My Digital Studio - Using Overlay Stamps to Create a Color Gradient

While experimenting with this card I discovered another nifty thing to do with MDS.  The color gradation on the left and middle panels is created with a stamp from the Vintage Overlay set.   There are some extra little tips for doing this card so I think the easiest way to get all the details in is to do a step by step tutorial.

By the way, I made this card for a challenge on Cindy's Stamping Garden.  Lynn Sichky created the sketch for this card.  This was just one of the many things Cindy had for us during the week.

Step by step:

1. Open a New Project - Greeting Card - 5 X 7 Landscape - Create Your Own - Name your project - Blank Page.

2. Add three square punches and resize to form the three panels for the base of the card.  Paper Fill the left punch with Summer Splendor dsp. Double click to position dsp correctly.  Use the "Match Color" function to choose a medium yellow for the center panel and a light orange for right panel from the flowers.

3. Add a square punch and resize to a long thin rectangle.  Use the "Match Color" function and choose a medium green from the flower stem.

4. Locate the Vintage Overlay stamps.  Click on "Choose Color" and using the Color Picker choose a medium orange from the flower.  Choose the upper most stamp and position the left edge of the stamp at the left edge of the middle (yellow) panel.  

5. Position this same stamp again at the left edge of the flower panel.

6.  Locate the "For You" stamp from Fundamental Phrases.  Click "Choose Color".  Using the Color Picker select a dark orange from the flower. Grab a corner to enlarge the stamp.  Reduce the opacity to 30.  Copy and paste 2 times.  Use the align feature to line them up perfectly.

7. From the Embellishment section choose the Chocolate Chip zigzag stitch from the "Staples and Stitching" category.  Position as shown.

8. Add a square punch and resize to 2-1/4 X 3 inches.  Paper fill with Summer Splendor DSP.  Double click on punch so that you can move around to find the area of the paper with the orange flower.  Reduce opacity to 40.

9. Add another square punch the same size over the top of this punch.  Color fill with Whisper White and send backward behind the flower.

10. Add another square punch and resize slightly larger than the flower rectangle punch.  Use "Match Color" and choose a dark brown from the center of the yellow flower. 

11. Send this punch backward behind the flower and the Whisper White layers.

12. Locate the "Friend" stamp from Fundamental Phrases.  Click "Choose Color".  Using the Color Picker select a dark orange from the flower.  Add on top of flower.  Grab a corner to enlarge to correct size.