Ranger recently released a new Specialty Stamping Paper (in 8-1/2 x 11 or 12 x 12 sizes) that I couldn't wait to try. It has a unique matte coated surface which is suitable for many kinds of great techniques. Think of it similar to glossy cardstock, but with a matte finish.
I couldn't wait to try it with my Copic markers. Now I know what you may be thinking -- you aren't supposed to use Copics on a coated paper, right? Well, in this case I was pleased to see that the color went on pretty smoothly, with just a little streaking (which is what I expected) BUT not nearly as much streaking as you get when applying Copic markers to glossy cardstock. Also, as I expected, the Copic color sat on the surface of the paper for a little bit, but did dry fairly quickly.
I also noticed when applying a darker color over my first base coat of color (the blues shown above), that the color around the edges of the darker color pooled a little (since the color sits on top of the paper, you are actually pushing the color to the edges), which reminded me of how watercolors will sometimes pool and dry with a darker around the edges. So a lightbulb went on and I played a little more, to achieve this "watercolor" look with Copic markers. (Previously when I've shown you watercolor effects with Copic, it's usually been with Various Ink Refills -- either by coloring with them using a water brush filled with Colorless Blender Solution or somehow applying Ink Refills to paper. So I'm glad to have found a technique using just the markers!).
Now I admit, this technique takes a little bit of patience and playing, but overall I was pleased with the results and will definitely try it again! Here's what I did . . .
1. Stamp images from Clearly Besotted's Sweet Rose stamp set with Memento Summer Sky (vase), New Sprout (stem & leaves), and Dandelion (rose) onto Ranger Specialty Stamping Paper cut to a 3.75" x 5" panel. I was very pleased to find out that the wonderful permanent qualities of the Memento ink still worked the same (i.e. not reacting or bleeding with Copic markers) on the coated surface of the stamping paper:
2. I colored a base coat of B0000 on the vase. In the left photo below, I colored the bottom of the vase first, then the top. You can see that by the time I took the photo, the coloring on the bottom of the vase had pretty much dried, while the top of the vase is still a little wet. Next (right photo), I shaded around the edges, bottom and top of the vase with darker B000. You can see with these lighter colors, the shading is pretty smooth:
3. Next, I colored the leaves with a base coat of G20, then (middle photo below) flicked in darker G21:
Last photo above -- I went back with my lighter G20 and pulled the darker G21 color from the bottom of the leaf towards the top. I finished the rest of the leaves in the same manner. You can see that the G21 Copic color covered up the stamped lines, giving a nice hand-drawn or painted "no line coloring" look.
4. For the rose, I base colored it in Y13 with a sweeping motion acrose the whole rose, over the stamped lines. As you can see, no bleeding of the Memento ink. The middle photo below shows the same technique as I used above, flicking in a darker color of R21 (I was hoping for a peachy peace rose color!), and then going back with the lighter Y13 to blend:
After coloring the whole rose, I went back with R21 and defined the edges of the darker parts of the petals. I found with this third layer of color application that the color went on a little smoother, with less streaking. I'm sure due to there being a good amount of color "primer" now covering the coated slick surface of the paper.
Note: My camera REALLY singled out the separate colors here. In real life, they are lighter and you see a definite difference between the yellow and peach colors but I just couldn't get it to show in a photo! The colors are most true in the last photo below.
5. To finish my card, I used the straight line of stitching die from My Favorite Things Blueprints 13 Die-namics and cut stitched lines on all four sides of the flower panel:
I stamped the pretty sentiment (also from the Sweet Rose stamp set) with Memento Gray Flannel ink onto the Specialty Stamping Paper and die cut it with the long curved-end die from Blueprints 13. Turn the die around to cut the other side of the sentiment. I love that this die can be used to make whatever size label frame you need!
Both the sentinent and the rose panel were popped up on Copic Foam Tape on a Bazzill Card Shoppe Banana Split top-folded card base.
Thanks for joining me today and I hope you'll give this fabulous new Specialty Stamping Paper a try in your crafting! ~ Sharon
