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Friday 30 September 2016

Cardmaking: Layering, Stamping, Inking & Using Your Coloured Pictures

In the previous blog I shared some ideas on colouring with you when I showed you some techniques for shading and blending with colouring pencils. We use the picture we coloured in the previous blog to make a pretty card in today's blog. We use a variety of other techniques in the process as well, including, inking, layering, stamping, etc.


I use the remaining half of a 12" x 12" carft paper, left over from a previous project. This double-sided paper now measure 12" x 6".


I fold the paper over to form a card.


I then find coordinating paper in my cardstock which I trim to size.


More paper is cut to size.


A scrap remnant is also retrieved to be used on the card.


I will be inking the edges of all the paper pieces with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Walnut Stain.


Inking is done when you touch the edges of the paper to the ink pad. I sometimes like to smear the centers with the ink as well.


I fold a tiny corner over and ink it.


All of the paper pieces will be stuck down with double-sided tape.


The first piece is stuck in place.


Another piece is inked.


A corner is folded over and inked.


The paper is stuck in place.


Another paper is inked, a corner folded over and the corner is then inked as well.


This layer is stuck down.


I now find some Chizwick stamps with neat flourishes.


I am still using the same ink pad for the stamping.


I stamp the edges of the coloured-in picture, never putting a full stamp anywhere on the picture.


This is the result of the stamping.


The picture is now stuck down on the card. Notice how I once more turned a corner and inked it, as well as the picture before sticking it down.


I add small pieces of ribbon which is stuck down with Tombow glue.


I also added some washi tape strips, leaving corners deliberately turned. Stick those corners down on paper and lift it away to remove the stickiness from the tape and to prevent the corners being stuck down. You may have to repeat the action a few times.


Finally the card is ready to present to a birthday girl who loves baking.


Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy the books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
For more crafty ideas and great products, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making PRETTY things.
You can subscribe to this blog and receive regular updates by email by simply registering your email address at the top of the current blog.

Thursday 29 September 2016

Colouring In - Using Shading & Blending Techniques

Colouring in has taken the world by storm and old and young are discovering new-found pleasure in their colouring pencils. Somehow, it seems that most publishers have resorted to printing adult colouring books that are filled with minute spaces that have to be coloured. This is nice, but it does not allow for practicing your colouring techniques and honing your skills. I share some ideas on blending and shading in today's blog when I show you my idea of what adult colouring ought to be.


I am using one of the designs from my book Designs By Miekie 1 to colour. This book is available in ebook format from Amazon.com. Simply follow the highlighted text to find the book in-store.


I want to use this picture on a card and therefore I will be redrawing it on a piece of paper cut to size.


I redraw the design with a pencil. I could just as easily have printed it smaller, but I like the idea of softer pencil lines that almost disappear from sight.


I will be using Derwent Coloursoft pencils to colour the picture with.


I colour all of the skin areas peach.


I then colour all of the areas that are in the shade, such as the bottom of the hand, the face directly under hair line, etc, a darker shade of pink. I use a blender to blend the coloured areas.


I start with a light brown on the hair, leaving lots of white.


I then add a darker brown, still leaving lots of white for reflection of light. Again I blend the coloured areas.


The flames are coloured with a light colour in the centers, an orange in the middel and a bright red on the outside, before blending.


The candles all have green on the left, orange in the middle and dark orange on the right hand, before being blended.


The cake plate is coloured in a light grey, a middle grey is used all around the edges. Black is used on all the shaded areas, such as the bottom of the tray, where it meets the body, etc. The plate is then blended.


I start by colouring the whole cake a very feint pink.


A middle pink is used all around the edges. I then blend the cake.


An intense pink is used for the shaded areas.


I again use the blender.


The chef's hat and top is coloured pale purple.


Outlines and folds are done in a middle purple with a warm undertone.


I now use the blender.


Shaded areas are done in a dark purple with a colder undertone.


Then I blend it again.


The pants are coloured in a pinkish grey.


A medium grey is used on the edges.


I blend the pants.


I use the same grey as before to darken the shaded areas on the pants.


Again, I blend the pants.



The shoes are done in grey.

Then I blend them.


Shaded areas and outlines are done in black before being blended.


The cheeks are coloured a bright pink and the eyes get blue. The blender is once again used.


I very lightly shade the area surrounding the figure with a pale blue.


A darker blue is used around the edges of the paper.


The background is then blended.


I anchor the figure by adding a slight shadow in grey below her feet.


This figure is now ready to go onto a card.


Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy the books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
For more crafty ideas and great products, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making PRETTY things.
You can subscribe to this blog and receive regular updates by email by simply registering your email address at the top of the current blog.