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Beginner needs Instruction on Coloring Stamped Image
On my ride home yesterday from NC to Ga, I had six hours to work on my stamped image for Thanksgiving cards. YOu should have seen the look on my DH's eyes when I pulled out the embossing powder! He was relieved discover the converter was not powerful enough to run the gun!
I am a total beginner in learning how to apply color to my stamps. I was so disappointed in my results and took photos along the way.
Supplies:
1. Pumpkin stamp from "I brake for stamps."
2. Orange Stazon Ink Pad
3. Prismacolor pencils
I stamped each image on GP card stock. Heard that was a good inexpensive paper to use to make cards and to stamp on. Photo attachement #1
Next, I colored each pumpkin with pencil and added a little more color in stamp images area already shadowed. In other words, the stamp provided the shadowing. I merely added a little more orange to it.
Then, I use one of those paper pencil things made in China, dipped in my mineral spirits (shown have seen DH;s eyes here too! ) and began making little circles. See left top of pumpkin.
Final photo, the mineral spirit IMHO really didn't provide any different achievement than me finishing the color blending with a DRY Chinese pencil. (the pencil name starts with a "t" and sound italian)
Here is my question. Why use mineral spirits when you can completely cover a stamped image on paper with a marker. UGh, hate to think what that would look like. Anyway, I hope you experienced stampers out there will get my point and hopefully understand my photos and explanation.
Any suggestions would be great. I am so wanting to learn how to do this that if there is a stamper in GEORGIA out there that would tutor me one Saturday afternoon, I am on my way!!! Thanks you guys.
Hi there!
I think if you would have stamped the pumpkin image in brown or black it would give the image more dimension.
Also, if your wanting a more shadowed, watercolored look...lay down less color in circles and blend in circles. Start at by putting color down around the edges of the image and move inward.
There is a great tutorial here on SCS in the resource section that you might want to check out. HTH!
I have watched thousands of tutorials. LOL. Would it be safe to say that all stamped images on paper are blended one way or the other to eliminate stokes?
Yep! I find you gotta blend it some way to get rid of the stroke lines. I've tried the prisma blender pencil...it's ok, but I really like to blend with goo gone or gel baby oil and paper stumps and cheap q tips. If you don't want to use a blending agent and like a bold color you can color hard with several shades(I've seen some nice results without blending with stuff, but I haven't been able to acheive nice results with out blending with some sort of medium).
I've heard it helps also if you emboss your image first and then color(gives you a raised edge to help stay in the lines...but I hate to emboss... so I've never tried this)
I've gotton pretty good at coloring and blending with my prismas, but it has taken me lots of practice...so don't give up...try using a lit less color on your image and pull the color in towards the center. Sure wished I lived in Georgia...I'd stamp with you in a heartbeat. Hope I've helped a teensy bit
First off, don't give up! Your coloring looks really good for a beginner. I've been "playing" with prismacolor pencils for about a year and just recently started taking some classes at my LSS. I've learned lots of different ways to use colored pencil and have found that everyone does it differently. You just have to keep experimenting with different ways to get the result you want. (Just as an FYI, the classes I took were with the heads of Lockhart and Memory Box and neither of them use OMS -- it's much harder in my opinion!)
Anyway, here's how I'd color the pumpkin using OMS:
The advice Sherri gives is right on... when you plan to blend with OMS, try not to color the whole image. Try this... 1) take a dark orange and color a thin strip along the inside edge of the pumpkin and along the "seam" lines; 2) take a little bit lighter orange and fill in MOST off the rest of the pumpkin; 3) leave a white spot where you want the light to reflect; 4) now, try blend with the OMS -- work in circle and "pull" the darker color to the center. This gets rid of the lines and gives the blending effect.
__________________ Anjou My Gallery * My Blog - Dreaming in Color "Don't be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so." - Belva Davis
Hey Karen! Thanks for the email! I am happy to help in any way that I can.
I've pretty much taught myself everything through trial and error....and lots and lots of waisted paper! lol!
Except for prismas. There is a WONDERFUL tutorial for prismas on Gina K's blog. I read that one before I bought mine. You can find the tutorial here.
Here's a couple of pointers...although sometimes the pictures help which is why Gina's tutorial might help out. First stamp your image then sort of line the inside of the image lines with your pencils.
Next...dip your blending stump in the mineral spirits...this does blend them. Blend by using small circles...blending towards the center of the image...you don't want to go all the way into the center though. You can also blend slightly outside of the lines of the image...this helps your image to 'pop'.
In order to make your image darker just keep adding to the place just inside the image lines and then blend the same way. Just keep doing this until you have achieved the 'darkness' level you are looking for.
Is that about as clear as mud! ;) Sorry! I am hoping that makes some sense. Gina's tutorial will really help to clear some of it up.
My favorite coloring technique is copic markers. I tend to reach for them the most. I love how easy it is to color with markers but don't like how you cannot achieve shading with water-based markers. Copics are alcohol based and provide excellent shading....I posted a tutorial here. There are probably better tutorials out there but this is one that I just taught myself. They are REALLY fun to play with! ;)
One thing...in my tutorial I used SU paper and ink...I have found that the only time SU ink works with copics is with SU paper. If I am using any other paper I use Memento tuxedo black ink.
Sorry...that is really long winded! I hope this helps. Let me know if Gina's tutorial helps you. I think you will really like it!
OMS, what is that? Those paper pencils things.
I will try again and post.
Do you color at all using markers? Do you use watercolor pencils? Do I use water color paper? I have a thousand questions. It is such an encouragement to read your and vsbndr responses. Thank you so much. I read and read all I can find. I buy the tools of the trade and experiment. I have no design artisy bone in my body. I can't dance either, but I sure do try hard to do both! Thanks again girls for your responses. This has to help others who are struggling to do the same thing and reading the threa.
Jennifer your comments do help. I never knew you kept adding to the original "line inside the pumpkin" to continue pulling color out toward the center. I should not color the whole pumpkin first? Hmmm, really just the lines....Ok, I will try this. I will visit the website. I have been there many times, but never looked for tutorials. Shopping first right? Thank you again for your response. I hope this helps others. I so want to do this.
I read the tutorial. Would you leave the middle of the pumpkin white? No color. OMG, I gotta get out of my box...As a little girl forty years ago you did not leave anything white! LOL.
OMS, what is that? Those paper pencils things.
I will try again and post.
Do you color at all using markers? Do you use watercolor pencils? Do I use water color paper? I have a thousand questions. It is such an encouragement to read your and vsbndr responses. Thank you so much. I read and read all I can find. I buy the tools of the trade and experiment. I have no design artisy bone in my body. I can't dance either, but I sure do try hard to do both! Thanks again girls for your responses. This has to help others who are struggling to do the same thing and reading the threa.
LOL! I cannot dance either! You crack me up!
OMS is odorless mineral spirits. I picked mine up from Michaels...it wasn't with the art supplies...it was over where they had all of the primo clay and stuff like that....yours may be different. You can pick up the blending stumps there as well...they were with the art supplies.
I don't use watercolor paper for prismas...you probably could. I do try and use it when watercoloring...but I really don't like to watercolor so I can never find my paper when I need it! I always forget where I put it! ;)
Copics are my favorite. I use Papertrey Inks cardstock...LOVE it! It's super heavy and seems to work really well with blending.
I think that practice is the best thing. Just keep trying until you get it like you want it. The gallery here is AWESOME! You can keyword search prismas and find a ton of examples. You might pick up something new just from looking at other peoples work.
Are your Prisma pencils Premier? If not, then you will have problems. Prisma has three or four different colored pencils that are used different ways. The watercolor pencils will not work with anything but water I believe and the Verithin which I think is a hard lead is used by artists for outlining or something. Premiers are a soft lead.
Are your Prisma pencils Premier? If not, then you will have problems. Prisma has three or four different colored pencils that are used different ways. The watercolor pencils will not work with anything but water I believe and the Verithin which I think is a hard lead is used by artists for outlining or something. Premiers are a soft lead.
Out of breath from running upstairs to look. Yes, they are premiers.
Hey, Karen...looks like you have lots of expert advice above....the only other thing I could add would be to do your coloring on a hard, smooth surface....I would get lots of bumps in my projects until I swithched tables to work on. The first one was a card table with a leather like surface and now I use the counter top....very smooth!!! I also like a very smooth paper like Stampin Up! The GP is a little rougher when you compare the two. Good luck and keep coloring!!! Your stuff looks great!!
Joan, Thank you so much. I did notice the GP paper is not FLAT. If that is the best way to describe. LOL, I was stampin and coloring in the car! Laptop was the hard surface covered with a CM cutting mat. Now, isn't that the darnest thing. Can you tell I am serious about learning this stuff.
Hi Karen, looks like great tips and advice so far! The only things I would add are:
1. When I was getting started with the Prismas, I kept reading over and over the advice to use blending stumps made in Taiwan, not the ones made in China. I wasn't able to find them at any of my local stores, so I ended up ordering them online (I think they were from Inky Antics). I do have both kinds, and I agree that the results between the two are like night and day, so I would definitely encourage you to try the ones from Taiwan.
2. Don't limit yourself to just the color of the object (i.e., orange for your pumpkin). After you've done your shading and blending in orange, try adding deeper and richer colors to your shadowed areas, a Rust color first, and then even browns or brownish grays. These colors will give your image a richer, truer appearance. When I'm coloring in red, I'll do shadows in burgundy and brown. When I'm coloring in yellow, I'll do shadows in mustard and tan.
3. Are you familiar with Marianne Walker's blog "I Like Markers"? Product-wise her specialty is Copic markers, but most of her lessons apply equally well to any coloring medium. She even did a tutorial on coloring pumpkins recently.
4. About the watercolor paper ... I save mine for watercoloring only. I don't know how it would do with the Prismas, but I would think it might not be best, simply because the surface is a little rougher, and the blending is easier on a smoother paper surface. Also, since I can get great results with regular, relatively inexpensive card stock (I have SU, papertrey, and Georgia Pacific for now), I don't want to spend the extra money on w/c paper if I don't have to. (But I don't speak with any authority, having never tried it!).
Thanks again for the PM about this thread. I'll stay tuned, because I'm always looking for ways to improve my coloring. I hope you'll get some more advice and tips from the experts out there!
Thanks for your email, and I'm more than happy to help, and I would say you have heard from the best! I am afraid I'm not much of a "colourer", and I tend to avoid line art images because I struggle with it too. I do not have prisma colour pencils, so I really can't help you there.
I generally watercolour with ink and an aquapainter, because those are the tools I have, and since I generally pick stamps that don't need colouring, or find other ways to colour (paper piecing), I have never invested in anything else.
Personally, I think your colouring looks awesome...you have the shading down perfectly (which is something I struggle with), and with the tips you've received from these talented ladies...I'm sure you'll get the Prismas to work for you!
Carolyn King uses Prisma pencils and she recently did a tutorial on her blog. Here's the link.
Thank you Mrs. Laura,
I was thinking water color would be so much easier. What water holding brush do you use? The one I have puts out way too much water.
Hi Karen! I just saw your pm! These gals above have sure covered it...they have some GREAT advice for using Prismas and Gamsol! Can't wait to see what you do!!!
GREAT question Karen. I think everyone struggles to get the perfect blend when coloring an image. It takes lots of practice to get it right so do not give up! I will tell you that I almost threw away my prismacolor pencils right after I got them (and also my Copics!) because I figured they just wouldn't work FOR ME!
It was not until I learned some simple techniques that they began to work! (It had NOTHING to do with me...hahaha!)
Both tutorials are written for beginners so they are pretty simple--and the results are pretty good just learning a few basic techniques.
These are my favorite coloring mediums and if I can do it---so can you! Good luck! Looks like you are off to a great start!
Quote:
Originally Posted by scrapnextras
Karen,
Thanks for your email, and I'm more than happy to help, and I would say you have heard from the best! I am afraid I'm not much of a "colourer", and I tend to avoid line art images because I struggle with it too. I do not have prisma colour pencils, so I really can't help you there.
I generally watercolour with ink and an aquapainter, because those are the tools I have, and since I generally pick stamps that don't need colouring, or find other ways to colour (paper piecing), I have never invested in anything else.
Personally, I think your colouring looks awesome...you have the shading down perfectly (which is something I struggle with), and with the tips you've received from these talented ladies...I'm sure you'll get the Prismas to work for you!
Carolyn King uses Prisma pencils and she recently did a tutorial on her blog. Here's the link.
The only thing I can add is this (and maybe I just missed it already):
Is the "t" word you are looking for "tortillion"? That is the one with only 1 pointed edge. I think the other end is open.
The other thing is a "stump." That has points on BOTH ends and seems to be sturdier (to me, at least). I have better luck with these because I can grip it tighter. I'm always afraid the other thing might "collapse."
Carolyn, thank you so much for your reply. I watched both of your tutorials and saved them in my favorites. One thing you mention is keep putting MS on the stump. I wasn't sure what was enough. I have a better feel for that now. If the color isn't moving, then dip again. My color wasn't moving at all. I am looking forward to the weekend to play and try, try again. You never get to old to learn new stuff.
I don't know where I read it, but I dip my Prismacolor pencils and even the cheaper Crayola ones, into the mineral spirits and color. I use a darker shade to create the shading. The item I read said to be sure to sharpen the pencils when you are finished. They didn't say why, but I guess the leftover OMS is not good for the pencil if it stays on forever.
I also love using my SU crayons. The way they work best for me is to color a spot on scrap paper and use the Dove Blender to pick up the color and apply to the image.
Since we are talking about Prismas, I thought I would ask about a problem I am having. I see lovely sharp points on the pencils in the tutorials and that is what I would like. However, I am having quite a bit of trouble with mine breaking while sharpening them. Could they have been dropped during shipping? It is so disappointing to be just about there and all of a sudden it breaks. I am using the sharpener that came with them.
Thank you all for the wonderful tips on using these pencils.
Basically it says not to use too much pressure when sharpening the pencil, if you are using a hand sharpener - hold it vertically instead of horizontally, and if it keeps breaking use a sharpener with a wider opening. It also mentions that using an electric sharpener could help.
I did try holding it vertically when I sharpened it and it was a bit better.
Thank you so much Tylersmom. I will try holding the sharpener vertically. We do have an electric sharpener, but I thought it was breaking them and discontinued using it. Might try it again.
Tylersmum - thanks SO much for the link and info regarding the breaking of pencils when sharpening! This has been the only frustrating thing I've experienced with my Prismas and I am going to try these suggestions tomorrow.
I am new to the coloring pencils art and I have a lot of questions, but my first question is: What is the best paper to print or stamp a image to coloring?
I am new to the coloring pencils art and I have a lot of questions, but my first question is: What is the best paper to print or stamp a image to coloring?
Thank you!
Deni J.
I think this may be somewhat a personal preference. I love PTI and SU card stock but think they provide different results because the finishes are so different.
Thank you very much for your help. I don't know anything about the coloring pencil art. I work with card making using Quilling art, but I have seen many blogs with the coloring pencil art, and loved it. So, i decided to give a try.
Probable, I will ask you a lot of questions.
Beginner needs Instruction on Coloring Stamped Image
