AUTUMN is upon us , with it's lusty array of colours, red, yellow, green and brown leaves dance with the wind and encourage me to create....ATC's.
October, is the perfect theme for the " Let's Swap Atc's group on flickr. The idea was to create a challenge and at the same time educate. Most people know how to make these little 2.5X3.5 cards, but always choose the same medium to work with ... so it's more productive to give a tutorial for beginners and encourage older members to try new creative techniques.
I chose, magazine paper , cut 'n'paste. It sounds easy, but really, on a small card it's much more difficult than first anticipated( Ha Ha)
Buy using old magazines, you are both recycling and creating new artwork... so start with a cup of tea, get comfortable with your favourite mags and find some pictures, words and pages that inspire you ...Rip them out (r-r-r-i-i-ip-p-p-)...Love that sound !!!!!!
Look for the most interesting textures and pages , then combine several together to form the background of the card.
Layer sections of the paper to cover your card. There may be one images such as a face or animal that can be cut into strips... experiment for more interesting collage effects. Below are the images and words that rocked my imagination... Where do I begin?
The theme was October .. so that helped a little and I set out cutting leaves and choosing words, colours and images( above) that fit into that category.
Here's my first attempt.( sideways) .....I'm NOT very happy !!!
So back to the drawing board, but I'm not going to throw it away, because it has already been primed with paste, some great words and a gel medium...I'll REUSE it.
After you've layered everything with a gel medium.. you can finish off the edges with paint, a black marker or stamping ink. You can even dab on a little colour...
OK...I left it overnight since I wasn't getting anywhere with this cut 'n' paste approach to ATCs.
SO I slept on it. In the morning I ventured out for alittle doggie walk and realized, the perfect beauty that was collaged all around the yard. ..The leaves were INSPIRING me.
" Cut 'n' paste " ... Here I come, infact, I was literally, dancing into the studio ( BING)
READY ... SET ... GO
I added a few new details over top of that ugly, old, cut'n'paste ATC card.... Then played with the images, opaque pens, shapes and words , sealed the entire card with gel medium and sprinkled on some glitter to give it that OCTOBER MAGIC.
TAH DAH
This is how I feel about Autumn.
Take the time to be inspired by nature
Be creative with OCTOBER.
