Guest Designer for Copic Creations Challenge blog

Holy crap, it's Saturday?! Where did my week go!?

Sadly, it has definitely been one of THOSE weeks! Teething toddlers, puppies entering the "chewing" phase, a normal 4 year old (which translates into crazy), copic class, Local scrapbook store announcing they will be closing (very very sad about that) not to mention follow up from the Paper Makeup Stamps May release that went live last friday!

Needless to say.... I.... am.... POOPED!

Ok, enough of that mumbo jumbo... I have a fun announcement!

I'm joining the design team over at Copic Creations for their next challenge!

When asked if I would be a guest I was very very honored! Of course i wasnt going to not sponsor as well as Mary always has a stellar sponsor lined up for each challenge.

So I will be giving away a $35 voucher towards stamps at Paper Makeup Stamps!

It's one of the bigger prizes i've given away, but i REALLY want people to try out this technique using their copics! What technique is it, you ask?

Well, really? Do you have to ask?

MONOCHROMATICS!

It's no subtle thing that I love to color in a monochromatic or monotone theme.

I think that coloring in such a fashion can truly evoke a feeling. Color theory plays such an important role in how we perceive things!

I have made 2 videos on youtube using different sets of the grey copics. You can view these tutorials as well as some other copics (and makeup, haha) tutorials HERE.

Now black and white DOES look stunning! I use this technique quite often.

Here are some samples of previous posts of all black and whites.

Warm Grey's Cool Grey's Neutral Grey's old fashioned pencil!

However, just because your coloring in a monotone, doesnt mean there can't be any color!

As mentioned before, colors plays a strong role in our emotions and how we feel about something we see. It's why many fast food restaurants use the color scheme red and yellow.

For some odd reason, it triggers our brain to feel hunger.

Well on the simpler side... here are the basics....

Cool Colors such as blues give a sense of peace and tranquility.

They also move away from focus and recede in a picture. So be sure that if you are not using monochromatics, that you dont color something you want to be the main focus point in a cool color, and something you'd want to recede to the background a warm color!

Warm colors such as red or orange have an energy about them. They provoke excitement.

Warm colors also move forward in our vision. Something colored with a warm color will definitely grab your attention!

So, without much further ado, here are my product samples!

I love how Moody for Dragonflies turned out in a more red color scheme!

I used copic colors R30, R32, R35, R37 and R39 with E000 for her skin.

I thought that E00 was too peach and took away from the pink tones. I used R30 to shade on her skin. However, R000 would probably have worked very well as well and then i wouldnt have been cheating!!! hahahaha!

I think with all the warm pinks and reds that there is something passionate about the card!

And you might notice how the image grabs you a bit... which is because of the intensity of warm colors.

The sentiment used is also by PMS and can be found, HERE.

Now let's go to the other end of the spectrum with some very cool colors.

Now clearly lily's are not blue and the most definitely do not have blue stems!

This is where using monochromatics to step outside of what you might normally do not only helps you to possibly use a stamp in a new way, but also get a new FEEL out of the stamp.

Blue is very subdued and peaceful, so this card should evoke a feeling of tranquility.

Here i used copic colors B91, B93, B95, B97 and B99 and also the colorless blender to flick back into the flower to help create the white at the tips.

The stamp image is by Stampendous, but the sentiment is from the Everyday Thanks set by PMS.

Ok, you've hung with me this long... I have one more for you!

This card isnt necessarily warm or cool (more warm than cool, but thats not the point).

This one uses browns to create a fun old photo sepia look!

I thought this image of Wayne was PERFECT for this sepia toned look. maybe that's because he was named after my grandpa and my grandpa always had a ton of OLD stuff around (he was an antique collector on top of being well... my grandpa!)

I used copics E30, E31 (though it is s little grey looking in this color family, so use caution), E33, E35, E37 and E000 (skin). I airbrushed inside a nestie with E41 and E42.

When working with browns in particular and with an image with more details, i think it's more beneficial for you to work from dark to light. Just an fyi. it's very easy to lose your "lines the artist gave you" so i feel like for a monochromatic brown look, it will help you to work with your dark colors first.

And finally... here are a few more tips on coloring in monochromatics!

* Dont be afraid to try it! I think you'll be very pleased with your results!

* Remember the feeling you are trying to evoke before chosing your monochromatic color.

* When chosing your hue, pick one that you have many colors within that "family".

Follow the first number (which determines the intensity of the marker color).

B21 would not pair well with the B93, B95, B97 combo because the B21 color would be too bright in comparison.

Make sure that you have a good range of color. Most importanly you must have a very light and a dark. In order for all the different colors you would see in an image to not get muddled together, you'll need to be sure to color them each a different value (degree of light to dark).

Example, in the sepia toned image, i wanted to be sure that his overalls were darker than the bale of straw so that they wouldnt get lost in each other.

It is vital to have a range of values in order to get the contrast you need for a popping image.

Phew, that was a lot of information. And i was tired before! hahaha!

If you are local, and are interested in taking a class on these techniques, this class will be my last class at Funkie Munkie Scraps as they are closing their doors on June 12th :(

Our wednesday night meeting is May 26th from 6:30-8:30. The cost of the class is a mere $5 buckaroos some come and chat and color with us!

But wait.... there is MORE! The Copic Creations design team has made some absolutely STELLAR samples! You really have to check them out HERE!

Card Details (links to stamps provided under cards)

Card 1

Stamps: Moody for Dragonflies, Birthday Wishes from Paper Makeup

Markers: E000, R30, R32, R35, R37, R39

Paper: My Mind's Eye (For the Home collection), Stampin Up and Paper Studio for cardstock

Accessories & Tools: Circle Nesties, red pearls from kaisercraft, sheer ribbon from ribbonFX

Card 2

Stamps: Flower by Stampendous, Sentiment from Everyday Thanks from Paper Makeup Stamps

Markers: B91, B93, B95, B97, B99, Colorless Blender

Paper: Scrapbook Etc patterened paper, bazzill for cardstock

Accessories & Tools: organza ribbon from stash, Faded Jeans Distress Ink, Curved Rectangles Nesties

Card 3

Stamps: Wayne Fairy, to plant a garden sentiment from Paper Makeup Stamps

Markers: E000, E30, E31, E33, E35, E37 (E41 and E42 for airbrushing)

Paper: Daisy Bucket patterned paper, Creative Memories cardstock

Accesories & Tools: Paper ribbon by Daisy Bucket, baubles by stamping bella, classic and long rectangles nesties