Negative Space Coloring + Hop + Giveaway

Welcome! Today’s video is all about negative space coloring — a great technique for getting new looks from your outline images. I am also part of a fun hop for a great new coloring challenge.

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[All supplies are linked to multiple sources in the thumbnails at the end of this post. Affiliate links used. To watch the video in HD on YouTube, click HERE.]

Coloring negative space is a great I-don’t-have-to-think-too-much-or-work-to-hard-to-get-good-results technique. I decided to use the new and gorgeous Altenew Botanical Garden and Peony Bouquet stamp sets. (To see a video showing a close look at the other new Altenew stamps, head HERE.)

I share two ways of doing this negative space coloring. The first is with Copics.

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I don’t like to use my Copic Markers up against a heat embossed image. (Two reasons: 1. I don’t want want to ruin the tip of my Copics and in the past I did have embossing powder discolor the tips. Be sure to test first. 2. I don’t want my markers to color the embossing powder – I want it to stay true.) To avoid the contact, I first stamped the flowers with a super light Copic-friendly ink (My Favorite Things Grout Gray Hybrid) and then created a blended background of coloring. After doing this, I stamped the image again in the same spot with Versamark and heat embossed with sparkling powder.

Since I used the MISTI Stamping Tool, it was easy to stamp the image in the exact same place on top using VersaMark ink. However, if you don’t have the MISTI, you could look carefully though your block to line it up.

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On this one I also added some Wink of Stella to the background for a bit of shine…

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A second way to achieve a similar look is to use Distress Ink for the background. I created a mask and placed it on top of the stamped floral image… and then used an Ink Blending Tool and three colors of Distress Inks over the whole piece. The key to getting good coverage is to blend well and overlap the colors.

Instead of using a plain mat under my colored pieces, I die cut pieces with the Memory Box Postage Layer dies. I just adore the look of those detailed edges!

On some of my cards, I heat embossed the Altenew Painted Greetings directly on the colored backgrounds. On others, I stamped an Altenew You Are sentiment underneath using a T-Ruler. (I highly recommend having a T-Ruler in your supplies. It’s inexpensive and helps keep everything centered and straight.)

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I hope this inspires you to try some negative space coloring.

BLOG HOP

Today I am part of a blog hop celebrating the kick-off of Kathy Racoosin’s 30-Day Coloring Challenge. I am proud to call Kathy my friend and am continually amazed by her coloring talent. She has really done a great job bringing the industry together for this challenge. The point of the challenge is to simply color a little (or a lot!) each day for 30 days. Be sure to use the hashtag #TheDailyMarker30Day.

chall

The next stop on the hop is the blog of my favorite gal, Kristina Werner! She will knock your socks off – I am sure.

GIVEAWAYS & DISCOUNT CODE

Like the Altenew Botanical Garden stamp set I used in this video? Here is your chance to win it! For your chance, leave a comment below by 11:59pmEST on 2/10/16 telling me your go-to coloring medium. (The winner’s name will be randomly selected, emailed and posted on my “Winners page” after the giveaway closes. International folks are eligible, too!)

Also be sure to head to Kathy’s blog for a chance to win one of four spots in an Online Card Class.

In celebration of the 30-Day Coloring Challenge, Online Card Classes is giving a one-time coupon code for $5.00 off Copic Markers for Card Makers  and/or for the Watercolor for Card Makers class. Both class will help build up your confidence when coloring. You can get the code HERE at Kathy’s blog.

SUPPLIES

Interested in the products I used? To make them easy for you to find, I have listed them below. (Affiliate and product disclosure can be found here. All products were personally purchased except those with an asterisk.) Click on the letters below each picture to go to a favorite store: Simon Says Stamp (SSS), Ellen Hutson (EH), Amazon (AZ), etc.


Leave a Comment

756 thoughts on “Negative Space Coloring + Hop + Giveaway”

  1. HeatherC says:

    My go to coloring tends to be either water colors or prismacolors. Love your cards!!

  2. Kelly B. says:

    I use copics without blending much just because they are fast.

  3. MaryannD says:

    Love your cards, great technique. Love using the negative space. My go-to has been Prismacolor pencils, now working in the Zig Clean Color Real Brush pens.

  4. wonderful cards and great Technique!
    my coloring medium is still copics. With watercolors I mainly do backgrounds. 🙂

  5. Milli D says:

    I love to color with my Copics, but using Distress Inks to watercolor has been my go-to lately. Thanks for another great video!

  6. Char Adams says:

    My go for color is distress ink. The ability to blen makes me look I have really good water coloring skills but, Imdo not. At least not yet!

  7. Michal D says:

    My go to colors are water pencils, and of course distress inks. Love this technique!

  8. Denise G says:

    My go-to colors are Copics and Distress inks (still my first choice for blending but I will use all inks). But I am trying to branch out to other media – pencil and watercolor. So many things to try and so little time . . .

  9. Janet Trapp says:

    Super fun technique!! Looking forward to playing with this! I love using all different mediums, it keeps it fun! ~God bless~

  10. Jody Blaufus says:

    My copics are always my favorite! And, thanks for the chance!

  11. My go to colour are Copics but I am hoping to try other mediums after finding you and watching your videos on youtube I am feeling inspired.
    Thank you
    Hugs Mel

  12. Amy Z. says:

    My go-to is colored pencils, but I’m starting to use more watercolor as well!

  13. Tracy says:

    I think my go to is Copic markers.

  14. Lauren E says:

    Great technique! My favorite coloring medium right now are still the distress inks…I can’t get enough of them.

  15. Michelle O. says:

    I’ve been using markers a lot lately, but I want to try out some copics or colored pencils!

  16. Maria Wicks says:

    Love this technique! Will definitely be doing some negative space coloring soon. I also really like that postage layers die, may have to try to save up for it.

    I guess my go to coloring medium would probably have to be coloring pencils, water colors, and watercolor pencils. I just feel most comfortable with coloring pencils, and find myself reaching for them more than anything else. I really love to paint and watercolor though, even though I’m not as comfortable with those and need a lot more practice. Trying out markers is still on my to-do list – once I’m able to afford some that is.

  17. Deborah Rikard says:

    I usually reach for my copics for detail coloring and my distress inks for backgrounds.

  18. Christa M says:

    My go to color techniques right now are markers and ink pad with aqua painter because that is what I have in my stash, however I have really been thinking about colored pencils and the zig watercolor brush pens.

  19. Maxine D says:

    I vary a lot in which colouring mediums I use, but think at the moment my favourite is prismacolor pencils.
    Blessings
    Maxine

  20. Aileen Ryan says:

    Jennifer, love how you have done these cards, so have to give this technique a go. I love colouring with Copics, Inktense pencils, Watercolours Distress Inks but lately my favourite and always seem to go to is Copics which I have finally started building up.

  21. Rebecca says:

    Love this technique! My go to is colored pencils.

  22. Teresa yates says:

    New to crafting and especially to the markers just got tim holtz markers and now prismacolor and just can’t put them down my sister get on Skype since we live in different states and craft love this new stamp set

  23. Sari from Finland says:

    Greetings from Finland! I color most often with Distress Inks but would like to try some new mediums too. Altenew stamps are beautiful. Would be a happy owner of them! ☺

  24. Barbara Martin says:

    My go to medium at the moment is watercolor. I love color in any form, though!

  25. Terri W says:

    Honestly it is a toss up between my Copic and Distress markers.

  26. BethAnn says:

    Definitely going to color outside the lines! What fun! I recently received the 30 (yes, 30!) Real Brush markers – so I’m using them a lot! My Inktense pencils also get used almost every day

  27. diane p says:

    I really don’t have a go to medium at this point. I usually switch it up depending on what I am making. There are so many types available these days. ..

  28. Olga says:

    Wonderful tutorial! Thank you.
    I use Copics the most for coloring images and dye ink for backgrounds.

  29. chark says:

    prismacolor pencils all the way! love the look of copics but mine dried up b/c I didn’t use them often enough.

  30. Odette S says:

    I love to use Copics and distress ink

  31. Gabrielle says:

    Wonderful as always. I love colored pencils.

  32. Laurie L says:

    My go to??? Markers and I really truly have not found a way to enjoy them as I should. I would like to try other techniques!! I bought my daughter some copics and I use them too 🙂

  33. Cindy says:

    I only have a set of 3 pink copic markers. They are okay, but I prefer blending distress inks and water coloring. Thanks for the chance to win!

  34. Amye says:

    I have recently rediscovered colored pencils. I love watercoloring with Distress inks as well.

  35. Agnieszka says:

    I wish I were better at watercoloring. I use colored pencils a lot and try to play with distress inks.

  36. Kate O. says:

    My favorite right now is copic coloring. I’m still trying to learn and loving it!

  37. Lucia M says:

    I usually use colored pencils because it´s really easy to get a great result.

  38. karenajo says:

    I do not color too much, but do use colored pencils and I use Distress inks a lot for backgrounds.

  39. Diane H. says:

    I like colored pencils and watercolor pencils.

  40. Avonlea says:

    I love colouring with Copics and chalks! Thanks for the video, the inspiring cards and the chance to win this lovely Altenew set!

  41. Penny M says:

    Thank you, you have inspired me to get back into card making, your blog is wonderful and look forward to coming home from work getting the kids fed, bathed and to bed so that I can check out any new blogs or finishng what I start the night before. I have taken your lead and not just making one card but 3 or 4 with envelopes, already come in very handly. I loved making these card and the old pigment ink worked OK.

  42. Gorgeous cards! Love those Altenew stamps! My go to coloring medium lately has been distress inks. They’re so versatile in that you can color in so many ways with them.

  43. Alicia says:

    For a softer lighter effect I like to use watercolor paint and then I use Zig Brush markers for bolder colors.
    I enjoyed this video very much! Thank you!

  44. Randa says:

    Beautiful cards. Love the bold color background. My favorite coloring medium is pencils -ALL THE PENCILS. Not sure they would lend themselves to this technique, tho. I’m not a Copic person – I’ve never purchased a single marker. I do, however, love my Distress Inks. Thanks for sharing all your great ideas.

  45. Lindalovescraft says:

    Very fun technique, I will try this one next. Thanks again for your great tutorials. They are very inspiring and helpful.

  46. Larissa says:

    Thanks, Jennifer! These are awesome, fast cards–which I need to make–lots of thank you notes due! My favorite coloring medium for backgrounds are Distress Inks (just got some Clarity brushes for Christmas that I can’t wait to try out). My favorite medium for coloring everything else are Copics. I recently got Zig Clean Color markers, but I’m having a learning curve with those. I’m hoping to figure them out in the new year! Best wishes to you and your family, Jennifer, for a healthy and happy 2017!

  47. Feathers Flying says:

    Beautiful colors in a clean design. Absolutely love your style Jennifer 🙂

  48. Linda Davidson says:

    My go to medium is water colors. I have a few copic markers and am getting the “hang” of using them….hope to get more in the future. I love your video’s I am new to card making and you are my “go to source.” Thank you!

  49. Mary Neubauer says:

    I would say my go to right now is markers, although I’m falling back to watercoloring a lot!

  50. Shirley Houston says:

    I love the techniques you used with the different flowers are beautiful. I use watercolor pencils often.

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