Monday, October 31, 2016

Versatile Watercolor Stamping Class

Hi everyone! I have some fun news. I am happy to present my first class on Skillshare. I was hoping to have posted it last week, but since I've struggled with a stubborn cold, my voice wasn't right for recording videos until just recently.

Finally, I have really started getting into doing videos. I did a few videos last year, as you might remember, but my set-up wasn't great (I had to record outdoors). Now I have a better set-up, and a bit more time. I have am also busy learning my editing program better and speeding up the work-flow. So there should be regular videos from now on, also on my Youtube channel.

Layers of ink - Versatile Watercolor Stamping Class by Anna-Karin
I was invited to join the October Teach Challenge on Skillshare, with the purpose of presenting my first class. I thought it was a good motivational push for me to start doing videos again, and to also try to do better videos, so I decided to do it and I have really enjoyed creating my class.

My class is focused on watercolour stamping techniques and apart from the main project above, I will also show a bunch of alternative ideas. For the background, I am also showing you a resist technique with Distress Micro Glaze. I was inspired by autumn, but as with most of my tutorials, the techniques can be used for many types of themes and projects.



A pretty scary part of recording this Skillshare video class is the introduction video, where I am in front of the camera for the first time. I did quite a few takes, but finally decided that I just had to be okay with the occasional language mistake and my somewhat wild hair. I embedded the intro video here, in case you'd want to have a look.

Skillshare is a subscription service, which gives you access to a wide range of classes. If you want to try it out, you can try it out for three months for $0.99 by following this link. I particularly like that the classes are divided into chapters, so you can watch one chapter and try out that particularly technique and then proceed with the following chapter when you have time. My class, for instance, consists of eight different videos and it is very easy to follow along. I hope it is almost like taking a real life class with me.

To celebrate the release of my first Skillshare class, I have a number of free enrollments for my Versatile Watercolor Class. If you are interested in one of those, please send me an email (address in sidebar), and I'll send you the free enrollment link (first-come, first-serve). Otherwise, you could also try being a member at Skillshare for a three months for $0.99, as I wrote above. Find out more here.

I am linking the products I used for the classes below, as a resource for the class.

Thank you so much for stopping by today and I hope that you will enroll in my Skillshare class. I would really love to see you there.

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies for the main project (affiliate links):


Additional supplies for the main project:



Supplies for the extra examples:


You Matter Layout


Hi friends! And Happy Halloween! I hope you had a fun weekend. I have been pretty busy with something that I'll post on the blog tomorrow, but we were also outdoors a lot because the sun was shining. This week at the Simon Says Stamp we have a Thinking of you theme.

Layers of ink - You Matter Layout by Anna-Karin
I started out making a card, but when I stamped the Simon Says Stamp lovely You Matter stamp on a piece of cardstock, I changed my mind and instead made a layout. This is a really wonderful stamp with such great sentiments. You could use it as a background stamp, or cut out the sentiments, as I did here. I had fun layering different elements on this page. I took that photo last year and the focus was on the dinosaur and Anton was slightly out of focus (but not enough to make it look intentional). I really wanted to use it though because I love his expression on the photo, so I gave it a translucent overlay in Photoshop.

Layers of ink - You Matter Layout by Anna-Karin
The background is wood paper from Simple Stories, from their Basics paper kit. The papers have different wood patterns on one side and ledger patterns on the other, combining two of my favourite things. I stamped the wood paper with the You Matter stamp with Slate ink. It was torn in a few places, and die cut stars were placed there.

Layers of ink - You Matter Layout by Anna-Karin
This background has a funny story behind it. I woke up in the middle of the night with the idea of a mottled blue and brown background with circles on top, and recreated it first thing in the morning. I used Prima's watercolor paint and the stamp is the Rings Bold Prints by Hero Arts, also stamped with Slate ink.

Layers of ink - You Matter Layout by Anna-Karin
I used a bunch of SSS exclusive dies on this page, such as this Inspire word, die cut from Slate paper. 

Layers of ink - You Matter Layout by Anna-Karin
You Matter was stamped on one of the ledger papers from the paper pack I was using and cut into strips. I used most of the sentiments on the stamp.

Layers of ink - You Matter Layout by Anna-Karin
Aren't they great? They will be wonderful for a card or an art journal page too.

Layers of ink - You Matter Layout by Anna-Karin
 The title was done with a combination of dies, alphabet stamps and a Chit Chat sticker.

Layers of ink - You Matter Layout by Anna-Karin
I die cut the Stacked Stars from SSS glimmer cardstock. The fun Pom Poms come from Crate Paper.

Layers of ink - You Matter Layout by Anna-Karin
 I also used some of the left-over tiny stars.

Layers of ink - You Matter Layout by Anna-Karin
 A couple of Tim Holtz Pocket Cards and tucked in here and there.

Layers of ink - You Matter Layout by Anna-Karin
I really like this Cottage Stems die, I also used it on my Pastel Distress Crayon art journal page.

Layers of ink - You Matter Layout by Anna-Karin
Here are some more of the sentiments, the lower one was combined with a die cut word.

I hope you will join us in our Thinking of You challenge. As every week, you have a chance to win a $50 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in.

If you want to, follow Simon Says Stamp on Instagram, they post great stuff daily. 


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Do you use Instagram ? If so please add #sssmchallenge so we can see your entries there too.









Thank you so much for visiting my blog today!

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies: