Easy scribble method for coloring flowers with Copics

I created this card for the Splitcoast sketch challenge this week.  It seemed like an easy challenge – but for some reason I had a hard time with the back layer – so this is what I ended up with.

I used the Peony Digi stamp set for the image.  I also used the Herringbone Cuttlebug folder and the Apron Lace border punch.  And Kraft cardstock – I’m so loving Kraft paper lately!

I colored the peony with copic markers using my easy (read as lazy) scribble method for coloring the flower.  I thought I’d share my method – in case others like to scribble too.

I print my image on the Neenah Classic paper – I have had the most success with this paper and have used it successfully with several different printers and inks.  I like to blend a lot – so I need an image that will not bleed.

I add my darkest color (RV-17 in this case) in the areas where I want deepest shadows.  On these digital images, I’ve tried to indicate shadowed areas by stippling.  I just scribble it in place…

 

Then I add my next darkest color around and over the first – again just scribbling.

 

Then the next darkest- scribbled next to and a little over the second color with a third – although you probably could use only the first two.

 

Then I use my lightest choice (RV-10 in this case) to go over all the colors – scribbling in circles and blending all the colors together.  Sometimes you need to scribble over a couple times to blend.

 

If your blending has taken out more of the darker tones than you’d like – you can scribble a little more of the dark back in.  Then spot blend those areas with the lighter colors.

The last step is to use a really light tone (like the RV0000 in this case) to add highlights back in.  Just sweep the light color over areas that the want to highlight to remove some of the ink. 

Try to do this while the image is still damp from all the blending above if you want soft edge highlights.  If you want sharp, hard edge highlights – wait till the image is completely dry before you remove color. 

You can also use a colorless blender in place of the RV-0000, but it might remove more ink and leave a harsher highlight.

Because I just scribble – sometimes I get a little outside the lines.  So I just use my colorless blender to push the ink back in by sweeping the blender from outside the image just up to the line.  One note – this trick does not work well with reds and usually just makes more of a mess.

The last thing I wanted was a little green shadow under my flower.  because I wanted something subtle – I covered the area with colorless blender and while it was still wet, swept the green (YG-91) over top.  Then I softened the green a bit more by going over it with more blender.

 

 Here is a picture of the back showing some of the blending.  You need a paper that is hard enough not to allow the ink to travel outside the lines and the Neenah works great for me.   Also – make sure you have clean scrap paper under your image to adsorb any ink that might bleed through.

 

So that is my scribble method.  If you try it – let me know how it works for you.

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Lads, Dads and Grads Garden Walk

Welcome to the Paper Garden Projects Lads, Dads and Grads Garden Walk

Take a stroll through the blogs of all the Paper Gardeners and enjoy some friendly inspiration.  This month we are focusing on the all the men, boys and graduates out there.

While you visit, subscribe to each Gardener’s blog and take note of each designer’s name and their special garden walk word in their blog post. Once you finish your garden tour, send an E-mail to custserv@papergardenprojects.com with the list of designers and their garden walk word.  (the words make a little sentence – just for fun!)

Everyone who sends the correct list of designers and words will be entered in a random drawing to win a prize. You need to send an e-mail to the address above; please don’t leave your list as a comment. You have until midnight (EST) on Tuesday, May18 to send your list.

And the prize? How about these cute little lads form Eat Cake Graphics (the Boyhood Adventures cling stamp set):

So enjoy the garden tour (feel free to bring along a lad, Dad or Grad!).  Here is the garden tour guide list:

 For my blog hop project, I wanted to make a Father’s Day card (for a “Dad”) and a little gift.

 

I used two brand new stamp sets from Flourishes – the Antique Map clear stamp and the Guiding Light clear stamp set.

The coaster is made from a tumbled tile (from Home Depot).  This was the last one I had left and its surface is a little rough – but that makes it more antique looking, right??  Sometimes tiles like these are open stock, so you can sort through and find the ones that have the smoothest surface to make stamping easier.

I cleaned the tile surface to remove dust.  I stamped the Antique Map in Versafine Vintage Sepia ink and embossed it with clear embossing powder.  You need to have patience – it takes a lot longer to heat the tile than to heat paper.  After embossing, I simply colored the image with Copic markers.  Here are the colors I used:

These tiles have rough bottoms so to prevent them from scratching furniture, I put a cork square on the bottom.   What I like to use best is cork shelf liner (also from Home Depot!).  It comes in a pretty big roll and is self adhesive.  Just cut a square and stick it on!

For the card, I used the same Antique Map stamp on kraft paper to make the background.  The ship image and the sentiment are from the Guiding Light stamp set.

I cut out the sentiment and a matte with the Spellbinders Labels 11 die.   I colored the image with Copic Markersand applied  Antique Linen Distress ink  at the edges of both pieces with a duster brush.  Here are the Copics I used for the card:

 

To finish it off I added a little piece of twill and a copper brad.

So that is my project.  I am Cathy and my hop word is:  Greetings

Next go visit Amber and see her wonderful creation.  Have fun!

 

 

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Flower Fairy picks….

I admit – I’m a total pushover for flowers.  I buy them everywhere, even the fruit market (they have great deals!).  And of course I love to get them as gifts.

fariesinplant

I got these two potted begonias at the fruit market and thought I might give them as a little gift to friends for Mother’s day.  I added a few little flower fairies to make them a little more personal.

To make the faries, I chose 3 images from the Flower Fairies cling set, stamped them in Memento ink and colored them with Copic markers.  (Here are the marker colors I used in case inquiring minds want to know).

fairy-copics

To hold my little fairies in place, I used floral picks.  You can get them anywhere they have flower arranging stuff – they are green wooden picks with a wire attached at the top.  I wanted my fairies to be able to move and bounce around – so I converted the wire at the top into little “springs”.  You simply wrap the wire tightly around something pretty thin to create a coil.  I used the thick end of my stylus – but you could also use the end of another of the picks.  Make sure you leave some straight wire at the end to adhere the fairy to.  When you are done coiling, just slide the wire off.

springs

I cut out my fairies and then created a matte for them out of dark green cardstock.  The easiest way I’ve found to do this is just temporarily adhere the image to the cardstock and then freehand cut around it.  Here are all my fairy parts.

fairypieces

To assemble the fairies, just adhere the wire to the front of the cardstock matte and adhere the fairy image over the top.  Easy!  Here are close-ups of my fairy friends…

fairy1

fairy2

sprout

I also wanted a card to go with my gift – so I used a different fairy from the same Flower Fairies cling set.  I also used the mushroom from the Fairy Fauna cling set  (the sentiment is computer generated).  These images are also colored with copics. 

fairycard

I cut out my sentiment and image with a Spellbinders oval die.  The image is matted on the new Spellbinders Labels 11(I think I’m going to use this one a lot!).  The patterned paper is Basic Grey Green at Heart. I created the sky and grass background using this technique (only I didn’t bother masking…shhh, don’t tell…).

It still needed something – so I decided to add flowers.  I don’t have flowers in a lot of colors.  I usually just buy white flowers and color them to match my project with ink, paint, or in this case Copics.  I tried to color each a little differently, and left it a little streaky (on purpose – honest).

coloringflowers

If you have flowers – you might need some leaves.  So I colored one flower green and cut it up to make leaves.

makingleaves

So that was today’s project.  Great new stuff coming into the store – I REALLY want to play more.  But my garden is calling me too!

cardandfaries

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