Using STAEDTLER Pastel Chalks

Hi Everyone:

You thought that I was MIA right! Well, no I have been right here working on design work and some work for publications that I am trying out for. So yes, I have been busy. Also, we are back to Home Schooling, so life is busy again. A good busy though!

I wanted to share a Tutorial to show how to use STAEDTLER Pastel Chalks to make backgrounds for your card or canvas projects. I was so impressed with how easy they were to use and how well they blended together. Amazing really how it all came together. Why not give these Pastel chalks a try yourself and see what you think!

So here is the canvas that I was working on using these Pastel Chalks. Now I kept it simple but distress inks can be added over top of the chalks and apples or cherries could be added to the tree. This can even be used has a Autumn canvas project. I am thinking that I will be adding some pumpkins and maybe some more fall embellishments later. Not sure yet though!

Supply List:

Ink: Black StazOn

One 5x7 artist canvas

White Gel Pen: Marvey

Tree DieCut: Unknown

Tools: Mop Brush, Blending Tool

Coloring Mediums: STAEDTLER Soft-Pastel Chalks

                                                             

Cut a piece of cardstock the same size has your canvas or card base. This is to be used to make a mask to cover various areas of your project while adding chalk colors. Take this piece of cardstock and draw lines to create the shape of rolling hills/grassy mounds. Cut along the lines to separate the grass mounds from the sky and ground areas.

Take the bottom half of this mask and cover what will be your grass area on your canvas. This is to prevent the spreading of any sky colors on to the grass area. With the lower portion of canvas covered, lay the cloud die cuts randomly on the upper part of canvas with repositionable adhesive. Next, using the blue chalk colors, add color to sky by gently adding strokes of chalk across the canvas. Be sure to leave some white spaces has you blend chalk closer to the hills/grass area. Next take a blending tool or Mop Brush and rub the chalk in a sweeping or circular motion.

Once sky has been added and shading completed, remove cloud die cuts from upper portion of canvas. Use a Mop Brush to soften any areas that may look to dark. Take the lower portion of the cardstock mask that was made in the first step and cut along the line that separates the two hills. This will be the 3^rd mask has seen in Step One.

To begin adding color to the grass/ground area, first cover the upper portion again, then take half of the grass mask that was just separated and cover the left side. The other side is what will be colored with green chalk. Once this is completed repeat the step again for the other side.

This is a Progress Shot of what things look like so far. Remembering to leave some of the sky white is a good idea because it gives the idea of a graduation in color.

Now you will need to finish the hill/grass on the other  side.  So just cover these areas you see here and remove the other mask on the left/bottom and start coloring and shading.

                                                                                                                                  To add highlights rub white chalk randomly and soften with the blending tool. With the background complete, the project is ready for stamped images of choice. This project included a tree die cut. The canvas is now ready for more stamping and more embellishments.

I would like to thank Kathy from the "Daily Marker" for sharing her tutorial with us all on how she creates her backgrounds using makers. She was my inspiration here with this project. Thanks so much sweetie. So appreciate all that you do!

Please come back for another canvas project using this tutorial that I shared with you today. I trust that your New Year is off to a good start and that each day is a blessing to you. Until tomorrow, take care of yourselves and each other.

Hugs & Blessings

Dana