Make quick and easy embellishments for your card making, scrapbooking and mixed media projects by printing out digital stamps onto different colored papers and use a few simple coloring techniques and supplies to add some depth and dimension to the cut outs.
One of the reasons that I love digital stamps so much is that I have the ability to print out the files onto whatever paper I need for a project. I wanted to share some different ideas today for making embellishments out of digital stamps and some different ways to color them. I use lots of flowers in my projects and I recently printed out five copies of the flowers digital stamp set (link here) and spent an afternoon coloring and fussy cutting a bag of ready to go embellishments.
First off all let’s start with papers. White cardstock is probably our "go to" choice for digital stamps. I use either a Bristol board if I'm going to be coloring with markers or a mixed media paper if I'm going to be using watercolors or paints. Today I wanted to explore other types of papers and the good news is that you can print the line art on to whatever paper you want - yes whatever paper want (and of course whatever your printer can handle - you have to play fair with your printer).
These are the papers I tried for today's tutorial:
-White cardstock
- Textured yellow cardstock
-Patterned scrapbooking paper
-Toned tan paper
Printing onto colored papers gives the same flower stamps a completely different feel and I think that the flowers make cute little embellishments just cut out as they are here - the pattern paper ones espically don’t need any extra decorating. However, I wanted to keep going and add some extra dimension to the flowers so here are a few different ways to apply color, using a bunch of different supplies. I'll list all the supplies I used next to each technique - you don't of course have to have the exact brands and colors I used to get similar results.
1.)
- Yellow cardstock flowers
-Posca paint pens - white and orange
One of my favourite ways to add a little extra pop to the flower is using a couple of paint pens. It only takes a couple of minutes and has an eye catching bold effect.
I start off with adding white to the centre of the flower - depending on how juicy the pen is (remember to shake paint pens really well before using them) I sometimes have to color a couple of layers to get a really opaque white centre.
Next to add in the orange (I chose the pen colors to compliment the card stock - red would also look nice here I think). I started drawing lines in the centre of each petal, starting at the base and then flicking up towards the top.
Once orange layer was dry (takes a few seconds) I went in with the white and added some white lines on top - again using a flicking motion, starting at the base. Layering up the different colors helps to give the flower extra dimension.
The final steps were to add some semi curved lines to the right hand top edge of each petal and a few scattered dots in the centre.
Yellow flowers with orange and white centres. I've also tried this technique on pink cardstock and used red and white in the centres. If you have a project where you need many flowers in one color then this is a quick way to makes lots of them without spending ages coloring white cardstock.
2.)
-Yellow cardstock flower
- Crayola crayons - orange, scarlet, brown and red
- White paint pen
I like using the crayons on the textured cardstock because the waxy crayons skips across the paper and creates an interesting effect.
I started with the lightest color crayon and shaded the petals - starting at the base and flicking up towards the centre. I made sure to leave plenty of blank space at the top of each petal, so the yellow paper could stand out as the highlight.
Taking the next color I added an extra layer of shadows - the idea is to build up layers of the crayon to create the dimension.
Next, I went in with some brown and added that to the base of all the shadows. When I'm layering up colors I ty to create a gradient effect, so I leave some of the bottom layer showing when I place the darker color on top.
Using the dark scarlet, I then drew a few long lines in the middle of the petals to add a little extra interest.
The final step was to add some white highlights to the top edge of the petals and some sparkle dots to the middle.
I really like the tetxure of the crayons and it's fun to play around with some supplies yo might not think of using:)
3.)
-Yellow cardstock
- Pitt artist pens - Terracotta 186, Cinnamon 189, Caput Mortuum 169, Walnut Brown 177
-White paint pen
The pitt artist pens are India ink based brush tip markers and have really bold and vibrant colors. They absord into the cardstock and layer up well - I chose a selection of browns here to go with the yellow paper.
I started with the lightest color - terracotta - begun in the centre just I did on the previous flowers. I also added some strokes to the top edge of the flower as well, flicked the color down towards the centre of the petal.
Next, I added the next darkest color - cinnamon - layering it up over the terracotta.
The next color to add is caput mortuum and as I move into the darker shades I am applying less color to the flower - only placing it in the darkest parts of the shadows.
Finally, I added just the tiniest amount of the walnut brown.
I then went back in with the terracotta color and blended the layers together a bit - this step just gives the gradient a bit more of a uniform smooth look – however these are not alcohol-based markers, so the blending will not be as smooth as it would be with them.
The ink pens give the flowers a bold look and the ink is also waterproof when dry so you don't have to worry about the ink smudging of running if layer anything water based on top.
I didn’t feel like I wanted to do much to the flowers printed out on the pattern paper, as the pattern was pretty, but I did experiment with inking the edges and that gave the flowers an interesting effect. Inking the edges is also a good way to a distress vintage look.
4.)
-Pattern paper
-Distress oxide ink - faded jeans
-Color box ink - frost white
For the first flower here, I took some ink in a contrasting color and lightly inked the edges of the flower with a sponge.
Adding a little white ink to the edges gives the flowers a light snowy look.
5.)
-Toned tan paper
-Copic markers, RV32, RV34, RV66
-White paint pen
Coloring with markers on the toned tan paper tones down the bright colors and gives the flowers a lovely vintage feel.
I started first with the RV32 and laid the first layer of shadow down.
Then I went in with the RV34 and added a layer of shadow - I find that the markers blend really well on the tan paper.
I added a little of the RV66 to the bottoms of the shadow areas.
Next was to add some white dots and highlights with the paint pen - the white paint will stand out much more on the tan paper than it will on white, so I try not to overdo the highlights. You can for course skip this step if you prefer a softer look.
I also like to use a white pencil on the tan paper as well, it still pops against the paper, but it gives a more muted highlight.
I think the flowers would look really pretty on any vintage project and the nice thing about coloring with markers, is that no matter what colors you use - the paper color will show through and give all your embellishments a cohesive look.
6.)
-Toned tan paper
-Polychromos - rose carmine 124, magenta 133, mauve 249
-Luminance - white 001
(you can of course use whatever pencils you have on hand)
I also used colored pencils on the tan paper - they are more vibrant than the markers and I like to always leave some of the paper showing to keep the vintage feel. I basically just like to color in some shadows and leaves the highlights clear.
I first went in with the rose carmine and like always started at the centre of the flower and colored outwards towards the end of the petals - I colored in line rather than clumps to make the shading look a bit more realistic.
I then added the magenta.
And a few lines of the mauve in the centre of each petal.
Last step was to add some highlights with the white pencil and color in the little stamens.
7.)
-Mixed media paper
-Watercolor crayons - I used the Jane Davenport aqua pastels in cezanne (red), monet (yellow), frida (pink).
-Paint brush
-White paint pen
Now to move to few mixed media techniques on white paper. Make sure to print out the stamps with waterproof ink for these ideas.
I started out by scribbling some yellow down - you can be as messy as you like when applying the color here because we're going to blend it all together later with water.
Then I added the pink.
And then the red - I tried to evenly distribute the colors and scribble them all over the flower.
I then took a brush, some water and blended the colors together. You don't want to add too much water here or you will push all the color away, you want just enough to liquefy the pigments.
I added some white lines to the centres to finish and that’s a way to use watercolor crayons to create a fun mixed media look on the stamps.
8.)
- Mixed media paper
-Water based markers - I used the one from MozArt supplies in blue, dark purple and light purple
-White paint pen
-Acrylic block
I love using this technique for making little galaxy flowers.
I started out by scribbling the different markers (you must use water based for this technique) onto an acrylic block.
Then I spritzed the block with some water - just a little to liquefying the colors a bit.
Then I took the flowers and pressed them into the pigment - you can swipe the flowers through the watercolor several times if you don't get the look you want first go.
I let the flowers dry and then added lots of white dots and sparkles to give them the galaxy effect.
This coloring technique is a good way to color lots of flower quickly.
Those are a few ideas - I hope you enjoyed them. Printing the stamps out onto different papers gives one set of digital stamps lots of versatility and allows you to have fun playing and experimenting with different coloring techniques.
Feel free to ask if you have any questions and have a creative day.
Windy Iris
I love Windy Iris art, it has truly inspired me as a artist to draw and paint more often! Thanks:)!