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We've talked about ones we love, ones we dont love (lol), ones that are not trendy but we still like them....
Time for the war stories.
What technique are you struggling with but REFUSE to give up on?
Struggling = From just cant get it exactly right, to flat out no matter what you do, it does not work and you want to throw it out the window and say some choice words. Anywhere along the spectrum! Could be weeks, could be years.
Bonus points: Are you doing it JUST because you invested in supplies and dont want to waste them, or b/c you really want to know how to do it and are hanging in there?
I'll start. Coloring. At this point I think I am going to have to try some online classes in the winter so I am glad someone asked what the good ones are. Before I invest more into pens. My live teachers just shake their heads. Three years now?
Bonus: I really would love to master this for a dimensional look.
Layouts. Sketches are in my future too. I keep having ideas but they just wont gel on the card right. I could technically live without coloring, but I have to be able to do a layout, if only to use sketches. Since day one. Now I get some right but the % is still too low and too hard to get to.
Bonus: This is fundamental. If I cant get this improved...a lot of my stash could be considered wasted unless I want to spend my life casing other people.
Haha, So far I'm 2 for 2. I have always struggled with coloring. I won a set of Chameleon pens and I am getting better. I really appreciated Dina's palette blending tutorial which has,also helped a lot. Brayering escapes me but I love the look. I heard that SU has a new brayer but I think it's not the tool but the user that is the issue.
I apparently also struggle with getting my thread titles right! That should be struggle! Boy, If I am not getting the dates wrong on the sale thread, I am mis-spelling in regular ones. :rolleyes:
I think (hope) this is going to be very interesting for people as we see others struggle with something we are ok with, and we fight with something they breeze through.
Watercoloring!! I have tried for years and still feel like I can't get this right. I am slowly working my way through an online class, but still feel very uncertain about everything I do using watercolor mediums. Most other coloring mediums I feel very competent in, but not this loose watercolor stuff!
__________________ Rediscovering the simple joy of stamping and exploring my art! Stamp your ART out! Share your thoughts. Let your heart sing.
Come check out my Gallery and leave a comment!
FS465
I struggle with something pretty basic and won't give up! Heat embossing! I do all the hygiene things - embossing buddy, make sure my powder isn't old, etc., but my results are not ever as crisp as I'd like! But I soldier on!
And to the watercolor comment - practice!! It's like piano - it takes repetition! You will get it!
I agree with Kathy on the Brayering. I think I watched and followed every video Michelle Zindorf ( I think that is the woman who is the brayering expert) has and still I could not get my brayered backgrounds to look even close to hers. I gave up!
Her work is gorgeous!
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
I struggle with techniques that are easy peasy one day and another day it's as if I've never spent a moment doing it. Like watercoloring. It's my favorite of all, yet can kick me to the curb.
And I think Lydia is right - it's all about practice. When taking an on-line sketching and watercolor class, it went smoother and smoother as time went on. I practiced a bunch and loved it.
(Except I remember drawing cup handles about 50 times before I got even close to sort of okay. I even drew a silly sketch and watercolor about the agony of cup handles, which kept looking like ears, complete with blood - red watercolor dripping down the page by blowing through a straw.)
Anyway, after just a couple weeks away from the class I lost ground. Practice doesn't make perfect in my world, but it makes better.
For me it's creating scenic or artsy cards with masking and inking with ink applicators, mix of stamps, and things like masking fluids etc and other mixed media projects. But I still try doing them sometimes because I love the look. Brayering on the other hand I think I have given up on :-(
Oh no. I hadn't had problems with brayering, because the first time I did it was in a instructor-led workshop with personal attention since there were only four of us.
But now that I know it's traditional to have brayering problems, the next time it won't work. It's like when my husband asked if I ever got a foot cramp when I moved my foot in a certain way, and I never had, but after that, it happened, because my foot heard him.
Watercoloring. I used to do a lot more of it (at least 12 years ago) and with practice I got OK. Quit it for way too long and now I look like a beginner again. I need to practice again!
Mary Beth
I used to struggle with sponging, but I'm a lot better at it than I used to be.
It may sound silly, but the technique I struggle most with is heat embossing! I have all the kit but can't seem to get a decent result, so now I tend to avoid even trying. I need to get over this mental hurdle and just do a day of embossing to work it out!
I apparently also struggle with getting my thread titles right! That should be struggle! Boy, If I am not getting the dates wrong on the sale thread, I am mis-spelling in regular ones. :rolleyes:
"Strggle" evokes the sense and feel of a struggle more than "struggle" does, so your creative spelling works for me.
Embossing tips: Use veramark pad rather than an embossing pad.
Use a smooth card stock like Stampin' Up! White or Vanilla
Use a good quality powder. I like SU! Or Judikins
Use embossing buddy
Flick back of CS with fingernail after applying powder. Check front for
stray bits. Remove with brush.
Heat from back side of CS with heat tool. Watch carefully and don't
overheat or it will get dull. When I first started embossing, I didn't
own a heat gun and I embossed over a burner on my electric stove.
When I started using a heat gun, I was less happy with the results as
they seemed less smooth and the only thing that seemed different
was that I was heating from the front so I tried heating from the
Back and that did the trick.
__________________ Rediscovering the simple joy of stamping and exploring my art! Stamp your ART out! Share your thoughts. Let your heart sing.
Come check out my Gallery and leave a comment!
FS465
Bonus-I can do this, I know I can. Practice is all I need but I get distracted so easily.
Kathy like you I applied heat to the back by... holding it over a light bulb because in my town there was no craft store and computers were just evolving to p.c.'s .
My struggle is with watercoloring backgrounds. Smooshing makes a hot mess of my watercolor paper. Too much water, not enough water, wrong ink, paint, etc. I do enjoy watercoloring images but the bigger the target the worse it is for me.
I started card making a few years ago and saw brayered backgrounds on YouTube that were beautiful. Got a brayer, got some glossy paper, tried it and it worked!!!! I made lovely cards...then some time went by...maybe about 6 months...tried it again and by golly...I cannot get it to work now??
Even my layouts were better back then. I think I'm just too filled up with ideas, techniques and product and now I can't do what I did before. Very frustrating.
__________________ We can't all be stars but we can all twinkle.
I struggle with cards that are anything other than a fold in the centre eg: a centre step card, gatefold etc! I get so messed up with measuring and scoring and 9 times out of 10, it's a bin job :( I check and re-check my measurements too! It frustrates me no end! I do like cards that are shaped differently but they certainly challenge me: I shall NOT give up!!
For those struggling with brayering, can I recommend this ladys videos? I struggled too, till I watched her, and saw all the little things I'd been doing wrong. Like how i held the brayer,for starters, lol. Mrs Lumpys 101 Mrs Lumpys 102
Layered CAS cards- the kind that Kay Miller and Shari Carrol make.
These always catch my eye, and I just love how perfectly everything is layered. The flowers, the leaves, the panels - it looks very detailed, but it's still clean and simple. I keep trying to make something like that, but I never feel like I'm quite there.
I've read that this style might be easier for scrapbookers - since it echoes layering pictures and embellishments. I have no scrapbooking experience, so I've nothing to compare it to. But I've taken to watching some scrapbooking videos in hopes that some of that knowledge will get absorbed.
This is also the same reason I can't seem to do the lovely vintage or shabby chic stuff, either. I love seeing cards and projects that use it. I'm actually really drawn to the whole vintage aesthetic, but my own style is too modern/simple to pull it off effectively.
Bonus-I can do this, I know I can. Practice is all I need but I get distracted so easily.
Kathy like you I applied heat to the back by... holding it over a light bulb because in my town there was no craft store and computers were just evolving to p.c.'s .
"Back in the day" we used to hold our project over a toaster, too. You can't do it with the new-fangled toasters. If there's no bread in there you can't keep the thing from popping back up, so it doesn't get hot...
I CANNOT do that trick where you color your stamp with markers, "huff" on it and stamp it! I have to mask and stamp one color at a time (thank goodness for the MISTI) if I want a multi-colored image. I'm determined to get better, though. I'm going to start by coloring and misting with water so it looks "watercolor-y" - that's not supposed to be all crisp and clean and well-defined, so maybe I'll have some success...?
This might sound odd, but I think my biggest struggle is "white space". I've seen many beautiful cards with lots of white space, and they just seem to enhance the focal image. When I try it, though, it just looks like it's unfinished. I feel the need to just keeping adding stuff... probably too much stuff.
I can't say I'm struggling with it because I bought the supplies, LOL... but I suppose I could save a little on supplies if I could master that "less is more" idea.
__________________ ~ Kitty ~ "If you can dream it, you can do it." - Walt Disney
This might sound odd, but I think my biggest struggle is "white space". I've seen many beautiful cards with lots of white space, and they just seem to enhance the focal image. When I try it, though, it just looks like it's unfinished. I feel the need to just keeping adding stuff... probably too much stuff.
I can't say I'm struggling with it because I bought the supplies, LOL... but I suppose I could save a little on supplies if I could master that "less is more" idea.
This is exactly my struggle too! I have a real hard time with it. Everyone else's looks just fine. Mine always looks like it needs something else!
I can layer the heck out of a card though, I'm good at that! so I think I do shabby chic pretty well. That white space though, it gets me....
This might sound odd, but I think my biggest struggle is "white space". I've seen many beautiful cards with lots of white space, and they just seem to enhance the focal image. When I try it, though, it just looks like it's unfinished. I feel the need to just keeping adding stuff... probably too much stuff.
I can't say I'm struggling with it because I bought the supplies, LOL... but I suppose I could save a little on supplies if I could master that "less is more" idea.
Not weird at all. Although it's my "soul" style - it took me a long time to master it!
I have another one....white objects/parts in an image. I dont know what do with them that they dont look like I missed coloring a spot. AI images often have them.
I know I am supposed to shade a bit with light grey or blue or something, but that never works for me.
The other day I got a beautiful card from a friend and she had a flower pot that she had shaded. It was clearly a white pot. I cant do that!!
I am working on the white field question by changing the orientation/size of focal. Instead of landscape with the image in a corner, I use a portrait and then it just looks like less white if that make sense. Depends on the focal point.
Maybe use a slightly bigger one. Like 2 1/2 inch vs 1 1/2. Still a lot of white but feels better somehow. Like swimming in the shallow end first.
I struggle with making beautiful one-layer cards with just an image and a sentiment. I think mine look amateur.
I want to master that so I can make several at a time and have a stack of quick cards.
Another thing I suck at is sponging backgrounds with Tim Holtz distress pads. I think it's the sponging that sucks, and I've tried it using the nonstick sheet he sells and just plain paper and sponging from outside in, but I never get the color to fade into another prettily like everyone else seems to do. I want to master this technique to emulate the beautiful backgrounds one can make with a piece of white cardstock and inks.
Try buying Copics in the gray tones. There are warm grays and neutral grays and cool grays. I have the 0,1,2,3,5,7, and 9 of each type of gray. In fact, I don't use black Copics, just use the darker grays. The light grays help a lot with coloring in "white."
Quote:
Originally Posted by wavejumper
I have another one....white objects/parts in an image. I dont know what do with them that they dont look like I missed coloring a spot. AI images often have them.
I know I am supposed to shade a bit with light grey or blue or something, but that never works for me.
The other day I got a beautiful card from a friend and she had a flower pot that she had shaded. It was clearly a white pot. I cant do that!!
I am working on the white field question by changing the orientation/size of focal. Instead of landscape with the image in a corner, I use a portrait and then it just looks like less white if that make sense. Depends on the focal point.
Maybe use a slightly bigger one. Like 2 1/2 inch vs 1 1/2. Still a lot of white but feels better somehow. Like swimming in the shallow end first.
Thanks Claudette! I have pens...I just cant make it work. But I wont give up!
I know what you mean about the sponging...one color, I am ok. Blending with another color...esp not the same in a different tone (like darker to lighter blue) like blue to orange for a sunset-not so good. So far I find not overlapping them too much avoids the mud line....
For those struggling with brayering, can I recommend this ladys videos? I struggled too, till I watched her, and saw all the little things I'd been doing wrong. Like how i held the brayer,for starters, lol. Mrs Lumpys 101 Mrs Lumpys 102
I wasn't able to find Mrs Lumpys videos. They are not showing on her Blog. Do you know where else I can find them?
I struggle with cards that are anything other than a fold in the centre eg: a centre step card, gatefold etc! I get so messed up with measuring and scoring and 9 times out of 10, it's a bin job :( I check and re-check my measurements too! It frustrates me no end! I do like cards that are shaped differently but they certainly challenge me: I shall NOT give up!!
If you get a Silhouette Cameo it will cut all the fancy folds and as well as the score lines! They come out perfectly! There are so many neat folds to do. Take a look at https://www.silhouettedesignstore.com
I am struggling with using those Zig Brush water color pens too. I love the look of what other do. I will keep trying.
@wavejumper:
I color white surfaces with Copics quite often, so I've got a couple of tips that might help:
- Choose the right "shade" color. I don't use grays, personally, because it's harder to get contrast with them. Instead, I use blue for the pure white (B41 & B45) or earth for creamy white (E50 & E53). I use the gray tones when I'm going for a very pale gray or off-white look.
- Put your color only where you'd see the deepest shadows, and don't try to blend it out smoothly. This is a big one, especially if you're used to blending things, but blending adds a lot of extra color and you want your piece to look white with dimension, not gray,blue or cream. So, only put the color in the darkest shade, then use the colorless blender (0) to push the color back toward the edge and soften the transition.
- Remember to leave some room for reflected light (some info here). This is particularly important with smooth round objects. But, if you leave that little thin line between the edge and the shadow, it helps add extra dimension. It's tough to do on itty bitty stamps, but it can help with those big pieces that are the focus of the card (like a vase).
I struggle with watercoloring also. I love the soft look, but it just never seems to look right to me. I keep practicing though I gave up on those fold cards and just bought a die. Now they come out folding perfect every time!!!
__________________ Mary ~~ QFTD #152, FS#514CC Guest Design Team 2012, 2013, 2017 & 2022 2014 CAS Spring Design Team MemberSC Guest Design Team 2015 & 2022 SU Consultant "Life's greatest adventure is finding your place in the Circle of Life" - Lion King
I am still struggling with the gelli plate. I can't get the stencils, or texture pieces I put in the paint to show up much. I've tried more paint, less paint, more water, less water, watching videos (even pausing it at each step before continuing) and maybe get one passable one out of a dozen. I have even worked side by side with a friend while we follow a video. Neither of us were impressed with our results. I haven't had it out in a while as I love sponging, brayering and reinker techniques to make backgrounds and am happy with my results, luckily. I will soldier on, however, when I have a couple of hours to play.
for the heat embossing challenged ladies.here is what i tell my students if they just can't master heat embossing (to the point of giving it up)
use a colored pigment ink and cover with clear embossing powder. you have no random flecks of melted powder that wont come off and it looks almost identical to colored embossing powder
Technique you strggle with but wont give up on
Still try...
