On My Craft Table with Inktense Blocks

Am I the only one who buys art supplies and lets them sit in the packaging for weeks waiting on just the right project or chance to use them?? Good to know you're shaking your head no and I'm not alone :)

I bought these Derwent Inktense Blocks a couple of months ago and used them for the first time today and I'm in L-O-V-E! I have a large set of the Inktense Pencils, so I knew to expect rich, saturated color when I hit them with water, but whoa! A little goes a long way and you can very easily layer colors. Here's a quick 2-minute demo.

TIP: In order to see what the color would be when I wet it, I glued a thin strip of watercolor paper (10 ½ in. x ¼ in.) on the railing along each side of the blocks, then used a water brush to transfer the color. Depending on your adhesive of choice, be careful not to get the glue on the top side of the paper, otherwise it'll act as a resist and you won't be able to lay down color in that area.

I wanted to step outside my comfort zone, so I asked a friend for 3 bright colors. I was told, yellow, orange, and green...hmmm, definitely not the three I would have chosen to play with first. The end result is this card!

One of the characteristics I adore the most with Inktense products, is their ability to remain permanent when dry. I tried this out by layering some of the green on top of the orange (normally you'd get mud) and got a great effect!

If you like bright, vivid colors; the capability to layer colors without worry; a portable product (even though the tin doesn't snap closed tightly), then don't let the price point ($48 for the 36 count I purchased) deter you!

Thanks for joining me for #onmycrafttable and have a great day!

Stamps: Demure (Penny Black Stamps), You're So Lovely (Hero Arts)

xoxo Deidre

"On My Craft Table" Kick-Off! & Giveaway!

One of the best aspects of crafting is sharing. I'm beginning a new series on my blog called "On My Craft Table" where I'll be sharing my new artsy finds, techniques, and tips. This is an exciting time for me, so I hope you enjoy and join me on this journey!

#onmycrafttable today is Copic coloring using 1) my favorite skin tones, 2) colors that aren't remotely close blending families, and 3) ways to create texture.

I'm working with new happy mail, a stamp from Penny Black called "winter fairy". I started with her skin, only because I knew what colors I was going to use.

Tip: Don't be afraid of contrast! It really makes your image come pop.

This is my favorite Copic skin tone combo simply because it mostly resembles my own. I took the Copic certification courses and really found that adding a little unblended BV to the darkest areas, really adds some contrast. In the pictures below, you can see E11, E13, E15 alone, then with BV23. Of course, it's all a matter of personal preference too :)

Tip: Don't be afraid to blend different color groups.

Here you can see on her wings, from top to bottom, I faded from B0000 to BV00 to RV00 with the darker B00 and BV02 closest to her back. It did take a little work, but I love the effect.  I used the same type of blending for the stripe behind her on the finished card. I added a little RV00 to all the furry areas as well.

Tip: Create texture with different types of strokes.

I used regular blending for the wings, dots to create the texture in her furry headband and puffs that swing from it, swirls and dots for her hair, and squiggles for her furry boots.

I adore how this image turned out! Especially after adding my fave Diamond Stickles!

I'm also sharing over at CAS(E) this Sketch! #193 and The Card Concept #59 (clean & simple)

GIVEAWAY TIME!
I want you to try this awesome mix of skin tones, so I'm gifting a set of the Copic marker colors I used to achieve this look- E11, E13, E15, and BV23.

Comment below or on my Instagram page by Tuesday, October 11 at 11:59pm EST.  The lucky winner will be announced on Wednesday!

You can also follow me with Feedburner and Instagram!

Thanks so very much and I appreciate all of the support and encouragement to venture out this far!!

xoxo Deidre

Winner!!