October 10, 2016
3 Comments
Hi everyone! Elaineabella here with the latest Marker Geek Monday installment. This week I’ve been playing with my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens again, which I know will make at least a few of you very happy. 😉
Before we get started, I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who left supportive comments here and in the Stamping Bella Sistahood Facebook group last week. Your support and encouragement are hugely appreciated! Thankfully things have improved over the past week, so I’m getting back to what passes for normal around here.
Stamp: Stamping Bella Rudolph the Skating Reindeer (incl. sentiment)
Dies: Rudolph the Skating Reindeer Cut It Out Die set
(save 15% by buying the Rudolph the Skating Reindeer Stamp & Die Bundle)
Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens, Ranger Archival Ink Jet Black, Hot Pressed Watercolour Paper
Distress Inks and shimmer spray for background.
I filmed the colouring process, as I know a number of readers have been hoping for more tips on using the Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens.
You can watch the video below or in HD over on YouTube.
All the details of colours used are provided in the video as annotations.
As you will see in the video above, my preferred method for colouring with the Zig Clean Color Real Brush pens is to lay down some of the darkest shade, and then blend it out using lighter shades. Sometimes I use just two shades of colour, sometimes I use three working from darkest to lightest.
I find that if I try to colour as I would when using Copic markers, I run into problems. When I let go and don’t try to achieve the same level of detail, it works much better!
I stamped and coloured this image on hot pressed watercolour paper. This works quite nicely when blending these pens without using water, and would work beautifully when using water too.
If you are a Copic fan, I recently posted some colour combos for cute reindeer over on my own blog: Copic Colour Combos for Reindeer & Earth Tones.
If you are a coloured pencil fan, I also recently posted some coloured pencil combos in a previous Marker Geek Monday post: Coloured Pencil Combos for Reindeer.
I have another blog post today, over on my own blog, showing how I coloured the largest pumpkin from Stamping Bella Set of Pumpkins using Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens. Click through to check it out: Colouring Pumpkins using Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens.
NOTE: the video in this post includes a quick look at the Cut It Out dies and how easy they are to use with the coordinating stamps.
The post on my blog also includes a fun little card design featuring the coloured pumpkin image and the sentiment from Tiny Townie Patricia Loves Pumpkins.
I also have some earlier posts featuring the Zig Clean Color pens:
If you try out the techniques shown in any of the posts with your Stamping Bella stamps, be sure to share! We would love to see the results and hear how you feel about them. Show off your creations in the comments below and even better, share your own favourite tips with us. Let’s talk colour!
If you are posting your images online, we would love to see them on Instagram and all the platforms mentioned above. To make it easier for us to find you just use #markergeekmonday and/or #stampingbella as a hashtag. Even better tag me @markergeek and @stampingbella . We love it when you connect, so don’t be shy!
If you’re on Facebook join us in our private chat group Stamping Bella Sistahood to share your creations there and chat all things Stamping Bella related!
Until next time, HAPPY COLOURING!
MWAH
Elaineabella
What is hot pressed watercolor paper? I know what watercolor paper is, my dad has a huge pad of it that he can’t use anymore so it will now be mine. His hands don’t work as well as they used to and he even has trouble signing his name so he won’t be using it. In fact, I’m not even sure what he used it for anyway.
I wish I had more Copics and these markers. Most of my markers are not as user friendly as yours, they are just basic markers. Can you do some of what you do with basic markers like Crayola or others? I want to try it but on scrap paper before I go and ruin a card which I would do if I didn’t test it out first. I love what you did though. I have some reindeer stamps but not from you guys so I am going to play like you did and see what happens. It will either be terrible or I will just love it.
Gail, hot pressed watercolor paper is much smoother than cold pressed. So the smooth paper makes it much easier to blend the colors from dark to light shades like Elaineabella does. Hot works much better with the Zig Clean Color markers. I have the full set of Zigs which is much less expensive than the Copics. I’ve also recently obtained the Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers which are again less expensive than the Copics.
But the alcohol inks require a different type paper – you use more ink if you color on watercolor paper. So Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80# Cover 8.5″x11″ 250/pack works great with the alcohol markers.
I don’t know if regular markers would work like Copics, Spectrum or Zigs. I sort of doubt it. But try it. I try out combinations and methods on scraps of my paper I use for my cards. Use the front and the back – except with Copics/Spectrum it’s usually hard to use the back because they both bleed through the paper.
CarpeDiem sells the Zigs at a great price and they work well as you saw in the video.
Good luck!
And thanks Elainebella for using the Zigs!! Always appreciate it! Now I have Spectrum Noir so I’ll be watching more of your Copics tutorials!
Thank you for sharing! I have the Zig markers but have seldom used them. I just might have to pull them out and give them a try. You make it look so easy! I just love to watch you color, no matter what medium you use. 🙂