Happy Card Maker

Monday, November 30, 2009

Here is a quick Copic Tip;
If you are using your normal paper with your Copic marker, and the ink is bleeding outside the image border, "What Do I Do" ?

More than likely, due to the moisture that your CS has picked up, is the problem. Use you craft iron to drive the moisture out of the CS, this should solve the problem.

Still in the Christmas theme, here is a card that I made over the weekend. On this card, "Tilda with Presents", I use some T3 Toner Grey to give more depth to the dress on the left side. The Christmas trees in the background were embossed with silver glitter embossing powder. Tilda of course was popped up to give some depth.

It's a quick card and in the minimalist style that I prefer. The colors used for the card are listed below.

Face; E0000,E000,E00,R20 Socks; B00,B01,B04 Holly; G07,G09 Hair; Y23,E35,YR23 Dress; RV00, RV02,RV04, T3

I think that it is very gute card and quick to make. Now I only have 32 more cards to make. I had better get busy.

Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Bob L.

Friday, November 27, 2009
Today I wish to talk about understanding color matching.

First thing that you need to do is go to the Copic Marker Site and down load the Copic 334 Color Wheel. Please print it on the same type of cardstock that you normally color on, it seems to come out with a better rendition of the colors.

Starting from the outside of the wheel on the BG(Blue Green) section, the BG01-BG09 all have the same saturation of Grey added to the color. This holds true for all of the color groups.

As you move to the hub of the color wheel, more Grey to the color. So when you get to the hub in the BG color group, the BG91-BG99 has the most Grey added to the color. These colors appear to be darker.
Here is a little sample chart using BG02-BG07 and G02-G07;

So with that said, if you stay in the same circle of the wheel, the same amount of Grey has been added. Your colors will match.

If you are using the same color combination of colors as the chart above, but wish to make the shadow deeper add Grey to that area and blend it in with you darker color. I use the T series (toner Grey)

Use the color wheel it has helped me a lot.

Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Bob L.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009
I recently attended the Copic Certification Course in Columbia, SC at "The Stamping Place" There were about 35 students attending, The course was presented by Sally Lynn McDonald who was very informative and interesting. We learned a lot about the Copic Marker System. Now all we have to do is practice what we learned.

One of the techniques for blending that I found interesting was, The Flick Blending method.
It's hard to explain in words, so I have made a short video of the technique. Here is the Video;

"Happy Snowman"

"Colors Used"

Tree & Holly:G14, G16, G19 Bottons: BG02, BG05 Hat: E11, E13, E15, E17 Scarf:YR16, YR08 Hat Band: R22, R24, R27

The background papers use are a wrinkled white paper, that I picked up a few years ago, That gives the impression of snow drifts, and a patterned paper from the Angel Company. The stars on the paper were colored with a glitter pen. A Spica Blue pen was used to write over the saying.

If you have any question, please make a comment.

That's all for today.

Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Bob L.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

I'm down to 37 days till Christmas. If you deduct the days for mailing to arrive, there is only 30 days. If I want the cards to be there for Christmas.

So yesterday I started. Only 45 more cards to go.

I started off with this cute little Santa Bear. Where I got the stamp from , I don't know, I've had it for a long time.

It only has three color groups in it so it is rather easy to do. As you will notice, I have used five shades of red for the coat and hat. It may sound like over kill, but it makes it easier to blend. Red is a very intense color and hard to blend. With the browns I used four colors for the same reason.

Here are the colors used;

Suit & Hat: R20,R22,R24, R27, R29 Bears Body: E31, E33,E35, E37 Tree: G14, G16, G19

Holiday Joy (Closeup)

The hat rim, pompom, jacket trim, and cuffs had Puff Tulip Paint applied to them and sprinkled with Prisma-Glitter, then heat set to make those areas puff up. The rest of the card was pretty standard. A little gold leafing pen, some backgrounds speckles, and walla the card was finished.

Only 44 more cards to go.

Hope you like it?

Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Bob L.

Sunday, November 15, 2009
Todays card is one that I made for an A&B Swap for one of the groups that I belong to " Copic Cabana"

The theme was Thanksgiving, so I thought that a nice cornucopia would be a fitting image. The image does have quite a bit of detail in it, but with my trusty copic markers, a few Spica pens, and a white gel pen, I think I accomplished it.

Here is the card;

I have had requests to list the colors that I use on the card, so here they are;

Pumpkin& Flower:YR00,YR02,YR04,YR07 Apples:R21, R22, R24 Cornucopia: E09,E11,E17 Melon: YG00,YG13,YG17 Wheat: Y08,Y19 Grapes: BV01,BV02, BV04

The ear of corn was colored with a combination of colors used in the main parts of the image. Although you can't see it in the image of the card, Spica pens were used to give the image some glitter. A white gel pen was used on the grapes to give high lights. The main image was masked and airbrushed with the colors of the cornucopia.

The main image was from "The Artful Stamper". Stamping paper use, Nenaah Classic Solar White.

Hope you like it.

Have a "GREAT DAY"

Bob L.

Thursday, November 12, 2009
Several times in my commentary, I have mentioned my KNK. I have been asked "What is a KNK"?

Here is my explanation. The KNK stands for Klic-N-Kut. It is an electronic die cutting machine that connects to your computer. It comes with it's own Design Studio software that you produce your designs in and send to the cutter. Unlike the Cricut it does not require expensive cartridges, but you can make your own designs or buy ready made designs from numerous sources. The machine I have can cut up to 15" wide and unlimited lenght. It will cut chipboard, emboss, and engrave. It's one of my best investments.

Here is a picture of the machine;

If you wish to know more about this fabulous machine go to http://www.iloveknk.com/ and look around the site. Sandy McCauley, the owner of the site wrote the instruction manual and has many free videos on the use of the KNK.

I hope this answers your question.
Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Bob L

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

This is a card that I made last week. It's a complicated design, that colors well with Copic markers. I've had the stamp for so long, that I don't remember what company it is from.
It takes a little time to color even with the Copic, but it would have taken even longer with pencils.

Happy Veterans Day to all that are serving and those that have served. We should remember our veterans every day not just a specific day.

Hope you enjoy the card.

Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Bob L.

Monday, November 9, 2009
I was asked on one of the groups that I belong to to do some men figures on some of my cards.

So this card is of "Edwin with Christmas Lantern".

It is made up of some Magnolia stamps "Edwin" and a village in the background " Chill of Winter" from "The Angel Company" for which I have been a demonstrator for eight years.

The background papers used for this card were from Jo-Anns and Stamps and More by Elenor a South Carolina stamp store.

Edwin is cut out and popped up. Prisma-Glitter was used on the roof lines and snow lines. The images were colored with Copic markers. If you want the recipe for the colors, leave a comment and your email address and I'll send it to you.

Now here is Edwin in all of his glory;

Hope you like him and my rendering of the image.

Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Bob L.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

I'm happy to say that the surgery for my right eye is over. The day after the cataract surgery was kind of hard to do any coloring, but I did get one or two done.

One of the ones I worked on was theis cute Tilda which would be just great fo a Valentines Day Card. After the dress was done with the RV series I used the new RV0000 to scrub in the highlights. It works quite well. Try it you'll like it. And, it's quite easy to do. I like the effect.

The patterned paper packet is from Jo-Ann's and is called "Love". The flower is a plain white, which is all I buy now, and the tips of the flower airbrushed with a matching RV series ink.

Hope youy like it, and here she is;

Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Today, I tried something different. Instead of scanning my card I took a picture of it with my camera. I think it turned out quite well. It shows the shading and the papers better

Tilda was brought forward by using Pop-Dot and placed on the circlular scalloped piece. To get rid of the pure white in the circle, I used the Copic Airbrush. Then to get a little bling, I put Crystal Lacquer on the strawberrys and some Stickles on the mats.

She turn out well.What do you think, Camera or Scanner?

Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Bob L.

Tuesday, November 2, 2009

It's getting close to my day to have cataract surgery, and I have been doing all the thing to get ready for the day.

I did get to work on one card last night, it's the "Tag Tilda". She is very cute and fun to color. The patterned background papers were from Jo-Ann's, when they have a sale, 5 for a $1 for 12"X12" I usually stock up. The corner elements on the right are a QK corner die that I modified. The tag that Tilda is holding can be written on with a Multi-liner pen with what ever short saying you want. And, I stress "short".

Here she is. Isn't she cute??