Copic Creations Shading Challenge

The Copic Creations Challenge team is promoting the fabulous qualities of Copic markers with their latest challenge to shade on and/or around images.  (Find the challenge here.)  Copic markers provide users with the ability to add darker shaded areas that can be smoothly blended with base colors for more realistic-looking images. 

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps is sponsoring this challenge and one participant will be randomly selected to win two of their images.  Their slogan is "Whimsical Rubber Stamp Images That Make You Smile."  After viewing the Copic Creations Design Team samples using these images, I found myself laughing over each one.

I've used a Spellbinders Blossom die and cut a Motivet Dexter with Christmas Gift image beyond the edge of the gift (see another example of this die cut technique with a fairy's wing here).

The stamp artist added some crosshatching at the base of the image to indicate shadows.  I filled my image and deliberately placed some of the same colors at the base of each object to show some colored shading in those places.  I don't think I care for that messy look and will try to find another way to use that crosshatched shadow area.

Working with layers and layers of these wonderful papers of Christmas candy designs and colors inspired me to make good use of a few of my punches and create some fun poinsettias to add to my card.

I punched red, white and green Bazzill cardstock to coordinate with my card using punch bunch kikou, tiny sun and holly leaf punches.

The punched pieces are all very flat and need some "fluffing."  Placing each piece, upside down, on a soft rubber mat, I used an embossing tool to rub the back of each piece in a circular motion to make it curl.

    

Turning the pieces over, so the textured side is up, I used the embossing tool to push down just the center of each piece to form it further.  I tried to emboss a line at the center of each of the holly leaves to provide a little more texture there.

Just a dab of glue to hold the pieces together, a dot of Stickles golden rod at the center and I've got a handful of handmade flowers to cluster together on my card.

Here's the completed easel-style card showing marker-to-paper shading on my Dexter image and airbrushed shading around my image.

At this pace, I may have two Christmas cards ready to mail in December.  LOL!!!