Collage Stamping by Becky Olsen

Welcome to collage stamping, it is a wonderful and very creative process that has so much potential. There are so many different methods to create collaged images, but I am going to address a stamping version in a pretty straightforward and easy to replicate technique. It is also my intention to share some things that made it easier for me and some of the pitfalls I would like to help you avoid.

So what do you say? Are you ready to try collage style in your stamping? Let's start by making masks with a piece of Eclipse Tape and then stamp the images from the Haute Couture stamp set onto the top. Now carefully fussy cut each of the images out using either a craft knife or sharp detail scissors. It is worth taking the time to do the masks right, they are re-useable as long as you take care of them and keep them on the protective backing when you are done using them.

Because Mother's Day is just around the corner, I thought it would be good to get a head start on getting some cards made and into the mail to those special women in my life. So I cut a few pieces of Neenah Solar white into pieces sized at 2 3/4" x 4 1/4" (cut an 8 1/2" x 11" piece into quarters and then those pieces into half)

I then put the two fashionistas from the Haute Couture stamp set onto an acrylic block.

I wanted to do a side by side comparison of working in simply black and white on the right side and then color layers on the left side. So Black Soot was stamped first then I cleaned the stamp and then stamped the left piece with Aged Mahogany in about the same location as the first piece.

This is where my first mask came in handy! I peeled it from the protective backing and then placed it over the fashionistas so I could stamp the Eiffel tower to look like it was behind them. This is where you have to plan ahead and think in layers.

I knew I wanted this image to be the focal point, so I planned all the other images around it. By stamping it first, it became the image that wouldn't have any interruption.

Once the mask is in place stamp I stamped the other images in similar locations on each piece, cleaning the stamps between using on the next. The colors that I used on the pink/red are Worn Lipstick, and Fired Brick. With selecting color, you have so many options! For this project I went with darker to lightest to add visual perspective. The great thing about stamps, ink and masks is that you can experiment to achieve endless options! Try lightest to darkest when applying color or adjust the perspectives to have larger images behind and smaller ones in front, playing is what it is all about.

Next I applied the Eiffel Tower mask so I could add one last detail to the pieces.

After I had the look I had planned on, I placed all of the masks over their respective images to protect them.

Then I inked up the French Script Backgrounder and stamped it over the whole image.

One of my little pitfalls was not carefully cleaning the wet ink that had been left of the top of the masks, so with a soft tissue or other dry and easy to handle cloth, remove that ink without pushing it out onto the paper. Then carefully peel the masks off of the first image and place them over the second, also make sure to clean the stamp. Then stamp the second image with the French Script with Tattered Rose ink.

Again carefully remove the masks we can see the finished pieces side by side! I love the dimension

This is what the finished piece looks like on a card! The card base and mat were made from Peony Memory Box card stock, the patterned paper is from the Green at Heart 6" x 6" paper pad and the flower is a Prima Innoscence Snow Angel that I colored lightly with a Copic RV23 and then went back over it with a Copic Colorless Blender to soften and blend the color into the flower.

Here is another angle.

I wanted to play again with a different set of stamps and type of ink so I created masks using the Eclipse Tape from the Royal Birthday stamp set and used Adirondack inks in Espresso, Cranberry, Watermelon, and Shell Pink.

I wanted the focal image to be the royal decree so stamped that first in the center of both pieces in Cranberry on the left and Espresso on the right.

I then placed the mask over that image and stamped Watermelon on the left and continued with the Espresso on the right.

After everything was stamped where I had planned, the masks were applied again.

On the top image I used the Shell Pink and Espresso on the bottom. I love this combination of colors, it was suggested by the label on the bottom of the Adirondack ink pad, just peel the top layer away, and a wonderful table of ink combination's is revealed!

The card base and mat were created using Currant Memory Box card stock and Green at Heart 6" x 6" paper pad. The patterned paper was stitched onto the card base and the collage piece was stitched onto the mat and then adhered to the card base using three dimensional foam adhesive for extra dimension. I think this is a fun card to remind a special woman who really is the Queen of Everything, even if it is just for the day.

Thanks for coming along with me in the wonderful, creative journey of collage stamping! I hope that you take a few minutes to play with this exciting style of stamping!

B-

Comments

[Calli Medved]

Becky: I love this collage you created. Are you sure the measurements are 2 3/4" by 4 1/4" because when you cut the 8 1/2" x 11 into four - I end up with four pieces that are 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". What am I missing? My email is callimedved9@yahoo.com. Would love love on this one...thanks.

[Mona Lisa]

Completely AMAZING Bek! You are such a talented chica. :^)

[Bonnie]

I love this technique...have only tried it once but, now with these tips I will definitely try it again! Thank you for sharing your beautiful cards, Bonnie :-)