Simon Says Stamp Blog Hop - Day 1 - Fresh Bloom Release

Today is the first of a two day Simon Says Stamp blog hop for their newest product release called Fresh Bloom. I have a new set of watercolor cards in this release called You're Tweet. Here is an image:

I think I mentioned last month that I got a new iPad for Christmas, so this is my first official set of watercolor cards that are drawn digitally. This means they are cleaner and more graphic with solid lines instead of thin messy doodled lines. What I am trying to say is they look better. So if you haven't liked them in the past, try them again and I think you will like them better. I'm a pro now - or learning to be one haha. With no digital art training, I am doing my best! Here are all 12 cards colored with close up images of most. At the end of all of these photos, I'll give you some basic coloring tips I use on them!

CARD 1:

CARD 2:

CARD 3:

 

CARD 4:

CARD 5:

 

CARD 6:

 

CARD 7:

 

CARD 8:

 

CARD 9:

 

CARD 10:

 

CARD 11:

CARD 12:

Here are some tips to use when coloring these watercolor cards:

• These are printed on the smooth side of Ranger Watercolor Paper which is pure white. The paper works well for any coloring medium, not just watercolor. I use a combo of watercolors for the backgrounds and larger areas and colored pencils for the smaller more detailed areas. Copic markers or any other markers work well on this paper as well. Or you can combine them all on one card!
• I die-cut all of the cards with a large rectangle die that makes them just one size smaller than a card base. This allows me to attach them to a colored card which frames the designs. 
• I use a wet on wet technique for the backgrounds. I wet the paper first on the entire area I want to paint and then I apply more saturated color closest to the image and let the color move outward. You can see that many of my backgrounds don't go all the way out to the edge of each card. 
• I use two types of colored pencils, but any type will work. I have Prismacolors which are wax based and are very smooth and blend well. I also have Polychromos by Faber Castelle which are oil based. They go on more like a regular pencil and the tips stay sharp longer. They don't build up a waxy residue like the Prismacolors, so you can blend them in more layers. But they don't blend as well as Prismas. I like working with both as I use the Polychromos first and then use the Prismacolors over them to make the color smoother and lighter. Too much info?!!! haha (((I am a colored pencil connoisseur and really want the Pablo's and Luminance ones next because I can never have enough!)))
• I watercolor larger areas of the cards and then I add shading and depth with colored pencils - so most areas of the cards have both on them.
• I use Tonic Nuvo Drops over many of my colored areas - you can put just a thin coat over anything. I think you can see many of them on my close up shots. I prefer the glitter ones and my next favorite are the jewel ones as they are transparent. They add great texture to the cards. I also like using drops of the Nuvo Drops around my images to decorate them instead of sequins.
• I often add shadows behind my letters so they have more depth. I use a light gray colored pencil or a gray Copic marker such as an N2. Sometimes I use color for the shadows as I did on the egg card. 

Here are some details about the blog hop:

• SSS is giving away a $25 coupon on every stop on the hop from each blog comment section. They will choose the winners over the weekend and post on the Simon Says Stamp store blog on Wednesday, the 13th of March. If you win, you can email SSS to claim your prize :).
• Make sure to add any of your projects to the Fresh Bloom gallery! You can visit it anytime to see all of the creations from this 2 day blog hop in one place!
• Here is a list of the blog participants - next on the blog hop is Lisa Addesa

  Simon Says Stamp Blog 

  Jennifer McGuire

  Kristina Werner

  Cathy Zielske

  Nina-Marie Trapani

  Nichol Spohr

  Jessica Frost-Ballas

  Suzy Plantamura

  Lisa Addesa

  Amy Rysavy

  Lea Lawson

Thank you all so much for visiting today and for all of your nice comments and support! I look so forward to SSS Blog Hops as the comments I get just make all the hard work so worth it! I hope you enjoyed this new set of watercolor cards! I'll have a "one stamp, five ways" post up in a few days using the brand new Pretty Peonies cling stamp. Here is an image of my first colored image using colored pencils:

Here is a supply list for all of the products used in this post! Thanks for visiting!!! Suzy

Comments

[Emma Sleppy]

Wow! Great coloring and so much Spring. Love Them!

[Jan Elmore]

Stunning...so dang pretty!

[Wendy Keyes-Turnbull]

Thanks for sharing. They are really cute.

[Glenda S Demorest]

Your cards are amazing! I love the coloring on all of them.

[nancy f]

I love the Blog hop. Greats cards.

[Jackie Parkins]

I love seeing your beautiful, colorful creations every time there's a new release!

[Mary Jo Stewart]

Beautiful cards. The colors just scream SPRING!

[Robin Brower]

Absolutely stunning cards! I also use prismacolor pencils and Lyra color pencils. I have not tried polychromos. Your coloring is beautiful. Thank you for sharing your talent.

[Lisa A creations]

Beautiful coloring! Makes me feel like Spring is already here.

[Karen Stewart]

You do beautiful work.

[Mirella Rogan]

These are all so stunning, Suzy, I love them! All the details are fantastic!

[Lisa Byers]

Suzy, I love your cards!! My first set was the Sweet Treats. They are so much fun to color!! These Spring cards are awesome and I love how you have colored them. Thank you so much for the tips, I appreciate any help I can get to make my cardmaking easier and better.

[Jessica]

Love this release.

[Lagene]

Awesome creations, I especially love the beautiful Peonies!

[Viveca V.]

These designs are delightful. They me smile and think Spring!

[Carolyn]

Your coloring is so neat!

[Sharon Beattie]

Love all the cards, but You’re Tweet is my favorite.

[LeAnne S]

What wonderful tips you shared for coloring!! Definitely learned some new things to apply to my coloring. Thank you for sharing your beautiful cards with us!!

[Verda]

Your cards are amazing. Makes me want all the new release so I can CASE your lovely talent

[GrammyP]

I love your cards-they are so fun! Thanks for sharing!

[Darlene Gabriel]

Wow, such sweet cards. Your colouring is fantastic! I love the coloured Peonies too.

[Cheryl Rigney]

So many sweet images in this newest set!! You colored them beautifully!

[Linda]

I was never interested in this until I saw yours, wow, just amazing and fun!

[Rhonda Riedl]

I love the vibrant colors - we see pastels so much this time of year - very refreshing.

[Michelle Darde]

Thank you for the constant inspiration to create and play!