Coloring Challenge - Day 1

The timing for this newest Online Card Class could not have been any better; I am off work right now recovering from a very simple scheduled surgery.  I love these classes but doing them live is more fun than at a later time so I am excited to be home.  I logged in promptly at 9 on the first day, struggled to watch the videos (I had a lot of buffering -  I don't know if it was the popularity of the class or my internet service) and then off to the craft room to BE FEARLESS with my colors and get coloring!!

Well the first lesson, be fearless, quickly turned to a realization that I have a ton of mediums (alcohol markers of various brands, water colors of many types, color pencils and pens galore) but I do not appear to purchase many images that are for coloring......  I was quickly stumped and frustrated at the same time.  I picked the best I could, or so I thought, and off to the couch to get comfy and not strain my neck (a bonus tip).  It was terrible....and I mean terrible.  I told myself just keep going...still yuck....ok, add some colored pencil....ewwwww.....now try the gray border.  By now I also had a headache from the markers.  I put it down and took a nap.

I watched Day 2 & Day 3.  Each day I would go to the craft room, rummage through the supplies and pull the ones with potential to the front of the bins.  I would go look at the gallery, forum, instagram....anything to see what others were doing in hopes it would trigger something.  Finally, Friday mid-day (day 5) I had my inspiration and I started to color my day 1 homework....and it worked!!!!

I pulled out the Altenew Peony Bouquet stamp set and went to googling peony's to see their natural colors.  I COLOR PLUCKED three Copics (RV10, RV21 V06 - I guess they are actually the same family, so not totally plucked) stamped with my Gina K Amalgam black ink and got busy.  I was using the layering stamp set as my guide for my shading.  I was not liking it but I kept going....

I pulled out my various pencils and my sharpener and started with the NOOKS & CRANNIES and I was starting to really like what I was seeing.  The texture the pencils added, the way it blended, the way the fine lines gave the petals shape.  I was doing it!

 

The one thing I was too fearful to do was add in the gray shadow after I had done all of the pencil work.  Hindsight is telling me I should have done that before the pencils but I like the finished image.  I am not sure if it will ever make its way to a card that I give someone so for now it is proudly up on my memo board in the craft room to be looked at and admired.

Thanks for looking!  I now have all kinds of ideas for what to color next, what techniques I want to try and can't wait to get working on the next thing.  Off to work on Day 2 & 3.  Have a great day!!