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Awesome Copic tutorial from DT member Mary Giemza

Copic Coloring of Brunette Hair
by Mary B. Giemza

I thought I’d do a photo tutorial to show you my personal technique for coloring brunette hair.  I like to use several shades of brown Copic markers – light, medium & dark - to give the hair LOTS of  glimmers of low-lights, highlights and reds, as if the sun were shining to catch each color!  

Once again, please keep in mind, I am not a Copic instructor, I just love my Copic markers!  

 [You can click on any of the photos for a closer view.]

Here’s a list of the markers I used to color my image, from lightest to darkest.   (Of course, these are all available for the best price in town at 7 Kids College Fund!)  

E000 - Pale Fruit Pink;  E50  -  Egg Shell;  E51 - Milky Way;  E53 – Raw Silk;  E31 – Brick Beige;  E43 – Dull Ivory;  E37 – Sepia;  E39 – Leather;  E29 – Burnt Umber; E47 – Dark Brown; and E49 – Dark Bark.

And, a picture of the AMAZING  lineart image I will be coloring.  (More details on how to download this image can be found here.)

Lady Rose Dragon

My first step is to color the entire hair area with my second lightest color, E50.  This step is actually quite similar to coloring wood (see my tutorial here), there is no need to worry about streaks since lots of other colors will be applied on top of this.

E50

Moving on to the next darkest color, E51 – I add streaks throughout the hair area.

E51

 Note:  As Marianne Walker (I Like Markers) suggests, always use a light feather stroke when coloring hair, and always go in the direction of the hair strands.

I continue to add feathered streaks, each time with a slightly darker color…intermittently throughout the hair area. 

E53

E31

E43 for some medium shaded low-lights

E43

E37 ~ a slightly auburn color for some red highlights

E37

E39 ~ a darker auburn color for some red low-lights

E39

E29 ~ the start of your darker brown colors to begin the brunette hair color

E29

Please note:  The darker streaks may appear a little harsh at this point, but keep in mind you will be going back later and blending with your lighter markers.

E47 ~ A darker brown ~  for the areas I want to appear darker and more shaded, such as the hairline

E47

And the last dark brown, E49, used sparingly, only at the hairline for the effect of a darker root color

E49

I now begin the blending process  ~  lightening some of the darker highlights and blending all the colors somewhat.  Remember to also do your blending in streaks, to retain some of the lighter highlight colors. 

I begin this blending process with E43, moving on to E31, then E53, all the way back to E50.

E43, 31, 53, 51 & 50

My final step is to go over any area that I would like to appear lighter and to blend any areas that remain too dark for my liking, with my lightest color – E000. 

Yay!   This is my completed brunette hair image.

E000 - Blending

And, finally, here’s the image with the other elements colored and some flower embellishments added.  

 

I know this tutorial uses LOTS of Copic markers, and I’m sure you can skip one or two from each group – light, medium and dark - to also attain a suitable brunette hair color.  However, as I mentioned, I just LOVE to see all the low-lights, highlights and reds on my images with brunette hair! 

"Quick Note" NEWSLETTER

www.7kidscollegefund.com IN NEXT WEEK!!! PENDANTS AND BORDERABILITIES! Just a quick note to let everyone in on some very exciting news for 7 KIDS customers: I am receiving the NEW Pendants and Borderabilities next week (not early August, as originally predicted)!!! My order will be shipping in the next two days and I should have it by Wednesday or Thursday of next week! Can you believe it? I barely can!!! All the new pendants and borders are available for purchase. Head over to the store now to purchase what I have coming to guarantee that you will be one of the first crafters to get your hands on these amazing new dies!!! 7 KIDS appreciates your business!!!   Sincerely,   7kidscollegefund.com Join Our Mailing List!

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Join me in helping launch the NEW Just Magnolia Tutorial Challenge Blog!!!

Today marks the launching of the NEW Just Magnolia Tutorial Challenge Blog and 7 KIDS is sponsoring! The first challenge is based on an amazing tutorial by Kim Piggott. Kim has graciously given her permission to have the tutorial reproduced here. You can view the tutorial and DT card ideas here, then head over to the challenge blog to enter your card. You have until July 13 to submit your creation for the drawing for a $20 gift certificate!!!

TUTORIAL: Distressing a Background

Hello,
I have been asked by Bev and Jacqui to make a little tutorial on how I distress my backgrounds. I just love using these beautiful inks I just couldn't think of crafting without them. I would like to point out that this is just my version of this technique and I do not profess to be an authority on distressing. This is just how I achieve the distressing of my projects and if it helps you then I will be so happy.

The tools that I use are a non-stick crafting sheet, Ranger CUT-N-DRY FOAM PADS and TIM HOLTZ DISTRESS INK pads.

You can buy blending tools to use with the CUT-N-DRY FOAM. I cut small pieces of the foam and then just hold the foam pad with my fingers to distress ink on to my projects. I have a piece of foam for each colour and write the name of the ink on the back of the foam so I will not get mixed colours.

I have stamped out my image on to watercolour paper. The brand I use is Waterford 30 x 33 300gsm HP smooth. I really think that when using distress inks for colouring that your quality of paper is so important to achieve the best results.

I then take my CUT-N-DRY FOAM and add ink to this by pressing it on to the ink pad. Then, using circular movements gradually add the ink to the card. To achieve a smooth finish you START on the craft sheet NOT the card. Then bring the ink on to your card and gradually, (depending on the depth of colour required) keep adding more ink, re-inking the foam from the ink pad as you go.

Press foam on to ink pad.

Here I am starting with the CUT-N-DRY FOAM on the craft sheet.

In smooth circular movements bring foam from craft sheet on to card.

If you wish to add other colours, you can either add a colour straight on to your first colour which will mix up the colours, or you can dry in between each colour by using a heat tool to achieve more of a layered effect. 

Here is the finished distressed card using tattered rose and edged with fired brick.

I always also distress my papers using this method. This is the paper before the ink. 

This is the paper after it has been distressed.

Again, to tie in my image and my papers I have used tattered rose and fired brick.

I just like to do this as I feel this brings the project into focus on my card. Also, you can change the colour of your paper which ties in with your image and detail on your project.

I also love to use Glimmer Mists on my projects. In order to minimise mess and to contain the spray when using this I have a cunning tool. A SHOE BOX. I put scraps of paper on the bottom and then place whatever I want to spray on to this. (NOTE FROM 7 KIDS: 7 KIDS carries SHIMMERZ SPRITZ, which has less dripping and no clogging!!!)

Before spraying, you must ensure that all the mixture is shaken completely, otherwise you will not get a good shimmer effect and you will block the nozzle. If you check the bottom of the bottle you can see the mica.

Before you shake the bottle you can see the mica residue.

After shaking the bottom is clear and ready to spray.

Shake the bottle well, you can check that this has been done thoroughly by checking the bottom of the bottle and if no residue is left then you can begin spraying. You only need to do this by using quick, light sprays as a little goes a long way. When finished, I wipe the nozzle to avoid this becoming blocked.

You can leave this to air dry or if you are impatient like me, you can dry it with a heat tool. 

Here is a close up of the rose and heart, you can see the delicious shimmer on the crackle paint too.

Close up of the two roses with their shimmer.

This is my finished card. I have distressed with tattered rose and sprayed silver gilmmer mist on to my flowers, heart and swirl.

I hope that my little tutorial has helped you. This is my first time at putting something like this into writing, so please excuse my amateur-like attempt.

Love
Kim

Design Team inspiration:

Jacqui

Mina

Rach

Martine

Michelle

Tab

Donalda

Bev

Marcea

New Spellbinders Pendants and Borderabilities are available for preorder now!

Visit the store now to preorder these amazing new Pendant Dies and coordinating Borderabilities. There are 8 amazing designs to choose from, so I am sure you will find AT LEAST one to suit your taste!

June 27 NEWSLETTER

www.7kidscollegefund.com PREORDER PENDANTS AND BORDERABILITIES! Spellbinders has designed some amazing new sets which are scheduled for release in August. There are 8 new design types each with a PENDANT set and a BORDERABILITIES set. These designs are: Contemporary Hearts, Eyelets, Fleur De Lis, Tulips, Lattice, In Spades, Renaissance Hearts and Kaleidoscope. These sets are simply amazing and can be used with many of the existing Nestabilities shapes. All 16 sets are available for preorder right now!!! NEW LINE FROM STAMPAVIE Stampavie has teamed with Tina Wenke to bring you this incredibly sweet line of clear acrylic stamps. This stamp line has 10 super-cute stamps with critters like mice, squirrels, raccoons and opossums. These stamps are in the store now for preorder and are expected to ship out to retailers in late July. Order now to make sure you are one of the first to get these stamps! Also, please note, Stampavie is retiring a number of stamps. Here is the list: ALL Leere Aldrich stamps, Jump into my Pouch, Lily at the Beach, Enjoy the Moment, My Little Friends, Puppy Love, Taking Care, I love Shopping and Lily & Milo - Congratulations. If you have wanted any of these stamps, head over the store and pick them up before they are no longer available! 60% OFF GEL-A-TINS!! I am clearancing out all Gel-a-tins clear acrylic stamps and stamping blocks. This week, all these stamps and blocks will be 60% off (this code excludes embossing powders, which I will continue to carry). Shop NOW for the best selection!!! SAVE an additional 60% with coupon code GEL60 Code expires 7/4/09. MORE NEW PRODUCTS ARE IN & EVEN MORE ARE COMING!  I am still adding new products to the store! I just added new stamp sets from Hero Arts, as well as new clear block sizes and super-cute felt buttons. I have also added the Tim Holtz Craft Scratcher, Scor-Pal's Scor-Bug, all preorder Spellbinders Pendants and Borderabilities, as well as the new Stampavie stamps. All of these products can be found in the ADDED THIS WEEK section of the store. Coming over the weekend and the beginning of next week will be: C.C. Designs stamps (Mermaid Emma is shown to the left...so cute!) Spellbinders Tag Dies and new Copic refill colors. On order and expected soon: more colors of Prima Mini Roses, Memory Box notecards and some new Hero Arts clear sets!!! I have also set up accounts with Just-Rite Stamps and InStyle Stamps, so look for those stamp lines to be added to the store soon!!! 7 KIDS appreciates your business!!!   Sincerely,   7kidscollegefund.com Join Our Mailing List!

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Spellbinders In Spades Pendant and Border

ALL DESIGNS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER AT 7 KIDS!!!

Check out today's reveal on the Embellished Dreams blog for amazing ideas for this new pendant and border, as well as details about Spellbinders' contest.

New Stampavie stamps in the store for preorder today!!!

Stampavie just released the images from its newest collection: Cute Critters from Tina Wenke. And, 7 KIDS is the very first store to have them available for preorder! I placed my order within a few minutes of receiving the announcement. I want my customers to be the first to get their hands on these incredibly cute stamps!

Stampavie currently estimates that these images will be shipping out to retailers at the end of July (and I have never had Stampavie not release when they said they would release...so we can count on that timeframe).

Visit the store now to be the first to preorder!!!

Spellbinders Lattice Pendant and Borderabilities

ALL DESIGNS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER AT 7 KIDS!!!

Mary Giemza: Coloring realistic wood with Copics

Copics used:
E31 Brick Beige (my lightest color)
E33 Sand (medium color for shading)
E43 Dull Ivory (medium color)
E57 Light Walnut (darkest color)

Using my lightest color, E31 Brick Beige, I outline each section of the fence.

I then continue to color in each section with the same E31. To quote Marianne, it’s OK if your coloring at this point is streaky, just be sure to color with the grain of the wood.

My next step is to add ”streaks” in the mid-range color, E43 Dull Ivory.

To add the darkest color, you do not want to be heavy-handed. Add very thin, short highlights. I used the point of the broad end of the marker for this process, using E57 Light Walnut.

Next, I again used E31 Brick Beige to lightly blend the two darker colors together.

The final step for me is to use another medium toned color, E33 Sand to add some shadow tones to the fence in areas that I wanted to look a little more distressed.

That’s it! Obviously, there are many brown choices in Copic colors, but I wanted to show you my choices for an aged wooden fence.

Here is the final product with some close ups of the Flower Soft used. So pretty!

 

 

Check out these awesome cards from Mary Giemza

Check out these Magnolia cards from DT member Mary Giemza. Mary has photographed each of these cards in closer detail so you can see EXACTLY how she colored these images. If you are getting started with Copics, don't be afraid to look at these images in detail and try to recreate them. You may not get these results immediately, but with practice, you may be as good as Mary! I am posting Mary's pictorial for creating realistic-looking wood with copics next.