Bear Adventures: From Story Tiles to Polaroid Scenes

 

Hello crafty friends, and welcome to Watercolor Weekend!

Today’s project was a fun one! I decided to use the Bear Set as inspiration for two cards. I started by placing the Story Tile Die onto Canson Watercolor Paper and tracing the squares as a guide for my layout.

Next, I used my stamp platform to stamp the bears with Distress Ink in Antique Linen. I began coloring the bears with Tombow 947, then used a black Pitt Artist Pen to fill in the eyes and nose for added definition.

Once the bears were finished, I moved on to building the scene. I used masking tape to cover the bears so I wouldn’t stamp over them, then stamped in the trees and grass. Using a damp brush, I pulled color out from the stamped lines on the trees to soften the look. To finish the ground, I added more green using Tombow 177 to create depth and a natural feel.

I then used Tombow 526 to add a soft sky. Next, I used a brown TwinTone marker to add additional details and definition to the bears. For the final touches, I used Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed Proof White to add small flowers throughout the grass.

Once the coloring was complete, I placed the panel back into my stamp positioner to stamp the sentiment. I selected patterned paper from the Father’s Day Paper Pack and used the Story Tile Die to cut the frame. I also cut a second frame from watercolor paper and adhered it behind the patterned paper frame for added dimension before attaching everything to an A2 card base.

Materials Used

Stamps & Dies

• 6064 Bear Set
• 6158 Story Tile Die
• 5010 Tree Set 1
• 5826 Large Tree Set 2 (“grass”)

Paper

• 6072 Father’s Day PP
• Canson Watercolor Paper

Inks & Mediums

• Versafine Clair Nocturne
• Distress Ink – Antique Linen
• Pitt Artist Pen – Black
• Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed Proof White
• TwinTone Marker – Brown

Tombow Markers

• 177 – Trees, Grass
• 947 – Bear
• 526 – Sky

For my second card, I continued with the bear theme using many of the same materials to show another option without using the Story Tile Die. I wanted to create the look of sequenced Polaroid-style snapshots, capturing a little “bear sighting” scene.

I started with Canson Watercolor Paper and used the rectangle die from the Mini Journal Template (5718), cutting it out three times. To create a consistent inner frame, I cut a piece of paper measuring 1 ¼” x 1 ¾” and used it as a template, placing it over each rectangle and lightly tracing a border.

Next, I placed all three pieces into my stamp platform. Using two bear stamps, I planned out the scene across the panels. I used masking tape to cover the bordered edges so I wouldn’t stamp over them. Once everything was stamped, I colored the bears, then added trees, grass, and flowers to complete the scene.

For an extra touch, I added small sentiments at the bottom of each “Polaroid” to enhance the storytelling feel of the card.

Materials Used

Stamps & Dies

• 6064 Bear Set
• 5797 Little Things Sentiment Set
• 5063 Double Stitched Rectangle Die
• 5718 Mini Journal Template
• 5010 Tree Set 1
• 5372 Mini Foliage
• 5826 Large Tree Set 2 (“grass”)
• 4868 Flower Set 2
• 5009 Mini Flower Set

Paper

• 6072 Father’s Day PP
• Canson Watercolor Paper

Inks & Mediums

• Versafine Clair Nocturne
• Distress Ink – Antique Linen
• Pitt Artist Pen – Black
• Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed Proof White
• TwinTone Marker – Brown

Tombow Markers

• 177 – Trees, Grass
• 947 – Bear
• 856, 555 – Flowers
• 526 – Sky

I hope these two cards inspire you to try different ways of creating scenes with your stamps, whether using dies or simple layouts. Most of all, have fun experimenting with your supplies!