Practice Makes Perfect

In general, when I make cards, I'm using some rubber stamps somewhere. I like to stamp but it's never perfect the first time out.

I'm here to tell ya, practice may not make perfect but it sure does help it look better. Especially when you've just gotten unmounted rubber stamps and can't wait to use them!

Like this bird I got just before I left on vacay. I needed to stamp it a few times to get the feel for the stamp. Did I need to get good pressure in the middle? Would I need to use some magazine beneath the paper to cushion it? What kind of ink would look best with the paper I wanted to use? Did one black look better than another?

Once stamped a few times, I could practice coloring. Which markers to use? Which colors looked good? See the bird on the left...I was experimenting with the grays. I wanted a crow but I didn't want to lose the patterning in the stamp. But then, what if I did purple? The crow on the right was me figuring out which purples went together as well as if they were too dark and would cover up the pattern. Since the crows were only practice, I didn't have to be precise and I could test colors on the background of the paper because I would cut the crows out, if they came out well. So you can see a little scribble here and there on the paper.

I used to be afraid to do this. I felt like I was wasting my supplies and my time. But when you get into a project, one that requires a lot of work, you don't want to screw it up because you're not sure what color to use. That paralyzes me. I start staring at it hesitant to try anything because it might not be what I really want. Then, I'll have to start all over again. So NOW, I'm not afraid of practice. It allows the finished project to go more smoothly and I can feel better about the results.

And not all practice has to be trashed. I salvaged some of these birds for other things and the angels will become card fronts soon. Those that didn't make the cut can always be flipped over and stamped on the other side. Wink.

I'm not sharing the finished piece just yet but once some of the smaller projects are done, you'll be seeing some of this stuff in action.

Back from vacation and eager to get more art started!
-Wy
"Let's get it started. Let's get it started in here!"---Black Eyed Peas