{Spotlight Project} Shirley Makes A Cup of Coffee

Happy New Year, peeps! I wanted to improve my coffee-making skills - or to be more precise, my coffee-painting skills - to use with my new set And Coffee. The main stamp image in the set is an overhead shot of a cup, spoon and saucer, and adding shading helps to lift the image off the page.



For the launch cards I did add shadows, but I was winging it a bit as to where the shadows went, so I thought I'd apply a bit of science to improve my technique at depicting light and shadow.

I got a cup, spoon and small plate (because I couldn't find a saucer, and I'm impatient), and took photos on my phone, changing the orientation, and with the light coming from different sources. I then edited the photos to black and white, which makes it easier to see tone, shadows and highlights. You'll note that the spoon isn't in the same position as on the stamp - that's because I didn't check it first!

I chose one photo to work with, and stamped my image in Antique Linen Distress Ink.

Using a mix of Hickory Smoke and Pumice Stone I inked the back of one of the latte art stamps and stamped it in the centre of the cup.

Using the same two colours as a watercolour palette, I used the photo as a guide for adding shadow.

Then I added shadow to the table that the saucer is sitting on. In hindsight I could have photographed on a white base to get a shadow, but this is art anyway, so it doesn't need to be 100% accurate.

I added a bit more to the background, deliberately keeping it rough and scribbly, then added my latte art and sentiment.

If you're inspired to have a go at adding shading to your STAMPlorations images, don't forget to add it to our Never-Ending Anything Goes challenge for your chance to win a gift certificate.

And if you're shopping, why not use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY for 20% off all stamps, stencils and dies in the store (including new releases and retiring stamps).

Happy stamping!