Thursday, April 20, 2017

Light as a Feather

     I was browsing around several of my favorite monthly challenges, hoping to be struck by something that would inspire me, and I found this at House of Cards.


     Using both feathers and the colors, here's what I did.


I started with the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday.


     This is a little different from the way I normally color my images.  I started with just one feather, colored it with ProMarkers and Lyra polychromos pencils, then I photographed it and used my editing software to add a very light grayscale background.  I saved that photo into my hard drive.  For the next paragraph to make sense, you need to know that the feather was photographed standing on its 'stem' so that the feather is standing instead of floating horizontally - more like the ones in the inspiration photo.

     I opened the saved file using MS Word, adjusted the size to what I wanted (see the square, middle feather,) then did a copy and paste two more times to get three feathers.  On the two outside feathers, I 'squeezed' the sides in to narrow them from square to a rectangles.  I printed that, now having the three feathers in a row as my image and then, after I matted it, I turned it on end so that the feathers seemed to be floating downward.

     If you're looking at the three feathers, thinking that they are all colored exactly the same way, now you know how I did it.  One colored feather, photographed, duplicated and size adjusted to give me three identically colored feathers.

     Next step was to choose cardstock in colors from the inspiration photo.  Rather than cutting into new sheets of paper, I went through my bin of scraps and found each of the vertical strips.  The strip on the far left was cut with a Cheery Lynn die (Scandinavian Boutique) and is one of the pieces from the outside edge of the frame (which was used on another project.)  In order to get the darker blue of the color combo, I added a strip of sheer ribbon to the background and also used a snippet of it to 'mat' the sentiment.

     I added three, tiny, brass, 'pearls' to the top corner and another three to the bottom corner.  What is it about sets of three that is so magical in card designing?  Three feathers, three strips, three pearls...  This is my first work with "mixed media" and I hope to get better at it but mixing photography, fabric, die cuts, and metal with textured papers was the best I could manage this time.  I stayed with all simple, geometric, shapes for a clean, somewhat 'industrial' and masculine feel.  


     This week has sped by so quickly!  Maybe it was all the Easter celebrations or the Monday holiday along with the half day at the beginning of last weekend for Good Friday.  Whatever it was, the weekend is nearly here and I'm sooo ready for it!  I plan to do very little and be a couch potato most of the time.  If the Creative Muse knocks, I'm probably going to debate answering that door.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

19 comments:

Linda Simpson said...

This is amazing! I love how you created the feathers and thank you for sharing. I do love feathers and the colours you have used are gorgeous.
Hugs
Linda xxx

jimlynn said...

Sensational! Amazing the way you made three of them like that and the coloring is just so pretty and peaceful looking. Great sketch too.
Lynn

Sue's Crafty Corner said...

Wow a stunning card, I love your feathers.

Sue xx

Paper Lily Leaf said...

A gorgeous card! I love your feathers and it was really interesting to read about the process, April xx

Teresa Arsenault said...

WOW! I am thoroughly impressed. Not only did you color this beautifully, you are a computer wiz to boot. Well done, my friend. hugs, Teresa

Tina Campbell said...

Super cute card 🙂 Thank you for playing along with us at Jo’s Scrap Shack.
Tina-DT

Di said...

Wow Connie, those faether are amazing, and fascinating to read how you created them as well. Gosh, hidden talents there kiddo!

Thanks so much for coming to play in the Snippets Playground again.

Hugs

Di xx

María Pilar said...

Beautiful card. Great design
Thanks for joining us at House of Cards Challenge
Maria Pilar DT

Crafting With Jack said...

Love how you coloured the feathers, what a great idea too.

debo said...

wonderfull card
Thanks for playing along with Scrapper's Delights Blog Challenge. Hope to see you again soon. http://scrappers-delights-challenge-blog.blogspot.be/2017/04/blog-challenge-65-and-winners.html
hugs debo DT

Joanna M. said...

Super pretty card. I love the colors. I'm so glad that you joined in the fun this fortnight over on the Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 blog!
~JO

Glenda Atkins said...

Amazing feathers, you know your way around the editing software, envy :O). Totally love this card, wow!
hugs

Glenda

Elizabeth Hart said...

The color of the feathers is so fabulous - love it. Thanks so much for joining us this time at the Creative Fingers Challenge, Elizabeth (DT)

Faith A at Daffodil Cards said...

Wonderful digi work and clever idea too. Love the feather(s) pretty colouring of it.(them) LOL. great use of the computer and your crafting skills, must try something like that!
Faith
x

Kelly Schelske said...

Beautiful card and fantastic job with our sketch! I love those gorgeous feathers!

Thank you for playing along with us at Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2!

Hugs,
Kelly

BożenA said...

You beautifully colored the picture. I appreciate your amazing skills. Beautiful design.
Thank you for joining the CWAA challenge and sharing this beautiful card with us.
Regards,
BożenA DT CWAA

Granmargaret said...

Lovely work. Thank you for joining the challenge at Sweet Sketch Wednesday, Creative Fingers and Fun Day Friday. Hope to see you again next time.

Merethe A said...

Great work on this card and lovely col Thanks for playing along with our challenge this month at the House of Cards
Ma (✿*‿*) HOC DT
http://majaapia.blogspot.no/
oring.

Deb said...

Lovely card Connie and what an inventive way to duplicate the feather, would never have thought of that! Thank you so much for joining us at A Vintage Journey, Deb xo