BA Inspiration, Spring Botanicals - Tulips Three ways

 Good afternoon folks, Julie here with a little bit of Spring BA inspiration.

It's the 1st of the month, so there's a new colour combination over at Color Hues and as soon as I saw that it was pink and green I knew I had to use the Spring Botanicals -Tulip set. These cards all use the same stamp but I've used a different method of colouring in each.

My first idea uses a slimline card base and watercolour. On a panel of white card, I stamped a row of tulips in black and embossed with a clear EP before washing in some pink DI over the petals and green over the stems and leaves. Detail was added with matching pink and green Zig watercolour markers. 

Taking the slimline card base, I added a strip of black and white DP to the open edge before adding my watercolour panel and a strip of silver mirror card. The sentiment from Pure Florals Cosmos was stamped on a strip of black card and heat embossed with white EP.

The second card started with an A6 panel of Copic friendly card, on which I stamped all over with the tulip flowers in Altenew's Limestone ink for a no line effect.

Using pinks, RV00, 10, 13,14 and 17, I coloured the blooms, the leaves were similarly coloured, this time using YG17, 21 and 25. For added dimension I added a bit of shadow with a dark grey Copic.

The sentiment, from Doodle Flowers, was stamped onto a square panel of grey card and heat embossed with white. I realised that if I double mounted the sentiment as I had intended, then the central bloom would be totally lost, so instead I added a separate white frame, allowing a peek of the bloom behind. The completed panel was added to a panel of the same grey card and then on pads to a 5 x 7inch white base card.

Finally, I did a loose watercolour version to go with the snowdrop one from my January BA post.

To get the look of no line, I first stamped my tulips onto a panel of scrap copy paper then scribbled the back with graphite pencil and traced through with a sharp pencil onto an A6 panel of MM paper, you could try a pale ink and simply stamp but you run the risk of it bleeding into the paint unless it's a waterproof ink!

I then painted over the tulips with masking fluid.

Once the masking fluid was dry, I washed clear water over the panel and dropped a variety of greens into the background, darkening areas around the blooms.

When dry, the masking fluid was removed and I started work on the blooms.

I worked on each petal in turn before starting on the leaves and stems. Lots of water is the key to the loose watercolour effect and patience!! Find something else to do while the different layers dry.

When I was happy with the painted panel, I mounted it behind a die cut mount and added a simple sentiment on pads.

When I chose the tulip image for these cards my own in a pot on the patio were just showing signs of life but hopefully they will soon burst forth into bloom.

That's all from me for today, hope I've inspired you to get out those stamps and paints out and have a play, it is only paper at the end of the day! If you don't like your attempts leave it a few days and come back to it, it's amazing how different it will look, you may surprise yourself.

Until next time, stay safe and keep crafting!