Your Top Banana With Me!

Here is my card made with "Monkey Mike".....just one of High Hopes Fabulous New Stamps.

I also used the "Your Top Banana With Me!" ..... "Single Banana" and "Banana Tree". All are from High Hopes recent New Release of stamps.

Here's the recipe.....

I used Prismacolor pencils (OMS) and H20's to deepen the shading on the Monkey and Banana.

I stamped the banana tree on a light yellowish paper with Old Olive.

I cut around the Monkey's hand with an exacto knife to hold the banana.

The basic grey paper is a Xmas paper ....but I think it worked well here.

The Cute Monkey and sentiment are on foam pop-ups.

Stamps: All High Hopes Rubber Stamps

Paper: whisper white, always artichoke, costco, basic grey, micheals

Ink: black stazon, versafine green, bashful blue, creamy caramel, close to cocoa, garden green, old olive

Accessories: firbre, cord, hemp, eyelets, stitching, foam popups, acrylic paint, su marker-old olive.

You can find Tutorials to color this Monkey here......

Prismacolor and H20 Tutorial #1

Prismacolor and H20 Tutorial#2

Backgrounds Tutorial!

Thanks for looking Everyone!! ...Have a Great Day!!

Prismacolor-H20s and Background Tutorials all Up! Questions Answered Here!

All the tutorials now follow this Post...

Prismacolor-H20 #1 is followed by #2 and which is followed by the Background Tutorial

I wanted the Tutorials to run into each other in the proper way that they should....(trying to make it easier for someone if they want to follow along step by step)

**I'm editing this post to Answer Questions**

"What are H20's and where can you buy them??"

H20's are little watercolor cakes with a shimmer built in. Each color has its own little container. I find they respond to a damp paintbrush so easily...compared to other watercolor cakes....which not only makes them faster to use for shading but does not require very much water making them ideal for paper.

Here is the description the LuminArte site has for their H20's...

"The most popular line of paints from LuminArte. Twinkling H20s are fun, scrumptious, shimmery, lightfast watercolor cakes. Twinkling H2O's are watercolor cakes that are incredibly shimmery, non-toxic acid free, lightfast and safe for all ages to use! Simply dip a wet paintbrush or waterbrush into the solid cake of color and begin to paint!You can use this paint on paper, canvas, rocks, wood and even Easter Eggs! They are currently available is 156 colors, convenient packaging options as specified below and also available in large individual pots. Use Oyster or the iridescent colors - to lighten the other colors without losing the shimmer. Use colors in Kit TW-606 for adding metallic accents"

and here is the link to this site: http://www.luminarteinc.com/catalog/twinkling-h20s.html

I have bought H20's online in Canada at:

Stamp and Scrap Canada They ship to US as well. Here is the link for the H20's

http://www.stampandscrapcanada.com/RUB-145.html

I'm sure there are many other places to buy them in this world ......If anyone does not mind sharing where they bought their H20s please feel free to list some of them in my comment section...and I will compile a list.

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"Where do you buy paperstumps?"

I buy my paperstumps (actually called paper stomps or tortillons) from Micheals in a pkg .....but prefer to buy them at Hobby Lobby ....they work better and are cheaper. I also have ordered them from Curry's in Canada.......good variety and price.....Here is the link....

https://www.currys.com/catalogpc.htm?Category=A031B000674&NBReset=4

the BT1 and the BT3 should work fine. I don't have any of the BT5..they are very thin...but I suppose for very small areas they would be fine. If you have a art store around they will sell them too.

Again if anyone would like to share where they buy their paper stomps ...that would be wonderful!!

Just in Case anyone is interested Currys also sell the prismacolor pencils at a good price......in sets......singly.....and a large variety...

https://www.currys.com/catalogpc.htm?Category=A031B000627&NBReset=3

*If there are anymore Questions I will edit this post to add them.*

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Now....I'd like to Thank you all for looking! ..and your Wonderful comments!!

You've all made it a Joy to Share!!!

Have a Great Day Everyone!.............Ila

Prismacolor and H20 Tutorial!..#1

The Monkey I used is from High Hopes Stamps....His name is "Monkey Mike" and he is one of there New Releases! Isn't he a Sweetie?

Here is a list of the Prismacolor Pencils I used on this Monkey Mike:

Sienna Brown - PC945

Light Peach - PC927

Process Red - PC 994

Crimson Red - PC 924

These 4 colors are very common colors for me to use. Meaning.... when Iuse a brown ..Sienna brown is the one I use the most. Light Peach and reg Peach are the ones I use most often for faces. Crimson Red is the one I use most often for cheeks. Process red or any pink will do for ears ...bellies...on this image Process Red looked the best to me.

I love Prismacolor pencils and add to them whenever possible. Everyone has their own taste in colors ....as well certain images and occasions call for certain colors. Prismacolors come in a Fantastic amount of colors and when blended with OMS...they brighten up like a marker.

There are many different types of OMS (oderless mineral spirits)..Some people use Gamsol. Gamsol is one OMS that is not readily available around here so I use Mona Lisa OMS. I buy it at Micheal's for around $9.00. To keep the OMS easily available for use I cut a cosmetic sponge to fit in a little paint pot container .....I then pour a little of the OMS inside. The container has a lid so I can use OMS this way for several days before it dries out. I use paper art stumps to blend....I try to use a different one for each color family .....and to clean some color off for the next one... I just wipe it across some copy paper.

There are many Wonderful and more thorough tutorials out there for Prismacolor Pencils and OMS.

Here are a few...

http://sweetmissdaisy.typepad.com/sassy_sweet_notes/2006/12/prismacolor_pen.html

and

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/ee/index.php/resources/tutorials/gamsol_magic/

I must tell you all that this is my first Tutorial......and I have no idea what I am doing! Whether I am saying too much or too little....I don't want to bore you all. I also hope I don't make this all seem complicated....because none of it is. It is all very easy to do....If you have any questions please feel free to ask!

The following Prismacolor and H20 Tutorial..#2 will be including how to use the H20's. I will post it later.

Thanks for looking and I hope you all had a Wonderful Easter!!

Prismacolor and H20 Tutorial #2

These are the Prismacolor Pencils I used for this tutorial....

Sienna Brown - PC945

Light Peach - PC927

Process Red - PC994

Crimson Red - PC924

A word about shading....

Shading brings out the depth in an image. The nice thing about High Hopes Stamps is that the artist already shades on a lot of the images ....not sure where to shade?.....just look at the little dark marks she leaves in certain areas ......how easy is that?

The H20's I used for this tutorial were. ..

Chestnut Brown

Ruby Red

I use these 2 colors very often. A person generally needs fairly deep or dark colors.....depending on what prismacolor pencils are used for the base color.....all I'm doing is deepening the shade of those colors. If you don't have the right color you can also use regular cake watercolors, watercolor crayons or pencils.....just take your damp brush and run the long end across the crayon or pencil..and shade the area. I like to use H20's because they are so responsive with very little water....and of course ..who doesn't like the sparkle.....but sometimes I don't have the right color either.

I will name a few more colors that I use fairly often here though (not used in this tutorial)....but only because I have been asked what I use by so many. You will generally use colors you love to use on your projects now...so try to think of that when you buy your colors. It is not necessary to buy the big ones....the little ones will last for years.

Cinnamon Brown........Cedar Wood..........Sunburst...........Passion........Forrest green......Golden jade

Olive vine.......Cranberry........Poppy red...........Blue Flame...........Majestic blue...........Snapdragon

Rich Cobalt..........Icy Iris........Sweet Lavender.........China Black.......Chesnut Brown......Ruby Red

These are all only a guide....it really depends on the colors you like to use and see. I have also mixed a little of China Black with a color to make it darker. I just use my brush to dabble a little of the color on deli or waxed paper and add the tiniest bit of black. Since I usually only need a very small amount this works for me.

There is a new product that should be out soon or already is. They are called Pearlescent Water Colors from Yasumoto and they are very reasonably priced...they may work just as well as h20's. I really don't know very much about them other than that....but if anyone else does or has tried them please let me know how they work.

***Be sure to use the Acrylic paint last on your image.....They will cause a resist...meaning you can't go over them with either the prismacolor pencils, watercolor or ink. I use a stylus for the dots or a toothpick. I use a # 10 liner brush for the lines (on the feet). The paint I use is Delta white and Autumn Brown...but any brand acrylic brown and white will do. For years I have used a clear piece of plastic to overlay my finished image to put dots here and there or even a sentiment to see if I like it. I use any cheap clear plastic that pkg other items I've bought. I cut them down to card size and wipe them off after I use them. You can also use the plastic that comes with the Stampinup jig.

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Leonie recently asks in the Tutorial #1 comment section:

I've a question about the paper stumps. They are pretty big and how do you make sure you don't cross the black line?

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The paper stumps come in all different sizes....I use smaller point ones for finer areas. Hobby Lobby sells paper stumps in different sizes...if you can find an art store...you will have an even larger selection.

If you do go out of the line....it's really not a big deal .....Watercolorists do it all the time. But if it bothers you ....a white eraser or magic rub eraser can be used on its point to lighten the boo..boos. Rub from the outside of the image in. I will also be following this tutorial with a Background tutorial. ........after I do the background I never notice the little spots where I went over the line.

I can't think of anything else......feel free to ask me any questions!!

Thanks for looking!!...Have a Great Day!!

Background Tutorial!!

You can use any color of inks for the backgrounds....I find classic or dye based works the best. On the sky I sometimes add Buckaroo blue over the bashful blue..just to give it a different hue.

I'm sure you could use soft stencil brushes or sponges instead of mop brushes....just be sure to tap off some of the ink so it is dry and soft.

I think that just about covers this. Feel free to ask if you have any questions!

Thanks for looking and Have a Great Day!!