Copic & Layer Stamps

Hello, crafty friends! I’m back with Copic coloring using Altenew layer stamps as a guide for my shadows.

I recently colored a flower image and was underwhelmed by my shading. It was ok, but didn’t look as realistic as I would have liked. So I decided to whip out my Altenew Build-a-Flower: Gardena Stamp & Die bundle and use it to help me shade.

Copic Coloring Assisted by a Altenew Build-A-Flower: Gardenia Layer Stamp

This was such a great exercise! Let’s get started by stamping the outline layer of the set in Simon Says Stamp Barely Beige Ink. This is an alcohol marker safe ink and is light enough to be used for no-line coloring.

Next, I used my MISTI®, to double stamp what would be the last detail layer of the flower (bottom right corner of the stamp set). Typically, this would be the darkest layer or the areas in darkest shadow.

I started coloring the outer petals first, as I felt I could see the shapes compared to the center. I covered the stamped shadow with W1 and then worked my way up through W3, W5, and W7. I added less ink with each darker color. I then reversed the order and blended darkest to lightest.

Tip: Refer to the colored stamp packaging while coloring. Altenew is another company that provides great colored images for reference.

Shows Layer stamping compared to Copic coloring

Remember to color in the direction of the shape of the petals. Your strokes should match the shape of the object you’re coloring for the most realistic result.

For instance, the petals are long and curved from top to bottom, so I would not want to color in straight lines from side to side; I would color top to bottom with curved strokes.

Shadows will be where the base of the petal meets the core of the flower, where other petals overlap and cast a shadow, and underneath the parts of the petal that fold over.

Tip: Add a dark line of shadow directly under the fold of the petal and keep the tip bright white.

Once coloring was complete, I cut out the flower with the accompanying die. Altenew Build-a-Flower sets come with dies so they’re a great value! I wanted to keep the backgrounds simple and add texture so I embossed it with Tim Holtz Sizzix Lumbar 3D Texture Fade embossing folder.

I also die cut the leaves out of Bazzill 40lb Vellum and heat embossed one of the detail stamps onto the leaves with Ranger Liquid Platinum Embossing Powder.

I cut the sentiment, We Rise by Lifting Others, into 3 parts and stacked the words in 3 lines. This allowed me to fit the sentiment adjacent to the large flower. I folded the vellum sentiment strip around the card panel and adhered it with washi tape.

Tip: Score your vellum against the sides of the card panel for a even fold.

I popped the flower and card front up with foam tape and fun foam and added Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear Confetti Mix to embellish and called the card done.

I just loved this exercise and I hope you give it a try! Get creative and Breathe · Ink · Inspire.