October 9, 2006

You Be The Judge

It's 12:30 am and I'm still jumping out of my skin with excitement. I went to the Heirloom Productions Stamping convention in York, Pa today, where I bought a lot of new stamps -- breaking out of my almost exclusive Stampin Up! purchasing of the last year (blame my husband, who insisted I go and spend money....). Too excited to sleep, I decided to experiment a bit.
But, first I have to explain what happened at the convention ... I fell in love with everything offered by the Artful Stamper, a/k/a KT Designs. It got to the point where I was walking around the convention telling everyone to go look at their samples (duh, no camera!!). I'm sure the other vendors appreciated my enthusiasm. I wish I could describe how literally eye popping each sample was -- all watercolored with Tombow markers on Marl paper, with intricate cut outs and dimensionals. A 100% WOW!!
I watched the demo from KT Designs (twice) take the Marl paper and color an oval image with a light marker, a medium one, and finally a dark one. She then took a wet watercolor brush and, using a circular motion, "moved" the dark marker ink away from the layers underneath. Her results were breathtaking. She said that SU and Tombow markers work with this technique, but not Marvy or Le Plume. (I hadn't mentioned my SU markers). "Marl" paper is a slightly heavier version of SU's very vanilla and just as smooth -- the demo said the paper helped the ink in the markers flow.
So, naturally, I bought "Marl" paper and a "few" of their stamps -- including this gorgeous bowl of apples. This purchase makes no sense because I RARELY ACHIEVE WHAT I SEE DEMONSTRATED.
But, hope never dies, and when I got home tonight, I stamped both images with Black Memories ink on my new Marl paper, letting the ink sit a few minutes to dry. I watercolored the images on the left with SU Watercolor crayons and the ones on the right with SU markers -- using the exact same colors.
Now here's a shocker!! I wasn't able to achieve the same movement with the colors that the demo did -- I'm not sure if it is the markers or me, but although I love these images, I was a little disappointed in the results. I never could get the brocade blue marker to blend into the rest of the bowl the way that I wanted it to. It sort of sat there and eventually when I used too much water, the paper started to pill. I also learned that adding enough water to markers or WCCs will cause both SU's and Marl paper to bleed through to the back -- so this technique cannot be used on a one layer card.
However, I'm loving these bowls of apples! Next -- to turn these images into cards.
In the meantime, I'm curious -- which of these images do you prefer?? The watercolor crayons or the watercolored markers?? The picture is a pretty accurate depiction of how they look IRL -- the one on the right done with the markers is distinctly bolder, but you can see the marker lines a bit. I'd love to know your thoughts.
ps. While I'm jumping over my new stamps, I have to say that SU's are a much better value!! Wow -- I'd forgotten how expensive single wood mounted stamps are.

8 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for sharing your convention info today; love your bowl of apples, and the one on the right (SU markers - which I also have) is my fav. I made pix of the cards at KT's booth couple of years ago, and if I have them on a CD, I'd be happy to send them you.
    Let me know:neldamc765@charter.net.
    I'll bet you talk just like you write, and I had the greatest feeling you were talking to just me! Enjoyed the conversation! Nelda
    in TN

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  2. I, too, like the one on the right. I've gotten somem SU markers and need to try them for watercoloring. By the way, I so enjoy your blogging. keep it up.

    Wanda

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  3. You can get to their websight at ktdesignsonline.com you will find some of their cards made up. I found them about 3 years ago. They used to come up here to Ohio and do a couple of shows. Their stuff is WOW!!! I took a class on using the tombow markers and water from a lady in Zoar, Ohio. She has a stamp shop great place if you ever get this way. Anyway I have played and played w/ this technique and all I can say is practice, practice, practice. But the end results are beautiful.
    Hope you have a great time practicing. Oh by the way I love the apples done w/ the tombow markers. They are beautiful. Your blog is great.

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  4. Another vote for the markers instead of crayons. Great coloring and gorgeous finished card!

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  5. Love the marker card.

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  6. I too like the apples with the markers better. I also really like the card you made. I actually like the size of the stamp in relation to the card size.

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  7. I must say that I really like the one on the left. Very subtle and soft. The other is nice too. I guess it'd depend on what you'd use it for!

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  8. I really like this stamp! And my vote is for the apples on the right (the darker ones) and the bowl on the left (the lighter one). Does that help?? :)

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