Tags of 2013 - AUGUST

Yep, don’t faint. Thought I’d have a go at these early in the month for once.

Tim’s tags are here. This month’s technique challenge is essentially masking and stamping (with a little twist using distress ink pens or in my case watercolour pens) and Tim chose a travel theme for his tags. Whilst the technique is one I am familiar with I had a bit of trouble finding stamps that were large enough and ‘strong’ enough to be the main focal point (There’s an excuse to go shopping if ever I heard one).

 

First off I thought I’d have a go using my Mme Berthe stamp with a selection of Paris stamps – but would she stamp clearly? Oh no. This is the third and fourth go – in the end I had to paper piece her on to the tag to get her to show up at all. I used the same archival ink pad for the arc de triomphe and that stamped just fine. Go figure. I decided she’s really a bit too sketchy for this technique and I’m not entirely happy with all the elements in this collage so not the best result.

 

Then I tried this bottle just to have a practice as by now I was beginning to think I had forgotten how to do this properly!! Turned out quite well but I’m not really sure what it's all about, just used random stamps. Mind you by this stage it was nearly driving me to drink.

Finally I thought I’d have ago with some paper artsy stamps that I have used before for this technique, and I’m quite pleased with this one - except I stamped ‘journey’ crooked and then when I was adding ink to make the main images ‘pop’ a bit more it all got rather too grungy for my taste. With hindsight, what I should have done was a bigger collage and then cut out the tag, I can’t seem to get the layout right at this size.

Flickr Tags: Tim Holtz,Tags of 2013

So that’s the best I can muster - I give up!! And if you’re keeping track, wobbly stamping notwithstanding, this will be the one going into the January giveaway as it is the closest to the technique. Have a good Tuesday!!