Friday Focus on Inkssentials Pens

Hi! It's me, Faith a.k.a. Markie's Mom. When I volunteered to focus on Inkssentials pens this week, I think I heard a collective groan from the Flourishes... They were certain my card would be filled with dots. In my own defense, dots are easy, inexpensive embellishments to any card or 3-D project. And, I LOVE them! However, I wanted to share another favorite technique with you today.

Many stampers like to use a variety of coloring mediums for their stamped images. They use Copic Markers, chalks, sponging, colored pencils, watercolors, watercolor crayons, etc. I like all of these methods of laying down color. However, I often use 2 or more of these mediums at once. I've used Twinkling H2O's, Copic Markers and Inkssentials pen to color this rose! Yes, you read that correctly, I used an Inkssentials pen as a COLORING tool. And, it's really easy!

To make the rose on this card I used:
Flourishes' I Love Roses Stamp Set
Flourishes European Watercolor Paper
Twinkling H2O's
Aqua Painter
Paper towel for blotting and cleaning the Aqua Painter
VersaMark
Embossing Powder
Inkssentials Pen
Copic Markers in darker colors than the Twinkling H2O's

Prepare the Twinkling H2O's by dripping several drops of water from the Aqua Painter into each pot. Stir each color gently. Clean Aqua Painter between colors.

Stamp the images in VersaMark and emboss with Heat Tool.

Cover the image in a VERY light, watered down layer of Twinkling H2O. Go over "shadow" areas with more color.

Clean brush and pick up more color. For a more intense color, do not squeeze the Aqua pen.
Go over shadowed areas again, blending color. (You can use your paper towel to blot off extra water/color.)

Here is the wet rose. Use Heat Tool to dry the color.

Use a Copic Marker in a DARKER shade of the same color to add depth. This is VERY easy with this image, as the areas to add shading are drawn in for you!

Here is the highlighted rose.

Follow the same steps for the leaves.

Now for the FUN part! Draw small dashes with the Inkssentials pen in the UN-SHADED areas.

Use the Aqua Pen to blend the Inkssentials pen into the Twinkling H2O's.

Here is the finished rose! Follow the same steps for the leaves. Cut out images.

The Inkssentials pen REALLY helps add depth!

Please visit the blogs of these Flourishes' DT members for more ways to use this fun pen that packs some highlighting punch: Cindy, Faith, Julie, Latisha, Leslie, Laura, and Stacy

Have a Great Stampin' Day!

~Faith