Cat Tales and Paper Trails: Mixed Media Nature Girl

Hello everyone! Today I have a fun mixed media card to share with you.

This is a 5" x 7" card created with amalgam and dye inks, acrylic paints, Polychromos pencils and a white gel pen. But it all started with a stencil.

This is a new stencil from A Colorful Life Designs, called Nature Girl.

Recently I received a can of Pixie Spray, a removeable spray stencil adhesive from Therm O Web. That stuff is magic! I sprayed it on the back of my stencil, let it dry for about 45 seconds then placed it on my card. It sticks amazingly well. And removes easily without leaving any adhesive residue behind.

I wanted a soft layer of ink on my ecru card as a guide, so I lightly brushed Warm Glow Amalgam ink lightly through the stencil with a blending brush. I only wanted something to show me the outline, and to have enough markings to be able to replace the stencil in the same spot once I'd added some paint.

I removed the stencil, setting it aside for later, and quickly brushed in a light layer of acrylic paint, creating the shape of the face and hint of a nose.

I added distress oxide ink with a blending brush, to give a shape of hair. Yes, blue hair.

I then replaced the stencil, (it's still sticky), and used a tiny blending brush to add distress oxides to areas of the stencil. I left the butterfly and lips uncolored. So far. I just wanted to see where the process led me before I chose a color.

I removed the stencil again. So I could add more details.

I worked in darker colors of paint, mixing colors until I had created the illusion of the contours of her face and neck. I also drew in lashes and pupils, and sketched in some movement in her hair with Polychromos pencils.

I decided that she needed a bit more bright color in her hair, so I used Whisper Amalgam ink and my Original MISTI to stamp the Jane's Doodles Hibiscus outline in her hair.

Now, to cover the oxide inks I'd added previously, I used more acrylic paint to paint in the hibiscus. Once the paint had dried fully, I inked a subtle background using the Stonework stencil, my blending brush and Old Paper Distress ink, carefully inking around her face.

Lastly, I replaced the stencil once more (still sticky!) and added her lips with Fired Brick Distress ink. I used a white gel pen to add highlights to her lips and eyes, even brightening the whites of her eyes as well. I added simple flower centers to the tiny pink flowers, and a bit of highlight to the hibiscus and leaves, smudging the sharp line of ink with my finger to soften.