Blue Essence Inspired – Tutorial

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Last night I decided to challenge myself and use a fairly complicated piece of art as inspiration.  The original art was created by Megan Aroon and it’s titled Blue Essence.

  

Isn’t it beautiful!

My card doesn’t even come close, but it was a learning experience.

Here is tutorial #40.

Supplies:

Stamps: Stampin’ Up Trees Three & Simply Circles
Paper: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Cool Caribbean, Basic Black and More Mustard
Ink: Stampin’ Up More Mustard, Really Rust, Cool Caribbean, Basic Black, Real Red and Brilliant Blue, Broken China Distress Ink, Adirondack Butterscot, Aqua & Hazelnut
Accessories: Brads, Versamark Pad & Marker, Circle Punch, Exacto Knife, Sponges, Post it Notes, Cuttebug Embossing Folder, Clear embossing powder and heat gun

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Stamped trees on Whisper White card stock by first loading stamp with Versamark and the loading it with black ink before stamping.

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Heat embossed image with clear embossing powder and a heat gun.

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I used a glass mat and Exacto knife to cut a curved portion from the post it notes.   I then stuck them to the card stock for a mask for the sky area.

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Sponged Cool Caribbean ink on un-masked area.

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Sponged Brilliant Blue ink just at the edge of the post it note.

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Moved the mask down some and sponged Brilliant Blue ink again right at the post it note masked edge to create another line of Brilliant Blue.

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Moved the post it note masks again so I could create the small hill at the right side.  Sponged Cool Caribbean ink on the open area.

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Sponged Brilliant Blue ink at the edge of the top post it note.

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Moved the post it note mask down a little and put in a second line of Brilliant Blue ink.

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Removed post it notes and went over hills with a Versamark marker and then heat embossed using clear embossing powder and a heat gun.

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Cut a circle from the middle of a post it note with a 1 1/4″ circle punch.  Placed mask where I wanted the sun to be and sponged More Mustard ink on using a circular motion.

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Sponged Really Rust ink around edge of sun using a circular motion.

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Removed post it note mask and went over the sun with a Versamark marker and heat embossed using clear embossing powder and a heat gun.

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Stamped Dots on sky area by first loading stamp with Versamark, Soft Sky ink and stamping off one time on my scrap paper before stamping on the card stock.  After stamping all of the dots, heat embossed them with clear embossing powder and a heat gun.

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Randomly in the sky area, applied Real Red ink using direct to paper technique and only using a corner of the stamp pad.  Note:  the corner of the stamp pad makes those little “V” markers.

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Using same technique, applied Hazelnut ink to sky area.

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Using same technique, applied Aqua ink to sky area.

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Using same technique, applied Butterscotch ink to sky area.

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Using same technique, applied Broken China ink to sky area.

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Using same technique, applied Brilliant Blue ink to sky area.

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Wiped ink from embossed images with a paper towel.

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Assembled card after using a cuttlebug embossing folder on the More Mustard panel.  Here you have it, the complete card.

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This is the 40th tutorial I’ve posted to this blog.  Do you want more or is 40 enough?  Encouragement is greatly appreciated by way of comments, especially during gardening season when I should be weeding, lol.

I hope you find a piece of art today that inspires you and makes you want to recreate it.  It’s such a great learning tool!

Until tomorrow. . . . . .

128 thoughts on “Blue Essence Inspired – Tutorial

  1. Heather Fullerton's avatar Heather Fullerton

    Wow! Great tutuorial again. Please do not tease us so….yes we all want more. Please continue…your tutorials are fantastic and your talent is an inspiration to us all. Thanks for sharing your talent.
    Retired Heather

    Like

  2. Becky's avatar Becky

    This is absolutely breath taking. They both are the card and the painting. Please do not stop your tutorials….I absolutely look forward to them everyday. You have way to much talent to be outside weeding when you can be inside creating beautiful art. Thanks for sharing your award winning talent.

    Like

  3. don’t say it’s so, michelle! get inspired by your garden and get right back here! you’re just beginning at 40, you know! thanx for the regular source of inspiration.
    later, alligator!
    – SueB

    Like

  4. Veee Schenk's avatar Veee Schenk

    Thank you so much for all of these fantastic tutorials. I cannot thank you enough for all of your efforts. I love each and every one of them and am trying to work my way through all 40! The tips about sponges and brayering are invaluable.

    Now for a question. Is a “glass mat” really glass like a piece of glass with the edges ground off so you don’t cut yourself or is it something else?

    Like

  5. KAT's avatar KAT

    The artwork that you used for inspiration is incredible and so is your card… I love your tutorials but I also know that they must take you a long time… So mix it up… give us cards only and card with tutorials and SKIP the weeds… They’ll just grow back!!!

    Like

  6. Mari's avatar Mari

    Weeds, schmeeds. Stamping is waaaay more fun! Plus, don’t you think you’d get tired of listening to us whine & cry? lol
    Keep those tutorials coming – pretty please with sugar on top?

    Like

  7. Vee asked “Is a “glass mat” really glass like a piece of glass with the edges ground off so you don’t cut yourself or is it something else?”
    Vee, it really is glass and it is by EK Success. I bought mine at Wal-mart. 🙂

    Like

  8. Michelle,

    I just found your blog and PLEASE don’t stop your tutorials. Not only are they fantaastic but your projects are amazing, beautiful, incredible, gorgeous, wow I need more adjectives. But please don’t stop you do amazing work and I’ll be back a whole lot more. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Cheryl

    Like

  9. Sandy's avatar Sandy

    You are such an inspiration. You can’t stop! If this is taking it’s tole on you, just slow down and don’t do one every day. We understand. We would truly miss seeing your designs and we learn from your tutorials. I haven’t had time to get my brayer out but I sure want to.

    Like

  10. Kim's avatar Kim

    Oh the pressures of deciding between what you need to do and what you like/want to do!! I generally fail this test and I have the backyard full of weeds to prove it! 🙂 Maybe you have a nice neighbor boy who would be willing to do it for you for a little $ or maybe your wonderful husband or sons could be convinced to help out with the weeding?!? Whatever you do, please keep the cards and tutorials coming! Your work has truly inspired me and helped me find an outlet for my artistic aspirations! I’ve been dabbling in stamping and papercrafting for the last couple of years, but finding SCS and ultimately your work has greatly increased my interest and motivation to create more things. If only I could find a way to pay to the bills that allowed me to have more time to do all this!

    Thanks so much for all the time, effort and creativity you put into your creations and for being willing to share them with the world!

    Mahalo nui loa and aloha, Kim

    Like

  11. Veee Schenk's avatar Veee Schenk

    Michelle. Thanks for the answer on the glass mat and the source info. I appreciate your tutorials so much. My stamping is much improved everytime I attempt one of your tutorials.
    Happiness and Light
    Veee

    Like

  12. Veee Schenk's avatar Veee Schenk

    Oh! I forgot. I agree with KAT. Mix it up. Those tutorials must take forever so give us creations and a weekly tutorial. I can’t keep up with them all when you do one everyday. LOL Take pity on us and give us time to work it out before the next one. I hate not doing every single one of them.

    Like

  13. Wow Michelle- you got a “few” comments here when you mentioned stopping……it’s so true what they say though, your work is truly inspirational, and then when you show us how to get from here to there, wow!!! WOW!!! All those magical steps, it’s like you BUILD your cards……they are just awesome!!

    Like

  14. LindaS's avatar LindaS

    I loved this tutorial and your creativity. Keep the tutorials coming….don’t stop at 40!!

    Thank you so much for taking the time to share your artwork and great instructions.

    Like

  15. Danita (Moberkitty)'s avatar Danita (Moberkitty)

    More, more, more!! PLEASE! I loooove your tutorials! You make your amazing works of art look simple (if time consuming) to do. I can’t thank you enough for guiding us through your process!!!

    Like

  16. adhara's avatar adhara

    Wonderful Michelle, as I told you before, I’m completely addict to your artwork and your tutorials. You’re the very best artist in stamping and surely with you paintings.

    Since I found your blog, I told all my Stampin ‘up friends in Montreal about you, so maybe you don’t know but you have a lot of them watching you.

    Thank you for sharing your artwork and time working on tutorials.

    Louise

    Like

  17. Ardyth's avatar Ardyth

    You are so kind to share all your work with us – all of it is so stunning, and immediately I think I could never do it, but you even tell us how to do it (and make it look pretty easy, too!) – I can’t believe your generosity in sharing all your creativity with us. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

    Like

  18. Gail's avatar Gail

    Michelle, I am so very glad I subscribed to your “Freedom in Creating” newsletter! I am truely amazed at all of your wonderful art work and your generosity in sharing with everyone. I am looking forward to trying someXXX ALL of your techniques. I do not know where you find the time. I am a gardener also and I know how art and gardening fill my soul, I cannot live with out either one, but I also know how much time both take, not to mention all of the ‘other’ things that go along with living. Now I’m off to explore your site. Thank you again for sharing. gail

    Like

  19. Heather Schlatter's avatar Heather Schlatter

    I just found your stuff today after reading Kathy’s blog. I love your work and sent it on to some artist friends I am sure they will love, it. Also sent it on to stamper friends. Your tutorials are so easy to follow please keep up the good and very helpful work! I would have seen a card like this before, and never dreamed I could create it, but with your tutorial maybe I could kind of get some where close maybe????

    Love It!

    Heather Schlatter
    Mommy to 3 6 and under
    SU Demo
    Very Very Part time RN on a Labor and Delivery Unit

    Like

  20. earline's avatar earline

    Love your work looking at it always inspire me especially now, I could really need it I recently lost my mother and sister had a double funeral in March, 08, I enjoy looking at your work it is helping me to get back into stamping again but I still have good day and bad so don’t stop now, your beautiful work does help in more ways then one. You have lift my spirit and is encourageing me through your work of Art, to go on. Sincerly Thank You from the bottom of my heart. Earline

    Like

  21. Pat (mspfd)'s avatar Pat (mspfd)

    This is magnificent! Your tutorials are such a wonderful source of inspiration. Thank you so much for sharing your talents.

    Like

  22. Andrea's avatar Andrea

    I was reading through all the responses to your tutorials wondering if 40 is enough? Doesn’t life start after 40?? I like Linda Collins’ response about coming to pull your weeds. I might camp out and pull weeds in the morning and create with you in the afternoon. haha. I have just found your blog and have to say that your tutorials are so well thought out so that anyone can follow them. Thank you for that. Please continue (I haven’t looked to see if there is already is a 4). If you do not continue, I thank you for all the work you put into the 40 you have here.

    Like

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  24. anne marie's avatar anne marie

    i must say your blue inspired card is just as beautiful as the artist aroon . thanks so much for your wonderful tutorials . wow i feel motivated to try bigger things . thanks your newest fan … peace

    Like

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