Monday 10 September 2012

A Green Cat ? (really?)

I've decided to try my hand at painting using distress inks, so I've bought a few basic colours and had a play.

Although I've been using copics for the last couple of years, way back when I started card making several years ago, I used twinkling H2O paints which are water based.  So I approached this new distress ink painting technique thinking 'how hard can this be?'  

Pah !!

It's flippin' hard when you're not familiar with water colour painting!!!

Despite my lack of talent, I'm willing to share a few of my first attempts, and you can easily see how bad it is.  But hopefully you might also see some slight improvement even in these limited trials.

Here's my first effort, so bad I didn't even finish it ...



And no, your eyes are not deceiving you, the cat is dark green with a lime green tail.  This is because, in order to see if I could get along with the inkers, I only purchased 5 colours; brown (for bears and hair - necessities in my mind!) blue and purple (cos I love them and the shop didn't have pink which would have been my first choice) and 2 shades of green (even though I don't like green, I thought it was useful for grass and backgrounds).  So yes, I tested all my new colours on this sampler, and the cat got the short straw with the green !! LOL

The purple and blue turned out ok(ish), and I managed to get a bit of shading on them, but the brown was just awful.  I just could not blend it on the face, and there were hard lines where I'd added the paint.

For the rest of the image, I painted a light layer of clean water on the image before I put any colour on and that seemed to work better, so the feet were marginally better than the face.

I decided to ink up something else and try again.

Here is my second attempt, where I'd painted a few drops of clean water over the image to dampen the area before I put any colour onto it.  Again the brown was not as good as the rest of the image.


The addition of a bit of water seemed to be producing more 'reasonable' results.  Still not great but definitely starting to see some shading.

To congratulate myself on an improvement, I decided this image was worthy of making into a card.

After giving my bear a bit of bling and embellies, he doesn't scrub up too bad.



Attempt number 3.  I tried another image, still fairly restricted by my available colours, I stuck to animals that could be brown (no more green cats this time)!



I have managed to get a bit more control over the brown, but still learning.  I used some offcuts of Christmas papers to make this one into a card too.  Here's the finished card using this image and my scraps :



And finally, another trial, managing to use all my available colours again !!!  (yes a purple moon - well it could happen on a hazy night! LOL)




Not too bad, for my first attempts?  What do you think?




I concluded that I'd like to try again, but need some more colours, pink being top of my list.

If anyone has any tips on this subject, please leave me a comment.



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19 comments:

Sarah said...

Hi Annette

I think your first attempts of colouring with Distress Inks are amazing.

Sarah x

debby4000 said...

Oh what absolutely gorgeous cards.
luv
Debby

Aud said...

Beautiful set of cards Annette, nothing wrong with your colouring at all !! Aud x

Becky said...

Your first attempts are so much better than mine! It's just practise, practise and practise, finding out what works for you. I'm no where near perfect, and I've altered my technique a tad since, but if you look on my blog I've got a few tutorials http://attic-crafter.blogspot.co.uk/
Hugs,
Becky x

Christine L said...

Hi Annette....

Oooh so good to read someone else having a bit of trouble with DI colouring.. but your final efforts there seem fab!! I've not got the reinkers, so am just using markers and pads onto a ceramic tile to get my colour.... and a tip I have had off a friend who colours perfectly with them.. is to do what you're doing ... giving the image a bit of a wash first with water. Helps the colour to move.

I aim to have another go this week. .. I just need to conquer it!! Otherwise it will just frustrate me! Btw... are you using watercolour paper? Apparently that helps too!

But your cards are both fab... you'd never know it was your first attempt..... but you're right... PINK is a necessity!

Hugs
Christine x

Nikbee said...

Wonderful cards. I love the snow on the tree.
Your colouring is great on the last one. I really want to try this too as it gives a lovely effect.
Nikki x

3treescreations@gmail.com said...

LOVE the look of the paints! SO pretty! And that little green kitty tail is adorable - it made me giggle :)

Deanne :)

Jane said...

Well I'm def' impressed. Always scarey to try a new technique (I'm currently waist deep in embossing powder!). Way to go you...I think green cats are the future! x

Mojca said...

Waw this look great. I am also struggling with distress markers, ... did give up, but I know that I'm going to try again. You are doing so great. Hugs! mojca

Elise said...

Hi Annette! Ooh my gosh, these are WONDERFUL first attempts!! When I first tried it 3 years ago, it looked so rancid and that's why I only used to color with prisma pencils. lol! Then I tried it again a year and a half ago .. and LOVED it! Keep tiddling with it, and you'll find what you love most and what works for you with those inks. :) But I must say .. you're already doing such a FAB job with the inks!!! Beauuuuutiful cards my dear!

Big Hugs!
Elise

Anne-Marie said...

Oh, you are soooo much braver than me! I didn't like any of my attempts, so gave up on the spot...hahaa! You got some really nice effects so well worth continuing....and keep the green cat...love 'im!

Dawn said...

I love your green cat! Don't be so hard on yourself, you have a real talent there!
Thanks for playing at The Crafty Pad this time!
Good Luck
Hugs
Dawn xx
PS Don’t forget to enter in the BCA Think Pink Challenges at The Crafty Pad and Dawn's Crafting too!

Ribbon Girl said...

Hello Annette - they are difficult but you will get the hang of them. I have tried so many different watercolour papers and also different brushes, I find it better with an acrylics paint brush rather than watercolour and I use Bockingford watercolour paper. Your cards are lovely,- thanks for joining in with the Ribbon Girl card challenge to add pearls. Mary G x

Anonymous said...

Hunny Well done for sticking at it you have done yourself proud! Distress inks are not the easiest! that is for sure! I think your right you need some more colours I use.. Scattered straw and vintage photo and also a hint of walnut stain for bears/mice and also use Tattered rose for skin/ears/cheeks... Not sure you NNNEEEEEEDD!! any StPINK! tehehhehehhee :0)

Gem said...

gorgeous creation! Thanks for joining in with our Anything Goes challenge this week at My Mums Craft Shop!! Gemma :)

Larissa said...

You are so funny! I loved reading this post! ;) I also have tried colouring with distress inks and I agree....it is so hard. I wish I had some more time to practice...so maybe one day!

Love the results you got, even with the limited colors. Even the green kitty is sort of cute! ;)

love the cards you made with these images.

Hugs,
Larissa

Lisa Carroll said...

Absolutely fabulous! I think your watercoloring with the Distress inks is spot on. :) Thanks for playing along in our 'Put a STAMP On It!' challenge over at the Simon Says Stamp challenge blog! xx

Diane said...

The kittens are so sweet !! Thanks for joining us this week at The Crafty Pad !!

hugs Diane xx

aqualeiga said...

Wow, I think you've done an amazing job! We really are too critical of ourselves sometimes. Your cards are all beautiful, and I'm envious that you have made a start on those Christmas creations already!! Thanks for joining us at THE CRAFTYMPAD this week.
Hugs, Ali x