a pseudo-tutorial and x-press it blending card!

well girls...this is NOT really a tutorial, but it may be helpful. The No.1 question I get asked is how much pencil do I add! Well, I'll tell you, to the image, not very much AT ALL! But all shading around the image, and the grounding is ALWAYS done exclusively with pencil. So I've decided to show you three images that we coloured up at Stamping Bella this past weekend and what the image looked like with just copics, and after I added the pencil. Hope this WOW's you cause it always WOW's me!

In these three examples the left image is just coloured with copics, and the right after adding some pencil. (you can click on all of them for an up close look) In all cases, I would have initially used 2, but probably 3 colors of copics but I don't get as much depth, contrast and texture as I would like so that is where the pencils come in. If I increased the number of copics used to say 5 instead of 3, I could certainly achieve the depth and contrast, but it still lacks the texture of pencils which I LOVE for the softer look. So that is why I went 'hybrid'!

When I add the pencil, I almost always use a stump with some gamsol to blend it out a bit. BUT...I'm careful not to blend it out over the entire area! You only want to blend it out over half to two thirds of your darkest copic you used! And I don't always blend it out, sometimes I like the way it looks just as is. Now be careful though! This is NOT the same as if you were gonna color your entire image with pencils, where you want a good heavy application of pencil down so you have enough pigment to spread over the entire area! We DON'T want to cover the entire area so a light hand here is all that's required.

Below are the three images and some examples of where I added pencils.

Izzy has a cake

After colouring the green icing with G20 and G21, I used some Kelp Green to deepen it up a bit. The stripes were done with YR0000, Y00, 11, 15, YR31, 23. Then I used mineral orange pencil to shade under the cake, the underside of the skirt and on the polkadot layer where the striped layer is shading it. If I don't think I have enough, I might have added some light umber here, but just a very thin line and not really pulling that out at all, but just softening the line with a stump that is on the 'dry' side.


Izzy has a cupcake

Most often I just choose a color of pencil that is darker, but in the same color family to deepen things up a bit. Here I used BG000, 11 and 72 for the dress. Then I added some aquamarine pencil and again, just a thin line of a deep french grey to create that 'pop'. And remember, don't blend that french grey out, just a sweep with the stump to soften the line is all that is required.


Jill is two

You know I love MO....this is where pencils really come in handy. I did not want to tackle all the folds and creases in those tights with markers, especially cause the tights are striped!!!... so I just coloured the stripes using two colors for each stripe. Then following the contours I added some light umber and blended it out with a stump and gamsol....staying away from the center because I wanted to keep that light. Then just a teeny tiny bit of dark umber under the bulge of her diaper got me the look I wanted!


So that's it...not to tough eh! Just so you know, I RARELY do anything with pencil on the hair...I like it the way it is with just copics.

Now speaking of just copics...I got my grubby fingers on some of the x-press it blending card. Let me just say....if you are a copic purist, this is THE HANDS DOWN THE BESTEST PAPER FOR YOU! It is brilliant white so your copic colors are not distorted in any way and ULTRA smooth....like silky smooth! The copics blend like a DREAM! i LOVE THIS STUFF!

BUT....(for me there is a but!)

if you are a hybrid gal like me and like to use pencils with your copics....don't use this paper. It is way too smooth for pencils, there is absolutely NO 'tooth' to it at all. that means there is nothing to 'grab' the pencil....it's like colouring with a pencil on glass! get my drift! and if you do manage to get pencil down on it, you can't get it to move and blend as smoothly (or at ALL) like you can on bella's bestest paper.

so for you hybrid gals....stick with the bella paper!

So my verdict, if you are a copic purist...go for it! You'll LOVE IT! I'd rate it a 10 out of 10! If there is a remote chance you may want to use pencils over or in addition to your copics, stick with the bella paper because i would rate it a 9 out of 10 with both mediums.

Don't forget our halloweenie challenge this weekend! There is still time to get your card to Emily by tomorrow! Just so you know, I coloured mine on the x-press it paper!