Larger Stampscapes Cards

I had a Christmas Party to attend for which I wanted to take some Christmas cards - but didn't have a lot of time to make them.  I started by making these rectangular pictures (started with glossy card stock cut to 4 1/4" x 5 1/2") using Stampscapes stamps.  I created them basically the same way I did when making the small scenes for the snow globes (see this post).  I cut black card stock  to 6" x 4 3/4" and centered the pictures on one side of them.  I then printed a message on white paper that I cut and glued to the back of the cardstock.  While I varied them some, I made them in 5 basic themes.  You see one of these at the top of this post.  Here are the others:

I did try one like a sample the Stampscapes creator did in a video I watched, but decided not to do any more like it.  It was pretty, but more work than I really had time for:

 

I liked the way they turned out, but was afraid I would forget what I did by the time I tried to do something similar again, so here are my Coloring Hints:

• Start by stamping images with black StazOn ink (other archival inks may work, but some of the others I've tried don't dry as fast and tend to smear a bit).
• Finish adding color to the background before adding detail.  Otherwise things sometimes smear.
• I like adding background color with distress inks & the round foam applicator from Ranger.  Other dye inks are okay, but most of the others that I have dry faster than I'd like.  You CAN add pigment ink over top, but be careful.  It doesn't dry or blend the same way and takes a long time to dry.  You might speed this drying time up with a heat tool.
• For the background, start with lightest shade & blend from there with shades getting progressively darker & staying progressively closer to the edge.
• Background colors can be added with Zig Scroll & Brush markers, but this works best over the top of the distress ink, and you must move quickly to blend it in.  Shadows can be created by adding a bit of marker at the darkest point & then blending out with your finger.
• Dab bits of color from the markers to add shading
• Often my pictures look a bit drab until I use the white marker to add spots of reflected light, snow, and/or stars.  You can soften the look (for instance on the top of rocks) by dabbing the white pen & then immediately tapping it or wiping it with your finger.