Self Portrait Ostrich – Tutorial

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I did a little stamping therapy session last night after receiving this stamp in the mail.  How cute is that Ostrich!

This is a self portait card.  When I seen this stamp, I had to have it.  It symbolizes me and the way I chose to live.  About 1 year ago I quit watching the news, all news!  My heart and head just can’t take it!!!!  So this is me the Ostrich.  Happy to have my head in the sand.

You can get this Ostrich stamp from My Paper Moon.  Here is the link:  http://www.mypapermoon.com/store/

Check it out!

Michelle, enough rambling already and get on with the tutorial you say.

Let’s get started.

Supplies:

Stamps: Ostrich from Mypapermoon, Sentiment from See D’s, Stampin’ Up Itty Bitty Backgrounds
Paper: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Cool Caribbean, Chocolate Chip & River Rock
Ink: Stampin’ Up Cool Caribbean, River Rock, Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip & Taken with Teal, Stazon Black
Accessories: Stampin’ Up markers Blush Blossom, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa & Going Gray, Brayer, Sponge, Clear embossing powder, heat gun, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Brads, Versamark marker 

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Stamped Ostrich on Whisper White card stock with Black Stazon ink.

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Colored his legs and neck, by outlining the insides of his legs with a Creamy Caramel marker and the outside of them with a Blush Blossom Marker.  His neck is colored by outlining both sides with Creamy Caramel and coloring in the middle with Blush Blossom.

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Colored his back with Creamy Caramel marker.  I over colored with Creamy Carmel around his back area edges to make them darker.

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Used a Going Gray maker around the edges of his back to get darker yet.  I’m trying to make a more gradual transition from his light back to his black feathers.

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Used a Close to Cocoa marker to shadow his chest and to outline the insides of his legs and outsides of his neck for more definition.

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Used a Versamark marker to go over the entire Ostrich. 

Note:  Color your lightest areas first being careful not to smear the black onto other areas or you will have a gray ostrich.  🙂 

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Heat emboss using Clear Embossing Powder and a Heat Gun. 

Note:  Your Ostrich will look much darker after it is embossed.

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Brayer Cool Caribbean ink onto sky area.

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Brayer River Rock ink onto ground area.

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Brayer Creamy Caramel ink onto bottom of card stock, but not covering all of the River Rock ink.

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Stamped Itty Bitty Background stamp with Creamy Caramel and then With Chocolate Chip ink to make specks in the sand.

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Sponged a little Chocolate Chip at the bottom of the card stock and right under the Ostrich, where he is sticking his head in.

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Wanted the upper Sky to be darker, so I brayered on Taken with Teal over the upper sky.

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Used a Close to Cocoa marker to define the sand around his head.

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Used a Cuttlebug embossing folder to emboss two of my card layers.

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Assembled card and stamp sentiment on it with Black.

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 Finished card!

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Thanks for joining me on my Self Portrait Therapy Session/Tutorial, lol. 

Have a blissful day that has no bad news!

22 thoughts on “Self Portrait Ostrich – Tutorial

  1. Rhonda Tammaro's avatar Rhonda Tammaro

    Michelle,
    I can hardly wait to get your daily emails with your projects! They are always so beautiful! I guess I am just going to have to try this brayering!

    Thanks for all the time that you put into your tutorials I just LOVE them!

    Like

  2. Sherry D's avatar Sherry D

    Michelle, a friend of mine turned me on to your site yesterday and we ooo’d and ahhh’d over all of your Artwork! I am absolutely floored by your use of the brayer, who knew!! I also wanted to say that your Tutorials are wonderful…they are so easy to follow! My biggest artistic challenge has been layering color but after viewing the tutorials I get a good sense that I can do this, it takes that intimidation right out of the equation! I have added you to my favorites and will be checking back daily to see what you create next!!

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  3. stephanie's avatar stephanie

    Beautiful! A friend showed me the blog last week and now I have to see your works of art every day! and with the tutorials, you make it look so easy!

    Like

  4. Ann C.'s avatar Ann C.

    Another pretty brayering of the background. I like the sand & turquoise. I have been trying some of this after admiring your work and have found you have to color in with the Versamark marker very carefully and not go out of the outline of the stamped image. (and by the way, I don’t watch the news either because everything is so fearful…I don’t want to know about the horrible things people are doing to each other)

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  5. Terri's avatar Terri

    Another wonderful tutorial Michelle. I think I’m beginning to get the hang of it and am having so much fun! Thank you. One question, are you able to versamark over your entire image all at once, or do you do it in stages? The trouble I’m having is that the versamark dries before I can get an entire image covered and the embossing powder doesn’t stick to it.

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  6. Terri asked “are you able to versamark over your entire image all at once, or do you do it in stages? The trouble I’m having is that the versamark dries before I can get an entire image covered and the embossing powder doesn’t stick to it.”

    Terri, you may need to buy a new Versamark marker. I’ve not had any trouble going over the entire image and then embossing with the exception of when it is time to buy a new marker. If you do have a new marker, it may be a bad one.

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  7. Cindy H.'s avatar Cindy H.

    Well, this adorable scene drew a chuckle out of me! Of course, it was your wonderful coloring that made it come to life – otherwise, it’s just a cute image 🙂 Thanks again, for the tutorial. Michelle, I can’t believe you get up at 4:00 a.m. every morning – yikes! You’re amazing!!!

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  8. I am glad I am not the only one who doesn’t listen to the news – way to depressing, all problems , no solutions…..Instead I will tune into your blog!!!! Absolutly divine !!!
    Tera

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  9. Elizabeth's avatar Elizabeth

    Love it!! I stopped watching and listening to the news too. Too depressing!
    Thanks for the tutorial and tip on the versamarker. Hope mine is a good one when I go to use it. Just purchased it last week. 😉

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  10. JoAnne's avatar JoAnne

    I just recently discovered your site. I thoroughly enjoy your work. You are amazing! Thanks for sharing your art with us. I look forward to seeing your work every day!

    Like

  11. Ha, I had to laugh at your comments about the ostrich and you choosing not to watch the news! I did the same thing about 8 years ago. I was counselling at a school and was hearing heart wrenching stories about children I cared very much about…then going home and watching news that also broke my heart! I remember the night I turned off the news after hearing 2 horrific stories involving children. I said “NO MORE” and, except for the occasional story here and there, usually because it has something to do with our area or something I’m interested in, I have not watched an entire news cast since!! I know that it makes me less “worldly” but I definately feel more sane!!

    It’s nice to know I’m not the only one 🙂

    love your card, as always.

    Like

  12. Tonniece's avatar Tonniece

    Oh this is so cute and definiately enough to keep our minds off of “the bad news” around us.
    I have attempted to do a card using your great tutorials, and I see I truly need lots more practise. I have never used my brayer before and can’t seem to get the even coat if ink like you do.

    Is there a special way to apply it to the paper, or is it just me? I roll the brayer alot on the ink pad and it’s well inked, but I still can’t seem to get a smooth layer.

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  13. Tonniece asked “I have never used my brayer before and can’t seem to get the even coat if ink like you do. Is there a special way to apply it to the paper, or is it just me?”

    Tonniece, here are a couple of tips: I start my brayering at the very top of the cardstock, meaning most of the roller is off of the card stock and on my scrap paper and with each roll of the brayer I move a bit more down the cardstock. I ink the roller about 4 times for each color. I also, brayer, brayer and brayer some more to work the ink into the cardstock in between inkings. The more ink you get on the card stock the better they will blend together. Hope this helps.

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  14. Conniecrafter's avatar Conniecrafter

    It is funny, I use to have to have the tv on when I was home, I think part of it was like company, but I also felt I needed to know everything, I have gone away from that I don’t know if it is because I am getting older or what ….I still listen to the news every now and then..especially the weather forecast 🙂 but my life doesn’t revolve around it anymore.
    This card is just too cute, love to see how it all comes together, that strip across the top is a neat touch, I never would have thought of that!

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  15. Sandy's avatar Sandy

    Such a cute card and again you are amazing. Thank you for the tutorial. Did you mask the ostrich? If not, how did you keep the blue off the white of the feathers?
    Thanks for the tutorial.

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  16. Michelle, I absolutely love your work and have been a fan of yours for a long time. I am grateful to have all your tutorials. I want to welcome you to the world of no news. I don’t listen to it or read the newspaper. I haven’t listened to any of it for about 6 years now and I feel so much better!

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