52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge

Friday 7 June 2019

Lavinia Stamps - Northern Lights Sky - Step by Step photo tutorial


I have had a fabulous response to my "Northern Lights" card using Lavinia Stamps, with some asking for a step by step guide.  I am no photographer, but have made a duplicate card this evening with a photo step by step, so hope to show how to create the colourful skyscape.



These are the products that I used to create the card.



I started by using a blending tool and Distress Oxides.  The first shade I used was Spiced Marmalade, then Crushed Olive, Picked Raspberry and Peacock Feathers.  Finally, I used Wilted Violet to colour in the remaining areas.




I then added Chipped Sapphire over some of the Wilted Violet area.  I popped a mask of torn card to create the landscape just below the colours and dragged the Black Soot Distress Oxide downwards from the mask, which in turn creates the landscape.




I folded a piece of kitchen roll into four and dampened the inner corner (you could also use an ear bud or a sheet of wet wipe to do the same), and lifted some of the colour by lightly dragging the damp corner across the sky.  This makes the colours in the sky appear more vibrant.

I lay a sheet of copy paper over the land area of the card and using a fan shaped paint brush, dipped into water, splattered droplets on to the sky area.  I then blotted with a piece of kitchen paper.  This produces a bleached effect where the water has been, leaving lighter spots which mimic stars.




At this stage, I moved onto stamping.  When I stamp, I use a Misti platform, other makes work just as well.  This allows you to re-stamp in the exact same position, which is quite hard to do if just using a normal stamp block.

Using Lavinia Stamps "Spring Trees" and "Star Gazing" I used two shades of Versafine Clair ink.  Morning Mist for more distant stamping and Nocturne for closer stamping.  



I then added some Distress Oxide in the shade of "Chipped Sapphire" around the edge of the card and also between some of the colours in the sky (use the edge of the blending tool between the colours as you don't need a solid area of colour).  This seems to make the colours pop more.



Now it's time to create the landscape around the stamped images.  Again I used a mask of torn card and Distress Oxide ink in the shade of Black Soot.  For the landscape right at the front, I used Versafine Clair "Nocturne" ink.

I then stamped the Lavinia Stamps "Mini Slender Mushrooms", again in Versafine Clair, Nocturne.

Finally, using a white Posca pen, I added some stars to the sky and some highlighted areas to the mushrooms.




I hope this has helped you to attempt a similar sky.  Any questions, just leave a message in the comments.  Sam x



65 comments:

  1. Superb tutorial Sam, and the finished cards are stunning, hugs Pauline xxxxxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. thanks for this step by step guide Samantha, well written and steps explained really well

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh thank you for adding tutorial! I am so appreciative. It makes such beauty even seem possible. You are a gifted artist and teacher!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you so much for sharing your technique. This is one of the best tutorials I've seen!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Clear and beautiful tutorial, thanks Sam xx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thankyou for sharing. Beautiful effect. You have inspired me to give this technique a try.xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Deborah. Glad you like it. Feel free to ask me any questions if you do have a go with it. Sam x

      Delete
  7. Bookmarking your post so I can refer to it! Thanks so much for all the pics! Beautiful effect!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the lovely comment Denise. Feel free to ask an questions if you do make one for yourself. Sam x

      Delete
  8. Utterly fantastic thanks for sharing xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for sharing Sam, looks easy to follow I will be giving it a go very soon x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are very welcome. Shout if you have any queries. Sam x

      Delete
  10. wow - love it. Thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wonderful tutorial,thanks for sharing your fab talents!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow Sam, I’ve just cleared the table in anticipation of attempting to recreate your masterpiece! You’re a very clever lady, thanks so much for sharing x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Michele. Can't wait to see what you create x

      Delete
  13. Brilliant tutorial and the best Northern Lights I've seen. I love the first one too -the one with the wider marigold stripes down. Thanks so much for taking the time to do this fab tut which I've saved to try |ASAP!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your kind words Janet. shout if you have any issues when you have a go yourself x

      Delete
  14. Thanks for sharing this.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Beautiful! Thank you for the tutorial.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hello Sam, your card is absolutely stunning....is it possible to make such a card with distress ink instead of distress oxide?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, When you use the oxides and dry each time a colour is used, you can apply another oxide over the top and the colour will more or less stay true. If you use normal Distress Inks the colours will become muddy looking. I guess if you are very careful with your use of Distress Inks, you could achieve some success, but Oxides in this instance are easier to work with. I hope that helps. Sam x

      Delete
  17. That’s a really great card. Thanks for the photos. You should do videos!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so myuch for taking the time to stop by my blog of makes. Sam x

      Delete
  18. Brilliant, thanks for the explanation x

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thank you ! Your card is so beautiful !!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Fantastic technique and a beautiful, whimsical card. TFS

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi Sam, loved your creativity. Tondeley

    ReplyDelete
  22. Sam, you are very generous to share this technique. Thank you so much.

    ReplyDelete
  23. These are wonderful pictures and to see northern lights and to enjoy Northern Lights Adventure November to March is the best time.

    ReplyDelete
  24. saw your card on FB and just wanted to let you know I think it is amazing! thank you for sharing how you made it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Netta, it is always lovely to receive feedback like this x

      Delete
  25. Thank you so much for the tutorial, think even I will give it a go.Hoping I got the Oxides, mostly bought the Inks in the beginning. Stunning card, I love it x

    ReplyDelete
  26. i love this card! thank you for taking the time to show us!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Amazing card and superb directions. I cannot wait to attempt to recreate your card. So beautiful! Thank you for sharing your beautiful work with us and instructions on how to recreate.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Merci pour ces bonnes idées. C'est à essayer.
    J'aime beaucoup ces cartes; un grand bravo.
    Bonne année 2021.
    Jeannine

    ReplyDelete
  29. Beautiful card, loving your sky, I hope to try soon. Thanks for sharing x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much Sue. It's lovely to hear that I've inspired somebody to give something a try. Sam x

      Delete
  30. Thank you so much for offering up this wonderful tutorial. I’ve always wanted to learn how to do northern lights, but hadn’t found a tutorial that suited my needs as yours has done.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Not only is your card beautiful, but so is your soul! You have been so kind and generous to share your techniques with us, thank you so much! Not sure I'll ever be able to do it, but at least you've given me a roadmap to guide me!

    ReplyDelete