, prepare your surface for heat embossing by wiping the tag with an anti-static pillow.  If you don't have one, you can also use a dryer sheet - this prevents embossing powder from sticking in undesirable places.

If you've never heat embossed, it's quite easy, and no matter how many times I do it, I always experience a child's wonderment as I watch my project transform under my heat tool's blast!  To heat emboss, stamp with a nice, sticky watermark ink, sprinkle with embossing powder, tap off the excess, and heat using a craft heat tool.

Here I used a bold Hampton Art/7 Gypsies Harlequin Background Wood Stamp to create some geometric background shapes that will balance a striking, organic composition.  When your heat tool has done its magic, you are left with your stamped pattern...

The pattern will now resist the application of various mists/spritzes you choose to apply.  Since clear embossing powder was used, the patterns underneath will also be retained.  Next, adhere your die-cut chipboard shapes using a strong adhesive - I used hot glue with butterflies I had cut from an old box .

Various mixed media books and magazines encourage the use of masking tape in various ways - it's a great, affordable way to add texture to your project.  I love wrinkling it up as shown and arranging the ragged strips to create a sense of movement in my projects.

After lightly applying gesso and allowing it to dry...

... it's time to spritz!

Do you see how the color pools on top of the resist that I created?  This ought to be carefully daubed off using a tissue to reveal your beautiful pattern.

I've been playing with my hot glue gun, and wanted to see how liquids would settle around vascular patterns I created with this under-appreciated tool.

After the hot glue dried, I shoved the nozzle of a copper colored mist right up into the most gnarled areas and sprayed.  This way, the effect was not diffused, but concentrated. I then tilted the tag to guide the beautiful liquids down the crevices my wrinkled masking tape had created.

Finally, to exaggerate these organic textures, I highlighted the raised areas with pigment inks and added my text, which I had also die-cut and painted.

Once all was dry, I added a bit more stamping, and voila!

I am delighted to have blogged with you here today, and hope that I was able to inspire you to try out some of these simple techniques!  Until next time. -Vivian

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Who's ready to get messy with their supplies and play?!  You can find more inspiration from Vivian on her blog and from her Two Peas gallery.  Thank you so much for sharing these techniques with us, Vivian!

Comments

[jengd]

The flow of this is gorgeous! Beautifully done!

[Sharm Nidyanandan]

This is so awesome!! Love the masking tape technique!

[Christina]

Wow Vivian! That is amazing! I love that you used hot glue and masking tape. That is a great idea.

[Britt Bass]

This is SO cool, Viv! I love that hot glue technique. :)

[Dana W]

Wow!! Viv this is awesome!! I would have never guessed that you used masking tape and hot glue!! The result is gorgeous!!

[Adora]

Vivian this is gorgeous!!!

[Lisa]

Gorgeous tech Vivian!!! Beautiful work!

[LindaBrun]

Beautiful tag Vivian and I love the texture effect the masking tape give. Totally awesome! Thank you for sharing!

[Magandscrap]

Wonderful ! Thanks for the tutorial !
I have to try this !!

[Bonnie]

LOVE LOVE LOVE this gorgeous tag!

[painarHah]

You have hit the mark. In it something is also to me your idea is pleasant. I suggest to take out for the general discussion.