Stamping, Copics and Watercolour Pencils

Hello Everyone and welcome to another Copic Oz tutorial.  Today I'm playing with Copics and Watercolour Pencils and using them with a stamped image!  Perhaps you are a watercolourist and thinking about venturing into Copics.....or a Copic lover thinking about playing with watercolours.....this is a fabulous way to play with both and create beautiful images!

I've used a stamp set called Dynamic Duos: Peonies and Tulips for my image and stamped the flowers in Memento Tuxedo Black onto 300gsm Watercolour Paper.  Yes, I said Watercolour Paper!  As most Copic fans would know, we normally would not recommend using your Copics on watercolour paper as it absorbs the ink quickly and would suck the marker dry quicker.  However - we are only laying down a base coat, so in this case, I've gone with a paper better suited to the watercolouring.  :)

Remember when you are playing with different mediums, always use your Copics first so they won't get damaged!  If you happen to damage a nib by going over something you shouldn't have .....remember that the nibs are replaceable!  :) 

I've laid down the base colours of my image in V01 for the flowers and G40 for the leaves. 

I've then reached for my Bruynzeel Aquarel Pencils.  Make sure your Memento ink is well set before you start using the watercolours - I like to use a heat gun to make sure there is no unexpected bleeding! 

I've selected the purple pencil (number 59) from the set to add the shading.  You can add shading in a couple of different ways.  You can colour direct to the dry image with your pencil....

Then use an aquabrush (or regular brush and water.....I just happen to prefer an aquabrush) to use over the pencil and sweep it upwards to create your shading.

The result will be something like this.....

Another way of doing your colouring is to use the aquabrush on the image first (this won't react with your Copics at all as it is water and not alcohol based like your markers).

The add your pencil over the pre-wet areas.  You'll feel the pencil go on smoother then if applied to dry paper.

Then once again, use your aquabrush to blend the colour out for shading.

Another option is like the Copic Tip-to-Tip technique, where you touch your wet brush or aquabrush to the colour of your pencil.

Then apply the colour from the aquabrush to your image (see the top flower) for your shading.  I quite like this option as you can control how much colour you pick up off the pencil for subtle shading.

I've used this technique again with the green Bruynzeel pencil (Number 60).

And apply the green to the leaves for shading.

For a little more interest, I've used this same technique with the Brown Bruynzeel (Number 45).

And added the brown to the leaves for a little shading.

I've continued to colour the flowers and leaves using the steps above, keeping in mind that the shading will be darkest at the base of the petals.  I've also used the yellow (Number 25) for the centre of the top flower.

I've cut out the image with circle nestabilities and then added a light watercolour wash around the image using Blue (Number 51) and Brown (Number 45).  Complete your card!

I hope you've enjoyed today's tutorial, thanks for popping by and happy colouring!
Kathy  :)