Aug 25 2008
Coloring Today: Soft Chalks
Hello, friends! This will be the last of the weekly coloring tutorials. We’ve covered:
- Twinkling H20’s
- Watercoloring With Inks
- Three Step Poppin’ Pastels
- Sponged Watercolor Background
- Pencil Over Ink
- Watercoloring With Markers
All of these tutorials can be found here in the Coloring Today category. There are certainly other methods of laying down color, some of which fall more in the technique category rather than actual coloring, and I’d like to share a few of those with you from time to time. Rest assured they won’t require any contraptions or contortions to accomplish and the necessary supplies can be found in most stampers’ arsenals.
I haven’t ventured into Copic territory yet and Heaven knows there’s plenty of information available along those lines. I’ve experimented with Prismacolor pencils and odorless mineral spirits but every meager bit of knowledge I have about that came from Kirsten’s excellent tutorial here.
Today we’ll be using one of my favorite coloring mediums, soft chalks.
Chalks are one of the easiest methods I know for shading images. One color brushes over the other smoothly with a soft, feathered edge. There’s no worry about smearing or dissolving inks. You can highlight an area by rubbing it with your finger. Errors can be erased. They’re nearly failsafe.
There are 51 colors at my fingertips in this Stampin’ Pastels case from Stampin’ Up! I used just two colors and one double-sided sponge make up applicator to color my flowers.
Begin by stamping three flowers in Chocolate Chip ink on scraps of Whisper White cardstock:
Apply Cameo Coral chalk to the flower petals. Use a light touch and short strokes. You can also use a patting motion to apply the chalk. There’s no need to rub or scrub — it will just wear out your sponge and rough up your paper. We’re going for a soft, hazy look. Imagine pink cirrus clouds.
Apply Ruby Red for shading. Concentrate some color in the flower center then pull some color outward — point the tip of your applicator at the flower’s center, then use light short strokes to brush the color toward yourself. You’re pulling rather than pushing the color. Imagine yourself brushing a speck of dust from a delicate surface. Brush and lift at the end of the stroke. Exact placement of color isn’t necessary — just bring some out from the center and brush along a few of the petal edges. Don’t worry about obscuring the inner lines. They’ll emerge refreshed once the spray sealer is applied.
You can use your finger to rub away color to create somewhat of a highlight in the broad area of the petal. This would be a soft and subtle effect. You can also use the eraser to remove color more distinctly. I used it to remove some color from those petal edges that appear to be turned up.
Once the coloring is completed to your satisfaction, spray with a matte sealer. Follow the directions on the can, applying three coats for best appearance. It dries very quickly. I always hold the image with tweezers and step outside to spray.
You can now cut out your flowers and place them on your card. I dotted my flowers with Cinnamon Stickles and placed a rhinestone in the center of each.
If you want to color an area such as those little spots you can do so before spraying, either with a marker or by picking up a little chalk with a blender pen and using it like a marker on your image. A blender pen will harden your chalks so be sure to touch it only to the corner or edge of the block. A few swipes of the blender pen on scrap paper will remove the chalk and allow you to move on to the next color, if necessary.
For information on shading a background with chalks, please refer to this tutorial.
I’ve had this Stampin’ Up! Embrace Life set since it first came out and this is the first time I’ve used it. I’d like to leave it on my table and create with it until I’m satisfied but I don’t know how much time I’ll have for that. I’ll give it a try, though. The papers and ribbon are retired from Stampin’ Up!. They come and go so quickly but there’s always something new to look forward to. The rinestones are from Flourishes.
I hope you found this information useful. I’ve been asked about the chalks many times. As always, practice makes perfect. Thank you for stopping by. Enjoy the rest of your day!
Your work is consistently GORGEOUS, and this card is no exception! Thank you for sharing these helpful tutorials!
Leslie, thank you for your excellent tutorials. I’ve added each one to my “resource library” for easy and frequent referral. I also wish to thank you for the links provided. I can’t wait to try your chalking technique. Your work is lovely, and so very inspiring. I’m grateful beyond words.
Thanks for another wonderful tutorial!!
Leslie, I have really enjoyed your tutorials about color. Coloring is my favorite technique! I appreciate your omission of Copics because that’s all I seem to see on most blogs. The cost is prohibitive for most of us, and all the coloring techniques you covered have included supplies most of us have. Thank you! Now, a suggestion. I simply LOVE how you put cards together. I don’t know if you concentrate on layout or design, color, balance, or it’s just a talent, but is there a way you could “teach” some of that to us? Ellen Hutson covered some of these design elements in the past, but I need more. Just how do you put 2 different designer papers together with a stamped image without it feeling like everything is competing for attention?
Gorgeous!! I’ve enjoyed all your coloring tutorials:) Your cards are always stunning!! Thank you so much for sharing your awesome techniques with us.
Excellent! Excellent! Thanks again for helping us use the supplies we already have!
Beyond words beautiful!
These tutorials are wonderful! So helpful and make me want to try it myself! Beautiful creation, and I so love your blog! Thanks for taking the time with us!
Leslie,
What a wonderful tutorial, thanks for sharing all of your great ideas. Please check out my brand new blog, I’m making cards for charity, thanks crystal
http://www.crystalscards.ca
Beautiful card and great instructions. I love the soft look chalks give. Must be one of the reasons I like chalk inks so well. I have stick chalks but not the soft chalks. TFS
Bev J. (Maxell on SCS)
What wonderful information, Leslie! I love all the little tips you give us! ps You’ve received an award!
This is gorgeous! I am going to try your ideas this afternoon after housework (yuck!), but you make it look so easy. I LOVE working with chalks for all the reasons you stated, its hard to “make a mistake”. I printed your tutorial for use in teaching a few friends. I will give them your blog name so they can continue to learn thru your ideas! Thanks for sharing with us!!
Diane http://www.nelliesnest.blogspot.com
I have enjoyed all your tutorials! Thank you so much for sharing your talents with us.
I love your work. Thanks for sharing.
I hope you keep your ideas coming.
Evelyn
Gorgeous card today and a wonderful tutorial to go with it. I haven’t used my chalks for some time - time to dig them out.
Truly a work of art Leslie…Thanks for the tutorial, I will have to get back to my chalks and play with them some more I especially was glad to see the Clear Acrylic Sealer Mat…I haven’t got that one…can I get it anywhere?
This is lovely, Beautiful colors and a wonderful layout. Chalks are one of my favorite things to work with so it is nice to see your tutorial. I love the soft feel they give to a project.
This is absolutely beautiful, Leslie!! Your tutorial is wonderful, and I love that you showed us what sealer you use (I’ve always been meaning to ask). Your coloring, papers, layout and sparkle make this card just gorgeous!! As always…thanks for the inspiration!!
A very beautiful card Leslie, I love SU’s pastels and don’t use them as often as I should. Thank you for sharing your tutorial.
This card is beautiful! Your shading always looks so pretty.
Gorgeous work Leslie!
Your flowers are sooo lovely, Leslie, and your card is stunning! TFS.
Beautiful! Thanks for the tutorial…I would love to try this technique!
BEAUTIFUL; love, love, love it!!!
Thank you for taking me back to basics. I used to chalk all the time.. for some reason I got away from it. I love this card you did. You can do so many things with chalks. I read your marker tutorial with the water and brush awesome… thank you for sharing.
Kim
Your tutorials ROCK Leslie - and this own is no exception!! Thanks for sharing!! Your card is absolutely gorgeous! *STAMPIN HUGS* Alex
Leslie, thank you for all of your tutorials. Your tips about applying the chalk were very helpful, just as your step by step instruction about the water color was so instructive. Speaking for myself, but perhaps others have experienced this too, as a relatively new card maker/crafter, I get these great tools and yet don’t really understand all the best ways of making them work. I’m sorry that this is the last of your weekly tutorials. Although you’ve covered the basics of all the coloring types (except Copics), perhaps you would revisit each one with a new example periodically??? It has been so fun!
I am so grateful to you for all of these beautiful and in depth tutorials on coloring. I know JUST where to come when I need them!!! This one is wonderful, as are the previous ones!!! I THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the hours you have put into this set of tutorials — a resource that will be revisited often and my many — me included!!! Thank you!!!
This card is beautiful!! Thank you so much for sharing this tutorial. Very helpful! Can’t wait to do one myself.
Absolutely gorgeous! I haven’t coloured with my chalks now for years…might have to dig them out!
Beautiful, I just love your chalking it is always so pretty, love the tan paper behind them, your flowers just pop against it!
Thanks so much for sharing this beauty with us.
Beautiful card!! Thank you for sharing the tutorial and for reminding me of a forgotten coloring method.
Thanks for the chalking tut. Your coloring (with any medium apparently) is always stunning.
awesome tutorial and one I definately needed!!!
Beautiful card! Great tutorial!
Gorgeous flowers! Thanks for bringing chalks to our attention again…we tend to forget when we start playing with new stuff!
Thanks again for sharing your knowledge. Gorgeous!
Lovely card and great tutorial which I have added to my new blog all about crafting.
I mean I added a link! I didn’t copy it.
This is so gorgeous Leslie! Once again you’ve made it look so effortless. Oh to be able to color like you!! I have a vision that one of these days I’m going to sit down with my laptop on my stamp desk and follow your tutorials step by step, but it just hasn’t happened yet! BUT I WILL SOMEDAY!!
Your tutorials have been superb, I’ll be looking forward to the occasional ones in the future.
[…] inks to run. For more information about using the chalks, you may find my other tutorials helpful here and […]