Teddy Bo Top Tips Thursday

We know you've been missing your Thursday top tips so drum roll.......................................

 today we're back with a very special colouring tutorial using distress inks - I'm sure you all have a few laying around not doing very much just like I do.

Without any more furry waffle let me hand you over to Kirsty-Anne so she can share her expertise :c)

As before if you make anything using any of our tutorials please give us a shout and if you have any ideas of what you would like to see let us know - after all we need to keep these new team members out of mischief as much as possible.

Furry Hugs

Debbie & the Gang

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Tutorial - Basic Painting with Distress Inks.

Ingredients -

Watercolour paper , Teddy Bo stamps,acrylic block, versafine / stazon / archival black or brown ink pad,  distress inks ( pads , reinkers or markers) acrylic block,paintbrush or water brush, glass of water . kitchen towel. Inkessentials white gel pen and Art Deco glamour dust.

First up pick your favourite Teddy Bo Stamp and use your acrylic block and stamp onto watercolour paper with your inkpad(waterproof)take your stamp(s) off and clean them with stamp cleaner or baby wipe.( You could use Digi stamps if your printer can take watercolour paper). I  use Saunder's Waterford cold press paper  for stamping but it is too thick to go through my printer !

Wait  for image to dry and get a glass of water , a plain acrylic block or mixing palette tray, inks and brush.

I have started with Antique Linen & Vintage photo which I have put on my clean acrylic block . You can stamp onto the block with the pad , put a drop with a reinker, or draw some strokes with your marker. I like the pads as I can use them with my blending tool  when decorating cards , dies etc...

Test your colour - Using Antique Linen first by dipping your paint brush  in the water( if using dry brush) The pick up some ink and then test on a spare piece of watercolour paper until you are happy. Better to be lighter as you can build up the colour. Too much water and it will run. So practise getting the right shade and consistency.

Start by going round the edge of Bo's face with your Antique Linen . I tend to go in a small circular motion and hold the brush just like I hold a pen to write. Move quickly . Next dab your brush on paper towel and then just pick up water and then go on the area you have started colouring by blending the ink towards the centre until his whole furry face is covered.

Now go round all the furry bits and do the same , the outlines first and then blending with water to spread the colour all over. Allow the ink to dry before moving onto the next colour otherwise

the ink will bleed into other parts or outside the image which has happened in some of the pictures as I did this quickly.

Get into the habit of cleaning your brush in the water and wiping it on the paper towel after every colour. Use Vintage photo now to go round the edges once more and again blend with just water blending the colour toward the centres. If you have any harsh lines just keep blending with water.If you feel you have too much water you can dab gently on the image with a paper towel to pick up the water. Do this with all the furry bits. Once dry use Vintage photo one more time on areas where there are shadows for example under his chin under his arms, tummy, creases in joints, under cuffs.clothing. Blend again with water . You will see now the difference with the colours building up.

Leave to dry.

Next clean your block with a baby wipe. On this stamp I am colouring Bea with spun sugar and worn lipstick. Use spun sugar first like I have below on the outlines of her hat.dress and boots. Keep using the same techniques as with the furry bits you did before. Leave to dry. Then pick up Worn lipstick and go round once more around the edges and blending. Then as before highlight the creases in clothing , and where there would be shadows for example next to her arms and on the bottom of her boots.  I also add some pink to under Bo's foot.

As Always let that dry. Now to Colour Bo's Jumper and hat clean your block and add Shabby Shutters.

As before go around the edges in the lines of the hat , seams and jumper. Then blend again with water. Clean brush and add Peeled paint to your block. Use this colour to darken under the arms and on the seams of the hat and jumper. Blend towards the centre.

I like to use a tiny bit of spun sugar on their cheeks just a little circle ! Once dry I use an Inkessential white gel pen I just add 3 dots in a triangle on top of the circle of spun sugar. If you want you could even put dots on her boots to make them spotty or on her dress !!

Lastly I use some glamour dust to her dress and pom poms with a tombow glue pen.

Just use the pen to colour the areas you want for example I coloured the stripe in her dress and the pom poms . I then sprinkle the glitter dust over those parts then turn over and tap the back of the image to release the loose glitter, I fold the paper and put the left over glitter back into the tub.

So here it is ready to make into something wonderful !!

Would be wonderful if you could let me know if you have tried different colours on them or if you have any more tips for us when using inks !! Thanks I hope you will try it out with all the wonderful stamps and inkpads available to buy at the Teddybo Store !!  These stamps were free in the Simply Cards & Papercrafts Magazine.

Kirsty-Anne ;0) xx