10.4.17

Zig Brush Pens Water Coloring Tips

Mini Album
       Hi friends, recently my family and I vacationed in Phuket , Thailand and we spent so much time in the oceans that for my DT post for Crafters Corner, I made a Mini Album in an Ocean theme with a cute water-colored mermaid, shells and various ocean motifs !
Handmade Flowers
I love making flowers and this project has quite a few handmade flowers. The big blue sparkling rose was made using Spellbinders Rose Creations  die using this Tutorial : Easy Rose Tutorial . The Magenta Fluffy flower was made from craft foam and the Cheery Lynn  Sun flower die using this Tutorial : Easy Daisy Tutorial and the Pink rose was made using craft foam and the Spellbinders Bauble Blossoms 1 die.

Handmade Flowers
I also added some handmade clay flowers [ the plumeria and the little white buds you see scattered around] made freehand using Thai Clay [ an air drying clay] and Oil paints. I love picking up shells from the beach and the shells on this mini album cover are shells I had picked up from our family holidays in Goa, Thailand and Malaysia over the years !
The Heat embossed " Treasures of the Ocean" is a stamp from Crafty Individuals [Cl 272] and such an apt one for this project!
Mixed Media background 
I made a mixed media style background using Ranger texture paste and a Carabelle Studio Geometry Stencil. Sprayed some Lindy's sprays and added tiny little pearls, turquoise blue glitter balls and golden star sequins! The anchor was cut using a Joy Crafts die.
Water-coloring and Diamond Dust 
The little mermaid who is the star of the project has a magical sparkling background with diamond dust, golden stars, a pearl star and dew drops!
The Whismy Stamps Mermaid was watercolored with Kuretake Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens 
In case you missed it here is my introductory post on Kuretake Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens with lots of tips
And sharing more tips here.
1.If you are not heat embossing your image,stamp it with an ink such as Versa fine which will not react and bleed with water!
2.Allow enough time for the stamped image to dry before you water color or if you are in a hurry heat set it with a heat gun!

Use images which are perfectly dry

3.Download a color swatch chart like this one from Kuretake website or better still make a color swatch so that you wont have to keep trying pens to choose colors! This is especially useful when you are coloring an animal or human image!

  • When making a color swatch make one grouping the colors together rather than in a chronological order!
Kuretake Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens  Color Swatch
4.While coloring an image such as an animal or human using different shades of the same color, apply dark colors first and blend out with the water brush. If you put dark colors later it is more difficult to blend without using more water!
Watercoloring with Zig  Brush Pens 
 For the tail of this mermaid I used turquoise green[ No 42] first and  pulled it inside with the water-brush.Later applied light blue [No 36] and blended it in nicely using the waterbrush again.
Watercoloring with Zig  Brush Pens 

5.Creating gradient effect!

Why I love the Zig brush pens compared to normal watercolors is that they are quite easy to use to create gradients and blends even for a beginner!
To easily create a gradient blending of colors the trick is to know where to lay on the first brushstrokes  first! 
    Brush on the ink on the edges and shadow areas
    Water-coloring with Zig  Brush Pens 
    Pull in the colors using the water brush!
    Water-coloring with Zig  Brush Pens 
    This is one of the easiest ways to get a fading away of a color! Here I have used just a singe color- May Green [No 47] and got a beautiful gradient effect by pulling in the colors using a water brush!
    Water-coloring with Zig  Brush Pens 
6.Always apply the brush pen directly to only small areas at a time as if it dries it wont blend well. If you find this method difficult then mix the ink and water on an acrylic block or other surface and then apply it to your paper
7.Coloring Skin Tones - I think you will all agree coloring skin is always challenging to a beginner. The Zig brush pens are available in a beautiful range of shades of browns and grays and pinks .
Water-coloring with Zig  Brush Pens 
 The Flesh Color [No 71] is one of the most useful colors in the Zigs set and using it alone you can get a beautiful skin tone. In this step by step however I first applied Blush [No 69]on the edges and shadow areas and pulled it in with a water-brush
Water-coloring with Zig  Brush Pens 
 Later went over the larger area with the Flesh Brush pen [ No 71]
Water-coloring with Zig  Brush Pens 
  • Adding Cheek blush!
Water-coloring with Zig  Brush Pens 
You can add life to your animal and human images by adding a bit of color to the cheeks using Tea Rose [No 220] or any shade of pink..... Just add a tiny bit of pinkish color and blend with the water brush!
8.While water-coloring tiny areas such as the flowers in this mermaid image use the brush pens directly and use very little or no water as it can bleed easily!
Water-coloring small areas!
9.Coloring Hair!
Water-coloring Hair
Coloring hair is always tricky no matter what coloring medium you use...the only thing I can say is before I got my Zigs the  hair of my colored images was a big blob...now its much much better!!
10.Last Tip is that if you don't get good results  with your attempts try changing the type of water brush you are using and/ or the type of watercolor paper you are using! There is no right or wrong product...just that one type of brush or paper might work better for you!
Zigs on different water color papers
When I worked on floral or freehand water coloring I didnt notice much difference in water coloring on different water color papers but for this intricate mermaid stamp I found that I had poorer control on the Brustro paper.On Brustro the pigment had a tendency to spread more on adding water , bled outside the lines quite a bit and had a splotchier look on layering the colors.
Water-colored Images on Canson and Brustro respectively
The colors were however more vibrant and rich on the Brustro Paper and lovely for freehand water-coloring.
So the main point is to experiment with different brands of watercolor paper if you are not happy with your attempts!
Ocean Themed Mini Album
I am not an expert at water-coloring but my coloring skills have improved tremendously after I got the Zig brush pens and I do hope some of these tips will be helpful if you have or are planning to buy these amazing watercolor pens! 

Here is a list of all the Supplies from Crafters Corner:Kuretake Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens  .Wink of Stella.Cheery Lynn Dies :  sun flower,Cheery Lynn  Rose Leaf
Spellbinders : Spellbinders  Rose Creations  ,Dress my Craft: Dress my Craft  papers, Dress my Craft sparkling dust, Dress my Craft Sequins, Dress my Craft Golf tools,
Metal charms,Diamond Dust,Ranger Texture Paste,Stencil : Carabelle Studio Stencil Geometrie

49 comments:

  1. Like the under the sea Mermaid scene created. Wonderful water coloring. I have the Spellbinder Rose die you used but not made much with it. You've inspired me to ck out the tutorial & try.
    Melissa
    "Sunshine HoneyBee"

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  2. Gorgeous album and colouring Sonia..Loz

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  3. Wow Wow Wow!!! Such amazing album!Love, love it!! Stunning flowers and embellishments and this image is one of my favourite!! Great watercolouring and thanks for all the tips!!
    Pinned your album!
    https://it.pinterest.com/pin/534802524488866598/

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  4. Oh my gosh, I could not love this more!! The texture and details you added are spectacular!! The mermaid is gorgeous!! You colored her perfectly!! The flowers are stunning!! I love, love this, my friend!! What a keepsake!! Have a great day!! Big hugs :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  5. Wow Sonia - this is totally, totally stunning! Another great make from one - one of my favourites ever too. thank you so much for the really helpful Zip tips, both here and in your other blog post - have bookmarked them for future reference!

    Ah, Phuket - one of our favourite places, been there many times!

    Hugs

    Di xx

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  6. WOW!!! This is beautiful! The image is adorable and yes, you have mastered coloring! GREAT job! I LOVE your homemade flowers and all the amazing details! SO gorgeous!
    Sherrie K

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  7. Such sweetness, Sonia, and beautiful watercolor shading. I love the endearing quality of your pretty card, the gorgeously made flowers, the tiny sea shells mixed with the flora - it's a wonderful creation! xo

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  8. Wow, this is really amazing. Love the cute image and all wonderful embellishments.
    Valerija xx

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  9. I love how you colored the mermaid. Beautiful! Adorable creation!
    Have a wonderful day,
    Migdalia
    Crafting with Creative M

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  10. I adore you sweet little mermaid ocean themed card. It is beautiful. Thank you for sharing your coloring tips. Creative Bliss...<3

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  11. Love the cute little mermaid with beautiful coloring and those handmade flowers are just gorgeous Sonia!

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  12. Sonia, what a delightful card. Colors are all so pretty and that little mermaid is adorable. Love how you colored her up. ALL of the sea embellishments are lovely as well as the beautiful flowers and lace.

    Hugs
    Sue

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  13. So beautiful as well as cute Loved Ur wrok

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  14. Oh my gosh....how beautiful! I love all the gorgeous handmade flowers combined with other pretty embellishments. Thanks for sharing some tip on water colouring! Stunning work!

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  15. Wow! What a gorgeous sea themed mini album. Beautifully painted mermaid surrounded by a sumptuous array of fabulous embellishments especially your wonderful handcrafted flowers and the shells. The painting tips are just great. It's really nice to see someone showing what they are learning about a new product to them instead of an expert painter giving tips, it makes it seem , I don't know, kind of friendlier :) if that makes sense? Absolutely gorgeous! Debra x

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  16. Anonymous10/4/17

    Amazing & so adorable creation, thanks for sharing such a beautiful & colorful tips for kids with us. It does not seem handmade creation, it is looking artificial wowwwwwwwww.

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  17. Wow, this is stunning. I love the gorgeous stamp you've used and the wonderful colouring too.

    Sue xx

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  18. Really your ideas n tutorial both r super.

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  19. Beautiful colors. Have a wonderful week.

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  20. I love this beautiful mini album, everything about it!!!! The image is darling and you colored it beautifully and the embellishments are gorgeous!
    Pam
    scrap-n-sewgranny.blogspot.com

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  21. Gorgeous mini album!!

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  22. Oh my goodness! Your cute mermaid card is an absolute stunner! The image is gorgeous and I adore all the flowers and other embellishments! How nice of you to add the brilliant Zig tutorial - one day I hope to have a set of zigs, if I do, I will be back to read it again! Thank you! xxx

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  23. This is just gorgeous! LOVING that mermaid and the flowers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  24. Just stunning and those handmade flowers are amazing! Have a lovely week! Hazel xx

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  25. WOW stunning Mini. Great dimesion. Love the shells and the flowers with the added sparkle. The teturesd background really pops the adorable little mermaid off the page. Colring is perfecgtion. I love it.
    Have a creative day.
    ♥ My Crafting Channel ♥
    ♥ Silhouette Challenges ♥
    ♥ My Crafting Channel Shop ♥

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  26. Wow. Your little album is all kinds of gorgeous and you did a beautiful job of coloring that darling mermaid. This project is perfect for our first ever challenge at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies. I hope you will join us. hugs, Teresa http://2craftycrittercrazies.blogspot.ca/

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  27. I am so happy to be here and commenting- it has been a long time! What a beautiful card Sonia- the mermaid looks so pretty! Thank you for the tips on zigs- they are awesome! :)
    Hugs

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  28. Absolutely stunning and lots of top tips to try. Fabulous. Cara x

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  29. Hi Sonia....Its a very beautiful project..so many details...thank you for sharing it with us.
    Hugs
    Mukta
    V R Enchanted

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  30. Your mini cover is beautiful!!!! I love all your tips of coloring with the Zig's Real Brush markers so I thank you for sharing them. Your mermaid is just stunning, I love the homemade flowers on the mini too-wouldn't have know they were hand made either! They are stunning as well. How fun to put real shells from your vacation on the cover, I love every square inch of this cover! Hugs, Brenda

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  31. What a gorgeous card Sonia..so many beautiful details and the image is adorable. Fabulous colouring tutorial too..

    Luv CHRISSYxx

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  32. Stunning creation,Sonia.Beautiful colours and flowers.Such a sweet mermaid.

    Gr,Sylvia x

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  33. This is beautiful! Judy x

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  34. Beautiful creation !
    Hugs Doris

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  35. Beautiful!!! Little mermaid is adorable...so many detailing you have done, I just love it.

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  36. Wow Sonia!! This is fabulous! The flowers are stunning as always. Your coloring is beautiful! Thanks for the tips.

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  37. Absolutely gorgeous.. Thanks for the tips too!

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  38. Wow. This turned out so pretty!
    LOVE that you are so organized with your supplies..with colour swatches and all.

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  39. wow wow and wow adorable image, amazing coloring and perfect details!

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  40. Such an adorable image & perfect coloring!

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  41. Hi dear. How are you... Miss you at my blog :(

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  42. Terrific post Dr Sonia, great pictures and tutorial on using the pens which I haven't seen before. Love all your embellishments.

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  43. Wonderful tutorial and your album cover is filled with little details that just make it irresistible. Hugs!

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  44. Wow.. So detailed. I'm in love!

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  45. Stunning creation,Beautiful colours and flowers.Such a sweet mermaid.It's always very refreshing to visit your blog.

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  46. Lindasss! Eu já estou fazendoo

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  47. Hi Sonia, it's long time ago that I've been on your blog, sorry.
    And now I see these fantastic card. What a sweet little mermaid with a beautiful pearl bow in her hair. Around the bubbles, great idea. Oh I love the fantastic colors and the arrangement of flowers and shells. All is so perfect.
    Have a relaxing weekend.
    Petra x

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  48. Sonia, I think I am in love with the Zig brush pens! I will try to find and buy them. Thank you for the lovely tutorial, my friend. And your mermaid is beautiful!!!!!!!!!!

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  49. Wow Sonia, what a sweet little mermaid. I love the color combination, the beautiful flowers and the elegant lace. Fantastic card design.
    Petra x

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