Once in a while I have a crazy idea – like replicating a fine art piece on a card – so let’s visit Van Gogh for today’s inspiration!
I wanted to see if I could replicate the look of Van Gogh’s Starry Night painting below – it’s always intrigued me with its textures and swirling colors, and it seemed perfect for these little bears to look out over that kind of scene!
Supplies for this project are linked at the end of this post. Compensated affiliate links may be used at no cost to you.
Video
Wasn’t that crazy fun? I love how the pencil gets all soft when it’s on water….so cool. The Inktense Pencil colors I used: Felt Green 1530, Sienna Gold 0240, Tangerine 0300, Tan 1720, Sea Blue 1200, Sun Yellow 0200, Charcoal Grey 2100, and Ink Black 2200.
Inktense Pencil Color Lists
See the chart below for swatches of all the colors. There’s no easy answer to tell you which set to buy “first” except the 72…there’s a very common list in EACH set, so if you start with a small one, you’ll end up with duplicates.
Set of 12: Sun Yellow, Tangerine, Poppy Red, Fuchsia, Deep Indigo, Sea Blue, Teal Green, Apple Green, Leaf Green, Baked Earth, Bark, and Ink Black.
Set of 24: Sherbet Lemon, Sun Yellow, Tangerine, Poppy Red, Chili Red, Shiraz, Fuchsia, Violet, Iris Blue, Bright Blue, Deep Indigo, Sea Blue, Teal Green, Apple Green, Field Green, Leaf Green, Mustard, Baked Earth, Willow, Bark, Charcoal Grey, Black, Antique White and a non-soluble Inktense Outliner.
Set of 36: Sherbet Lemon, Sun Yellow, Sienna Gold, Tangerine, Poppy Red, Cherry, Chili Red, Shiraz, Fuchsia, Red Violet, Mauve, Violet, Iris Blue, Bright Blue, Deep Indigo, Peacock Blue, Iron Blue, Sea Blue, Teal Green, Apple Green, Field Green, Leaf Green, Iron Green, Ionian Green, Felt Green, Tan, Saddle Brown, Indian ink, Mustard, Baked Earth, Willow, Bark, Charcoal Gray, Black, Antique White and a non-soluble Inktense Outliner.
Set of 72: Sherbet Lemon, Sun Yellow, Cadmium Yellow, Sicilian Yellow, Golden Yellow, Sienna Gold, Tangerine, Cadmium Orange, Burnt Orange, Poppy Red, Chili Red, Cherry, Shiraz, Red Violet, Fuchsia, Mid Vermilion, Scarlet Pink, Hot Red, Carmine Pink, Crimson, Deep Rose, Mauve, Thistle, Violet, Dusky Purple, Dark Purple, Deep Violet, Lagoon, Navy Blue, Deep Blue, Peacock Blue, Iron Blue, Iris Blue, Bright Blue, Deep Indigo, Sea Blue, Teal Green, Dark Aquamarine, Green Aquamarine, Mallard Green, Vivid Green, Beech Green, Hooker’s Green, Light Olive, Spring Green, Fern, Iron Green, Ionian Green, Apple Green, Field Green, Felt Green, Leaf Green, Amber, Oak, Red Oxide, Madder Brown, Dark Oak, Mustard, Tan, Saddle Brown, Baked Earth, Willow, Bark, Indian Ink, Sepia Ink, Chinese Ink, Payne’s Gray, Neutral Gray, Charcoal Gray, Ink Black, Antique White, and a non-soluble Inktense Outliner.
Supplies
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You are so talented, Miss Sandy! I love this, but I don’t know if I have the nerve to try it this myself.
My favorite artist is John Singer Sargent. He had this way of painting fabrics, like silk and satin, that was just drool worthy. Not sure how that could be worked into a card (maybe a background), but it’s what rings my bell.
Beautiful card. Yesterday I was in the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. Although Starry Night isn’t there we saw many Van Gogh paintings. I love his Cypress trees & Wheat fields. The colors are so vibrant. That’s what I loved about your card. Thanks for the inspiration!
My fav artist is Vasiliy Kandinsky – beautiful card as always!
This is a fabulous card, I know give away finished but my fav artist is Monet
My heart will always belong to Van Gogh… I stood for over an hour staring at his painting of Irises that hangs in the Art Museum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The vivid colours and layering of paint are just spectacular in real life.
This is an awesome card! Just discovered your blog! My favorite is Monet.
WOW – your card is amazing. – thanks for the video, and the chance to win. My favourite old master has to be Michelangelo.
Blessings
Maxine
Great card. I love Edward Hopper. His simplicity at first until you notice the use of light. The light leads the band in almost all his pictures.
Afremov I love his paintings they are so very colorful. I also enjoy you Sandy what a gift you are to us all! ☺
I love how vibrant those colors are… Very inspiring to create something new. The bears are just darling… A must need set! My favorite artist is actually Andy Warhol, and i think the bold and rich colors of your card just inspired me to maybe case his unique talents! Thank you for sharing as always.
One of my favorite artist would have to be M.C. Escher!
My favorite has gotta be Georgia O”Keef!
Love your expression of the Van Gogh painting! Some of my favorite painters are Renoir & Monet. Hope to one day try this technique.
I enjoy the impressionists but especially Monet!
Hi, Sandy! Amazing card! Starry Night is one of my favorite paintings, but my favorite artists are Claude Monet and Georgia O’Keefe…I think you would do both of them justice on your future cards. With your talent, I would love to see what you come up with! thanks for sharing!
Hi Sandy! Thanks so much for sharing your painting of these adorable bears. I love that you put them right in the middle of a famous painting. Really enjoyed watching you work in the intense pencils. I learned some new approaches. I really like Monet.
My favorite artist is Monet. I love his paintings. When I lived in New York I loved going to the Met. You must go there it’s awesome!
Your Starry Night creation is so awesome! I’ve always loved the Impressionists so Van Gogh was a wonderful choice. Maybe you should also do some Monet flowers.
This card is wonderful! As to favorite artists, I really don’t have a specific one, it depends on the piece. I like a lot of Monet and Norman Rockwell. Since you said “artist”, I also include Ansel Adams.
I love this card. This happens to be one of my favorite paintings and painter!
I love art. It is so hard to pick a favorite. I guess it would either be Monet or Salvadore Dali. Funny as they are so different.
Love your video. I tried to do the starry night background with and Eiffel tower stamp once. After seeing how you did yours I’m going to give it a try again.
Thanks for the chance to win those pencils.
This card is AMAZING! You did such a wonderful job with that sky- I’m super impressed! I love the inktense pencils too – I’ve been collecting a few each time I’m near a Blick art materials (which is just a couple times a year) My fav. artist is Renior – love all the impressionists!
I fell in love with ‘old artists’ when I received a book of Édouard Manet art as a kid at school. Later I was so fortunate to see a few of his paintings live/with my own eyes. I remember thinking “Oh My God!, This painting was in my book! Stop being so excited and focus, so you will never forget it.” I did’t. Perhaps you could try painting his “two pears” (that sounds really funny :])
My favorite famous artist is Sandy Allnock. 😀 This is stunning!! Just wow!! Thanks for sharing!
Starry night by Van Gogh is my favorite!!! I loved that card!!!!
Love love love this! I also love Van Gogh, and Picasso, Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec and Georgia O’Keefe. I would love to win some wonderful Inktense pencils, it would be a great birthday present!
I love Monet. His colors are ethereal, making his work dreamlike. Wonderful!
Da Vinci is my favorite. Just stunning
My favorite artist is Johannes Vermeer. I am amazed by his technique of capturing an image in glass, his use of perspective and the subtleties of light and shadow he used in compositions. Masterful, indeed. Thanks for sharing this technique with us. I would love to know what the real time effort was for your interpretation of Starry Night? Would you consider giving us that detail in your video’s? Thanks Greatly for your time and energy.
You are truly amazing!! This card is a masterpiece itself! My favorite famous artist is Claude Monet.
Like so many others, probably Van Gogh and Monet…. You are incredible, Sandy…. If I won the pencils, could I do as well? HaHa!!