Paper Piecing a Copic Marker Colored Image Using a Distress Oxide Ink Background

Happy Friday!  Today's card features Distress Oxide inks and Copic markers.  I love both, so this was an especially fun card to make.  I first thought that by paper piecing the mermaid's tail from a background I had created with the Distress Oxide inks I would save some time.  Not so, I probably could have colored her much faster but I love this look for the mermaid tail.

When I saw Elaine demonstrate this technique of coloring on Distress Inks with Copic markers on the Stamping Bella blog, I knew I had to try it.  Previously, I was not aware that you could color over these inks with Copics but you can.  The inks do show through, so depending on what you are coloring you'll need to account for a color shift.  In this case, just some grays were used to give shading and dimension to the tail since the background itself makes a great looking fish tail!

I first made the background by smooshing the inks on a craft mat, spraying with water and then dipping the paper into it.  I used a heat gun to dry between layers.

When I liked the results, I stamped the image on a piece of acetate and moved it around to find where I liked the resulting pattern on her tail.  Then I stamped the image in roughly the same spot.

First I roughly cut the image out of the paper, then fussy cut around it.  If the sides had any bits of white showing I touched it up with a black marker.  I then used a few neutral grays over the Oxide inks to add some dimension to the tail.

When the mermaid was finished I adhered the tail.  You'll notice in the photo there are two mermaids.  Well, one never got finished because I had a Copic accident (AKA a big leak) on the one on the right.  Yet another reason to color more than one image at a time.  Since I hadn't glued the tail down yet I wasn't too upset - I can color another.

The background of the inside shaker was made by stamping and coloring the kelp, then using a Molotow masking pen to cover it.  I blended the Oxide inks with sponge daubers and then flicked water onto it to create bubbles.  After everything was dry I peeled the masking fluid off.  My last step was to complete the shaker and add Wink of Stella to her seashell!

For a simple card, this took a bit of time but I think the result was worth the effort!

I entered this card on Stamping Bella's Bellarific Friday inspiration challenge and Splitcoast Stampers Clean and Simple challenge for July 24, 2017.

Stamps: Stamping Bella Tiny Townie  Mermaid and Under the Sea sentiments
Distress Oxide inks: Worn Lipstick, Abandoned Coral, Salty Ocean, Broken China, Faded Jeans
Copic markers: Mermaid - flower RV21, RV23, RV37; shell B0000, B52, B93, B95; skin E000, E00, E11, hair E09, E29, E97; tail shading N1, N2, N3; Kelp G20, G21, G46
Dies: My Favorite Things Inside stitched scallop and Stitched rectangle

Thanks for visiting!