A Study in Contrasts

 Hello!  Today is a new challenge at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge.  It is hosted by the talented Lisa and she is challenging us to be inspired by A Study in Contrasts! 

Her description: 

"The seasons are changing and the cold greys and browns of winter are giving way to the warm greens and colors of spring! For your challenge highlight contrasts in your projects.  It could be themes, colors, textures or forms.  We are looking forward to your creative interpretations and juxtapositions of things that are contrasting!" 

I have been recently reading the book The Book of Hope - A survival guide for Trying Times -  by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams.  In it they discuss hope and here is a direct quote from their conversation:  "There is a lot of darkness, but our actions create the light. (Jane Goodall)  "So it seems we can shift our perspective to see the light and also to work to create more of it.(Doug Abrams)"  This inspired me of how hope is a light in times of darkness.  

I used that idea to start with light and show how darkness can spread as well as light. 

Which started from this:

The power of the water added to the dark or light colors makes them spread exponentially.  

In the Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle said “A book, too, can be a star, “explosive material, capable of stirring up fresh life endlessly,” a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe.”

I started with one large sheet of mixed media cardstock.  I sprayed a yellow background across the paper. 

Then I started adding red spray ink along with spritzing with water. 

After that started blending I brought the black spray ink in areas. I used additional water to force the dark to disperse and more yellow spray ink with water to push the colors.

Once I finished with my mix of dark and light inks I dried the layers and then added a splattering of white paint mixed with yellow inky spray.  I wanted to add light spots of hope into my dark areas.

I cut up my paper into sections to form three cards.  Then I decided to look for words of hope, inspiration, or of light to add to my cards. 

After playing with the phrases on the backgrounds, I decided to add a sheet of acetate over every front of the card to give a added sheen to the backgrounds.

That gave a highlight but I went one step further and cut some shapes out of the acetate to highlight the sentiments but not detract from the contrast of the background.

The hearts for love and the stars to represent our universe.

 Please come share your contrasting art with us at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge!  The overall winner will be offered the chance to be a Guest Designer at a future date at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog, and everyone who enters and follows the rules will go into the drawing for the chance to win a $25.00 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. There are also Top 3 Badges for three additional outstanding entries, chosen by the Design Team.

Sending you light and hope. 

Suzz

Products:  

• Ranger Distress Oxide Spray - Black Soot
• Ranger Distress Ink Spray - Squeezed Lemonade
• Ranger Distress Ink Spray - Mustard Seed
• Ranger Distress Ink Spray - Barn Door
• Ranger Dylusions White Linen Paint
• Idea-Ology Tim Holtz Metallic Stickers 
  
• Acetate
• Sizzix Dies Stars
  
• Sizzix Tim Holtz Chapter 1 Stacking Hearts
• Idea-Ology - Tiny Attacher
• Idea-Ology Tiny Attacher Re-fill