ICAD 2013

blank index card

So what is ICAD 2013 I hear you ask? It is a challenge by Tammy Garcia to create some art work on an index card each day for the months of June and July. I will post the link on the right. There are no rules other than the work must be done on an index card either 3 x 5 inches or 4 x 6. The reason for this is explained by Tammy but basically it frees you up to experiment because if you really don't like what you have done you can just start over with another card. You can use lined or plain cards, tabbed or not. I am using a selection of lined and plain cards from my stash in the 4 x 6 size.

There are prompts posted on the challenge page but you don't have to use them if you don't want to. I am using them at the moment. The weekly prompt was colour and the one for this card was wallpaper.

 I did use distress stain to colour the card first for another idea then changed my mind. I decided to use fiber paste to create a raised effect. I placed the stencil over the card and spread fiber paste across it using an old credit card. When I carefully lifted the stencil off I was left with the flower design on the card. I let it dry for a couple of hours.

Note: if you don't have fiber paste you could use texture paste, molding paste or even a thick gel medium. They will give you a smoother finish.

 I then used twinkling H2Os by Luminarte to paint the whole card. I let this dry for about an hour.

The next step was to spray the card with Lindys Stamp Gang spray in the Jolly Roger Red shade. I sprayed it quite generously while it was flat and left it to dry overnight. The sprays are a lot darker when wet. When it dries the spray collects around any textured areas and highlights them.  It also washed some of the watercolour off the raised areas.

I like the finished index card. It reminds me of an old piece of embossed wallpaper.

#1 This card was the first one I did using the prompts colour - red and zebra.  I sketched a zebra from a photo then painted in the stripes with twinkling H2O (hot cinnamon shade). I then sprayed a little water along the bottom and watched the colour spread. Simple technique but very effective.

#2 This card used the prompts colour - orange and candyland. Another experiment using twinks and black pen outlines. I think in the future I will be using some of these cards as a jumping off point for a journal page.

If you are interested in joining in it is not too late. Check out the link on the right.