By Debbie Schuh aka RoboMOM
The blender pens / H2O brush make floating or blending color easier. It enables you to blend several hues together, giving more variation with mediums. You can achieve this without using as many colors, but still getting depth and variation in color. It works with all waterbased markers, colored pencils, chalks, dye pads and pigment pads (cat eye, etc).
Blending Techniques On Embossed Images
With the tip of your waterbased markers, lay a hint of color on the actual embossed line of an image. This color is now sitting on the surface of the embossed line. The embossed lines serve as a palette, making it easier to move the color, thus eliminating a hard line created by the marker. Working in a circular motion and in small areas, use the Blender pen/ H2O brush to pull out the marker color into the open area of the design. When this process is completed a light application of color will appear on the image. To prevent the color from appearing too washed out, continue to add more color using the marker and the blender until the desired depth of the color is achieved.
Start with lighter colors and then gradually add darker colors.
Limit the colors to be used. Three basic colors differing in intensity, plus variations in value, will give life and interest to a stamped image.
Helpful Blending Tips
Place several shorts strokes of Water based marker color onto a white Styrofoam plastic plate/palette. Using the blender pen, pick up the color and apply it to the stamped image. 2. When working with an intense color, take the blender right to the tip of the marker to lighten.
Apply the blender to the stamped image first working in small areas at a time. This preps the area and allows one to apply various marker colors to blend directly onto the card.
Before changing colors, wipe the blender clean on a scrap piece of paper. Be careful not to pick up too much color. If there is too much, simply wipe the blender tip on a scrap piece of paper before coloring the image.
When working an intense color, to lighten that color, touch the tip of the marker to the tip of the blender. By touching the tip of the blender with the tip of the marker, the marker color that has transferred to the blender tip will be lighter in value.
For a realistic blended look, layer color on top of color.
When using WATERCOLOR PENCILS, take each color you are going to use and make a palette by scribbling a little color on a separate piece of paper with all the colors, then take the blender pen/ H2o brush and pick up the color and apply to the image.
When using CHALKS, you can apply a little to the area you are coloring, or use an applicator and take the blender tip to it to pick up the color, then apply to the image. When you are done there is no fixative needed (hair spray), because the blender pen fixes it when it is done.
When the blender becomes dry, simply pull the end cap off and add several drops of Dove Blending fluid. Or, make your own by following the recipe below.
In a one ounce dropper bottle add: 1/3 part Glycerin 2/3 part Distilled Water 1/4 tsp alcohol
When using WATERCOLOR PAINTS, take the blender pen/ H2o brush directly to the color and pick up the color and start coloring your image.
Suggestions
When blending colors use water based markers , colored pencils, chalks, dye pads , pigment pads. Don't use Glossy clay coated paper such as King James, or Kromekote paper because it won't work.
