Shimmerz Love Letters in September.

I seriously can't believe how quickly these months are coming around.

Hello September!

Today I am setting up my Planner once again, and as usual Shimmerz is my favourite product to reach for!

I just love the versatility of the paints and what I can stretch them to do!!

So grab a coffee or a tea, and watch the process for a few minutes!

Some very easy techniques that anyone can do.  Why not brighten up your planner today?

I hope you are inspired to do something creative today!

Have an awesome month everyone!!

Love Letters in June.

Another month has rolled on by and its June already!
But that also means another Love Letters Video.

This time I am sharing a page from my Planner.
I love my Planner.  Its always with me, and it really does contain my life!

This month I used Shimmerz for some watercolour elements and some calligraphy.  It always creates a lovely page with the shimmery lettering and details.  So beautiful to work with too!

I used a selection of greens from The Shimmerz, Inklingz and Creameez ranges and a water brush.  I tried to choose colours that fit in three different ranges.  lights, mediums and darks so I could get some dimension in the leafy wreath.

Check the Video to see the process.

So thats it from me for this month.

Find me on Instagram (@lydellquinart) or Facebook for more snippets!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Lydell x

A Shimmery Planner.

Hi there.  Lydell with you today sharing a Planner Page I am setting up for May. 

 (Can you Believe its May?  WHERE did April go?)

There is a touch of everything on this page, A bit of hand Lettering with Tombow Markers and Fudenosuke Brush Pen, Washi Tape and a bit of art work I photocopied and cut out and used as a side element.  It is actually a part of my Sister-in-law's birthday invitations I just finished off.  An arrangement of watercolour florals and leaves I painted and digitised, perfect for adding to my planner!  I am thinking it will show up more than once in Mays pages!!!

This time I wanted to show that having Shimmerz Paints on hand is an awesome way to add colour, and glimmer in a very simple way.  You dont need to be able to paint or draw for this.....or be artistic in any way really.

I handwrote on my page, sure.....but I also used my stamps and a very cool set of Alpha's that I could 'colour-in'...

Tips for stamping/colouring....

On this page I stamped in a similar colour to the colour Inklingz I was using.  A pale green.  The outcome is no border lines can be seen.  You can do this with images as well.  Its a cool look!

Add water to the Inklingz tub and let it sit for 5 minutes to activate and 'melt' the pigment.  You can make it watery and transparent, or thick and opaque.

If you want to add an ombre feel to your letters choose a darker shade of a similar colour (or co-ordinating colour like orange and yellow, purple and blue etc) and add it to the bottom blending where the two colours meet.

Outline the words or image in Black pen after it's dry if you like to add dimension.  It creates a more polished look than stamping in black first and covering up some of the borders with paint.

This technique as simple as it is can be used in your Cardmaking, scrapbooking, Bible Journaling or any project papercrafting you have in mind!


Heres how My May page came about

My months theme for May will be this similar colour scheme with the mint green through out.  Its a gorgeous colour  (Inklingz Giddy about Green)

So why not dig out all your alpha, number and Image stamps that allow you to colour in 

and try them with Shimmerz Paints on your next project.

Thanks for stopping in.

Love Letters In March

Hello Shimmerz Letter Lovers!

I have a mini tutorial for you today.  Lettering goes hand in hand with Shimmerz Paints.  There are endless options to combine paints and sprays with lettering, either brush lettering with a brush using the paints, or painting/misting the background and writing with similar techniques using brush markers.  Combining mediums creates endless possibilities.

Today I am creating a background with a variety of Shimmerz Paint products, in my Bible, and then adding Brush lettering, using a brush marker!...  So much fun combining the two!!!

I will share my project first, then include the mini tutorial of some brush lettering basics.

I prepared my page first using Clear Gesso.  Not all Gesso's are suitable for lettering on as they are usually made with a gritty texture (which will ruin your pens)  Art Basics (Prima)  has a beautiful clear gesso that is lovely and smooth and perfect for writing on!

I sketched out a large heart and painted it in with a water brush using a watery mix of Inklingz. 

(solid watercolour with gorgeous shimmer)

I always keep a paper towel near by to either clean off the residual paint from the waterbrush, or to dab off excess paint.  I added water as necessary and dabbed until I got a lighter centre to my heart and a darker outside,  creating a dimensional feel to the heart!

Let that dry and next starting on the outside.  I chose a yellow Aqua Huez 

(flat, solid watercolour- no shimmer)

A good amount of water is added to create a distinct watercolour feel.  I added several layers here to get an uneven colouring.  Letting each layer dry before adding more!

I added other colours as well.  Enter Creameez!

(solid, creamy and slightly shimmery water colours)

After that has dried I added my lettering using a brush Marker 

This one is a Pentel Touch and a Pigma Micron 01.

 Now for the Lettering!

This can be done by anyone but it really does requires practice.  As with anything the more you do something, the better you get.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Keep practising!

February Love Letters for Oakley

Hello Shimmerz Friends.

Today I sat down and lettered a piece to send to Samantha for her new Baby.  Little Oakley is arriving anytime now and we all welcome this precious little boy into the world.  We have all been eagerly awaiting his arrival, and many prayers have been said for his safe delivery!

This art work is a lovely poem that depicts the joys of being a Mum and the reminder to take it slow, soak it all in and enjoy times spent loving our little people.

See the Video below.

A quick how to....

I used Canson 220 Drawing Paper for this project.
1-I wrote out the poem arranging everything how I wanted it to look.
      Because on my first draft the text did not sit evenly on the page (the final sentence was too low) I       got out my lightbox and traced it a little higher up on the page making it fit better and appear               more central.
2- Using a water brush and several aqua shades of Shimmerz, Coloringz and Vibez, I mixed some             colour's and added others directly to my palette, mixing with water if necessary to thin down the         consistency.  I selected a couple of shades of grey  (Vibez- taupe of the morning and                             Coloringz-a shade of gray.)  I also added a little white acrylic paint to make the aqua colour a              little more opaque.
3- Using a fine tipped water brush I started writing out the words, I dipped the brush in other colours         as I continued each letter to meld the Aqua's and the Greys together.

As with any Brush Lettering or modern calligraphy styles the whole deal with creating the letters is with the consistent 'heavy down,' 'light up' technique, which creates the thick downstrokes and the thin upstrokes giving the text that unique look that is reminiscent of Calligraphy.  This just being done with a regular brush.  (You can, of course get a similar look from Brush markers.)

There are many worksheets on Pinterest that you can download for free, but practice is definitely key!

What ever you do Have fun!!!

See you next time,

December's Love Letters....

Hello December!

Can you believe it's only 25 days until Christmas?

Today's Love Letters is a December Calendar Project.  Perfect for planners, journals and cards.

I used Shimmerz Paints of course.  I often reach for the watercolour pots.  Aqua Huez are a flat colour, with no sheen, Inklings are a shimmery blend.  I chose bright colours with a mix of these two ranges for the christmas lights.

See the Quick video here......

I used some good quality watercolour paper (Canson) which stands up well to water.

1. Wet the paint pots with clear water to activate the paint

2. Sketch out your design in pencil

3. Dampen the area with the lights with clear water

4. Using a watery mix dab the paints onto the wet light shapes encouraging flow outside the lines

5. Let dry and then add another layer on top staying within the lines this time to define the light shapes

6. Add another layer in neccessary for the depth of colour.

7.  Using a while gel pen add in 'shine lines' on the lights

8.  Using a watery mix of black aquahuez add a shadow to the letters

Visit the Shimmerz Store to see all the gorgeous colors in the many ranges on offer!

Have an Awesome December and enjoy the Christmas season!

November's Love Letters with Shimmerz Paints

Hey there it's November!!!  Can you believe it?

November is going to be an awesome month.  I celebrate my Birthday, (which if I am clever can be a birth-month! :) )  Preparation for Christmas festivities begin, and thinking about gift giving, making plans for holidays and getting into the Spirit of Christmas!  Its all fun!!!

To kick start November I thought I would sketch out a November Calendar Topper.  Look out for the download here on the blog.

I used a water brush and just two Shimmerz Paints that coordinated well together (Purpilicious and Little Boy Blue Aqua Huez.)

Enjoy!

 

You can see that I drew out the basic outline in lead pencil first, so I was sure it would fit and the words sat well together.

Using a water brush (a paintbrush with a refillable water barrel to continuously release water for painting and lettering) and a couple of Shimmerz Paint colours I started painting in the letters.  Keeping in mind the downstrokes should be heavier (fatter) and the upstrokes thinner.  While the first layer of colour is still wet, drop in a little of the coordinating colour to create a gradation type of effect.

I used a fine black pen (a Pigma Micron 01 is my favourite) and the technique I used is a rough multiple line technique where you purposely draw wobbly lines and do multiple passes.  It reduces the need for drawing perfect linework and adds interest.

The Tombow Dual Brush Pen has a brush tip one end and a fine tip the other.  I use a grey that looks good as a shadow and draw in the shadows imagining the light source is coming from the top right, casting shadow on the left and bottom side of all the letters.

Lastly add colour to the banner adding dimension by darkening shadow areas and lightening the centre area creating depth.

A fun little quick project you can use anywhere.....In your planner, on cards, labels, scrapbooking etc!!!  Just add the same techniques to whatever you need for your own project!

Have a wonderful November!

Love Letters In September. Water Color Embossed cards.

Hello There.  Its the first of the month again and I have another video showing you an easy lettering project!  This one features Shimmerz Coloringz and embossing.

Check out the video below to see how its done!

As you can see, drawing the roses is quite easy, just squiggly lines wrapping around the centre bud, does not need to be perfect.  Draw the full flowers first, then tuck in segments of flowers that are sitting behind.  Add some leaves here and there and when you add the colour it will completely come to life.  

Tip....draw with the embossing pen under a light and you can see the 'sheen' of the embossing fluid.  Its a bit tricky to see your lines other wise!

(If you are not brave enough to try yourself you could stamp an image using embossing ink, and emboss with powder the same way!)

I cut my water colour paper to roughly 4 x 4 Inches and once my design was finished I added a stitching border on the sewing machine.

....AND, If you have been practicing your brush lettering then finishing these cards will be a breeze.

A little about the product....

Coloringz are a spray watercolour product much like Spritz and Vibez, but has no shimmer.  It sports vibrant colour, but is also transparent allowing a unique building of colour with repeat applications to create depth.  Today I used it like a liquid watercolour and dipped a brush into it (either poured into a palette or just dipped straight into the bottle.)  So easy!  

Find Coloringz in the Shimmerz Store HERE

Hope you will give this a try!

Take care, and enjoy September everyone.