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

Pin It

Support Breast Cancer Awareness in October with Copic Oz

Did you know that one in eight women in Australia will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime?  I'm sure you know that early detection saves lives and that the earlier a cancer is discovered, the greater the chances of successful treatment.  To help raise awareness for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Copic Marker Australia have decided to donate to the McGrath Foundation to help raise awareness and money, to support the fight against breast cancer.  YOU will all help to decide how much is donated by participating in the #COPIC4ACAUSE project.

While I may not be eligible to win a prize, I have decided to create a project in my Copic Art Journal aka Copic Blending Journal for #COPIC4ACAUSE. 

I have created a special pink doodled heart, using as many pink Copic markers as I could.  The outline for the project was done in Black Copic Multi Liners:  0.5, 0.3 and 1.0

The doodled image was coloured with RV02 and RV04

RV00, RV04 and RV09

RV55, RV66 and RV69

RV23 and RV25

Now because this is a piece of doodle art - it's not supposed to be fussy, or planned or time consuming, so the only blending I've done is on the very large swirls.  To colour these I've added RV09 to the ends.

Then RV69 to the base

I've added a little RV66 between the RV09 and RV69 - making sure to flick where the colours meet.

I've continued to use the flick blending method with these 3 colours until I had an image that was nice and smooth.

Add some RV09 and RV000

 Fill in any white areas in the design with RV10

Accent with N1, N3 and N5 for a little shading.

and you are finished.

Do you think it's pink enough?

I can't wait to see what projects you all create to support this amazing cause, don't forget to upload your creations to Instagram with the hashtag #COPIC4ACAUSE and tag @COPICMARKERAU.  I really hope you all get behind this amazing initiative, because every dollar counts in the fight against breast cancer.

Back with more soon,

Kate

Pin It

Layering Copic Colours to Create a Beautiful Night Sky Effect

I'm back this week with another idea with many uses - layering your Copic colours, for a beautiful though abstract result.  I often hear Copic beginners expressing their frustration with learning to blend, well while you are mastering blending why not play with layering.  Layering colours is much easier, gives interesting and unexpected results and can be used on many projects.  I have used this to create a journal page, but you could easily use this as an amazing way to colour clothing on a stamped image, create a beautiful name tag, a stunning background or anything else you can think of!

For this page I have used:

• X-Press It Blending Journal
• Copic Markers: Colorless Blender '0', N0, N1, N3, BG11, B13,  B69, B79, RV06, RV09, BG94, B97 & B99
• Molotow Extra Fine Paint Marker

 To create this page:

Start by stamping, printing or writing onto the lower right of your page.

Using very pale Neutral Grey (or Cool Grey) colours roughly draw the outline of a hole onto your page.  This will be used as a guide for the final step so don't spend too much time on this.

Next add BG11 and BG13 and blend slightly - just enough so the colours look smooth.

Add B69 and then darken using B79.

Where the B69 borders the BG11 or BG13, pounce the BG11 over the darker colour - this will make the darker blues go a little mottled and cloudy and add some of the aqua into the blue.

Add a hint of RV06 and darken with RV09.

Where the Cerise borders the blue, layer RV09 over the blue, while these colours will not blend, a little of the Fuchsia will be introduced into the blue.  In doing this, you are introducing a hint of one colour into another - your finished result will be much nicer.

Then use BG49 to add a little more depth - I have used it to create something of a pattern.

Darken the image by layering B97 and B99, both over and around the existing colours.  I've also used these to outline my 'hole' in the paper.

Continue to add more layers (using the method of pouncing one colour over another where 2 dissimilar colours meet) and fill in any pale spots with the colours you have already used.  I have tried to create patterns that look vaguely cloudlike (you could refer to photos of the night sky for ideas if you like).

To finish I have used B79 and B99 to add fine lines and outlines to some of the patterns.

Flick paint from the tip of a Molotow Paint marker over your coloured image and carefully draw some starbursts.  Leave to dry.

See how the white paint really makes the colours 'pop'.

To finish the page scrunch up some paper, tear a hole to match what you have drawn  (this is a tiny bit fiddly) and roll back the edges of the paper around the hole.  To make sure this stays exactly as is, glue down the rolled paper pieces.

Between the starkness of the white page and the depth of colour, this really leaps out at you.  This is a really simple way to use colours that don't naturally go together, just remember to keep layering until you are happy with the result and pounce one colour over another so that there are no harsh edges.

Hoping you all have a wonderfully creative week,
KatePin It

Doodling Over Printed Images with Copics

I thought that for today's post I'd give all of the nervous doodlers out there a hand and show you a straightforward project that looks stunning!  You can complete this page with just a few materials and with only a little experience and imagination.  Now this is quite a step-by-step project so grab your Copics and let's get started, because we are going to be creating this masked lady!

You Will Need:

• Copic Multi Liners in 1.0, 0.5 and 0.3 
• Copic Markers: 0 (Colorless Blender), C1, C3, BV0000, BV000, Y26, E47, E49, E00, E11, E21 and E23
• Copic Airbrush (optional)
• X-Press It Blending Journal or Blending Card
• Magazine Image - Photocopied or Laser printed in black and white
  (ink jet printed images will not be suitable unless the ink in your printer is Copic safe)
• Tracing paper
• Soft lead pencil
• Favourite Stencils or masks

Instructions:

Copy or print a black and white portrait onto Blending Card.  For mine I have scanned an image from a magazine advertisement and using a black and white laser printer, I have printed this directly onto a page in my Blending Journal.  You could also print onto a piece of Blending card and glue this into your journal later.  If you are a little more adventurous you could draw your own image or even use a face stencil as the basis for this technique.

Using your Multi Liner 1.0 outline the major facial features - you are aiming for a comic book style outline for this step.  Colour in and dark areas (nostrils and inside mouth) for a dramatic look.

Lay tracing paper over the face and plan a simple mask - the tracing paper allows you to draw and re-draw the mask until you are happy with it.  Once satisfied with your mask design, trace the image onto your face in pencil.  Go over the pencil with Copic Multi Liner and erase all signs of pencil marks once the ink is dry.  If not sure what to draw, Google filigree masks for interesting ideas.

Grab some of your favourite stencils and add stencilled designs to your image, you may like to use these on the hair, the mask or even the face!  You may like to draw outlines only or use the images to add design elements eg: a birdcage ear-ring!

Add as much or as little doodling as you like.  If you have a look at mine below you will notice I've used lots of repeating patterns and have varied the width of my lines for some added drama and to really draw the attention to the eyes.

You can leave it like this or you can be brave and add a little colour - if you are nervous about ruining your art then either take a photo or scan your image, you can always print the black and white image onto card and start again!  If you have an airbrush this is a very quick way to colour the base layer of skin on large images (which is what I've done using E00, E11 & E21) you can also do this by hand if you don't have an airbrush.  Either way add as little ink as possible - you only want the skin to have a hint of colour.

Use E00 to add a base layer of colour to the skin - I added an even layer all over the face and neck.  You might be able to see that I had cut a mask to go around the face and protect the background and hair - this made sure my airbrush work stayed clean and crisp.

Be guided by the shadows on the image and add E21 to these shadowed areas.

Finish colouring the skin by adding E11 into the shadows for a little extra depth, I've also added a little extra around the jaw and hairline.  If you are using a mask - you can remove it at this point.

Using BV0000, BV000, Y26, E49 and E47 - carefully colour the eyes - these are the focal point of the whole page so pay attention and colour carefully.

Add some grey to the mask to distinguish it from the face - just a little and keep it light.

I used C1 and C3 - blend with a little E00 if it begins to look a little too grey.

 As a final touch add E23 and E21 to the pattern on the neck and as shading around the eyes - really amp up the colour near the eyes.

You can immediately see that by colouring the eye area more heavily than the rest of the image, it really focusses your attention.  I've intentionally left the hair and background uncoloured to enhance the look of the face.  By keeping the colours to a minimum and using what is essentially a monochrome palette, I think it produces a softer look that is still appealing.

So while at first glance this project may look difficult and complicated, by taking things step-by-step I think this is something anyone can try!

Back with more soon,

Kate

PS- Make sure you pop back tomorrow morning to see if you were one of our lucky blog hop winners!!Pin It