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Wednesday 17 October 2012

Comments / criticism welcome

on this one please!

If you're looking for my Divas by Design post it's the one below - this one is all about not being sure, please skip if you are not into waffle!!! ;-)

Hello blogworld

Well here's the thing - I'm trying to improve my colouring, who isn't!  The things I'm most concentrating on at the mo are trying to get pleats into clothes and finding the combination for colouring clothes and hair black.

The pleats are because I've seen people (mostly Alyce!) doing the most amazing things with pleats. Two things, the most important being that I can't colour like that - though I would like to! - and second that I use Promarkers not Copics.  So I've been wondering is it me or the pens?  I've come to sad conclusion that it's probably me, there are plenty of people out there making mini masterpieces with Promarkers (talking about you here, Coops!!).

The black hair is because I'm frightened to put black on my images, it's just so black!!!  I loose the lines, I can't blend it properly and it basically frightens me when I start colouring with it.

So I took the bull by the horns this morning, ignored the housework and all the other things I should be doing and have coloured an image with pleats and black hair.  Thing is I keep looking at it and thinking how terrible my colouring is.

I can't be objective - can you be for me please?  Don't be kind, be honest - I won't be offended and any advice or constructive criticism is appreciated.

I'm only entering it into one challenge, as that's what it was created for and then I'm going back to staring at it and wondering what I've done!!!  Maybe it's the colour combo?

So mega waffle over - here's the card:

Front shot:

Detail of image:

 Trying to show the glitter of the shoes and gloves:

I used:

Digi stamp:
Emma Canning - Cinders
coloured with my Promarkers

Dies:
Nestie oval and scalloped oval

Paper:
echo park - Be Mine

Anything else?
Glamour Dust
pearls from my stuff
Basic Grey - Two Scoops rub-on

I will now go and eagerly await your comments!!

Sarah

Just the one challenge:

In the Pink: Pink plus one.

20 comments:

Sue said...

Oh Sarah! PLEASE don't be so hard on yourself!
I think your colouring is wonderful. I am by no means expedienced at colouring myself, I still have a long way to go but to me your shading on the dress and hair looks fabulous!

hugs Sue

Berry said...

Ok well I think your pleats are just fab! I find the pleat colouring thing so hard and when I do it I really don't feel like it comes out well at all!
I ALWAYS stay well clear of black too haven't you noticed?!!!!! I think her hair looks more grey here IYKWIM I always worry about that as I like to have shading and can't seem to get a happy medium on black!
Trouble is I can't really comment for promarkers as I am a pencil gal but if I was going to do black I would use 2 shades of dark grey first and then black on the darkest parts, the image too doesn't give much room for shading on hair here so I think you have done a fabulous job especially as these are 2 area I run and hide from!
Hugs Rebekah xx

Caroline said...

Your colouring is fabulous the dress is fantastic, don't be hard on yourself it's perfect. I love the layout of the card and the colours you have used are gorgeous. Caroline xxx

Unknown said...

First of all I LOVE this card - sooo gorgeous as always x x I couldn't comment technically on the colouring as I've been too scared to move away from Photoshop with my digis but I think it's wonderful especially the pleats on her dress - it looks so realistic - I wouldn't change a thing with those me dears :-) x x

Jayne A said...

I think you have done a fantastic job on the pleats. They look really great.
I am with Rebekah on the hair looks a little grey. I dont use Promarkers but if I were to colour black hair with my copics I tend to go for four shades of grey and then the black. Dark grey C7, Slightly lighter C5,mid shade grey c3 then a very pale one C1. I would then finish off with the black in the darkest area's.

Hope this helps
Jayne

judit said...

Hi Sarah, hope you are well and having a great week. About the pleats - and don't know how you take criticism from me as I am no expert ... I think you have drawn in the pleats very nicely but I think the one on the left and on the right should be rather the darkest where it is the lightest, like the middle one which looks great. I had a look at Alyce's blog and she's got one in purple called Bella. I think that looks perfect. Hope this helps a bit. Hugs, judit x

SYLVIA-ANNE said...

Hi Sarah - this is such a pretty card, and you are much better at colouring than you obviously think you are! Love the image and the layout, and the backing paper is fabulous.
Thank you for joining us at ITP - hope to see you again soon!
Sylvia xx

PS: Have e-mailed you with a little colouring tip!

Karen Petitt said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Karen Petitt said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Karen Petitt said...

sorry about the removed comments Sarah as i've struggled how to explain what i mean and i wrote a whole chapter in the end!
You know how much anguish I suffer and share about my colouring. This is what works for me and I don’t know if it will help you.
I don't use black because you loose all definition. I use greys, I have a set of the SN greys and I use those for black hair which, for me, works.
I use a black colouring pencil on the very ends of the hair as well as to give the hair texture. Being contrary I think I colour black hair better than blonde or brunette.
I’m not sure I can help with the pleats, I’ve binned every image that I have tried to colour them in with alcohol pens! I struggle with them. What Judit has said about the pleats is spot on! For me, the areas where the light hits are a little too bright for my taste.
With regard to the copic/pm/sn comparison: for me the Copic's win every time. I get way better results with them. The one drawback of them is that the pens and refills are expensive but then so are the re-fills for the SN's! The pm's and sn's don't have a 'brush' nib which I prefer. I really hope i've not upset you! K xx

xxxtglxxx said...

Well this is cute! :) Lovely image and such a sweet card hun.

Now I am not a confident colourer at all - I use PM's, dread colouring hair, anything black (I often paper piece black) and if it takes me longer than 15 mins to colour in I get impatient and rush it. I do however like colouring fabric, pleats and gowns.

I start off outlining my light areas in the palest colours and colouring outwards. I then build up getting darker to the creases and then go over the light shades again. Sounds a bit complex but it isnt.

I think copics have way more shades, but then you still have the faff of finding the right colour groups probably.

I think all you need is just to try and enjoy it a little :)

hugs

xxalisonxx

Kim said...

Sarah be nice to yourself, this is great and we are all a work in progress! As for black hair, I use copics but I use 3 shades of gray. I think your hair is good, just pull more of your darkest color out more towards the middle.
Pleats are hard, but I think you are doing fine.

Faye said...

We'll done for tackling your issues. I think you're being harder on yourself than you need to be as I often admire your colouring. Your pleats look great, keep at it. I hate them too and avoid as much as possible. As for black, only use it on the darkest edge, then blend backwards, starting with the darkest grey you have, blending over each line, and then working towards a lighter grey. Try to only go over the area once, to keep the definition you have created.

As for your card, it's lovely, especially with the castle in the background. And thanks for your sweet, sweet comments at mine yesterday. xxx

coops said...

gorgeous card sarah.really love the sweet image.for the black hair, i use cool grey 3,4,5 and the black flexmarker.i start with the lightest grey first and then build them up using strokes.i dont add the black till last and then i go over it again with my darkest grey.it seems to be hit and miss colouring black, its so hard and i think the quicker you work with promakers the better they will blend.for the pleats, i lay down my lightest colour all over first.say for instance if i wanted a red dress i would start with ruby, then i would add crimson,burgandy and then warm grey 5 and maybe a little black for the darker bits.i can keep doing this over and over until i am happy and then i dot some white gel pen in the centre of each pleat and blend out with my finger.again the wetter you get your card the easier they will blend.i will try and do a pic tutorial for pleats.we all have out own way of using our pens and just have fun and play around with different colour combos.
hth
hugs coops.xx

Wishcraft said...

Hmm... yes, these are both my tricky things to colour too! I'm a bit hit and miss with pleats - sometimes they work and sometimes they really don't! And black hair, I go all over with cool grey 3, then sort of flick the darker shades (including a bit of black) into it using the fine nibs. I'm usually fairly happy with this, but I still avoid doing it!

Hugs, Lisa x

scrappymo! said...

Well, I am hopeless with shading but would also like to learn more. I am thinking of taking a shading course and then trying to learn more thru on line research.

I think your card looks great to me!

Fiona said...

well Sarah...I will add my tuppence worth too...I don't mind colouring black hair and those gorjuss girls have the perfect hair to practise with...I use copics and I use black on the ends and then about 5 different shades of grey...yes 5 not 50!!

Fi
x

MagsB said...

Well, I think those pleats are great, they give lovely dimension to the image!

love Mags B x

Pink Dandelion said...

Hi Sarah, I can't give you any advice, constructive or otherwise 'cos I don't think I've ever coloured black hair, I always avoid it and stick to brown but I'd like to say thanks for asking the question because all the answers are very helpful. Take care Debs xx

Anonymous said...

A gorgeous, girly card and I think your colouring looks fab, your pleats look great and I always struggle with black hair too!
Helen x