January 18, 2009

Green Apple Cards

Edit: The pen I used to blend my images is a Copic Colorless Blender. It's got a sketch tip and works like a marker but it has no color....just clear blending solution. For my images, I simply took the Colorless Blender and colored over all my other marker colors to blend them. If you find that your colors are fading too much when you use your blender pen, it might be a little too juicy or that you're pressing too hard or coloring over your colors too much. For the apples, I actually went back in with some of my colored Copic Markers to add some darker shades. Just keep adding color as you need it. The Colorless Blender blends the colors and will actually take away color if you need to. Keep practicing, you'll get better with time. And sorry girls, but I won't be doing any videos because I don't have the necessary equipment.

Hello everyone! We've had a weekend full of basketball! The girls are finishing up 3 of 8 ballgames they've had this weekend. Needless to say, I have *bleacher butt*! Luckily tomorrow we have no school so I'll be able to stand all day in my craft room and create!

I better get on with today's post so we can get on the road. Today I've colored up some images with Karen Lockhart's Bowl of Apples stamp. The two images below show a completely colored image on the left, with a Copic blender pen wash blending all the colors together. The image on the right shows my layers of colors with no blending pen. Notice how I leave a LOT of white space in the apples. This makes for some great highlights. Here's my finished images on my cards. If you zoom in, you'll see that the apples are not completely blended, but have a more watercolor like effect...just what I was hoping to achieve.
Here's my two finished card in full view below. I used October Afternoon paper...one sheet, just flipped the patterns. The main images are layered with Spellbinder's square and scalloped square dies.
And here's the inside of my cards. My friend Cindy Lyles is always decorating the inside of her cards and I love that look. I just used some leftover strips of the patterned paper, a Karen Lockhart birthday sentiment and an Itty Bitty Karen Lockhart apple. I used a fine tip black marker to make a line under the paper.
Just some more cards to add to my stash, I love that I'm getting a head start on birthday cards this year! Gotta run girls, have a great day!

23 comments:

Pearlann66 said...

beautiful colors!

CherylQuilts said...

These are wonderful! Thanks for the coloring tip...they look great!

Lisa Foster said...

Gorgeous cards! Love that stamp too! Your coloring is always amazing...thanks for showing us that tip this morning! Have a great day!

Kelly Lunceford said...

These are darling! YOu did a great job coloring them and I Loved seeing the differences in them! Beautiful! Great papers, too! Good job on getting ahead on your stash!

DoxieGirl said...

sorry, I just a beginner with the copics...
so, then after you laid all your colors down you blended them together with the colorless blender? when I did that, all of my color went away!
I would love to see a pic of how you do this, if you would be ever so kind.
you are the queen of this October Road paper. I am loving what you are doing with it!
~Kendra

Michelle said...

I've noticed lately a lot of people doing the insides of the cards as well. It just gives it such a finished look when you carry the theme inside. These are adorable, Michelle.

Judit V said...

Beautiful...love the colours! TFS!

Mandy said...

Beautiful cards Michelle, oh to be able to colour as fantastically as that !!

Mandy

Dottie K. said...

Adorable birthday cards. I just got some of the fruit stamps for Christmas. So glad you showed this stamp. Love the inside of your cards. Have a fun day with the girls! :)

anni said...

Thanks so much for sharing your talents with us out in cyberland! I check your blog everyday! I just bought a bunch of Copics but have yet to use them..Thanks for the motivation and inspiration!

CreativeMish said...

green grannies are my favorite! I love your cards!

Elizabeth S. said...

I love these cards!! The coloring is so amazing to make the apples look s real. I really need to practice.

DeeDee said...

Oh Mish, too CUTE!!! Who wouldn't love to get this card in the mail!!!! Thanks for the Copic coloring tips too!! HUGS!!!

Mary said...

What do you mean by Copic blender pen wash?? I have used the blender pen to move colors around but I am thinking by wash you mean you drag it over all the image at once? I would love more description on your technique - the cards are great! (as always!)

Anonymous said...

Such beautiful birthday cards!! Love your coloring! Great tips and I *do* need those:) TFS

Anonymous said...

Every new project you share is better than the last. How on earth do you do that?

I notice several folks have asked about the blender technique. I'd like to know how you do it too. Is there any chance you might be able to do a video tutorial on your coloring techniques? I think a lot of your "followers," including me:), could really benefit. I'm not sure what all's involved, but it sure would be wonderful to actually see you in action!

Melanie said...

Absolutely stunning! Love the stamp and your art work on the image is beautiful!!

Anonymous said...

Great cards....you seems to find te bet paper too!

Sandy said...

Wonderful cards, Michelle!! I love the doodling under the strip of patterned paper on the inside of the card.

Anonymous said...

This bowl reminds me of my Polish Pottery collections. I love it! Very nice! Great job...as always! TFS!

Chris said...

It's really good to see what different effects you can get with the Copics with and without the blender - many thanks for the inspiration. Your blog is a daily fix for me!

Unknown said...

Gorgeous! I just love the colors!

Leigh OBrien said...

These are lovely, Michelle! Are you using the Copic airbrush for the area around your stamped image? Masking with the Nestie?

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