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Thursday, January 26, 2012

International Mixed-Media Postcard Swap




How do I create a postcard which combines personal style, Northwest regional attitude, and inspiration? This is the big question I am challenging myself with as I create ten postcards for an international swap.

My woodland scenes come to life by applying and expanding on techniques I am learning from an on-line workshop with Traci Bautista. Combining vibrant watercolor strokes with stencils lends just the right style. Northwest style. A style that represents all of the vibrancy that happens incognito on a rainy gray day.

For each background I freely paint watercolor tube paint on each card. Then I spontaneously add more colors with smaller brushes. A fern stamp adds to the forest floor idea. After stamping I add doodles with my favorite watercolor sticks. Lots of colorful doodles. Some of these markings represent berries, leafs, and wildflowers.

Additional ferns are made by spraying ink over fern stencils. I love the way the backgrounds seemed to pop with visual depth after adding this step. Using fine drawing pens I add detail to stencil shapes, define whimsical shapes, and doodle. My doodle marks seem to be more creative and free when I listen to classic vinyl on Pandora.

Get ready my ten mystery art friends from around the world. It has been great fun creating these "incognito rainy gray day" postcards for you.

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