I used to avoid stamped images that required a lot of colouring. Although my kindergarten skills were sharp and I could colour within the lines, I could never get the shading and smoothness I had seen on, (or what felt like), everyone else’s cards. I certainly felt there was no way I could colour with Copic markers, even though the effect is incredible.
Through several blog hops and tutorial posts, I discovered the problems: I wasn’t using Prisma pencils (artists pencil crayons) and I wasn’t using Odourless Mineral Spirits (Gamsol).
When used with a colouring stub, nib, or whatever they’re called, the OMS blends the colour producing shading and a very smooth appearance.
To start, I outline the image, that way I can pull the colour in and have more shading around the edges. It’s also great because this step doesn’t have to be exact- which is good when you’re colouring 60 turkeys!
I know there’s not 
going to be enough colour just from the edges, so I lightly colour in the body and each feather. As you can see, the colouring isn’t even from the pencil crayon. I remember in grade school, we shaved the pencil crayon with the edge of a scissor, then used a tissue to make the colour even and blended. The OMS does the same thing, but is much easier, and more precise then shaving the pencil crayon with a scissor edge.
Now the colour is evenly blended and I have some depth of colour.
Makes a huge difference, doesn’t it!?
I did the same thing with the “Thankful”; outlining the edges, then pulled the colour in with OMS
While I’m still no where near anything that Jen or Donna colours, or will be graduating to Copic markers any time soon, this has helped tremendously!
Try it out!
Happy Friday,
Ciao for now,
