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Christmas Stockings


Hi everyone, today I would like to show you how you can create layers and shadows using the Spectrum Noir AquaBlend pencils. Today’s card project is a Christmas card, and though it’s gender neutral I feel it has a masculine touch, so this one will be sent to one of my male friends! Let’s get started!

Step 1:

First I stamped the image from the Crafter’s Companion Gemini stamp and die set “Stockings” onto some paper that can handle water well, using Spectrum Noir Waterproof ink in “Noir Black”. Then I started colouring the image using the red Spectrum Noir AquaBlend pencils of my choice: Strawberry and Cherrywood. I added multiple thin layers of the pencil to the paper, using the darker colour to create shadows and not pushing very hand with my pencils.

After wetting the paper with water and a brush it then looks like the second photo.

Step 2:

I made sure that the paper is dry before adding the next colour: you can wait until the paper has dried naturally or you can use your heat tool. My next colour of AquaBlend pencil is Iris, which is a cool purple, with this colour I created more shadows. Use a light hand with this colour.

And wetting the paper when I liked what I had. When adding water to your project work from the lighter parts towards the darker parts to not spread the darker colour everywhere, unless that is what you want!

When dry I added a lighter warmer purple colour called Fig and more of the lighter and darker red AquaBlend pencils that I used before. This way I worked in layers on the image until I liked how it looked.

Step 3:

Next I’m working on my green parts using the same procedure: working in thin layers, wetting the paper when I like what I have. Drying the paper and adding more layers in the same way! For my green colours I choose AquaBlend pencils Pesto Green and Spruce.

Step4:

Then adding the purple Iris colour again to create my shadow parts. Adding more layers of the green until I liked what I had.

Step 5:

Here I choose to add some yellow in the mix: for this I used the AquaBlend pencil in Pineapple, first wetting and drying the colour and then adding some Fig and Persimmon to create a more depth in my next layers.

Step 6:

Since this image is relatively small it’s tricky to not lose depth, that’s is why I decided to add some white highlights using a white gel pen. It might take some patience to make the gel pen work over the pencil work but when you scribble of every now and then on a piece of scrap paper it will work.

If you feel you lost some of the black stamped lines you can go over them using a black Spectrum Noir Art Liner pen to add them back in.

Step 7:

When the gel pen has dried of I can fussy cut the image leaving a small border.

Then I die cut a rectangle panel two sizes smaller than my card base and stamped one of the sentiments from the Crafter’s Companion “Words of the Season” stamp and die set onto this panel using the same black ink as before.

Step 8:

To make my background a bit more interesting I then applied some Spectrum Noir Midas Ink in “Silver” over a stencil (TCW835s) using a foam applicator tool in pouncing and circling motions, putting less pressure on the outside part and more pressure on the inside part, where image will be adhered later on. Make sure the ink is dry before you move on to the next step.

Step 9:

Now I can put my card together: I die cut a slightly larger rectangle panel from some matching red card stock and adhered both panels together using liquid glue. Then I adhered this combination to my white card base using one millimetre thick foam tape and added my coloured and fussy cut image on top also using one millimetre thick foam tape.

And to finish my card I adhered some sparkling clear sequins in different sizes using strong glue.

Detail picture:

All of the AquaBlend pencils used on today’s project are from the following sets: Naturals and Florals.

And that’s it for this years final Christmas card project! I wish you a creative day!

#SpectrumNoirAquaBlendpencils #CraftersCompanionStockings #SpectrumNoirMidasInk #TCW835sstencil

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