Do you enjoy making/admiring abstract art? Design Ambassador Emily Mydlowski is sharing her ideas on how to stamp and die cut your way to two-dimension abstract card designs using the Organic Elements Stamp Set with our Essential Arches Designer Dies.
Creating abstract card pieces can be such a freeing experience to know there are no lines-rules to follow…just some fun stamps and colorful die cuts ready for your creative mind to play. No matter what you create it will be funky, cool and unique. Plus, if you are ever in a creative block-jam-funk, it’s a great way to “unblock” and play with paper to see what happens (no rules-except to have fun and experiment) and that’s exactly what I did when I combined the Organic Elements with the Essentials Arches Designer Dies. I put on some tunes and experimented my way to what I like to call Modern Two-Dimensional Abstract Print Cards.
Getting Started
When I’m in a creative funk, I find that picking my color palette and laying out my supplies so they are ready to experiment always helps to jump start the process. A rainbow of colors always gets my creative juices flowing and I found the most beautiful hues in the Memory Box 6×6 Paper Pads in Berry Red, Sunny Orange, Fresh Aqua and Vibrant Violet. Then I matched the paper colors with Catherine Pooler Inks and selected Be Mine, Polished, Lemongrass, Daydream and Sweet Sixteen.
Block-Print Inspired Card Designs
The first set of cards are all about repurposing the modern arches across two card designs by separating the frames from the solid arches. I took my cues from modern block prints that continue to catch my eye all over Instagram & Etsy.
To get started, I ran 6 Modern Arches Essentials Dies starting with the largest to smallest in size with Pink, Red, Orange, Yellow, Aqua and Purple papers.
With my favorite VersaFine Clair Nocturne Ink, I stamped a few black impressions of the Organic Elements to a white card panel and kept the flow of elements by creating a triangle-like pattern.
Then I layered the arches in rainbow order over the pattern leaving some of the stamping exposed between and around the arches. To finish the card, I turned the purple arch on its side and added a white heat-embossed “Thinking of You” sentiment from Random Sayings Volume 1. I love it when you find these types of “perfect fit-surprises”.
Speaking of perfect fit, on my second card I was pleased to discover that the organic branch fit perfectly inside the yellow arch with enough room for a framed aqua arch accent. I layered solid & frame Essential Arches Die Cuts to a white card panel and completed the card with a “Just a Note” sentiment from Random Sayings Volume 1.
Abstract Street Art Inspired Card Designs
For my second set of cards, I was inspired by all the colorful layers of pattern & color with architectural lines that you find in abstract street art.
To get started, I used the large organic element shapes to add layers of stamped color to two white card panels. For the Essential Arches Die Cuts, rather than running each die through the machine individually, I ran all the dies together with both White and Oyster Gray cardstock which created both thin and thick frames to work with.
Tip/Trick: When you run all the dies together, it’s now acting like an intricate die. Because of this, you may want to use a metal shim in your plate sandwich or use an electronic die cutting machine like the Gemini Junior. I opted for the Gemini Junior.
For the first card, I created one large arch from one of the stamped panels. Then I die-cut a smaller arch in the center which was the perfect fit for the You’re the Best sentiment. I added a thick Oyster Gray and White Frame around and inside the stamped arches. To complete the card, I added three black star embellishments in the center arch.
For my last card, I used a little bit of everything for an abstract explosion of texture, color and design. All the elements from the previous cards rolled into one design: the thin and thick frames in Gray and White, the thin frame from the large arch from the previous card and then several crisp black organic elements that I stamped over and under the arch frames. To finish the card, I added the Good Vibes Only sentiment to the center arch and added the little black star embellishments.
Tip/Trick: For all four cards, I found that liquid adhesive was the best way to adhere the frames in place. This provided the flexibility I needed to position/reposition the Arch Frames in place.
So there we are friends…fresh, fun and unique two dimensional abstract card designs inspired by Abstract Block Prints and Abstract Street Art using the Organic Elements Stamp Set and Essential Arches Designer Dies. I hope my projects inspire you to use your stamps and dies in fun new ways with No Rules except “Have FUN and see where the stamping and paper takes you!”
Big Paper Hugs!
Emily
1 Comment
Love what you did with those arches!