My Creative Scoop! OH MY~!

Oh my is right!  Mindy Baxter has done it again with another great class!  And it is only $15.

Here is why I love Mindy's online classes.

1.  She makes them easy to follow to help the beginning Copic Colorist.

2.  Her philosophy is the same as mine.  Just because as teachers we use certain colors doesn't mean you have to.  I didn't, I used my favorite snow colors based on the sky. 

3.  If you are an advanced colorist, you can still learn!  And you can make her class your own style.

Yes, I can color!  Can I draw? No way!  Do I want to learn to? Yes!  Do I look at an image and can I see a scene?  Sometimes I can and sometimes I can not.  I am trying to step outside my comfort box!  Have I just shared my weaknesses with you?  Of course!  I am not perfect and neither is any other colorist out there.

What did I learn, or gain confidence from in this course?  Well, first creating mountains!!!!  They were so much fun! Drawing small trees in the background.  Being brave enough to create mountains that are what I want and not what was taught.  I wanted to make it my own.  I am very proud of my Mountains!  Drawing a birch tree for the first time.  It was cool to do. 

Mindy does this class step by step videos and is very good at explaining what, where and why in each and every short video.  Yes, Every step has its very own video section which is so awesome and easy to follow!  Nothing to print our because she has the colors at the bottom of the videos.  

Color the class exactly like she does if you are a beginner.  Then challenge yourself to change something.  If you are advanced.  Take the class and make it your very own and see what you come up with.  

I challenge you!

Watch The Birdie by Lili of the Valley

Happy Monday Friends.  Today I am working with Lili Of The Valley.  Here is Watch the Birdie, which is a new release for October.  There are 4 Yummy Vintage Boys that are just perfect for boys and men.

Today I've done #2 of the 4 Vintage Boys Images along with a complete step by step tutorial.

When I was all done with the 8 steps I peeled off the tape and outlined the colored image with a .7 multiliner.  Then I added another outline of interest with a .3 multiliner.  The with a Brust tip miltiliner I added the dots around the edges.  Placed my die frame and word lined in black and that is it. 

Here I masked off the section I wanted to color on the page.  

#2 I always color the skin first.  Just a habit.

#3 I placed blender marker from the top down to where I want the sky to stop.  Next from the line where the grass is I started with the B0000 and wide flicked up into the blender solution. Then added B00 not going as high and blended with B0000 and finished with feathering flicking with blender marker. 

#4 This is the order I used for the grass.  After I placed the BV23 I went over it with G24.  Where the sun would shine I went over the top with YG21.

#5 This is the order I used for the shirt and the tie and suspenders 

#6  I did use these colors from dark to light.  I find it easier to get my shadows placed first then blend from there. 

#7  The Camera I wanted to be as vintage as possible.  I used woods and non-shinny metal.  To get the non-shinny metal I just lay down a coat of T1 all over then T5 in the shadow areas and T3 on top and extend.  Then I place a little T3 here and there on the metal plate the T1 is all over until completely blended. 

#8 The final step just add a little Oxide around the edges of the sky area and be very light-handed. 

Thanks for stopping by and until next time...keep creating!

To The Top by Lili of the Valley

Happy Monday Friends.  Today I am working with Lili Of The Valley.  Here is To The Top, which is a new release for October.  There are 4 Yummy Vintage Boys that are just perfect for boys and men.

I mean really, isn't it so hard to find the perfect image for a male card?  Well, These 4 four digi images are just awesome and a must-have. 

I will be coloring all four hopefully this week to show just how wonderful they are.  I will be doing easy layouts, with and without dies. This card I did not use any dies.

I have been playing with skies lately.  I have not perfected it but the key is to keep trying.  For instance.  Now that I am looking at the photo on my BigMac there are a couple of things I should have done differently.  1.  At the face - I should have flicked from the edge of the face to the edge of the paper.  Because I flicked from the edge of the paper toward the face I fell short leaving what appears to be who knows what!  2. On the top edge of his hat, I should have carried the light all the way across.  The image appears to have a halo effect around the top.  I'm pretty sure skies don't do that.

His hat to create texture is nothing more than dotting with my blue combo.

The ground, well, honestly, I just did it and didn't think about it.  I needed to do something with the side of the hill to ground it.  Coloring some rocks at the base would have really been perfect!!!!  Now I think of it!!!!

I know you are going to go buy this adorable image.  And, for that reason, I have given you a very detailed color palette so you can see the exact colors and where I used them. 

Thanks for stopping by and until next time.....

Hold on to your hats friends! I have found the best die storage EVER! It is a 5 star in my book

Are you ready for this?  Totally-Tiffany has out done herself!  Finally a die storage system that is not only awesom but fits in my Ikea shelves. 

The Die File - Metal Die Storage

I like the size of the box! Each of the 10 panels measures 11.5″ x 14.5″ (not counting the tab). But guess what. You can fit 2 of these in one cube of an Ikea cube.  I want another one!  There are labels so you can

label, circles, squares, rectangels etc.  if you store it as shown above I only feel the need to lable one side.

You can also stand it on it's side.  It will still fit 2 in my cube.  And, in this case I would label both sides. 

Honestly, I have found I like the first way of storing...the little dies won't fall and no damage can be done to your dies.

And you can kinda see that you use both sides of your boards for your dies. 

Now, the box comes with 60 white magnetic strips as shown above.  I found these awesome for light weight dies.

Now check this out!  It will hold 6 background dies!  WOWZERS!  These are a bit heavier so I cut down my personal adhesive magnetic sheets and the hold perfectly.  Honestly, the white strip dies were not quite strong enough, and I would have had to use to many of them.  I found this solution.

I found the same to be easier with the larger set dies.  I saved my white strip dies for my alphabets and little dies. 

One problem in using the black heavy duty magnetic strips.  My Boards have warped a bit.  But the is  ok with me.  Because the dies are snug as a bug in a rug.  

I would rate this product a 5 star for sure!

oh my, guess what!  Krist Smith is back and drawing?  I am so excited I can hardly stand it. Here is one of her new images from September.  You can join her FB fan page at Kista Leigh Smith Creative

Join her on Instagram @kristaleighsmith and oh boy, oh boy find out ahead of time what is happening by joining Patreon and following Krista Leigh Smith!  She will tell you everything for $1 a month.  But I signed up for the $20 plan.  Come on friends She is back!

Here is the color palette to help you see what colors and where I used them.  You can find more if you click on the button of color palettes in the left-hand column of my blog.  

My favorite combo here is BG11, 52, 72, 75 which I used on the dress.  

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  Big Hugs!!!!