Week One of Coloring with Stamplorations!

Hello, Hello!

Well this is an exciting month for me with not one but two opportunities to be a guest designer.
I am thrilled to be one of the featured guest designers at Stamplorations.   Today's Stamplorations blog post is all about coloring.  Want to see some gorgeous stuff?  3 colorists, 3 cards each!  Check it out here. Who knows?? There may be a chance to win a $15 gift certificate to the Stamplorations store!  (wink, wink)
Warning!!  This is a very long post!  I have had requests in the past to provide some sort of a tutorial on how I color.  I thought I would try to do so here.  Having now done this, I can say it is very time consuming and effects how I work.  And you will get to see the oopsies! I would LOVE your feedback on the tutorial(s).  Too much, too confusing?  Thanks so much! 

I will start with this gorgeous French Marigold image; the flower is very sentimental to me as my mom used to plant these every summer.  I will try to show you step by step how I got here.

1.   If I want to color realistically, I start with googling the object.  I pick out some Copics that I think I might use.  As you can see, I already had stenciled and sponged a background, but it did not take long for me to realize that it wasn't working for me. 

2.  Put down initial color of Y17.

3.  When I don't have the exact color I want, I will layer markers.  Here, I start with YR24.

4.  Now on top of the YR 24, I layer R05. 

5.  And on top of the R05 I decide to layer Y17. 

6.  Next,  I start adding in contrast to give the petals shape.  Here I have used R46 and softened the lines with the R05.  I also start blocking in some shadows.

7. Petals are finished with the same colors as above. 

8.  I choose a photo to use as a guide for the two remaining flowers.

9.  Quick base coat of Y13 goes down. 

10.  I start adding in some Y15 to give shape and definition to the petals.

11.  Y19 is next, to start adding depth. 

12.  I used Y11 to blend the Y15 and Y19.  I used Y11 because I did not want the yellow to get too dark. 

13.  Shadow areas are darked with YR14. 

14.  E47 is used for the shadows and then is blended out with the YR14. 

15.  Depth is added to the shadows with  W1, E43 (my W3 was out of commission), and E74.
More definition is added with the Y13 and Y19. 

And that is a brief synopsis of how I got here.  I fussy cut the flowers out and popped them up on dimensionals in the finished card.  The sentiment is from the Best Mom Ever stamp set.

I am linking my Marigold card up to the ModSquad Challenge, which is 'flowers'.

I will post my next to cards here, and if you would like the tutorials on them, scroll on down.

I have used In Bloom- Precious Plumeria and this fabulous sentiment set- Fond Expressions.  I absolutely love the fonts in this set.

And last but not least, I have used Blooming Buds (I love the versatility of this set) and Birds and Blooms for the sentiment.
If you want tutorials on these cards keep on scrolling!

Lee Ann

Plumeria card

1. Get photo reference.

 

 2.  Start with basic blocking in of color- Y11 and RV10.

3.  Start to deepen the yellow color with Y15, blending out with Y11.

4.  Add more intense color with Y38.

5. Add most intense color with YR68 and then go over with Y11 to soften lines.

6.  Use RV13 and RV14 on the edges of the petals.  Use W1 to start adding shadows.

7.  Use YG23, G07 and G28 for leaves.

8.  Use RV13 and RV14 on the small flowers.

9.  Blend out RV 13 and RV14 with RV02. 

And lastly~

1.  Stamp image, using the masking technique.

2.  Mask off the images and sponge an ombre background. 

3.  Lay down inital color of G20 and YG21.

4. Add YG23 to base of petals and blend out with G20.

5.  Use 07 and YG03 for the stem and use G17 for the top of the stem.

That one was easy!