Let's Go to the Desert - ATC

My third ATC for the library card catalog swap is a bit different in that I did not use the entire card as the background.  Instead, just a portion of the card became a part of my focal image.

The title on this library card was Let's Go to the Desert.  When I think of the desert, my mind immediately goes to the stately saguaro cactus of the Sonoran desert in Arizona.  I started by sketching an ATC-sized saguaro in my sketch journal.  I used that sketch as a guide to draw a similar cactus onto the library card, making sure that the book title was centered within the cactus.  I then cut out the cactus to use on my ATC.

I colored my cactus with distress inks and a brown Pigma micron artist pen.  For the background I used a portion of a vintage Arizona map.  If you look closely, you can see the city of Tucson which is where Saguaro National Park is located.  However, you can see saguaro all over southern Arizona, not just within the park.  I took the picture below while on vacation there, and besides the monster saguaro in the foreground there are all kinds of saguaro growing in the background (those are the Superstition Mountains).

I used a lavender-tinted charcoal pencil to add some shadowing around my cactus and stenciled dusty concord distress ink around the card to bring the color palette together.

If you've never been to Arizona, I would recommend that you add it to your bucket list of places to visit.  It's a fascinating place!

Supplies:
ATC cardstock blank; vintage map of Arizona; library card catalog card; sketch pencil; titanium white acrylic paint; mustard seed, forest moss, dusty concord and gathered twigs Distress Inks; brown Sakura Pigma Micron pen; old paper Distress Paint; Adirondack espresso acrylic paint dabber; Derwent lavender charcoal pencil.

Men in Groups - ATC

This is my second artist trading card for the Library Card Catalog swap.  The book title is Men in Groups, by Lionel Tiger.  Doesn't that sound like the name of a bad guy on a soap opera?

I used a bold color combination of peacock feathers and seedless preserves and Tim Holtz's wrinkle free distress technique to create the background.  The manly trio from Artistic Outpost was stamped on vanilla cardstock and trimmed closely before being adhered.  I added a strip of vintage book text along the bottom in order to fill in the composition.

Old Man Winter has hit the Midwest this weekend so I'm more than happy to stay indoors and make art!  Thanks for dropping by and keeping me company.

Supplies:
Library card catalog card; seedless preserves, peacock feathers and black soot distress ink; focal image from Artistic Outpost; black Ranger Archival ink; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; old paper Distress Paint; ocean Derwent Tinted Charcoal pencil; black Adirondack acrylic paint dabber; punchinella.

Great Traveler - ATC

In 2014, I participated in an ATC swap which required us to use a retired library card catalog card.  It was quite a successful swap so the host (who provided the cards) has organized another one and I was lucky enough to get a spot.

My first ATC is based on a catalog card for The Great Travelers.  A Collection of Firsthand Narratives of Wayfarers, Wanderers and Explorers in All Parts of the World from 450 BC to the Present.  My card features an image of Charles Lindbergh, who is arguably one of the great travelers of the early 20th Century.

I tinted the card with acrylic paint and distress inks.  The Charles Lindbergh image from Artistic Outpost was stamped on white cardstock and colored with Prismacolor pencils before being adhered to the background.  I added shadowing with a green tinted Derwent charcoal pencil.

Thanks for popping by!  Have a great weekend.

Supplies:
Library card catalog card; titanium white acrylic paint; mustard seed, ripe persimmon, and gathered twigs Distress Ink; stamp from Artistic Outpost;  Ranger black Archival Ink; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits;  All Night Media splatter pattern stamp; Derwent forest pine Tinted Charcoal pencil; punchinella; Adirondack espresso acrylic paint dabber.

ICAD No. 15 The Stranger

Today's ICAD prompt was Route 66.  I actually have some rubber stamps that fit that theme, but I've used them numerous times over the years and frankly, I wasn't feeling it.  Besides, a 4x6 card using those stamps would have taken me more time than I was willing to spend.

However, I do love travel themes and road trips, so I used a French road map and this wonderful photo of a dapper gent with his car.  The license plate dates this photo to about 1927 and you probably can't tell, but he's holding a fat stogie in his right hand.  The library catalog card along the bottom is a reproduction from a set of 30 notecards with envelopes and faux wooden catalog drawer.  I bought mine at Dick Blick but they are also available on Amazon, which is where the link takes you.

Have a terrific day!

Supplies:
4x6 index card; French road map; copy of old photo; reproduction library catalog card; titanium white acrylic paint; pumice stone, vintage photo and fired brick distress inks; par avion stamp by Hampton Art Stamps; flourish stamp by Hero Arts; Tim Holtz alpha stencil; Derwent charcoal pencil.

Tobaccoman's Log - ATC

This is my fourth and final ATC for the library card catalog swap.  The book title on this card was Leaves from a Tobaccoman's Log, so I searched my stamps for a guy who looked like he could be a tobacco baron.  I rather like these two fellows by Artistic Outpost so I decided to use them.  They look like they could have been in the tobacco-growing business back in the day.

Hank, on the left, is the serious older brother who has been groomed since childhood to take over the family business and who holds controlling interest.  But playful, younger brother Aaron has something Hank can never have:  the heart of Loretta Piedmont, daughter of their major competitor and heiress to her family's tobacco fortune.  Their young love is tested when Loretta's brother is found dead, and all of the clues seem to point toward Aaron as the murderer.  Don't miss this stunning new novel that pits brother against brother in business and in love during the turbulent decades following the Civil War. 

Sounds like a good romance novel, don't you think?  A real page turner!  (OK, so I won't quit my day job just yet.)

Initially I didn't want to include the part of the image that says coffee, but the composition was off if I didn't.  So perhaps if I ever do write that novel, my two brothers will be coffee farmers instead of tobacco growers.  But don't hold your breath.

Thanks for popping in!

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC blank; library card catalog index card;  image from Artistic Outpost; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; Ranger Archival black ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; distress inks: scattered straw, wild honey, fired brick, vintage photo and brushed corduroy; titanium white acrylic paint; punchinella; Adirondack espresso acrylic paint dabber; splatter pattern stamp by All Night Media; burnt orange and peat tinted charcoal pencil by Derwent.

Enjine! Enjine! - ATC

This third card for my swap came together rather quickly since I had already chosen the focal image and wanted to use blue in the background.  I ended up blending several distress inks to get the shades I wanted (which is one reason I love the distress inks--they blend beautifully to create a whole range of colors).  I switched things up by making a card with a landscape orientation this time; it made a better composition.

Notice anything strange about the title of this post?  Yes, the spelling of engine.  It pained me to use it, but that is the way it is spelled on the library card catalog card.  And as proof, here's an image of the 1939 book available on Amazon!  I'm tempted to buy it because it sounds like it has some wonderful old illustrations of fire engines and other equipment.

Here it is Friday already.  Where does the time go?  Have a great weekend!

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC blank; retired library card catalog index card; image from Artistic Outpost; Ranger Archival jet black ink; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; distress inks: vintage photo, bundled sage, broken china, tumbled glass, scattered straw, chipped sapphire, and brushed corduroy; titanium white acrylic paint; Adirondack espresso acrylic paint dabber; punchinella; splatter pattern stamp by All Night Media; peat and burnt orange tinted charcoal pencil.

Amelia Earhart - ATC

Upon reflection, I decided I didn't really like the second ATC I made for the library card catalog swap (see post here).  I mean, it's OK, but it's not my best work and I always try to submit only my best work for a swap.  So I switched back to the style of the first card that I made, and am much happier with the results.

The basis for this card was a 1930s book on recreation for girls.  I wonder if it included a chapter on aviation, since this was the decade that Amelia Earhart made headlines by becoming the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.  My guess is the book probably focused on tamer activities, such as lawn tennis or synchronized swimming.

Set your sights high and have a great day!

Supplies:
ATC cardstock blank; library card catalog card; images from Artistic Outpost; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; Ranger Archival jet black ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; white acrylic paint; wild honey, crushed olive, and vintage photo distress ink; peat charcoal pencil; Adirondack espresso and snow cap acrylic paint dabbers; punchinella; splatter pattern stamp by All Night Media; Stazon timber brown ink.

Classic, Modern, Romantic (in 1943) - ATC

Here's another ATC for my library card catalog swap.  This time, I cut out portions of the card to create the collage.  I chose this image by Darkroom Door because I thought she looked classic, romantic, and modern, but in 1943 which was when the first edition of this book was published.

The card has a little bit of shimmer to it thanks to some lightly applied gold acrylic paint.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Blank ATC cardstock base; vintage sheet music, worn lipstick, fired brick, and vintage photo distress inks; focal image by Darkroom Door; Ranger Archival jet black ink; ivory cardstock from Stampin' Up; Prismacolor Premier colored pencils; odorless mineral spirits; titanium white acrylic paint; Adirondack espresso and gold acrylic paint dabber; mini film strip by Tim Holtz; peat charcoal pencil; floral washi tape unknown; Pitt black artist pen.

The Boy and His Gang - ATC

I've signed up for an artist trading card swap with an interesting twist:  incorporate an old library card catalog index card in your ATC.  The host provided us with six library catalog cards; we are to use three of them to make ATCs and the rest are ours to keep.  The host even took the time to search for cards with titles that fit our profiles, and I ended up with some fun vintage-themed titles.

The first card I used was for a book titled The Boy and his Gang.  I knew immediately that I wanted to use this little tyke from Artistic Outpost.  He reminds me of the adorable ragamuffins from the Our Gang (Little Rascals) movies of the 1930s.  I stamped my rascal on ivory cardstock and lightly colored him with vintage photo distress ink to give him a sepia tone.  For the background, I sponged the library card with distress inks, added a small piece of book text, and grunged up the card with some stenciling and stamping.  I hope the host doesn't think that I obscured the library card too much, but I rather like how just a portion of the title is peeking through.

I'll admit it:  I'm old enough to remember (and to have used) library card catalogs.  But let me be clear:  by the time I was watching the Our Gang movies, the child actors were well into adulthood!

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great day.

Supplies:
ATC cardstock blank; retired library card catalog index card; image from Artistic Outpost; ivory cardstock; jet black Ranger Archival ink; mustard seed, seedless preserves, vintage photo, and brushed corduroy distress inks; vintage book text; white acrylic paint; splatter pattern stamp by All Night Media; postage cancellation stamp unknown; Stazon timber brown ink; lavender charcoal pencil; punchinella; Adirondack snow cap and espresso acrylic paint dabber.