Acrylic Pour ATC Backgrounds in Violet

I've found a few spare moments for another Friday freebie ATC Background set.


This time, I'm offering my Backgrounds for you to build upon in the many varying hues and shades of that mysteriously moody color known as violet.

As already mentioned previously, this began with my second try at using the technique known as "Acrylic Pouring" or "Poured Acrylics." The "cells" that developed in this small pour are so very tiny that it is difficult to view them without a little help. So I took a few pictures and then played with those for a little bit using Photoshop. I had to zoom in an awful lot before the "cells" could be enjoyed.

This led to my musing as to how to play with those same photographs I had taken of this experiment using acrylic pouring. There have been other colors before, among them Aquatic and Fuchsia. These are fairly recent posts, so all you have to do is to scroll down just a little bit and you'll quickly see them in other posts. I've already offered a duo of envelopes with labels to match as well, which you will no doubt find on the way down as you scroll.

Happy weekend creativity!

PPSATC™Background Sixpack: 

Acrylic Pour "Varietous Violet"

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

only give, keep or trade any or all of the ATCs

given in my Set above, with or without altering.

You are not free to:

ever sell any of my designs

unless otherwise specified by me

in the Guidelines (like this one).

Thank you 

for helping me to

keep free things free!

ATC Acrylic Pour Background Set: Hot Flash Lava Lamp

Today's freebie is another color way of the "Acrylic Pour" series of ATC Background Sets. This time, the theme is "Hot Flash Lava Lamp."

As I mentioned previously, this began with my second try at using the technique known as "Acrylic Pouring" or "Poured Acrylics." The "cells" that developed in this small pour are so very tiny that it is difficult to view them without a little help. So I took a few pictures and then played with it for a little bit using Photoshop. I had to zoom in an awful lot before the "cells" could be enjoyed.

This led to my musing as to how to play with some photographs I had taken of this experiment using acrylic pouring. There have been 2 other colors before, Aquatic and Fuchsia. More recently, I posted one entitled, "Peanut Butter and Hot Chili Peppers." These are fairly recent posts, so all you have to do is to scroll down just a little bit and you'll quickly see them in other posts. I've already offered a duo of envelopes with labels to match as well, which you will no doubt find on the way when you scroll.

Happy weekend creativity!

PPSATC™Background Sixpack: 

Acrylic Pour "Hot Flash Lava Lamp"

Download HERE

Display version
(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

only give, keep or trade any or all of the ATCs

given in my Set above, with or without altering.

You are not free to:

ever sell any of my designs

unless otherwise specified by me

in the Guidelines (like this one).

Thank you 

for helping me to

keep free things free!

ATC Sixpack:Acrylic Pour Peanut Butter + Hot Chilis

For today's Friday freebie, I've gone a bit wild this time by choosing today's weird color way for my Acrylic Pour series.

After all, whoever heard of having hot chili peppers with peanut butter? Thai food often will contain a combination of peanuts and spicy flavors, so why can't I follow suit?
:)

As I mentioned previously, this began with my second try at using the technique known as "Acrylic Pouring" or "Poured Acrylics." The "cells" that developed in this small pour are so very tiny that it is difficult to view them without a little help. So I took a few pictures and then played with it for a little bit using Photoshop. I had to zoom in an awful lot before the "cells" could be enjoyed.

This led to my musing as to how to play with some photographs I had taken of this experiment using acrylic pouring. There have been 2 other colors before, Aquatic and Fuchsia. These are fairly recent posts, so all you have to do is to scroll down just a little bit and you'll quickly see them in other posts. I've already offered a duo of envelopes with labels to match as well, which you will no doubt find on the way when you scroll.

Happy weekend creativity!

PPSATC™Background Sixpack: 

Acrylic Pour "Peanut Butter + Hot Chili Peppers"

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

only give, keep or trade any or all of the ATCs

given in my Set above, with or without altering.

You are not free to:

ever sell any of my designs

unless otherwise specified by me

in the Guidelines (like this one).

Thank you 

for helping me to

keep free things free!

ATC Acrylic Pour Envelope Set

For those who are enjoying my recent Acrylic Pour ATC Background Set, here are some matching accessories.

For the first ATC Background set in this style (Aquatic), you may follow this link HERE. For the second (Fuchsia) set in this style, you may follow this link HERE.

Happy Creativity!

PPS™ATC Accessory Set: Acrylic Pour,

Colors 1 and 2

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

only give, keep or trade any or all of the ATCs

given in my Set above, with or without altering.

You are not free to:

ever sell any of my designs

unless otherwise specified by me

in the Guidelines (like this one).

Thank you 

for helping me to

keep free things free!

Now in Fuchsia: Acrylic Pour ATC Backgrounds

This new color way for the Acrylic Pour series of Artist Trading Card Backgrounds is the result of a few stray moments of break time color play.

I sometimes have time enough to offer something fun to play with in time for the weekend. Today's will be a new Friday Freebie ATC Background "Sixpack." ATCs are more fun than any sixpack of raspberry soda pop ever could be! (No calories plus they last for as long as we want them to.)

As I mentioned in my first offering in this series, this was my second try at using the technique known as "Acrylic Pouring" or "Poured Acrylics." The "cells" that developed in this small pour are so very tiny that it is difficult to view them without a little help. So I took a few pictures and then played with the most successful image for a while using Photoshop. I had to zoom in an awful lot before the "cells" could be enjoyed. Maybe my next pour experiment will contain some bigger "cells." I hope to be able to try it again fairly soon.

Happy weekend creativity!

PPSATC™Background Sixpack: 

Acrylic Pour "Fugue in Fuchsia"

Download HERE

Display

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

only give, keep or trade any or all of the ATCs

given in my Set above, with or without altering.

You are not free to:

ever sell any of my designs

unless otherwise specified by me

in the Guidelines (like this one).

Thank you 

for helping me to

keep free things free!

A Thank You Post for Dorthe

Dorthe Hansen is a Danish artisan with an eye for detail within design. She is also one of my favorite bloggers. 
Recently, she very kindly shared some of her work using an envelope of my design. I am thrilled with how she's chosen to use one of my ATC envelopes (from this post HERE). Dorthe's work stands out to my eyes as being special anyway, but it's an added bonus to see how she's used my envelope along with one of my color coordinated postage buttons for one of her pieces.

Dorthe is a Design Team Member of "That's Crafty!", and whose work has been featured in Simply Neutrals Tuesday. It's easy to see why her work must be so desirable. She lavishes very careful consideration on each and every detail. She knows how to blend neutral tones with more colorful ones. Some of my favorite designs by her use only neutral tones. Building layer upon layer, she likes to draw everything together into one story of her own making. Some of her work reminds me of delicately decorated pastries, each one unique.

She and I both appreciate the beauty of handmade lace, buttons and trims. There is something truly evocative of times past in such pretty items, isn't there? Dorthe's pretty works are loaded with old lace, buttons and other treasures. Perhaps that's one of the many reasons why I've always enjoyed visiting her blog.

Dorthe has informed me of her choice of materials along with how she's made use of my envelope within her designs. She writes: "I use the envelopes for my tiny tags created with fabric, finding one suitable in colors, for what I made.

Sometimes they are longer, but then I just let them stick out on top, I will send you a photo ."

Here are her 3 photos of one of her projects. I really like how she's used my envelope with its matching button.

Isn't this a nice gift for me to share here?

:)

If you'd like to visit her blog, Den Lille Lade, to see the rest of her very pretty work, you may follow the link located in her name at the top of this post or you may follow this link HERE. There is a lot to see at her blog, so be prepared to be tempted to linger if you go there.

My thanks to Dorthe for her generous gesture!

Happy Creativity!

ATC Sixpack:Acrylic Pour Aquatic Dream

I've finally found a few minutes for this new free ATC Background "Sixpack." More fun than any soda pop, don't you think?
;)

This was my second try at using the technique known as "Acrylic Pouring" or "Poured Acrylics." The "cells" that developed in this small pour are so very tiny that it is difficult to view them without a little help. So I took a few pictures and then played with it for a little bit using Photoshop. I had to zoom in an awful lot before the "cells" could be enjoyed.

Acrylic Pouring is a fun and challenging technique. Beginners can even try it on a shoestring budget. Here in the U.S. we have bargain outlets called Dollar tree or the Dollar Store that sell everything from smaller sized silicone spray lubricant (for squeaks in hinges, etc) to craft paints. An acrylic pour artists named Rick Cheadle has his own channel on YouTube, and there you may find his video entitled, "Paint Pouring On a Dollar Store Budget - Get Started Paint Pouring for UNDER $10." He's not as specific regarding exact ratios of everything, and yet I was stunned as his results using low budget supplies. It really inspired me to begin experimenting myself.

As another option, you can always play with my little experiment for ATCs, shown below.

Happy weekend creativity!

PPSATC™Background Sixpack: 

Acrylic Pour "Aquatic Dream"

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

only give, keep or trade any or all of the ATCs

given in my Set above, with or without altering.

You are not free to:

ever sell any of my designs

unless otherwise specified by me

in the Guidelines (like this one).

Thank you 

for helping me to

keep free things free!

#ATCAD2017: New ATC Background "Sixpack"

The first one in this series, entitled, "Am I Blue?" has gone all Rusty this time around.

June offers a whole new set of challenges this year for fans of Artist Trading Cards. Try making a new one every day! That is this year's challenge. While I most likely won't have enough time to follow through myself, I thought that I could at least offer a few ATC Backgrounds each week for the entire month of June. My entire current stock of ATC Backgrounds may be found by following this link HERE. 

Have fun building on those Backgrounds, all you ATCers out there!

Shoshi very sweetly is allowing me to use a photo that was taken of a renovation project that was being done on her home. For Her blog, you may follow this link HERE. 

Please respect my copyrights and hers by following the red letter Guidelines located at the foot of of this blog. Thank you.

Today is the day for Rugged Rust! Looks sort of Steampunk in flavor to me.

I'd really like to see what some of my guests here at PPS have done using any of my ATC Backgrounds. I like to think of these sets as being blank canvases or as a beginning basis upon which to start adding anything and everything imaginable!

Happy #ATCAD2017!

:)

PPS™ATC Sixpack: Rugged Rust

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

only give, keep or trade any or all of the ATCs

given in my Set above, with or without altering.

You are not free to:

ever sell any of my designs

unless otherwise specified by me

in the Guidelines (like this one).

Thank you 

for helping me to

keep free things free!

Here is Shoshi's photo on which 
this set's design got based:

#ATCAD2017: ATC Background "Sixpack"

The post previous to this one, entitled, "Am I Blue?" has been redone in purple this time around.

June offers a whole new set of challenges this year for fans of Artist Trading Cards. Try making a new one every day! That is this year's challenge. While I most likely won't have enough time to follow through myself, I thought that I could at least offer a few ATC Backgrounds each week for the entire month of June. My entire current stock of ATC Backgrounds may be found by following this link HERE. 
Have fun building on those Backgrounds, all you ATCers out there!

Please respect my copyrights by following the red letter Guidelines located at the foot of nearly every post of this blog, including this one. Thank you.

There are at least 2 other color ways of this very same patterned set of abstract ATC Backgrounds still waiting for some finishing touches. Today is the day for Passionate Purple Patina! It has always been one of my most favorite colors.

I'd really like to see what some of my guests here at PPS have done using any of my ATC Backgrounds. I like to think of these sets as being blank canvases or as a beginning basis upon which to start adding anything and everything imaginable!

Happy #ATCAD2017!
:)

PPS™ATC Sixpack: Passionate Purple Patina

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

only give, keep or trade any or all of the ATCs

given in my Set above, with or without altering.

You are not free to:

ever sell any of my designs

unless otherwise specified by me

in the Guidelines (like this one).

Thank you 

for helping me to

keep free things free!

Here is Shoshi's photo on which 
this set's design got based:

#ATCAD2017 ATC Sixpack Freebie: Am I Blue?

This abstract ATC Background Set was inspired by a friend's renovation to her home.

I guess we never can tell what friendly people we might meet in our travels online, do we? :)  Shoshi has very kindly allowed me to use her photograph, one that was taken of her latest renovation project and which she had displayed at her blog. Someone in the comments added the idea that her contractor had inadvertently made an abstract work of art in the process of his work in her home! For a look at Shoshi's blog, you may follow this link HERE. I'll offer a look at her very kindly offered photo later on in this post.

Please respect Shosh's copyrights along with my own by sticking with the Artist Trading Card tradition and only ever trading and/or giving anything made using this set of 6 ATC Background images. Also, please read the red letter Guidelines located at the foot of most of this blog's posts. For your courtesy, we both thank you.

This has been a fun project. The best part is that I learned a few new things, and so now have a few new ideas to apply to future projects. That's one of my favorite things about using Photoshop. I'm sure other fans of that famous artistic software can agree with me.

I first took Shoshi's jpg of her photograph and began to play with it several days ago. At first, it didn't seem to work well enough, but after sleeping on some ideas, I finally found enough time to try one thing. When that one thing worked, I could then see that this project would have a future. 

What you see here took around ten tries to finally work. I like how misty certain parts of it appear. It has a sense of mystery. It doesn't even carry the same natural color way as the photo, and yet somehow we can still see some of that highly textural look that became the founding basis for this Set.

I've added several effects along with some color treatments till the project became more like the Backgrounds one can build on than simply an altered photo, even while that is all that it ever has been - someone's altered photo.

This has been so much fun for me! I truly hope that my guests can enjoy it as much as I do.

Happy ATC Trading!

PPS™ATC Backgrounds Sixpack: Am I Blue?

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

give or trade any or all of the ATCs

given in my Set above, with or without altering.

You are not free to:

ever sell any of my designs

unless otherwise specified by me

in the Guidelines (like this one).

Thank you 

for helping me to

keep free things free!

Here is Shoshi's photo:

#ATCAD2017 A Friday Freebie: New ATC Backgrounds

This set is a new color way of the previous one. 

I like how they both have turned out. This sort of thing is just plain fun. I'd like it even better if I could see some of the ATCs my guests are making using my free backgrounds. Please feel free to let me know if you'd care to show something here. I'll gladly give you credit for the work you've done.

Please respect all copyrights listed along with any digital brush credits. My red letter Guidelines are located at the foot of this post. Thank you.

The previous color way version of this set may be seen by following this link HERE.

So here's that ATC Freebie Set for Friday.
:)

Happy Creativity!

PPS™ATC Sixpack: Smudged and 

Splattered Brights No. 2

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

Digital Brush Credit:

www.obsidiandawn.com

All other design ©2017RHMcGuinn

You are free to:

make art using these ATC Backgrounds

that is to be either kept by you

or else given or traded.

ATCs are not meant to be sold, anyway, 

just treasured.

You are not free to:

ever sell any of these items

for any reason.

Thank you

for helping me to 

keep free things free!

[#ATCAD2017] Colorful Splattered ATC Backgrounds

Relaxing with Photoshop processes has led to this new set.

This has led me to conclude that the colorful possibilities are simply endless! This began with an image of an antique book cover. The stubbled surface offered me the chance to just relax and play now and then offline.

Please respect my copyrights by following the red letter Guidelines located at the foot of this post. Thank you.

The fun went from the textured surface of that old book's cover to color play in general using digital brushwork and altering techniques. The color, of course, had to change radically in order to make it interesting for me. After attempting seven different design choices, I've settled for this one, but it might all get changed again and offered a second way, especially if I find that enough people are enjoying this set.

These are Backgrounds, and as such aren't intended to be traded as is. I designed them to be re-designed and traded by you!
:)

For a look at the entire PPS™ATC Backgrounds collection, guests may follow the link HERE. For a few words on the history of Artist Trading Cards, you can follow the link to the Strathmore page HERE.

Happy Creative Trading!

PPS™ATC Sixpack: Smudged and Splattered Brights

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

Digital Brush Credit:

www.obsidiandawn.com

All other design ©2017RHMcGuinn

You are free to:

make art using these ATC Backgrounds

that is to be either kept by you

or else given or traded.

ATCs are not meant to be sold, anyway, 

just treasured.

You are not free to:

ever sell any of these items

for any reason.

Thank you

for helping me to 

keep free things free!

#ATCAD2017 7th and Final Post for ATC Freebies Week

This last post is all about playing with the framing of Artist Trading Cards.

This project began with a piece of ephemera I found in my travels but that required many changes before it could be presentable. It really was a mess to start with!

Please respect my copyrights and follow the red letter Guidelines listed at the foot of this post. Thank you.

Three of these frames have been derived from a single bit of online ephemera, that of an old menu with a window cut in its front page. I found it in the digital collections of www.nypl.com, but this was quite a while ago. Since that point, it lay buried in amongst a load of other ephemera files I had found here and there. Today, it finally gets its chance to shine. From an artistic standpoint, these might be sandwiched, as it were, between layers, leaving something peering from their diamond shaped windowpanes and with other things overlaying them. It could be fun!

The remaining three frames were self generated using Photoshop processes and features in my old and handy PSE8 (I know - who knew anything so outdated could continue to be so useful?). I went for simplicity along with narrowness and vividness of color with those three. Very challenging to get each differing one to look right with the initial trio. These frames may be merely printed onto card stock and finished without cutting into them, but they may also be cut to resemble physical frames. Such cuts need to be carefully done, of course. Perhaps either a trusty X-acto Knife or extra careful use of a good cropping station will do for such a process.

For a look at the entire PPS ATC collection, including past and present sets, etc. please follow this link HERE.

Happy Artist Trading Card Creativity!

PPS™ATC Sixpack: Frame That Card!

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

You are free to:

Use the above ATC frames

in artwork that can be shared,

given or traded.

You are not free to:

ever sell them for any reason

even if you alter them beforehand.

Thank you 

for helping me to

keep free things free!

#ATCAD2017 ATC Freebies Week Day 6

This week keeps on being fun for me!

This time, I have chosen for my inspiration some very old and distressed pages from antique documents. I have a passion for such things, and so this particular project has been especially fun for me.

Please respect all copyrights that are listed at this blog, including Digital Brush Credits and my red letter Guidelines. Thank you.

These have been sized to fit and cropped and altered by me via digital processes. 3 of the ATC backgrounds in this set are french in origin, while the other 3 are (I think) Italian. I thought that perhaps the torn and ragged look might inspire some new ideas in ATC making. I myself might try a little collage fun along these same lines. The ragged and torn or distressed look is one often favored among artists who enjoy using the "decollage" technique. These don't offer the same textural results, but given that it's such a small surface, that could well be advantageous to the artist.

For quicker access to my entire PPS ATC collection, you may follow this link HERE.

Happy Artist Trading Card Creativity!

PPS™ATC Sixpack: Distressed Antique Papers

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download) 

You are free to:

freely trade, give and collect

the ATC Backgrounds that are

included in this set.

You are not free to:

ever sell these designs

for any reason, 

even if you alter them first.

Thank you

for helping me to

keep free things free!

#ATCAD 2017 ATC Freebies Week Day 5

Today's Set has 2 downloads, one for just the ATC backgrounds (set of 6) the other for the matching 2 Envelope Set with Accessories.

My design inspiration this time is Antique textiles (fabrics). The one is red damask (a jacquard woven-in patterned fabric in all one color), while the second is a quiet and neutral toned embroidered net lace.

Please observe all copyrights by following the red letter Guidelines located at the foot of this post, just below Digital Brush Credits. Thank you.

As before, both Envelopes are accompanied by custom made button fasteners and labels. It was fun for me to design this set to be half bold and half quiet in color. The matching ATC Backgrounds are ready to be embellished however you choose.

All buttons for this week's collection are 1 inch in diameter. I recommend that card stock be your paper of choice for both downloads.

Happy Artist Trading Card Creativity!

PPS™ATC Accessories Set

Antique Textiles

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

PPS™ATC  Sixpack: Antique Textiles

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

Digital Brush Credits:

www.obsidiandawn.com

expactacularmix

at www.brusheezy.com

You are free to: 

make art that is to be either 

given freely and/or traded.

Please Credit my work along with 

that of both Digital Brush artists.

You are not free to:

Ever sell anything in this post

for any reason,

even if it is altered first.

Thank you

for helping me to

keep free things free!

#ATCAD 2017 ATC Freebies Week: Day 4

Still more to come for ATC freebies Week here at PPS.

This time, I've taken my inspiration from 2 antique wallpapers. One has the "distressed" and shabby look, while the other one looks as lively as the day when it first came off the roll.

Please observe all Credits and copyrights shown below and do follow the red letter Guidelines listed just below those credits near the foot of this post. Thank you.

As with Wednesday's post, I've included matching labels and fastener buttons. All buttons are designed to fit either 1" circle paper punches or the 1" setting on an adjustable circle cutter.

What a fun assignment I gave myself recently! Once I'd made the ATC Backgrounds Set (shown second, below), I knew that I'd want to play some more with the two papers I'd chosen. That was actually what got me started on making new ATC Envelopes to match for this week long project in the first place.

Happy ATC Creativity!

PPS™ATC Sixpack: Antique Wallpapers

Envelopes + Accessories

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

PPS™ATC Sixpack: Antique Wallpapers

ATC Backgrounds Set

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

Digital Brush Credits:

www.ObsidianDawn.com

 Din Pattern Grunge 01 at www.brusheezy.com

by MyScrapNook.com

Mask by hilla29

(also at Brusheezy)

You are free to:

Give away or trade anything which you 

may make using any of the items

shown in this post.

If you publish anything made with these items,

please be sure to credit me and

the artists whose brushes I've chosen.

Please also alert me with to any published work

with a comment here. Thank you.

You are not free to:

ever sell anything that you see here,

even if has been altered or added to by you.

Thank you

for helping me to

keep free things free!

Springtime ATC Freebie Week Day 3

Today's Set is comprised of 2 separate downloads.

As resident artist here (so to speak), this has really been a fun challenge for me, sort of an assignment I have given to myself. I'd like to recommend using card stock if you choose to print them. I love comments and would enjoy knowing what my visitors think of this set.

Please respect all copyrights here, my own and others' included, by following the red letter Guidelines located at the foot of this post. Thank you.

This time around, I am taking inspiration from old or antique books. I have been an avid collector of such items for years. The hand marbled end papers of some older books fascinate me. Each one is unique and yet reflects the same basic idea. Some of my more fun projects have been based on old marbled end papers. So much fun!

The first of the 2 downloads displayed below is a current favorite. Offered in both vividly colorful swirls and in quiet, subdued neutral tones, the ATC Pocket set comes with matching smaller accessories. I hope you'll have fun using both kinds.

The second of the 2 downloads is the matching ATC Background card set of 3 each of both styles to match the envelopes and accessories. Please notice the Digital Brush Credits located between the second Display image and my red letter Guidelines. Thanks again!

To see the entire PPS ATC collection, guests may follow this link HERE.

Happy Artist Trading Card Creativity!

PPS™ATC Sixpack: Antique Book Ephemera

Accessory Set

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

PPS™ATC Sixpack: Antique Book Ephemera

ATCs

Download HERE

Display version

(lower quality than the download)

Digital Brush Credits:

www.obsidiandawn.com

You are free to:

Make and trade freely art using 

the items that are included in this post.

You are not free to:

Ever sell anything being offered by me here

even if you alter my designs.

Thank you for honoring 

Obsidian Dawn's copyrights

as well as my own by never selling

our work unless otherwise specified.

And

Thank you

for helping me to

keep free things free!