Magical Marker Techniques

Hello! Welcome back to another day of techniques. Today we are focusing on marker techniques. Another class I took from Altenew was Magical Marker Techniques. I learned how to take my artist markers to a new level while creating cards. A few of the tips I learned from this class are the following: using metal and alcohol to create a splotched effect with the ink, spritz the alcohol on the aluminum after coloring it with an alcohol marker, using the markers to color embellishments, using a stencil with the markers, and creating balance on cards by placing items on opposite sides.

While there were many more tips to take our artist markers to another level, I will be focusing on these tips. First, I started with a card base cut to 4 1/4″ by 5 1/2″ and folded it to create a horizontal card. Next, I cut a 4″ by 5 1/4″ inch pink panel to create a mat for my card and glued this to the card base. Next, I took aluminum foil…or as we say in the south, tin foil, and doubled it over and glued it together. By doubling it over, it made the aluminum foil sturdier. Next, using my Spectrum Noir PL3 alcohol marker, I used the chiseled edge and colored a small block of the aluminum foil. I allowed the marker to dry and then spritzed alcohol over it and gently dabbed it with a paper towel. You have to be careful not to rub the paper towel, but rather dab it to ensure it gets the spots. Then, using my guillotine paper trimmer from We R MemoryKeepers, I cut two thin strips of the colored aluminum foil. Also note that a sliding paper trimmer will not work on aluminum foil as it will tear it. You can cut it using scissors, but I wanted my strips to be even. I set those strips to the side and began creating my background.

For the background, I took the Altenew Liquid Marble Stencil and taped it down to a small 3 1/2″ by 4 3/4″ white cardstock panel. Taking the Spectrum Noir MG1 alcohol marker, I traced the outline of the openings in the stencil. Then, I colored each outline in using the same alcohol marker. I removed the stencil and gave the panel about a minute to completely dry. The background turned out great! I had not ever used alcohol markers with stencils, but I liked how this turned out. I knew I wanted the sentiment to be stamped in the top right corner of this marbled panel. For the sentiment, I used the Altenew Thinking of You stamp set, and took one of the cursive “thinking of you” stamps and the “my friend” stamp and placed it face down on the marbled panel. Then, using a clear acrylic block, I picked up the stamps and inked these with Versamark ink and stamped the sentiment in the top right corner. Next, I poured black embossing powder over the sentiment and heat set it.

After embossing the sentiment, I glued the two aluminum strips to the left side of the marbled panel. Using the Altenew Vintage Roses layering stamp set, I stamped the leaves. For the leaves, the solid layer was stamped using Altenew Frayed Leaf ink. The second leaf layer used was Altenew Forest Glades ink. The final leaf layer was Altenew Evergreen ink. Next, I die cut the leaves using the coordinating Altenew Vintage Roses leaf die. Then, using the Altenew Vintage Flowers layering stamp set, I stamped the flower. For the first solid layer of the flower, I used Altenew Pink Diamonds ink. The second layer was stamped using Altenew Pinkalicious ink. The final layer was stamped using Altenew Rubellite ink. Since I do not have the coordinating die set for the Vintage Flowers (I only have the coordinating Vintage Roses die set), I fussy cut this flower. It did not take long to cut out, however, I do plan to order the Vintage Flowers die set in the near future.

To finalize the card, I used foam dimensional tape on the back of the flower and placed it on top of part of the aluminum strips to the left side of the marbled panel. Then, I glued down four leaves, two on each side of the flower. I went around the edge of the marbled panel using the Spectrum Noir PL1 alcohol marker to give it added interest. Next, using a piece of thick craft foam and double-sided permanent adhesive, I taped this marbled panel to the craft foam to give it dimension. I glued down the marbled panel on top of the pink matted card base. Finally, I took my black Spectrum Noir alcohol marker and colored over some iridescent gems so that these would tie in with the black embossed sentiment. I glued those down with glue dots and this completed my card.

Thank you again for stopping by to check out this card using marker techniques. I hope you enjoyed it and will come again. Let me know what you think in the comments!