Copics Tutorial ~ Rosy Red Cheeks...

Hi all!

Have you been watching the Royal Wedding today. I was.....and making a card at the same time using my 'Willow With Cookies' stamp by Whiff Of Joy.

I love my images to have rosy red cheeks, especially if using on a project with rich colours. Sometimes pink cheeks just won't do for me! So how do you achieve this without your finished image resembling Coco The Clown?....

So I thought I'd put together a little Copics tutorial for you. It works with Promarkers too. Just pick out similar shades to those pictured above. I'm no expert, but here's how I do my rosy red cheeks...

STEP 1....go all over face with E00

(Today I am using E00 & E02 as my skin tones. This will vary on what complexion, hair colour etc, I want my image to have. I also consider what papers/colours will be used on my finished card and try to tone the skin & hair colours accordingly)....

STEP 2....use E02 in the areas that there would be shade (i.e. hairline, neck, under the chin etc.)....

STEP 3....use R37 to draw a small circle on her cheeks. Eeek!! don't be afraid at this point that she looks like Coco The Clowns twin sister!

(I am using R37 today, as this will tone in with the shades of red I intend to use on my finished card. Use any shade of red, deep pink etc, that with tone in with your finished project. I have a home made swatch of all my marker colours. I always hold the papers I intend to use against my swatch to pick out the best colours of markers to match.)...

STEP 4...now working quite quickly so that the markers don't have time to dry properly between steps, pop your image onto a folded piece of ABSORBENT KITCHEN PAPER TOWEL, and go all over the face in the palest skin colour again, E00.

(The kitchen paper with suck out the excess red from behind the image. If you do not use the kitchen paper, the red ink will not blend out as easily and just sit on the papers surface.)....

STEP 5....still working on the kitchen paper, go over the cheeks and middle of the face with the BLENDER PEN....

STEP 6....still working on the kitchen paper, I then take a pink shade, BLUSH - R20, and go over the cheeks again. I then add a little more E02 etc, in the shaded areas, and maybe a little more E00 until I'm happy...

STEP 7....to finish the rosy look, I add a tiny spot of white gel pen (Signo or Inkissentials) to where the cheek bone would reflect the light. This would naturally be a little below the outer corner of the eye.

I realised after I had pictured the finished image I had missed a tiny bit of hair at the nape of her neck! That's what you get for colouring whist watching a Royal Wedding!I will show you the finished card tomorrow.....all hair intact!

Thanks for looking, and I hope you find this of some use!

Jenny xx

I Love Ice Cream! ('Out Of The Box' Tutorial)...

Hi all! Phew, the heat has really been zapping my energy of late. I wish it would cool down a bit so I can get some crafting done! This is a card I made late last night. I had to force myself to stay awake or else I just wouldn't get anything made.

First I will just mention that I have used the sketch from this week's I Love Promarker's challenge.

I have also used the theme from Passion For Promarkers, which is 'my favourite things'...come on, who doesn't love ice cream? lol!

The image I am using today is 'Beach Alfie' from DigiStamp Boutique. Sally-Ann has released some stunning designs this month, including lots more summer/beach themed stamps. You can find them all here.

Now first today, before I tell you more about my card, I have a little tutorial for you. I often 'out of the box' my images on my cards. This is because I sometimes find Nesties are just too small! I like to print my digis out quite large and stamps seem to be getting bigger too. Big is in!

I often have comments asking how this is done. So this is for those who have asked....

First, I put the die down onto the image in the desired position. I then make feint pencil marks just inside the die in the areas that would be cut off should I use the die in the regular way.

Then I cut down into the paper and carefully around the image, down to the pencil marks. I take great care not to hack any bits of paper off at this stage, just incase I cut down too far.

Then I put the die back down and tuck the protruding bits out over the TOP of the die. In this case his head, ice cream and I have done the corner of the star fish just in case!

I then put through the Wizard in the regular way. Just make sure his bits are sticking out over the TOP or he will end up with no head!

Et Voila! Ready to colour. Here I have left him in the die whilst I colour the background with my sponge dauber and sky blue pigment ink.

Now he's all ready to colour using my Promarkers.

For today's card I have also used,

DCWV papers,

Scalloped Oval Nestabilities,

Fiskars apron lace punch,

DCWV chipboard shape & sentiment,

ribbon,

card candy.

I hope my tutorial today has been of some use!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jenny xx