Spectrum Noir markers are coming Tues-Oh my!
 

I have never used these markers. I bout the 72 piece set from sn web site for $79. I have wanted these markers since last fall, but didn't have extra funds at the time. I will have to play around and find out how they work, ect. Any tips for the newbie?

Tara

Read through the alcohol marker threads. Most people seem to use Momento ink, and either Neenah or Georgia Pacific from WM for cardstock. I use the latter (cheap and easily available), then printed a bunch of coloring images out that I found online (use google image and search for "dog coloring" or whatever you want) to practice. I think bigger images are easier, especially as a beginner. Then color, color, color. I sit around watching TV and color. I realize many of the images I color aren't great, but since I printed them or stamped them, I can always make more.

Since the colors of the caps on most markers look nothing like the actual color of the markers, I usually make my own color chart.

Nothing fancy, I just type the color name/number in a couple of colums and print it out on cardstock. Then I make a little square of the color next to it. I have a set of Bics and Sharpies and I made one for them, too.

Then I can look at the chart and see what the color actually looks like.

I also usually stamp a couple of extra images on scrap cardstock when I'm actually making a card. So I can "practice" on the image and see what my color choices actually look like together.

Finally, don't be too hard on yourself. This hobby is for fun! Most of the people I send my cards to are not "artists" and do not look at how the cards are colored with nearly the critical eyes that we do ourselves!

I have a good friend that I send cards to quite a bit. We were having lunch one day, and she happened to have a card in her purse that she had just gotten from the mailbox on the way to lunch. She was thanking me, and I said something about the colors. She looked "astonished" and said, "Oh my gosh - You color these? I thought they came that way when you stamped them.":)

Yes, Bugga, a color chart is a great help. I forgot that. There is a blank one on the SN site. I downloaded it, printed onto the card stock i use and then colored in each one I had. That way, I can see exactly what I'm looking for.

http://www.spectrumnoir.com/download...K%20Sept12.pdf

I just recently bought some SN markers and haven't opened the pkgs as of yet. But I have a question--do I need to also purchase the blender pen that came in a set that I didn't buy? I think I am kinda apprehensive about trying them out and hopefully didn't make a big mistake in purchasing them.

You'll probably want the blender pen eventually - it works well to lighten up your color if needed and can help erase mistakes - but you don't need it to start coloring. Check out the Spectrum Noir blog. They have a series of tutorials called "Color Focus" - LINK - that colors an image using only pens from one 6-color set. They only have 9 sets posted so far, but the only tutorial that uses the blender pen is the one for the Essentials set that includes the pen.

Thank you Cheryl, I will check out the link that you posted for me. I am looking forward to spending time looking at the information.