I have an idea for you try in your work, whether you do cards, tags, journal pages, scrapbook pages, or other mixed-media pieces. The idea is repetition. The idea is to select an image or motif, and then repeat it in several areas of your piece. When you repeat an image, you add visual intensity and interest to your piece. Plus you don't have to reinvent the wheel and dig for the perfect image.
Materials used:
- Surfaces: Dylusions journal, Ranger #8 tag; stamping cardstock; scraps of deli paper; scraps of music paper
- Stamps: Dina Wakley Media Scribbly Birds Stamp Set
- Masks/Stencils: Dina Wakley Media Leaves masks and stencil set
- Mediums: Dina Wakley Media Gesso
- Dina Wakley Media Paints: Turquoise, Lime, Ruby, Night, White, and Tangerine
- Dylusions Spray Inks: Black Marble, Bubble Gum Pink, London Blue, White Linen, and Funky Fuschia
- other: back marker
On this journal page, I repeated a bird from my Scribbly Birds stamp set in both the background and as the focal point.
To create this background, I started by painting some Turquoise acrylic paint on the page. I also splattered it around. I love a good splatter! Then I stamped the birds. The birds have a watercolor look because of how I inked the stamp. For the background birds, I put the stamp on a block, and sprayed it lightly with London Blue Dylusions. Then I sprayed the stamp lightly with White Linen Dylusions. Then I stamped it on the background. After I stamped the birds, I dripped Funky Fuschia ink down the page. When the ink was dry, I wrote journaling along the drop line. I added some ripped pieces of painted deli paper for contrast and texture.
For the focal point birds, I first painted a piece of cardstock with Lime and Turqoise paint, and added some reduction stenciling with the Leaves stencil. Then I sprayed the stamp lightly with Black Marble Dylusions ink spray. Then I stamped the stamp on the painted background. When the ink was dry, I cut out the birds to layer them into the a tag inked with Dylusions Bubblegum Pink. I used my sewing machine to sew the tag to the page. Lastly, I stamped the quote on cardstock, cut it out, and glued it onto the page.
Tips:
- When you put an image in your background, make it a background color. On my pages, I used blue ink because it coordinated with my turquoise, blue, and pink background.
- I like to use images in odd numbers...threes, fives, etc.
- Make sure your focal point stands out by making it strong. I did this by using black ink for the focal point birds. I also made them green, which is the complement to the pink tag behind them. That way they seem to pop off the page.
Dina
Dina Wakley is a Signature Artist for Ranger Ink. Her Dina Wakley Media line includes artist quality opaque paints, gesso and gel mediums, tools, stamps, and stencils. You can learn more about Dina on her website DinaWakley.com. You can view upcoming classes and events with Dina on our events page.
