How to Create a Night-Time Owl Scene | Easy Ink Blending

Hello there, Michelle here with another edition of Terrific Tags with Michelle. Today I am creating a night-time owl scene using Mini Delight: Woodland Wisdom Stamp & Layering Die Set and easy ink blending. 

I started off by creating the owl. I die cut the Mini Delight: Woodland Wisdom Layering Die Set from cardstock using the following colors:

• Owl body, wings, face and feet from Classic Crest 110lb Solar White Cardstock. 
• Owl beak from Crafty Necessities: Vanilla Cream Cardstock. 
• Owl eyes from Crafty Necessities: Jet Black Cardstock. 

I then placed the white cardstock die-cuts onto my Sticky Mat. 

To add dimension and definition to the owl, I added ink blending using Costal Fog Fresh Dye Ink and a Micro Blending Brush to the right side of the owl's body and wings. I added a darker concentration of the same ink to his feet. 

The owl was then assembled and adhered using the keyhole system and ClearFix Glue. 

I started off my background by die cutting one of the largest tags from the Terrific Tags Die Set from Classic Crest 110lb Solar White Cardstock. I then cut 1/2" off the bottom to make it shorter. 

I die cut the 7th smallest die from the Nesting Circles Die Set from Masking Paper to use as a moon. Using the owl as a guide for placement, I removed the backing off the masking paper and adhered it to the tag, off-setting slightly to the left. 

I started off by adding ink blending to the tag using the Enchanted Garden Fresh Dye Inks and a Small Blending Brush.  

I first blended the outside edges of the moon mask with Wisteria ink. I then added a layer of Hydrangea ink next, followed by Ultraviolet and then Andromeda. To darken up the edges, I used Jet Black Fresh Dye Ink with a Mini Blending Brush. 

I removed the mask and added ink blending around the edges of the moon using Wisteria Fresh Dye Ink and a Mini Blending Brush, using a very light hand. 

TIP: If you are worried about adding ink around the outside edges of the moon, you can place the negative of the masking paper on top (around the moon) and that will protect the sky part, but since it is the same shade of ink, and I used a light-hand, I was ok with not using it.  

The purple on the moon will help the owl to pop from in front of it and also add some roundness to it. 

I placed the tag inside the Stampwheel and stamped the solid tree/leaf branch on top of the moon, overhanging the sky slightly, using Obsidian Pigment Ink. This gives the owl something to stand on.

To add interest to the background and make it more of a scene for the owl to be in, I placed the moon mask back on top. I mixed a little Titanium White Artists' Gouache with water and splattered it over the tag to represent stars. The mask was then removed and the tag set aside to dry. 

TIP: The splatter can be done before the stamping part; just make sure it is dry before stamping the branch. If, however, you do it after the stamping and you accidently get some of the white splatter on the stamped areas, wait for it to dry and then go over the white splatters with a Fine Liner Pen to cover them up. 

I die cut another tag from Classic Crest 110lb Solar White Cardstock and adhered it to the back of the ink blended and stamped one using Glue Tape. 

I adhered two more layers of the main owl die cuts onto the back of the assembled one for added dimension, and then adhered the owl to look like he is standing on the branch. 

The sentiment, from the Mini Delight: Woodland Wisdom Stamp Set was stamped onto Crafty Necessities: Jet Black Cardstock using Embossing Ink. I applied Pure White Crisp Embossing Powder and heat set. It was cut into a strip and adhered to the tag using Black Instant Dimension Foam Tape. 

To finish, I added black twine through the top of the tag and tied in a bow. 

I hope I have inspired you to try creating a simple night-time scene using ink blending and masking. The owl is a fun addition to the scene but you could use the same design for other birds or animals. You could also use the background as a base for a Halloween project and adds bats! You can watch the video tutorial below or over on YouTube. 

Thank you so much for stopping by today, I hope you have a wonderful day!

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