Colored Pencil Flowered Greeting card

Today we are talking about color and the many moods and feelings that color can invoke. Welcome as we dive into color ideas and how to use them in your paper crafting. 

We are on my journey with the Altenew Educator Class a perfect opportunity for me to share with you some new ideas and techniques that hopefully will inspire you to use color in a whole new way.

Have you ever thought about color? We certainly think of certain colors associated with seasons and holidays. But how about the cards that we create? Do you consider the mood or feeling that you want to give the person receiving your card creation? Do you grab supplies, choose your own favorite colors or think about the person that you card is going to? 

We are showing you how you can change the mood of the card by simply changing the color. Color makes all the difference in the world when you are creating your designs. 

All About Colored Pencils

There are different options with different outcomes when it comes to colored pencils. From the ones they use to school to professional grade you have options in quality and price for different uses.

Colorists can use a variety of techniques like hatching, crosshatching and glazing to create complex colors and tones

Storing your colored pencils the right way will keep your tips intact and add years to their lives. Use a pencil case and store them vertically. That will help keep the pencil core intact and keep them from warping. Keep them away from extreme heat or cold. 

Different Types Of Colored Pencils

1. Wax-based pencils (like Prismacolor) are creamy, great for blending. They have a smooth application and a vivid color palette. Due to their softer core, they might require more frequent sharpening compared to other types.
2. Oil-based pencils (like Faber-Castell Polychromos) are firmer and give sharper detail. They are less prone to breakage. Oil-based colored pencils have a harder core than wax-based pencils, resulting in a finer point that holds its shape longer. They offer smooth coverage and excellent lightfastness, which helps maintain the vibrancy of the artwork over time
3. Watercolor pencils can be used dry or activated with water for painterly effects. Watercolor pencils, also known as aquarelle pencils, are a hybrid between colored pencils and watercolor paints. They can be used dry like regular-colored pencils for detailed work and precision, or they can be washed over with a wet brush to create stunning watercolor effects.
4. Artist grade have higher quality pencils with more pigment, resulting in richer colors and better blending.
Student grade have more affordable options that are suitable for beginners, containing less pigment than artist grade.

High-quality, artist-grade-colored pencils, when properly stored and cared for, can last anywhere from 5 to 10 years or even longer. However, student-grade colored pencils might have a shorter lifespan of about 2 to 5 years.
For this project as well as others you will want to use techniques that are well done. As you move forward using these amazing coloring tools, you will become a great colorist with each step.

Starting Techniques For Colored Pencils

1. Start light and build color-Colored pencil art is all about layering — start with light pressure and gradually build up color. Avoid pressing too hard early on; it flattens the paper texture and limits blending. Use multiple layers of different hues to achieve rich, realistic tones.
2. Blend thoughtfully-Layer blending: Use overlapping layers of similar or complementary colors. Burnishing: Press firmly with a light-colored or colorless blender pencil to smooth and polish the surface. Solvent blending: Use odorless mineral spirits or rubbing alcohol with a brush for a smooth, paint-like effect (test first!).
3.  Mind your strokes-Use small, circular motions to avoid visible streaks. Follow the direction of your subject’s texture (e.g., fur, wood grain, skin). Keep your pencil sharp for detailed areas; dull for soft shading.
4.  Use the right paper-Choose paper with a bit of tooth (texture) to hold pigment—Bristol vellum, toned tan/gray, or dedicated colored pencil paper. Smooth papers allow for fine detail; textured papers allow for more layering.
5. Preserve highlights-Leave the white of the paper for highlights instead of using white pencil too soon. You can also use a white gel pen or eraser pencil for bright accents.

Color Guide

Choose a dominant color o evoke the emotion that you want your recipient to feel. Then choose two additional colors that match your dominant color. They could be in the same color families. Use black, grey or white to bring harmony to your design.

• Red-The color red is the color of love and passion. While we often think of using red at Christmas and Valentine's Day, it can c\also be a color of strength and warmth. You could use it on a card to give encouragement. Anniversaries are another great time to use a splash of red.  You could also use red when you have exciting news to share!
• Orange is a color of happiness, energy, vitality, warmth, kindness, encouragement. and optimism. It is a wonderful color for cards like birthday cards. But it would also be good for encouragement cards and get-well cards too. Congrats cards are perfect for this hue. 
• Yellow brings thoughts of cheerfulness, warmth.  joy, hope. Think about the baby cards in yellow, get-well cards, and birthday cards. Pick a bright shade of this color. Duller shades bring thoughts of sickness, so you may want to avoid them.
• Green is the color of nature, soothing and calmness abundance, new beginnings, wealth Think of how often we use green leaves in our cards.
• Blue denotes loyalty, honesty, reliability, wisdom, hope, peace, calmness. Incorporate blue into your cards but remember too much blue brings thoughts of coldness.
• Purple reminds us of creativity, mystery, spirituality, noble. It is also the color of ambition and encouragement. So, use it to give someone the feeling that they can do anything they set their mind to.
• Pink makes us think of femininity, romance, youthfulness, softness. compassion. It is used most often for cards that are for Mother's Day, birthdays and other cards where you need a touch of feminine softness,
• Black: speaks of power, sophistication. Graduation cards often have some black in them to celebrate a special milestone. We also use black for sentiments that pop out of the design we create. 
• White gives us the idea of simplicity, peace, modernity, innocence and honesty. We use a lot of white in our card bases. It is sometimes used as sentiments on a darker base. 
• Gray shows sophistication. It adds some ambience to our designs.
• Brown reminds is of strong, durable, honest, trustworthy. We often think if brown for masculine cards just for this reason.

Today we are featuring two cards that feature two of the colors. Our choice for coloring medium for these were colored pencils. Colored pencils are great to use with outline stamps. You can layer them easily. There is no fuss or mess. All you need in three colored pencils in the same color family, an eraser, and a pencil sharpener. 

Coloring Tips

1. Start by choosing three pencils in the same color family. You will want to have a light, medium and a dark.
2. Layer the lightest shade first. Then add your darkest tone where you want to see shadows. Finally go over each petal with the medium tone pencil.
3. Use the white pencil to add more light at the outermost portion of your image.
4. Keep adding layers of color until you are happy with the results.
5. You can always use a blending pencil or some gamsol to blend the color on your images.

Pink Thinking Of You Card

Altenew Peony Bouquet Stamp Set

Altenew Fancy Greetings Stamp Set

1 white colored pencil

Altenew Crisp Black Ink

Black marker

Fine Line Pen

White cardstock

Light pink cardstock

Medium pink cardstock

Double sided tape

PVA glue

Green gemstones

Misti stamping tool

Scoreboard

Paper Trimmer

Foam dots

1. Cut the card base to measure a base of 4 1/2 " by 51/2"
2. On white cardstock stamp 3 peonies with the outline stamp using the MISTI stamping tool with the black ink.
3. Stamp several different leaves with the black ink.
4. Stamp one bud with black ink
5. Color the peonies starting with your lightest colored pencil first.
6. Then use your darkest color to add shadows.
7. Use your medium pencil to blend them all in.
8. Now go over the layers until you are happy with the results.
9. Using the fine line pen, trace over the outline of your flowers
10. Fussy cut your flowers. .
11. Go over the edges of your flowers with a black marker.
12. Color the leaves using two shades of green colored pencils.
13. Fussy cut the leaves.
14. Glue the first flower to the base of the card.
15. Layer the other flowers with foam dots to create dimension.
16. Glue the leaves in place.
17. Stamp your sentiment with black ink.
18. Layer the pink papers with double sided tape and attach the sentiment to your card.
19. Attach the green gemstones to the card base.

Purple Encouragement Card

Altenew Peony Bouquet Stamp Set

Altenew Fancy Greetings Stamp

Altenew Crisp Black Ink

Altenew  Deep Iris Crisp Ink

3 purple-colored pencils

White colored pencil

2 green colored pencils

White cardstock

Light purple cardstock

Double sided tape

PVA glue

Clear white gemstones

Misti stamping tool

Scoreboard

Paper Trimmer

Foam dots

1. Cut the card base to measure 5" by 7"
2. On white cardstock stamp 3 peonies with the outline stamp using the MISTI stamping tool with the black ink.
3. Stamp several different leaves with the black ink.
4. Stamp one bud with black ink
5. Color the peonies starting with your lightest colored pencil first.
6. Then use your darkest color to add shadows.
7. Use your medium pencil to blend them all in.
8. Now go over the layers until you are happy with the results.
9. Using the fine line pen, trace over the outline of your flowers
10. Fussy cut your flowers. .
11. Go over the edges of your flowers with a black marker.
12. Color the leaves using two shades of green colored pencils.
13. Fussy cut the leaves.
14. Glue the first flower to the base of the card.
15. Layer the other flowers with foam dots to create dimension.
16. Glue the leaves in place.
17. Stamp your sentiment with black ink.
18. Layer the purple papers with double sided tape and attach the sentiment to your card.
19. Attach the clear gemstones to the card base.

Colored Pencils-Tips And Ideas

15 Colored Pencil Tips For Beginners

Free Guide-Colored Pencil Techniques 101

We hope that you will take some time to consider color the next time you create a card design. Colored pencils are fun and easy to work with, so why not get yours out and create something special?

As always, thank you for following my journey and the tutorials created just for you. We always love hearing from you. So please leave a comment, a question or a thought. We appreciate everyone in our community!

Till next time, Happy Crafting!

Linda