Club Scrap Blog Hop: Visiting the Big Top!

Welcome to the Blog Hop: you should have arrived her from  Lisa Dolezal  .  If you got lost along the way, you start at the beginning by clicking this link:  Club Scrap

Here we are with the final posting for this Month's Club Scrap Kit: October.  The theme this month is the Big Top.  If you have been following along, you will will note that this is a Vintage French Circus Theme.
One thing I wanted was more animals, I love circus Animals. So I decided that this is the perfect opportunity to add animals into my kit, share some images from my favorite illustrator and discuss Copic Markers.

Papers, Embellishments, Stamps (rubber) Club Scrap
Digital Images: Mo's Digital Pencil

Background:  

I have been using Copics longer than I have been paper Crafting.  My first exposure to these markers was as a way to color metal.  They are an alcohol based marker and will color and patina metal beautifully.  When I started to "play with paper" these were a natural choice to color my images.

But as with all new art forms, there is a steep learning curve.  My path with these markers has never been smooth.  There were paper choices, marker choices and what to color choices.  Some paper worked and some did not, so I turned to YouTube tried to learned how to use these markers on paper.  But the information was very conflicting.  The information available today was not present back then and it was Very Frustrating! Before I started paper crafting, I had taken my basic Copic certification, but I was working with metal and really did not pay close attention to the paper application.  So after many starts and stops, experimentation and frustration, I took a long weekend in Oregon and completed the intermediate certification from Marianne Walker.  She opened my eyes as to what was the possibility and potential of these markers.  I have been coloring happily for years now.  I would like to smooth the path for those wanting to explore these markers, or improve on how to choose and color with them.  To start: the first step is how to choose which markers to buy.  Second is Paper.

So, I would like to explore this fabulous kit and discuss Copics: choices and decisions.  I created a YouTube Video that outlines the use of the Hex Chart and choosing markers based on Paper choice.  This will help guide your choice in which markers you need.  Next posting will discuss Papers and why some use one type and others use another type.  For the most part, most Copic users turn to Neenah Solar White, Classic Crest.  This works 99.9% of the time and is a great way to start.  This is not the same paper you will find at a big box store.  This is a specialty paper and must be obtained from either a supplier for Print Shops or an online retailer that carries copics.  X-Press It and Copic Brand papers are another good option.  

Copic Selection Video

Card 1: The Monkey (Monkey Tricks)

I am going to start with this one because it is the most straight forward.  (The process discussed here was repeated for all the cards.  Paper, Markers, Photoshop, Print, color, assemble. ) I used a Canon Ink Jet Printer.  I have no issues with running ink from this brand.  My HP however, will run. When I use that printer, I heat set with my Heat Tool.  Again, test your printer, because the paper will make a difference.  

I started by finding my images.  I am a fan of Mo Manning and turned to her site for images of Circus Animals.  

I then laid out the papers and ribbon for the card.   The Green and orange papers, plus the ribbon and a brown card stock from a previous kit started me on my way.  

Hex Chart: Sandy Allnock

I placed the papers and ribbon onto the chart and found the Copic Marker that matched as close as possible.  Thus, 3 markers, a green, an orange and a brown were chosen.  From there, using the chart, I chose the rest of the markers to use for blending.  By doing this, I am assured that my finished image will match my papers and ribbon.   

The original 3 Markers:  YG05. YR05, E59, the rest were chosen from around those markers on the chart.

The image was pulled into Photoshop, sized and printed onto Neenah Solar White and colored using the Copic Markers.  The Sentiment was stamped, also on Neenah Solar White with Momento Ink in Tuxedo Black.  This was also colored with Copics and then the edges were inked with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  Everything was die cut using a set of square dies from My Favorite Things, and the edges were inked on the green and orange square using Distress Ink: Mowed Lawn and Spiced Marmalade.

The brown just was too flat.  So I found a similar color of Coordinations, used a text embossing folder, dry embossed and sanded off the wording.  All were mounted onto a 5.5 X 5.5 card base with only the Monkey and Circus being popped up on Fun Foam.  A ribbon tied, corners punched out, and a pearl added to complete the picture.  Perfect!

Often somewhere in the design process, some changes are inevitable.  I just don't like having to go find a different paper group totally because my image no longer goes with the chosen papers!!

Card 2: The Mouse  (Cupcake Mouse)

I wanted something bright and cheerful.  I was intending on using the Clown Sentiment in the Kit and needed a clown image but not a Scary Clown.  The Quad papers and the pink ribbon seemed the perfect solution.  But the paper is very complex.  The mouse/clown needed to blend with all the varieties of color.  Once again the hex chart guided the way.

A lot of Markers!!!  But it worked.  The image appears to Belong !

After finishing the coloring, it was clear that unless I wanted a gigantic CARD, I needed something different for the Sentiment.  You can never go wrong with a Happy Birthday Card.  

So here is where we talk about ink.  I love Momento when I am going to color with copics.  I don't have to worry about running or fading, no matter how many layers or saturation of ink that I apply.  While some inks claim to be "Copic Friendly", with enough marker saturation, most will bleed or run.  Momento will not,  but, Momento is not a dark black ink either.  If I need a sentiment to stand out,  it needs to be bold and dark.  Thus if I am going to color the image with Copic's I need to protect the stamping from the alcohol ink.  Are you following me?  So, the easiest way to do this is to heat emboss.  Versa fine Onyx Black is the perfect sentiment stamping Ink, it is not a dye ink, will stay wet long enough to adhere the powder to and produces a crisp image, perfect for detail.   So, when I need dark and Copic together, clear embossing powder is the ticket.

Some may wonder why I just didn't emboss in Black Embossing powder.  The answer is in the detail!!

It is very hard to get a fine detail inking with versamark and if the embossing with black is not perfect, it will show up!  

This is a 5 X 7 card.  I glued the two quads together and cut the mat to size with them glued.  No worry about edges that just don't quite meet.  A bow was tied with the Pink Satin Ribbon. Image cut with a circle die and matted with a blue paper that matched the checkerboard print.  Sentiment was inked and embossed then colored with Copics and mounted onto the Pink Paper included in the kit.  

Close up of Mouse completed.  Note the vintage feel.  This was done by light coloring and then using a light grey marker to tone down the image in places.  Grey to ground the image also adds to the Vintage Feel.  Because the markers matched the papers, even adding grey to tone it down, doesn't interfere with the effect.

Card 3:  The Elephant  (I Heart You)

Lets start with the image.  It needed a vintage feel, and I needed it to match the kit.  And it needed to be different from the other two.  Elephants are grey, so I needed to think cooler colors to pull this off.  

Guess which papers I used!  The pink and the Green.  All the choices were based on the papers and ribbon choices just as before.  But the majority of the image is grey.
This is an A2 card.  White Base measures 4.25 X 5.5.  A Kraft mat was cut slightly smaller.  Both the image and green mat were cut with a rectangle die and the corners notched.  Green Pearls adorn the corners and Pink Ribbon finishes it.
The stamp for the sentiment was cut from the stamp.  One small area was masked.  If I had trimmed that area away, the stamp would not stamp as it had originally.  Thus I was able to get "2" stamps out of one.  

RV04 (pink) matches paper and YG03 (green) is perfect.  Grey  is the dominate color.  7 grey markers were used.  I chose the warm grey as this animal is alive and I used the cool grey to tone down the background. The yellowish colors and Blue are for the background and ground.  These were chosen as they balanced the image.

Hope you enjoyed this Posting and will stop back again.  On the first of November I will be back with  another video that will finish up our Copic Discussion.  That will be featured on my YouTube Channel and the card used for the video will be on Sweet Stamps Blog.

To Continue the hop, your Next stop is the amazing  Tricia Morris.  Be sure and leave comments along the way.

Happy Crafting,
Josette

Links:
Club Scrap
Copic Video

Supplies:
Big Top Kit
By Card:
Card 1:  Monkey Tricks Image
Green and Orange Paper from Kit, Brown from Co'rdinations (Ranger), Neenah Solar White.
Green Ribbon and Pearls from Kit
Inks:  Distress:  Mowed Lawn, Spiced Marmalade, Vintage Photo
          Momento:  Tuxedo Black
Pens:  Sakura Glaze in Black (for eyes).  White Gel Pen for light Reflex
Wink of Stella:  Clear, coated pants for a glimmer
Cuttlebug: Embossing Folder: Text
Copics:
YG:  03,05,07,17
E:     33,53,55,59,84,87,99
R:     20
Measurements:
Card: 5.5 X5.5 inches
Mat:  Brown:  5.25 X 5.25 inches
Orange square: 3.25 x 3.25 inches
Green square:  2.5 x 2.5 inches
sentiment and image: 2.75 x 2.75 invhrd

Card 2:  Cupcake Mouse Image
Papers:  Quad Prints, Neenah Solar White 80# image, 110# card base)
Ribbon: Big Top Kit
Inks:  Versafine:  Onyx Black
Embossing Powder:  Clear, Hero Arts
Wink of Stella: Clear and Silver for Pompom on hat.  Also used clear on fluff around neck
Stickles:  Christmas Red, embellishment on cupcake
Sakura: Glaze pen Black (eyes and nose), White Gel for highlights.
Copic: Multiliner black, .25 mm to add detail to mouse and whiskers
RV:    34,91,94
R:      20,59
V:      0000,000   (cupcake frosting)
E:      41,42,53,55 (cupcake wrapper and ground)
B:      0000,000,00,04,05,06,41,52
C:      00
T:      01,03,
W:    00,0,1,3,5  I used several greys, cool, tone, warm to created different "feels"  The mouse is primarily W.  C was used to tone down the pinks, and T became the ground.
Measurements:
Card:  5 x 7 inches
Mat: Quad prints:  6.75 x 4.75 inches
Circle: image:  3.75 inches
Circle Mat:       4 inches
Saying: 2.5 x 1.75 inches

Card 3:  I Heart You Image
Paper:  Pink and Green Card Stock from Kit.  Kraft: Neenah Desert Storm  White: Neenah Solor White, 110# for card base.
Ribbon: Pink from Kit
Pearls:  Green from Kit
Ink:  Versafine: Onyx Black
Embossing Powder, Hero Arts, Clear
Sakura: Black Glaze for Eyes and White Gel pen for highlights
Wink of Stella:  clear, Used on tutu, sentiment and balloon
Copics:
YG:   03,11
RV:   00,02,04
R:     20
B:    000,00
E:    51,53,55
W:   00,0,01,03,05,07
Card:  A2, 5.5 x 4.25 inches
Kraft:  4X 5.25 inches
Green 3.75 X 4.5 inches
Image: 3.5 X  4.25 Inches
Sentiment:  3 x 2 inches