2015 Copic Certification Dates

We are excited to announce the Copic Certification dates for 2015!

Dates

VIC     Little Bits                            

Standard: Saturday 13/6/15        

Intermediate: Sunday 14/6/15

SA       Paper Flourish                 

Standard: Sunday 19/7/15           

Intermediate: Monday 20/7/15

NSW   Sydney (Venue TBC)                         

Standard: Saturday 22/8/15        

Intermediate: Sunday 23/8/15

QLD    **postponed until further notice**


2015 Pricing       

Standard Certification only: $195              

Intermediate Certification only: $195 (Standard must be completed first)

Both Standard & Intermediate: $300

All classes now include:

•Over $70 worth of product for each class

•Extensive product manual

To register to attend, please fill out this form.

We look forward to Copic-ing with you!

Texture for Australia Day

Hello Everyone!  Can you believe January is nearly over --- that means back to school time for Aussie kids and of course AUSTRALIA DAY!  Do you have something special you like to do to celebrate our National Day?  Go to the beach, BBQ with friends, family or neighbours or perhaps you have the Australian Open Tennis or the Tri-Series Cricket in your sights?  I'm sure one thing we all agree on is that the kangaroo is an iconic Aussie animal!  In preparation and celebration for Australia Day, I've been using this sweet CandiBeans image called G'day Izzy to create a textured kangaroo.

I've started by stamping G'day Izzy in Memento Tuxedo Black onto X-press It Blending Card.

Next I've coloured the Kangaroo with E11, E13, E15, E17 for a reddish-brown kanga.  I have coloured her a bit darker as you get better results if the colours are darker.

Note:  Only colour the part of the image that you want to texture!!  If you colour everything you have to be super careful that it's not all textured and we don't want Izzy to have a fuzzy face now do we!!

Take a Colorless Blender Various Ink refill and a piece of old toweling (such as an old washer), add a little blender solution to the washer (but not TOO much!).

Gently dab the damp cloth to the image where you want the texture to be.  Don't hold it there too long or the texture will be much stronger and spread further giving a whole different look - feel free to experiment on a swatch sample, but don't risk it on your image!

If you do happen to leave the cloth on there a tad too long, don't fret; simply colour your image again with your Copic Markers to smooth it out and try again.

NOTE: Colorless Blender Markers and Solution are colour MOVERS, so don't be surprised if some of your colouring happens to move outside the lines after you use this technique.  Simply tidy it up by using your Colorless Blender to push the colour back inside the line.  :)

Finish colouring your image!  I've used mostly Greens and Golds since they are very Australian!  :)
Hat/Stump - E30, E31, E33, E35, Y11, Y15, YR24, G40, G43
Dress/Shoes - Y11, Y15, Y17, YG11, YG13, YG17
Skin - E000, E01, E11
Hair - YR21, E33, E35, YR24
Grass - G40, G43, G46, E11

Make your card and send it to someone and make their Australia Day one to celebrate!

Happy Colouring
Kathy  :)

2015 Copic Certification

We can't believe that its already 2015! How are you going with your crafty new years resolutions?! Perhaps completing the Copic Standard & Intermediate Certification program will help get you on your way?!

Standard Papercraft  Certification

The Papercraft Standard  Certification is designed for papercrafters, scrapbookers, store owners, store employees and designers. Our one-day intensive program will teach diverse applications for Copic products.  The classes are technique based and no finished projects will be produced. This class aims to provide a hands on class covering the most important aspects of Copic’s product lines and techniques. It includes detailed product knowledge, blending techniques, testing inks and papers and how to achieve the best possible results when colouring with Copic. You will receive a comprehensive  manual covering the full range of Copic products and an extensive kit of Copic products. You will also have an opportunity to use all of these products hands-on, as we cover their function and differences between them.

Intermediate Papercraft Certification

The Copic Papercrafting Intermediate Certification was developed for people who want to know more of the artistic aspects of working with Copic products. You must have completed the Standard Copic Certification class. In this class, you will cover shading, shadows and color.  You will learn composition and design in paper crafting, coloring trees, working with reds, skin tones and coloring hair.  Most importantly, you will learn to improve your own designs. If you want to take your coloring to the next level, this class is for YOU! You will receive a comprehensive manual and Copic bonus gift.

To register your interest- please click here! Dates and locations will be based on demand, so make sure you let us know if you would like to attend.

Copic Mixed Media Journal Page

Today I will be using a few supplies from my X-Press It and Copic hoard to create a bright and happy journal page, using my 'word' for the new year!  

You will need:

• Copic Markers: N9, N7, N5, N3, RV06, RV09, RV69 & Blender '0'
• Copic Airbrush System
• Copic Opaque White Paint
• AtYou Spica Pens: Turquoise & Lavender
• Molotow Paint Marker: Signal White EF, Shock Blue, Currant & Skin Pastel
• X-Press It Mask It 
• FabScraps Stencil - DS003
• Bruynzeel Aquarel Pencils (watercolour pencils)
• Assorted Stamps

Here's how I made it.

Gather a bold stencil, I used a pretty flower stencil from FabScraps, some favourite Copic Multi Liners for outlining and X-Press It Blending card or Blending Journal.  Using pale grey, print the word Bloom onto your page or card (for more lettering tips have a look here) using a printer.

Trace over the outline of the word with Black 0.5 Copic Multi Liner.

Place the stencil/mask at the top right corner of the page, using scrap paper to protect the rest of the area.  Use an airbrush to add RV06 all over the stencilled image.

 Swap to a darker colour, RV09 and add colour the the outside three rows of petals.

For the final colour select something even darker, I used RV69 and add colour to the outside row of petals only.

Repeat these steps, until the entire page is covered with stencilled flowers.

Use the Molotow white paint marker and Copic Opaque white to colour the printed word.
Outline letters using N9, N7, N5, N3, the greys will create a subtle outline.

At this stage you will have something a bit like this, you could leave it there,
but I had to add a little extra.

Using Memento Tuxedo Black stamp a few images onto the page (roughly mask the word with Mask It before stamping).  Use Bruynzeel Aquarel pencils to add a hint of green to the stamped leaves and black to create a shadow around the figure.  Blend with a waterbrush and let  dry.

 For a little extra pop use a Molotow paint markers to colour the skin, and also as a wash (mixed with water on a palette) to add a hint of colour to the wings.
For some sparkle add a touch of Spica - or a LOT.

Finish by adding a hint of white to the wings and leaves for contrast.

The end result looks like this - I love how the original stencil pattern recedes or pops forward depending on the placement against the stamp!

So grab those Copics and your favourite stamps and stencils and have a play!

Wishing you all a wonderful 2015 - Happy New Year!

Kate