Distinctive Touches

Welcome to the Colorful Copic & ART SQUARES blog hop!  

You're in for treat today as Copic pairs up with the ever popular Art Squares by Inchie Arts.  There are so many things to love about this pairing!

Did you know:

• Art Squares are the perfect canvas for creating small-format art!
• They come in 6 sizes (1 inch, 1.5 inch, 2 inch, 3 inch, 4 inch, and ATC).
• Art Squares come in 7 colors (black, dark gray, light gray, kraft, dark cream, light cream and white).
• They are perfect for wet or dry mediums.  
• Copic markers and inks look amazingly vibrant and deliciously rich on Art Squares!
• Copic multiliners glide smoothly across the surface.
• Work on the “top” or toothy side for the best results.
• You can mix and match your mediums! No warping, bending or curling.  

You can find more information about both Copic products and Inchie Art Squares at the links below.

The NEW Copic Website!

All In An Inch - Inchie Arts Blog

Our teaching and design teams have been challenged to put marker (or ink) to these precision-cut matboard surfaces and see what happens!  (You are not going to BELIEVE these samples… trust me - they rock!)

I was so excited to get the chance to play with these Art Squares again. (I've used them in the past and LOVED them!) Today, I wanted to share a quick tutorial on how to use embossing, coloring, airbrushing, and colorless blender on these mini-canvases. 

1. I wanted to create an emboss "resist" sort of look, so I picked this partially solid heart stamp from Penny Black's Heart Swatches set.  I will need a mask of the image later on, so I stamped the image onto some X-Press It Masking Film, cut it out, and set it aside for later use. 

2.  I then stamped the same heart image onto a white 3x3 inch ART SQUARE with VersaMark and sprinkled clear embossing powder onto it.  Heat setting embossing powders on these ART SQUARES is SO easy - no warping or bending! 

3.  Once the embossing powder was cool (that's important when using Copic markers and embossing powder), I colored the "blank" part of the flower image with a pink marker (RV55). Don't worry about getting Copic ink on the embossed areas, we will deal with that later!

4. I added a darker pink (RV66) as shading to the flower petals.  This is just like coloring on a regular paper surface. 

5.  Using the lighter marker (RV55), I blended gently.  This is part of what makes these ART SQUARES so amazing... not only is the color vibrant and rich, it blends like buttah!

6.  Once the petals were colored, I GENTLY wiped across the embossed surface with a towel dampened with colorless blender.  This removed any stray ink that was sitting on top of the embossed area. 

7.  I colored up the rest of the image in the same manner using YR20 and YR09 for the flower center.

8. I then peeled the backing off of my masking film and gently placed the mask over the colored and embossed area. 

9. I added quick background color with the Copic airbrush system using B45. 

10. I removed the masking film.  (If you keep the liner, you can replace it on that and save the mask for future use as well!)

11.  Now for the uber cool part... I grabbed a light blue (B40 - my own custom color), and gently dabbed it onto the surface of the airbrushed background.  This will move the airbrushed ink around and create this small bubble-like texture.  Rub in larger circles for bigger bubbles and just tap with the tip for tiny bubbles. 

12.  I finished off the edges of the ART SQUARE by gently rubbing the B45 marker across the edges.

And VOILA... A pretty (and EASY) image that is the perfect size, shape and dimension to add to a simple card.

Now go hop along with these talented designers as they show you some more interesting and exciting ways to pair up two great products!  

Elizabeth Allan/Jill Foster
Michele Boyer
Lori Craig
Sharon Harnist
Michelle Houghton
Dina Kowal
Cindy Lawrence
Lisa Lee
Debbie Olson
Colleen Schaan (you are here)
Sherrie Siemens
Marianne Walker

In case you missed Tuesday's post... There's another amazing Copic + Art Square tutorial posted for creating amazing backgrounds with Copic Various Inks. 

Thanks for stopping in... have a COLORFUL day!

Just a quick share today!  I created a video tutorial for Copic in the Craft Room showing how to create these amazingly colorful background tiles from Copic inks and Inchie Art Squares. 

This isn't the same card as in the video, but the inking process is the same.  You can check out the video HERE.  And if you aren't a fan of CCR already... head on over and like us! 

2-inch "Twinchies" were used with RV52/RV55/RV66 and R89 Copic Various Inks. 
Sentiment from Stampabilities. 

Thanks for stopping in... make sure to stop back in later this week for an inspirational Copic/Inchie Hop! 

I want to thank everyone for stopping by over the weekend to help welcome Jennifer Dove to the Copic Fine Art Instructor team.  I can't tell you how geeked I am that she is joining the Copic family. 

It's a dreary, rainy Monday morning here in Atlanta, but I hope to brighten someone's day by announcing the winner of the Copic T-Shirt. 

The random number generator picked #13!

And that person is: Tami B!

Congratulations Tami!  Please email me at colleen.schaan@copicmarker.com with your mailing address and we will get that T-Shirt right out to you! 

Now go out... and color up your Monday!

It’s our pleasure to welcome

Jennifer Dove to the Copic Fine Art Teacher Team!  

What exactly is the Fine Art Teaching Team and what will Jennifer be doing with Copic? Well, the Fine Art Teaching Team is made up of a number of professional artists and instructors who travel across the country demoing and teaching at fine art stores and art schools.  Jennifer has already been busy booking demos and classes in her area!  
Jennifer is a coloring ROCK STAR... so of course, here's my tribute to her:

Image by Kenny K Designs and Colored with Copic Markers

Jennifer has been using Copics since 2010 and her passion and enthusiasm are apparent to everyone she works with.  As an artist by nature, Jennifer is currently busy teaching Copic Boot Camp retreats, working on her own DoveArt Designs stamp line, and designing in mixed media, jewelry making, card making and altered arts.  She also has a number of video classes available with Annie’s Publishing.  She is very excited to be adding this new teaching venture into her line-up.  

I was lucky enough to meet Jennifer a few years ago during a Copic Certification class and was amazed (and slightly intimidated to be honest - LOL) of her mad skills.  She is also one of the funniest people I know and I love her sharp sense of humor. 

We know that Jennifer will ROCK THE SOCKS OFF of those art schools and stores and we are so thrilled to be able to welcome her to the Copic teaching family. 

To see more of Jennifer’s work, check out her blog at just4funcrafts.blogspot.com
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In celebration of Jennifer’s joining us, we want to give YOU a chance to celebrate too.  Our current Papercrafting Teacher Team has joined up for a welcome hop and we are EACH giving away a Copic T-Shirt to one lucky winner.

To be entered here on my blog, please leave a comment telling me what your favorite Copic color is... just for fun!  Comments will be closed at midnight on Sunday and I'll post the winner here on Monday. 

Visit the blogs below for another chance to win & make sure to stop by Jennifer’s Blog and give her a big welcome!

Lori Craig
Jennifer Dove
Michelle Houghton
Cindy Lawrence
Debbie Olson
Colleen Schaan (you are here)
Sherrie Siemens
Marianne Walker

Thanks for stopping by and have a COLORFUL day!

Thank you all so much for taking the time to make such nice comments about my work and sharing such thoughtful ideas and suggestions for tutorials for 2015. 

I won't make you read through a bunch of stuff... I know you all want to know if YOU are the winner... so without further ado - Congratulations to BRENDA LEE!!!   

  
Brenda... please email me at colleen.schaan@gmail.com with your mailing address and I'll get your prize package out to you!

For everyone who left a suggestion for tutorials - make sure to check out following links to see some of the video (and photo) tutorials I've done already:

Copic in the Craft Room YouTube Channel

Copic In The Craft Room Pinterest

My Personal YouTube Channel

My Personal Pinterest

Other Tutorials I've Done

And be on the look out for tutorials covering:

Mixed Media (with and without Copics)

Copic Grays

Coloring Hair (hint hint... MONDAY at Copic in the Craft Room!)

Light Source

and more...

Thanks again... I'm heading out to CHA (Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show) later this week... I'll try to post a picture or two of the fun!

Thanks for stopping by,

Welcome to the third annual Season's Givings Blog Hop. 

Each year a huge number of bloggers, designers, and manufacturers get together and do a massive hop... giving away great prize packages as a way to say thank you to their readers.  I'm honored to be participating again this year and I can't wait to show you what you could win here at my blog!  (Here's a sneak peek...)