Setting Yourself Up for Coloring Success

One of the latest trends in card making is coloring stamped images with markers. While it sounds like it would be super simple to pick up a marker and let your inner child take over, there is definitely more of a learning curve than you might expect. A few simple tips will get you rolling along quickly.

Before you even grab an alcohol-based marker, let's talk paper and ink. What makes alcohol-based makers so wonderful for creating well-blended colors on your images is the same thing that can ruin your stamped image. It's important to reach for a non-solvent-based ink pad that dries quickly. For this project, I used a Memento by Tsukineko black ink pad.

Next, you will need a good base to stamp and color on, such as smooth card stock. Smooth card stock with tight fibers is best for coloring and blending the ink. The proper paper will keep the markers from bleeding and soaking through the paper. My go-to paper lately has been Gina K. Designs Pure Luxury card stock. This paper allows the marker ink to pool on top, so you have some time to get the next color down and blend them together. I'll explain this in the next section of the newsletter.

Finally, you will need a stamp image that has an open design. This means you want an image with a lot of white space that can be colored in with any array of colors your heart desires.

Picking your markers is the next step. The most talked about alcohol-based marker is the Copic Sketch Marker. Copic Markers have a wide variety of colors (334) and two different tips (a chisel tip and a brush tip). These traits make it easy to create a customized blended color on your projects. These markers are professional grade and can be pricey to get started. The markers retail for $4.29 to $6.49 per marker.

The Copic Web site is full of information to help you learn how to use their markers. Also, if you simply Google "Copic Marker Tutorials," you will have hours of inspiration.

BIC Mark-It permanent markers are a second and less expensive alcohol marker option. The BIC Mark-It pens come in a pack of 36 colors with a fine tip for around $20. The fine tip is a bit different to use than the brush tip of the Copic Marker. It takes longer to color in large areas, but it works nicely in more intricate design areas. Since there aren't as many color choices, you have to get a bit more creative in selecting combinations of colors to achieve the look you desire. Overall, they are a great alternative if Copics aren't in your budget.

For this card, I used BIC Mark-It to color in all three butterflies. Even with the limited color range, I was quite pleased with how the available markers combined to create bright and vibrant images.