Coloring Solid Images on Dark Paper

I'm not a real artist (I just play one on my blog) so I'm not going for realism when I color. My goal is variation and interest. I rarely use only one color ( like I showed you yesterday) but I prefer to blend several colors together. Sometimes I get a motley look after I've blended the colors. I like that. Coloring for me isn't difficult, but it is time consuming. The right tools will make a difference.
ETA: speaking of the right tools: I've gotten a couple of emails for clarification. The white pencil and the colorless blender pencil is the only thing need to blend the colors together. -- NO odorless mineral spirits and NO blending stumps. I can only speak for artist grade Prismacolor Premier and other pencils like it.( see my Color Pencil Comparison) You might be disappointed if you use color pencils that are not of this quality.


Supplies needed for this lesson:
Prismacolors Pencils or any wax or oil based pencil (water soluble aka water color pencils will not work the same)

• Prismacolor Pencils used: White, Colorless Blender Pencil, Olive, Lime Peel, Violet, Parma Violet, and Lilac
• A smooth quality dark colored card stock -- I used Chocolate Chip card stock from Stampin Up)
• White Pigment ink-- I used Whisper White Craft Ink from Stampin Up. I've also used Colorbox for this technique. I would imagine that any good white craft or pigment ink will do the trick.
• A solid rubber stamp. I used a Stampin Up set called Pretty Amazing.

To view the original card click here. I'm working on Mother's Day cards now so this sample I working with is for a 5 x 7 card. When I'm finished making them, I'll post them and link back to this post.

Preparing to color: Stamp the images on the dark cardstock with the white pigment ink. You can mask the main images to stamp the background. I guess you could heat set it, but I've never done that. I ususally stamp the image and go do something else. When I come back later or the next day, it's dry.

For this design, I start off by adding the darkest green (Olive) to the bottom of the leaves.
I try to stay right on the leaves. This first layer of application requires a light medium touch.

Next I add the lighter green(Lime peel) with very little overlap.

Starting with the inner most parts of the flower I add the darkest purple (Violet).

Avoid the lines that define the stamp if possible. Keep your pencils sharp and don't bear down too hard. It's better to add several 'coats' of color than to have one heavy 'coat'.

This is a little blurred, but you can see that I added all three shades of purple. Again don't overlap too much -- that comes later.

I add the white to the tips and blend down towards the flower's center with the blender pencil.

Add more white or more dark and blend until you get a look you like.

Let me know if you have any questions.