How do I color like this?

[Kathlyn47]

I want to learn to color my cards soooooo much. So recently I bought a no. of Distress Inks and the necessary tools and have been watching Tim Holtz tutorials and practicing. I love, love, love the OnyxXpressions "Oriental Aura" photopolymer stamps and the techniques used to color the cards. For example:
OnyxXpressions • Beautiful, black unmounted rubber art stamps and mounting accessories

Just last night I ordered the Torii Gate in Winter stamp (bottom left corner) and several others:
OnyxXpressions • Oriental Aura OA38 • Beautiful, black unmounted rubber art stamps • Custom Name Stamps

So how do I color a card like this using the Torii Gate stamp? I love the muted, abstract coloring in the water, mountains and ski.

OnyxXpressions Art Gallery • OA-9955c • Beautiful, black unmounted rubber art stamps • Mounting Accessories • Custom Name Stamps
If someone could lead me in the right direction as to what techniques were used so I know where to go to learn. Was the white card stamped first and then colored? Were the colors brushed on the stamp and then stamped. I guess I'm looking for procedure, like which came first the stamp or the color. I would greatly appreciate anyone's input and suggestions on how to obtain this look.

[sillyfilly]

Does this company have a blog or tutorials? I would start there.

[jemur]

I'm just guessing here, but it looks like they stamped the image in a grey colour and then watercoloured over it. They may have used gauche paint which is kinda like watercolour but has more opaque pigment in it and uses white (which true watercolour doesn't). Then it looks like they went in with some black paint, which again, true watercolour doesn't use. Some of the areas, like the mountains look like they used transparent washes, but the structure looks more like the opaque paint.
As I said, this is just a guess, maybe someone else has done this and knows more.

[Cook22]

There's certainly not much information given in the company gallery!
Have you looked through the OnyxXpressions cards in the gallery here to see if there's anything similar which might give a bit more help to you. I've just taken a quick look because I need to get into work soon, but I've seen a couple done in a similar style.
Here's a link to the company gallery here at SCS: onyxxpressions - Homemade Cards, Rubber Stamp Art, & Paper Crafts - Splitcoaststampers.com

[Kathlyn47]

Thank you so much ladies for your replies. You have shown me I have got SO MUCH to learn about coloring! My question " How do I color this?" certainly shows my naivete. But I am not discouraged, just excited to learn how to make beautifully colored cards. Thank you Cook22 for pointing out the OnyxXpressions SCS gallery. I totally forgot about that resource with the descriptions on how the many cards displayed were colored. Now to find an online class on coloring.........................

[cat_woman]

I saw a tutorial on their site a long time ago and they use sponging for the backgrounds a lot. I can't remember the name of the company, but its the catseye shaped sponge on the end of the stick thing...

[QueenOfInkland]

Originally Posted by cat_woman

I saw a tutorial on their site a long time ago and they use sponging for the backgrounds a lot. I can't remember the name of the company, but its the catseye shaped sponge on the end of the stick thing...

Hi. If you're talking about the tool, it's a Clearsnap stylus and a Clearsnap foam tip. The tips are white and black (different material I think) and they come in a variety of shapes. Kevin N (Stampscapes) uses these all the time (do yourself a favor and checkout his YouTube videos - seriously incredible).......but then I digress HAHAHA..........