Coloring
 

I've never liked the way my cards turn out when I try to color so I tend to purchase the two step stamps. After looking at all the wonderful samples made with In Full Bloom, I'd love to buy that set, however I'd like your assistance with the coloring technique. Are markers or watercolor pencils easier to use? Is there a technique you could share with a beginner?

I love to use my ink pads and a waterbrush to color in flowers, I think it gives it a softer look. If I want something a little bolder, bright I use markers. Chalks are another one of my favorites :D :D I don't use watercolor pencils very often, the one's I have aren't SU, so they don't match my cardstock very well. I'm a has to match person!

Tammy Jo: I love using this technique: Make a "pallet" on an old CD (or one of those AOL freebies). With the brush end of your marker, scribble a bit of color on the CD. Then use a blender pen to pick up some color and color in your image with that. The look is very soft and very little mess that I tend to get when I use water. When you're done, the CD just rinses off with water. Good luck!

I'm still kind of new to this myself, but for the softer look, I prefer to use the Stampin' Pastels - sometimes highlighted by a coordinating marker. Of course, whenever I want bold color, I looooove the markers!

Coloring
 

When I use the blender pen, the part of the image where I begin is really dark and doesn't seem to blend well. Any suggestions on how to begin? Do I start at the border of the image and work to the middle or am I doing something wrong?

This is awesome advice!!

I use a baby wipe to clean the cd because I am too lazy to get off of my butt to go to the sink.

I knew those old AOL cd's would be good for something .... thanks for the idea.....

Tammy Jo -

I just got our new Aqua Painter and it is awesome! I like the watercolor look it gives so much more than I did with the blender pen. I used to use my watercolor brushes a lot, but this aqua painter is much nicer.

Last night my aqua painters werent within reach so I used blender pens...then I got up and got my aqua painters.

coloring
 

I like the pure color pencils. Start with the lightest color and as you add different colors press a little bit harder. This blends the colors. :wink: :wink:

Re: Coloring
 

It is going to be hard to explain this without pictures. I will do my best but if this post is not clear I can try and upload some images for you - just let me know tonight as my DH is at a ball game so I'll be up late (real late!) and have the time tonight.

First...
Visualize a light source coming from either the top right or the top left of your image. I always visualize the 'sun' or 'light' coming in from the upper right of my image. This rule must stay consistent throughout your stamped image.

If this does not make sense, take an object - like your hand. Place a light source coming at it from the upper right side. See where the natural shadows occur?

In a nutshell, the shadows are where you want to hit the inked up blender pen first, then when it starts to fade continue to color in the other areas, using up the ink on the blender pen until it runs clear.

With the above in mind, some stamps have 'natural shading' already there for you. Example: go to page 159 of the new catty. Look at Humpty-Dumpty's face. See where the faint shading is present (teeny tiny black dots) - more on the right side of his face? This is where you will need a heavier concentration of color. The areas of his face that are not shaded (white) will need a lesser concentration of color.

1. Take your blender pen, loaded with ink from a marker swiped on the cd, and color your stamped image FIRST where natural shading would occur.

2. As the ink starts to fade from the blender, quickly color in all (if possible) of the remainder of the area in which that color is desired.

This is the lesser concentration of color I typed earlier.

3. Then, go back to the cd, ink up the blender pen again, and repeat, blending the colors to fade away naturally.

If you do not want that initial bold concentration of color from step 1 when doing step 3, just swipe your blender pen after inking it up on a scratch piece of paper then go at your image.

Let me know if you (or any body else) want images or if this was helpful.

Re: Coloring
 

I think I can follow, but since I'm really a picture type of person those pics would be helpful.


tia

Here's some illustrations. Please see my post above for details regarding the steps. HTH!

These instructions & photos are so great! It really helps to see what you are describing.

Thanks,
Glenda

Thanks!
 

I have trouble coloring in also - thanks so much for all the detailed help!

marsha

Thanks!
 

I have trouble coloring in also - thanks so much for all the detailed help!

marsha

Another way I love to color is to scribble a palette using the water color pencils. Then wet a watercolor brush or use the aquapainter to pick up the color. Add to your stamped image. Very nice results, I think. Good luck.

Coloring
 

Cindy, thank you so much for the instructions and visual. They are very helpful!

the trauma of moving :shock:

Thanks Cindy that is way cool! Now perhaps I will not be so intimidated by the "coloring in stamps"

Cindy, those were awesome directions - the pictures just absolutely made it come to life. Thank you so much for taking time.

I've never been any good at blending ... but now I'm encouraged to practice a bit and see if I can do something half as professional as these pictures. Thank you so much!

:oops: Ok, guys - I'll let you in on my secret to watercoloring:

My mom is a watercolor artist - she does portrait work over in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and used to teach various art classes at a nearby college when I was growing up. She taught elementary art before I was born.

I held a paintbrush before I could hold a spoon.

Maybe I should do that more often - but then you *can* eat chocolate without a spoon..!

Everything I know I owe to my mother.

So, basically, if we don't have mothers who were watercolor artists, we're doomed? :(

I'm going to practice, practice, practice with my blender pens and my brushes... and maybe by the time my Aqua Painters get here I'll be deserving!

No....I've just been practicing for a few decades. I won't tell how many. One would think with that much practice I'd be doing portraits like my mom - but she's the real talent. :D

I missed this thread the first time it went around, but I gotta comment on how WONDERFUL those instructions and pictures are!! I, too, am a delinquent when it comes to watercoloring, but I love the look of it and now I'm inspired to try it some more using that great technique.

Thanks so much, StarLitStudio! And thanks to your mother :wink:

Rebecca

Re: Coloring
 

You only need to pick up a very tiny amount of ink with your blender pen. As Emeril says, you can always add, but you can't take away! :)

Cindy, thank you and thank your mother for me too! It's amazing what one can find stored here!!!

Am I the only one that cant see the pictures? I clicked everything I could, but found no pictures. I am totally lost when it comes to watercoloring and I need help!!!!!!!!!!!!![/list]

If we only had a great tutorial like that in the resource section :wink: LOL

A stampin' friend showed me this last year. I've been doing it ever since. It's a GREAT way to colour and it looks amazing. I don't have the markers, so I just press my stampin' spots against the CD and pick up the colour with my blender pens. I don't rinse it when I'm done, I simply put it in a jewel case (provided you haven't used any water and it's liable to run the colours together). The next time the colour is ready for you to pick it up again.

Another way you can make a pallet for watercoloring if you don't want to use an old CD is scribble on your stamp case with the markers.

I find I like this much better because you can't pick up too much ink this way. I show this at my workshops - makes people want to buy the markers too! Then just wipe off your stamp case and voila!

- Susan

I just scribble on the INSIDE of the lid of my ink pad. Then I don't have to clean it off later! But I only do this if I'm using one or two colors quickly. I don't want the pads to dry out! If I'm working longer I use the cd pallete.
mj

Just seeing this thread. Cindy - thanks so much for the detailed instructions with photos!!!

watercoloring
 

Hi Tammy Jo...just recently, I started using a basic set of watercolors and a watercolor sketch pad. (Got this at Dick Blick's for under $10---but am sure you could go elsewhere like wal-mart etc., and maybe find something cheaper.) What a difference it has made in my watercolor technique. I stamp the image four or five times and then experiment with the water color---less water for darker image and more for lighter image. I think it gives a true watercolor image. I'm currently using the SU Sketch stamps for the watercolor.

I love using the Twinkling H2O's with In Full Bloom. I just color it all in, I don't worry about shading. The all-over shimmer looks great!

teresa - you aren't the only one who can't see the pics. i used to be able to see them, but my computer crashed in january. i reloaded everything i used to have onto a new hard drive (i think) but ever since then i can't see pictures posted on threads. i can see gallery pics just fine.

i think i must have missed something when reloading all our programs - i can't find our cd for word/excel etc., so that may be it??? we only have wordperfect now. don't know if that is why i can no longer view the pics in the threads. anyway - if anyone has any suggestions for us, who is computer savvy, let us know.

my computer guy brother is coming to visit in a few weeks, so if it isn't fixed by then, i am hoping he will be able to help me...

teresa - if you figure it out, let me know!!!