Coloring Outside the Lines

Hi!  It's Lisa here with you today, and I have a project that focuses more on coloring outside the lines rather than in.  So often I spend most of my time coloring in the images I color, that my backgrounds tend to be rather simple.  I wanted to change that by doing the exact opposite, and spend my time coloring in my background and leaving my image rather black and white...

Let me tell you, it was kind of freeing to not have to focus on all of the small details on this image, and to just play with a bold color behind her.  This technique is also a good excuse to give those wide tips of your markers some use!  I started by outlining my image first with my lightest color, this way I wouldn't have to watch too much where I was putting my coloring down as it was already covered.  Then I simply used the wide ends of my Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers and covered the entire background.  To add more interest to my background, I made small dots close to the image and fanning their way out with a  range of light, medium and dark colors all in the PL color Family.

Once I was finished with the background I couldn't leave her completely colorless as it looked a little odd (I think I could have gone colorless if it were a floral image or something with less drawn details), so I decided to add color to her bow, shoes, dress and sweet little cheeks.  I then played her up a little by adding her to a very contrasting background of patterned papers and a few gems.

I hope I've inspired you to play with how and what you color the next time you do a little stamping.  And while you are here stop by the store and grab a couple of these Gorjuss Girls to play with! (There are new goodies arriving weekly, so check those out too!)

Happy Crafting!
Lisa

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