What inks are good for no-line coloring? Well there are of course many. But I have a favorite, and if you haven’t figured it out yet – it’s a hybrid ink that’ll work for a bunch of mediums. But to be sure I did a watercolor test too – and confirmed what was a gut feeling I had already.
Supplies for this project are linked at the end of this post. Compensated affiliate links may be used at no cost to you.
It’s the middle of March…are the birds singing at your house yet!?? I heard one this weekend and my heart was SO happy! Whether or not our feathered friends have returned where you live – these new Dear Friend Robin stamps from Colorado Craft Company are going to bring some sunshine inside!
Video:
This Copic card uses the no-line ink; I think Copic is probably the best medium for fully hiding the lines – but on nice BIG images like this. When it comes to tiny images, the Copic nib is too fat. Pair that with colored pencil or a regular #2 to tidy up tiny spots. ALSO – don’t forget to decorate inside the card like this!
On the left is the watercolor painted over the Pumice Stone distress ink. It muddied up some of the colors a bit – and as you saw in the video, it didn’t stamp evenly, which led to some of the leaves having harsher dark spots too. The one on the right uses the no line ink…much cleaner. I knew this intuitively, but it’s always good to test and confirm what I think will happen.
More new goodies from CCC
Not included in the video – the colored pencil (Polychromos) version…all inks will work great with pencil. If using pigment inks just be sure they’re good and dry. And that robin’s nest stamp? Oh wow. It took a while to color, but it’s stunning! If you don’t want to color it, just stamp it in a soft ink and just color the eggs.
Here’s me coloring the nest – I used a yellowish brown first to flood the whole nest area using Gamsol and a blending stump, then layered different browns to get the depth with negative coloring around each of the little twigs. Ok not each one. I gave up on following the outlines. LOL! You can see a Reel of it on Instagram later on today!
More from this release
You knew I’d be coloring up daffodils right? ha! I love going up to the flower fields in spring to photograph and paint – so I made my own scene! I added a little bit of rocks to the right of the stamped image using a fountain pen with waterproof ink, then the fields and farm buildings too.
Rose Cross is a pretty stamp designed by Australia’s own Sandra Herrgott of Tiny Sparrow Designs! (Her Etsy store and Facebook page are wonderful to go see!) This stamp is just a weeee bit large for an A2 card – it does fit, but without “air” around it like I felt it needed, so I went for a 5″ x 7″ card. I stamped it a second time and cut out the flowers, and a third to cut out and pop the butterflies. And….GLITTER! Yes yes I know. It’s everywhere. HA!
Clean Heart is one of the bookmark stamps…I did a simple watercolor wash over embossed stamps, then painted another layer inside the images. The text is embossed on heavyweight vellum – I tucked it between layers to secure it.
Be Still, another bookmark set, again with embossing and a watercolor wash. Easy peasy!
Hello Bunny will be a tutorial coming up in a week or two once I can get it edited and ready 🙂
Giveaway!
I’m excited to be able to GIVE AWAY two stamp sets each from this new release to three lucky people! Leave a comment here about HOW YOUR STUDIO/WORKSPACE LOOKS TODAY by midnight on the 18th! I actually was brave enough to post GAH video of mine HERE yesterday if you wanna feel better about yours! ha!
I’ll announce winners on Friday the 19th on my blog so be sure to pop back here to see if you won! Also – if you want to be sure you get notified, scroll down just a little farther on this post and subscribe so you’ll get Friday’s post delivered by email!
Supplies
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- Colorado Craft Company Stamps:
- Dear Friend Robin: EH Stamps – EH Dies – CCC Stamps – CCC Dies
- Robins Nest: EH Stamps – EH Dies – CCC Stamps – CCC Dies
- Hello Bunny: EH Stamps – EH Dies – CCC Stamps – CCC Dies
- Spring Season Daffodils: EH Stamps – CCC Stamps
- Rose Cross: • EH Stamps – EH Dies – CCC Stamps – CCC Dies
- Be Still bookmarks: EH Stamps – CCC Stamps
- Clean Heart bookmarks: EH Stamps – CCC Stamps
- Copic Marker card:
- Colored Pencil card:
- Watercolor card:
I don’t have a craft room. My supplies are stored in clear totes along the side of our guest bedroom. When I work I either use the dining room table, or two small folding tables which usually live in the family room with my watercolor supplies on them so I can try to paint every day. You work is such an inspiration to me. Thank you!
Studio? What’s that? I work at my dining area table which is no longer available for dining because the Copic markers and many other crafty things have taken over. I have my paper trimmer precariously on the edge of the table and the Big Shot is in the living room and scoring tool is too. As I write this I realize this how to get some steps in – walking from station to station. Bottom line – craft hoard has taken over. And as I write this I hear birds twirpling outside on this cold and rainy day. We are both wishing for warmer days. Thanks for the chance to participate.
I am in the beginning stages of redoing my art studio. My husband gifted me a nice budget to redo it, and I couldn’t be more excited, yet I can’t seem to settle on a plan! So, it’s currently a mess!
Beautiful artwork. I’ve known your name,but really kind of new to your gorgeous coloring.
My work area literally has the size of Tim Holtz work surface clear, lol, the rest is supply laden! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.
Yet another collection of truly amazing cards! YOU make the coloring process look easy! Even though I know that you must have been coloring for years! How I do love your work! My work space is still being put together. I have an RV which I am converting to a craft ‘space’ but its still work in progress. SO; if i wish to create it’s the dining room table for now. Thank you for sharing your process.
Actually, not too bad. Current project is shoved to the center of the desk since a certain toddler grand baby grabs anything in reach. I can only keep a few things out; everything else, including paper trimmer has to be put away.
My craft room looks as it always does – like a tornado came through it! LOL I am a messy crafter. Yes, I admit it. I am a very visual person and like to spread lots of products when designing a card. I like to see my potential choices easily. I just put away my St. Patty’s Day supplies and now I’ve drug out my Easter ones. Time to start on them. Thanks for the inspiration and chance to win! 😀
There are three incomplete card projects on the side and a clean 8×8 inch work space. It is a table of organized chaos. As long as I have a clean area, I feel motivated. I enjoy starting cards more than finishing them.
I need to start making a couple of St. Patrick Day cards then Easter cards. The other three card project will need to wait.
The Easter set with the Cross is beautiful.
My craft room is always a disaster! Mostly because I just don’t have enough space (storage or work surface)…or is it that I have too much stuff?!
My studio isn’t too bad but there is the eye of the storm where I was working I’m trying to reorganize it too to make it easier to maintain…
My craft room right now looks like a disaster. I have St. Patty’s day stuff all over and want to start doing Easter cards. I have to get it organized soon because I have a virtual retreat next weekend the 27th. I better get busy. Thank you so much for your creativity and demonstrating/ showing us your gifts. I’m truly inspired and thankful. It encourages us to enjoy the beauty of this art.
I have a dedicated craft room. Right now it’s a bit of a mess, working on a card and have pads of paper on the desk, and some die cuts. In the corner is a pad of inks I’m working with. I think sometimes it’s good to be a little bit disorganized. My brain is more creative when I can’t keep up with organizing-LOL!
Love the new Robin stamp set from Colorado Craft company. The no line coloring works really well with this.
Love your cards!!! My fave is the bunny. My kitchen table is covered with diecuts right now and my desk has no bare space at all. It’s probably a good thing we eat at the kitchen table so I have to clean up some.
I have a table with a couple of holes on each side one for me and for my granddaughter (although her side has my new laminator sitting in it the moment). There àre filing cabinets full of cards to keep 2 and iris carts with rubber stamps and stamp sets, mostly older ones. But it’s mine….
Actually my craft room looks pretty neat at the moment (until I start my Easter cards this week). I just finished sorting and making dividers for all my stamps and dies. This will make it so much easier to find what I’m looking for quicker. It was a project that was long overdue! I am just starting to collect a few of the Colorado Craft stamp sets as I just love them. Thank you for your talent and inspiration!!
You inspire me! Beautiful work, as always. I especially love the bird’s nest. Right now, my craft room is messy, and looks more like a storeroom than a craft room. As a result, I’ve created my last few projects at the dining room table.
My craft table is full for card stock, stamps and inks for Easter cards. My embossing machine is on the futon next to the container of alcohol markers. My husband had to ask me to move my stamping platform off the copier so he could use it. Well, it is on my craft table, lol.
I am having to downsize my tiny craft space to an even smaller space for a move across the country. I am looking thru everything and picking and choosing only the best stuff. And let me tell ya, this has to be the hardest job I have done.
I am blessed to have a room to dedicate to my card making. My crafting table definitely looks lived on! That’s what happens as you’re finishing up a card just before you walk out the door. I hate when I do that…which is more often than I like to admit. I also have a few recent packages that have yet to be opened. Trying to be diligent about getting everything repackaged and labeled before using…but that doesn’t always happen either, as my table can attest. Need to purge big time as my tastes have changed over the years.
Honestly, my area looks like a disaster. I have so many ideas I want to try, but can’t because of the disaster.
Currently, my ‘craft’ room (aka dining room) has resin work curing at one end, unfinished paintings in the middle, and card making at the other end! Pretty standard, in other words LOL! Sandy, your colouring skills, no matter what medium, always have me blown away. These gorgeous new stamps from Colorado Craft Company are perfect for your touch.
My work-nook is a small drafting table that currently has my AeroGarden in one corner, and my etched plate, muller, and favorite watercolor palette in the other. I try to keep it relatively clean so that when I sit down I don’t have to clear it off before creating. The garden really uplifts my mood and helps get me in the groove.
I have a small storage cart close by that homes most of my supplies for paint making and crafting, (have a small collection of distress inks for no-line painting too!).
My craft room is a total mess! My table has card stock, inks, dies, etc (lots of birthdays this time of year), but my floor space is jam packed with furniture from the bedrooms. We’re in the middle of painting and recarpeting so my room has become the designated storage space! I still manage to push my way through the labyrinth in order to create. Nothing will stop that!
My space works well for my tiny self.I have dual ott lighting on both sides of me to help these old eyes.Everything goes up above me so i have to stand up to grab inks an things but eh theres my exercise,haha.I just love the spring designs from CCC.I also love the size of images.Thank you Sandy.
My desk is a small one, but it has so much fun stuff on it. Lights, phone, brushes, stamps, inks, paint, water for brushes, and my tea to drink. Oh yes, my monitors and mouse to watch the videos.. LOL I might not have a lot of room, but its so much fun learning and creating, I have never heard of these no-line stamps, but they sure seem wonderful.
My craft desk is a mess and I hate to say… dusty. I just have not felt like making cards or painting lately.
Maybe if I clean my desk I will get inspired to make something…
love those birds and inspired by the different no-lines mediums!!!!
My work space (small table) gets smaller every day because I am too lazy to move used items back to where they are normally stored. This is something I desperately need to change – I can never find what I am looking for and get assaulted by chaos every day – lol
LOVE to have a scented candle burning like you have (so relaxing), but I would probably burn the place down – LOL
Thanks for the inspiration to organize myself
Hugs
Dee
My craft space right now is neat and tidy since my 8 year old granddaughter was able to visit yesterday and thought the space needed help. She did make a card after she organized me. All I need to do now is figure out where everything is!
Another fan of your beautifully colored birds! Watched your video clip. Lots of counter space and fun goodies. I think I caught a glimpse of Iroshizuku and Pelikan fountain pen ink. My workspace is a 20″x32″ portion of my desk. In this tiny room I have my office supplies, craft supplies and computer. It’s cramped but it’s my own little one-woman den, my happy place where I spend the majority of my time now that I’m retired.
Yes! There will be a card coming up soon with the Iroshizuku.
My office is a hot mess, Easter crafts all over the place!
I have a dedicated room for all my “hobbies” but there’s never enough counter space for all the projects I have on the go at one time. My printing/ cutting table also has my sewing machine out on it right now as I was making masks, and my stamping/ assembling table has card stamps and papers as well as some materials I’m gathering for a scrapbook page. So it looks like something is happening for certain.
I’ve been inspired by you to try no line colouring yet again, I use Distress Tea Dye ink or London Fog by I forget who. I need to check out this no line stuff. Thanks for all your encouragement.
My creative space is a small area 8×8 off my bedroom. It has a countertop cabinet that I bought from a store going out of business. I also use stackable wood Safeco cubes that have 5 drawers for papers, stamps, sets. Additionally, there is also a 7 ft tall x 2 ft wide metal shelf from a video store – where I store stamps and some small kitchen bins., which makes everything easy to view and access.
My studio space is actually improving from the terrible mess it was. Because it is in my basement, it gets rather chilly down there during the MN winters, so I tend to just let things lie about instead of clearing up after crafting. My main focus now is to organize my media better so I can easily get to my various pencils and paints when I want to use them and store the appropriate paper with each. My markers are situated perfectly on my desk. So I am happy and the mojo is flowing, thanks to your inspiration.
My creative space is my bed for a few days! Kitchen table is being resurfaced. So just doing some copic coloring for a few days!
I am right now in the process of reorganizing my craft area which makes up part of a room. I’m so excited to have everything in its place to make creating fun!
My craft table is full of hand made cards at this moment with stamps that need to be cleaned and put away.
My craft table currently has the embossed backgrounds I made on Saturday right before dinner. I haven’t gotten back to them yet. I love the no line coloring but I’ve only tried it once or twice.
Beautiful new release from CCC! I’m always in awe of your painting, watercoloring and coloring talents! My craft space is strewn across the floor but have my “stations” for stamping, die cutting and “other”. Sounds disorganized but it works for me until I get a space of my own.
My craft room makes yours look pristine. I’m in the process of destashing as I rebuild with newly discovered stamps companies, such as Colorado Craft Company, which has captured my new heart’s direction.
I just watched your video on Instagram, love the music. My crafting space looks great but I cleaned in January for my birthday and made a promise to myself that this year I would keep the floor clean so I could actually get to my desk without a snow shovel. Love seeing you use polychromos. Looking forward to the bunny video. Have a great day
I don’t have a studio workspace but I do have a coffee table I like to pretend is my studio and when I get everything out to play with it becomes a disaster zone that I love. Love your videos.
My craft room has become my house – my supplies just keep migrating from room to room, though I have 2 perfectly lovely craft rooms designated. I’m mostly okay with that, especially since Covid. When the family starts coming back with the kids, though, I’m gonna have to clean up my act and corral my “stuff”.
My craft room is still in set up stage. It’s a slow process. However since I’m setting up storage with labels- my stuff is becoming easier to find
I love the cards that you made with this release! I am still a bit intimidated by no-line coloring but the video was helpful. I made sure to clean the work area in my creative space after my last crafting session so that I would feel inspired to create again.
Sandy I will never cease to be amazed by your talent. Everything you do is breathtaking!!
My craftroom (card cave) is a cross between ‘there appears to have been a struggle’ and ‘oh look a yard sale’. I’ve been working on it and in spots you can actually see the floor. My goal is to clear enough of a spot so that I can put a dog bed in there for my shadow dog <3
My creative space could use a little attention, but at least everything is off of the floor today. Love these new sets from Colorado Craft Company. They keep getting better and better!
I just moved into a new place and for the first time I actually have a room for my office/craft space!! It is a work in progress! I have several tables and a sewing machine and art supplies, and a few odds and ends!! Hopefully with time it will be perfect but it is still mine 🙂
These are wonderful. CCC is really producing some great stamps. Your coloring is so beautiful – no wonder your hand hurts! Praying for a speedy recovery.
Oh, by the way, I don’t have a studio workspace, so I can’t exactly leave a comment about my workspace, but I have a large shelf in the corridor where I keep all my craft stuff and I just recently organized it so I am feeling happy about that.
Gorgeous!! I love that no-line colouring and it works really well with water paint as well, I love it!
My studio is a disaster at the moment. It’s in my basement as the weather warms up I’ll be able to rearrange and reorganize it for the umpteenth time lol. I love the birds. Seeing robins here. My favorite are the little blue birds and the goldfinches. The bluebirds not jays are so beautiful then again so are the indigo buntings. The finches flutter, and dive and swoop their cherry bright yellow is so spring. Need to try coloring them done pics with pen and ink over the years but coloring well that’s on my list for sure.