House Mouse Tutorial

Hi There,

I know ...I told you I'd share a scrapbook page yesterday. I choose sun over crafting. I did finish it up last night but didn't photograph it. But on an up side I can post it on Friday!

Today I wanted to share with you how I color my House Mouse's or is it House Mices? lol

Firstly I am not (at this time) Copic Certified so I'm sharing what works for me. When I was at CHA I did manage to squeeze in a two-hour class but it covered just some coloring techniques.

There is a great site I Like Markers that gives great information and tutorials on using Copic Markers.

I use Memento Black to stamp my images. Doesn't bleed. I usually give it about 5 minutes after I've stamped it just to make sure it is dry. You want to use a dye based ink versus a solvent ink like Stazon as the ingredients in copics and Stazon react badly with each other. I believe it is due to both of them being alcohol based.

These are the four Ciao Copic Markers I used to color in my mouse. Any combination of browns can be used, just remember to go from lightest to darkest.

My image stamped in Momento Ink.

Start with E21 (Baby Skin Pink) and color in the entire Mouse. For the large areas make sure you color in small circles. For the tiny areas just use a light touch of the brush tip to these spots. Click on any photos to enlarge the image to get a more detailed look! The beauty of copics is you can do multiple coats of color without having your paper pil or breakdown.

Next use E31 (Brick Beige). Color only the areas that have fur on them.

You may do more than one coat to deepen the tone. Same goes for all the areas you colored in E21. You can go over those to darken.

Lastly E33 (sand) and use the tip end and check make little lines to match the fur being sure to make your lines in the directions of the fur. Notice I don't put a mark on each hair as that would probably result in the image being covered to solidly. What I'm trying to do is have some of the color from underneath show through and create depth and texture. Now add a little RV10 (pale pink) in the ear. Again anywhere you think there might be a shadow such as under the ears, along the bottom of the tail go over that area again with E31.  Don't forget if you go outside of the lines you can use the clear blender tool to fix the ooops! My image may look like a lot of ooopes but I had the camera on macro so it magnified it. It doesn't even show when I look at the image. (of course my eyesight isn't the best! lol)

Lastly here is my card using Butterfly Express. (this is the same stamp I used on Monday)

The pink cardstock is Bazzill Bling. It's textured and has a bit of a shimmer to it. Wanted to show you that I was able to heat emboss on it and the font came out clear. All images were done with the copics. The butterfly I used R20(blush), BV31 (pale lavender), C3 & C5 (cool greys). I choose to cut the image apart. The butterfly was colored, cut out and then covered in Diamond Glaze. While it was still flexible (not quite dry) I molded the wings so when it dried completely there would be dimension.

Gold xrylon pen to edge all the lavender cardstock. Cuttlebug leaf folder to emboss the lavender cardstock. (Bazzill crosshatch texture). The fold on the card was a little different. You can see the inner layer and the outer shell. The brads I didn't want them showing all the way through the cardstock or creating a lump between layers so I cut the back off of them and used a glue dot to adhere them to the card so they are strictly for looks only. They're not holding anything together.

So if you're still reading after this long winded post. Thanks! I hope you enjoyed it the supplies can be found at FargoCatShops.

Until tomorrow....bye!

Yvonne