Patterns for PaperArtsy

Well I am feeling proud today as I was asked to create a guest post for PaperArtsy for their Pattern theme. I decided to create my pattern by using just parts of stamps to create borders and backgrounds. Using parts of stamps is a great way to get a lot more mileage from them. Stamping tone-on-tone can create depth to your background, and because the image recedes it doesn’t really matter what stamp you use. Here I used a clock stamp for this technique – it doesn’t really go with my ‘botanical garden’ theme but in the final piece the eye doesn’t register the clock image, just the texture it creates.

Products used:
PaperArtsy Hot Picks: HP1005, HP1109, HP1509
Fresco Finish paints: Vanilla, Pumpkin Soup, Yellow Submarine, Bora Bora, Hey Pesto
Archival Inks: Jet Black, Tree Branch, Pale Ochre
Coloured pencils
Black and white pens

Step One: For my background I used Fresco Finish Vanilla, Pumpkin Soup and Yellow Submarine paints, mixing them lightly while still wet.

Step Two: I stamped the clock (HP1509) all over with Pale Ochre Archival to give subtle texture in the background then add some stamped pot lids (HP1109) in Archival Tree Branch. This texture will recede into the background so it’s about looking at the shapes of the stamps rather than the images as such.

Step Three: Using just parts of images is a great way to add pattern or borders. Here I used the edge of the key stamp (HP1509) to make an ornate repeating border along the top and bottom edges.

Step Four: In a similar way I used the top edge of the door image (HP1509) to create a grungy border to frame my design.

Step Five: I stamped the flower (HP1109) at various angles to finish my layered background.

Step 6: I used coloured pencil to shade the flowers and leaves then added detail with black fineline and white gel pens.

Step 7: I again used the door stamp (HP1509) in an abstract way to add pattern to a die cut butterfly. The symmetry of the door stamp works perfectly on a similarly symmetrical image like a butterfly. I painted the die cut with Fresco Finish paints before stamping it with black Archival.

To finish the piece:
Stamp moths onto card, colour with Fresco Finish Bora Bora and Pumpkin Soup and cut out. Stamp again onto the background and position the cut out moths on top. Stamp the pot lid (HP1109) in Tree Branch onto book paper painted with Vanilla Fresco Finish. Mat onto card to give it some depth then glue to the background. Add the butterfly on top and embellish it with a pen nib. Stamp ‘take flight’ (HP1005) onto a scrap of painted card and add behind a bookplate.

I hope this project has encouraged you to look again at the stamps you have and consider how you might use them in different ways.

Thank you to PaperArtsy for having me today!

Katy x