Jul 06 2009
Gentler Times
Today I’ve gone back to an old favorite, but with a new coloring medium, my Prismacolor markers. In the past I’ve always colored the images from this beautiful Stampin’ Up! Gentler Times set (retired) with Stampin’ Pastels (soft chalks). They’re rather detailed images for chalks, but at the time I wasn’t quite sure what else to do with them. The markers, thank goodness, were much easier.
The stamped image is almost, but not quite, solid. There’s no distinct outline. Though there’s a lot of detail, it’s relatively easy to see where to add the shading. In fact, you could stamp the image in a dark ink and color over it with markers, and achieve a nice result without adding any of your own shading. In this case, I stamped the image in Ranger Distress Tea Dye, which is a very light caramel shade, and used it as a guide for shading the image. In the end, it looks like an actual painting, rather than a colored-in open line image…well…because it’s not an open line image. I love this type of stamp!
The rose was colored with Deco Yellow and shaded with Ochre, and a little bit of Crimson added for more color. The other flower, which I think is supposed to be a hydrangea, is Deco Pink and Grayed Lavender.
See the white highlights on some of the petal tips of the hydrangea? Those highlights were added as an afterthought with a white gel pen. To make the gel pen highlights soft and nicely blended I colored a little spot of white and then immediately touched it lightly with my fingertip. With another, clean fingertip I lightly brushed over the white to soften it. Very easy and effective!
Just for fun, I’ve included photos of the image stamped in Ranger Distress Walnut Stain (a very dark brown) – one without color so you can see the bare bones, and one quickly colored with no additional shading:
It’s beautiful even without color, and satisfactorily pretty with color added — a great image type to see a stamper through all stages of devoloping color skills. I don’t know if SU! has any new images of this sort, but I like to keep my eyes open when I’m shopping around… Maybe I should take another look at the new catalog…
Well, darn, my three day weekend is over now, and I need to get a move on with the work week. I’ll have lots more to share beginning Wednesday with Flourishes July previews. I hope to see you then! Take care!
Stamps: Gentler Times (retired SU!) Paper: Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow, Close to Cocoa, Very Vanilla, retired Enchante designer paper Ink: Ranger Distress Tea Dye, Prismacolor markers for coloring Accessories: Ribbon, Finishing Touches floral brad from Flourishes, Spellbiners oval dies, Scotch brand foam mounting tape
So very beautiful Leslie, just incredible! I have this set, I wish SU would go back to beautiful designs like this . . . sigh.
Leslie, wow this is gorgeous! I love everything about it!! Great job.
Joan
Beautiful Leslie! Your shading is wonderful and such a pretty image. I have to tell you… hee hee… I was going through SCS first DD months and seeing how times, gadgets and goodies have changed for stampers over the years. I came across your *debut* for DD and I smiled. You are so cute and fun in your description of how shocked you were to join the DD etc. It just made me smile… I am not shocked that you were asked. They need to do a bring back the fav. DD or something. :0) I would certainly pick you. Okay enough babbling! Have a wonderful day! Hugs..
Well, you know how much I love this genteel vintage image! In fact, I just recently used one of the other images in Gentler Times myself. What a WOW coloring job on this, Leslie, and the elegant card design showcases it perfectly! And thanks again for sharing the details of how you achieved such a beautiful effect. Linda
Oh wow, lovely coloring!! Has that vintage feel to it!
Oh, Leslie, this is stunning!!! At first glance I thought you had used a colored print on your card but was delighted to read that it was done with your own talented hands. It was hard to tell because your picture doesn’t enlarge when I click on it. It just appears as is without words. This card is just gorgeous!!! Love everything about it. tfs
OMG…..Leslie, this is so beautiful! It DOES look like a painting! Fabulous results and a gorgeous card all over! I love this!
absolutely stunning!!! I ran to my stash to make sure I had not been stupid and gotten rid of that set and YES!! I still have it !! I just love yours!! I will be playing with mine again soon! thanks for sharing
This is gorgeous, Leslie!! Your coloring is always so perfect, and this is no exception. What a beautiful image, and I love your delicate ribbon and floral brad!!
Such a soft and gentle beauty
I just love your coloring, layout, DP, ribbon and gold leaf embellishment. TFS the photo’s of your beautifully detailed stamps too. I so wish I had gotten that set. Have a great week, Nancy
My goodness this is awesome!!! It totally looks like a picture hanging on a wall.
If I didnt know you colored it, I would have thought it was a print!
BEAUTIFUL!
Yvonne.
Leslie - you must be Flemish. Yes, that’s it! A Flemish painter. I’ve seen your work at the Getty Museum. This bouquet of roses is a true work of art. What depth and volume you’ve given these roses. It’s as if your well trained hand has breathed life into each petal. The oval mat adds a hint of vintage as does your DP. Your meticulous and lovingly crafted card is breath taking and brings me such joy! This is elegance at its finest.
Gorgeous Leslie, your coloring as always is fabulous! I think I still have this set in my pile…somewhere…lol!! I love that you used the lighter ink color to stamp with, it does make it look like a painting…beautiful!!
The finished result after coloring this gorgeous stamp really looks like a real painting! The card is so beautiful, Leslie! I love a pretty emebellishment you added!
So Beautiful.
You know this is also one of my all time favorite sets. I haven’t had it out in quite awhile and have never tried to color it with copics or the like. What you’ve done here is so lovely…makes me want to dig that set out!
Gosh, did I sell this set or did I keep it — I must check!!! This card is so the leslierich style I fell in love with years ago — beautiful as ever!!!