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Buy everything from the same collection to ensure that everything will match when doing your card or project? How do you know what stamps you want to buy? And Copics... where do I start lol? I want to buy copics and I know I want the CIAO's but I don't know what colors to start with.
I'm trying to put together a wishlist of things that I find myself "needing" when I'm trying to make my cards.
Do you guys follow card sketches? Or do you free hand you cards?
I'm really picky so I usually buy my supplies from here and there. Unless I absolutely love EVERYTHING in that collection I will buy it. That hasn't happened for me yet.
For stamps I prefer rubber clings because they are easy to store. Sentiment stamps are very useful! I love buying patterned paper so I hardly use background stamps.
As for copics...lol..I don't even want to start buying those. I'm trying to not "need" it because I know that once I start I'm not going to stop. You could just buy them in one of the packs that they sell.
I definitely sketch before hand. My free hand cards seem to take longer for me.
You have asked the tough questions and I don't know how to respond. Usually I will only buy a stamp if I already have an idea what I can do with it, unless I just LOVE it. As for matching paper - I have so much at this point that unless it is an "odd" or unusual color I don't bother getting cardstock to match my designer paper - having said that, I like SU's designer paper because it coordinates so well with their colors - of which I have quite a few.
As to Copics - sounds as if you are just getting started - and if I was in that situation I would look around for something more affordable as it turns out you really need a lot of colors if you are going to try any blending. Although I have lots of colors I still am not good at blending - go figure. But there are more and more alcohol markers on the market and I think a lot of them are as good as Copics but cost less. I particularly like the Touch Markers.
I have hardly answered your question but have just given you some of my thoughts. . .
I buy most of my paper from Papertrey Ink and Gina K. From there, I take the colours of those papers and match the Copic markers to them. I bought Sketch markers 'cause they're oval (won't roll off the table as easily) and they have the name on the tip of the marker. I buy Copics from Oozak.com, because of the low prices (once you log in), and because of the free shipping over $50.
Papertrey has marker combinations on their website for various paper colours that they sell. If you buy your papers from Stampin' Up! (or probably any other major company), there are places where you can find Copic colour matches too.
I prefer clear stamps so sometimes I just browse stores that are known for carrying clear stamps. If there is something you prefer above others, I'd say let that be your guide - whether it's type of stamp (clear, wood-mounted, cling) - or if you don't care what type of stamp it is, then let your own preferences guide you - vintage, whimsical, cutesy, etc.
I have sooooo many stamps I WANT to buy, it's harder for me to narrow it down to which ones I CAN buy.
I normally don't do sketches because they are too difficult for me. The cards I make have a very, very basic sketch - sometimes just a rectangle on top of the base card.
I color in copics a ton! (check out my blog, everything is done in copics), so when I buy, I usually get at least three at a time, a tone, and one color up or down, for example I would get E33, E35 and E37...that's three browns, starting at the lightest brown going darker....later on I add on even lighter Like the E30, E31 and darkest E39; For me, I color people a lot, so brown is a natural choice for hair color. I also love animals like dogs, teddy bears,....Skin tone is a very common color, I often use E00, E01, E02;
Whatever your favorite, I would pick your favorite color be it brown, blue, red, pink....then get at least 2 or 3 in the same color family; Color family will have the same letter and number. E3x, the X will change based on the darkness with 0 being lightest, 9 being darkest. Not all copics have every number x...see the copic color charts so you know what colors are sold.
As for Products in a design set, I rarely love all of them, but will sometimes buy mutliple things from a set if I do adore them. Usually because I just love the color patterns or theme. That's pretty rare for me though. Sometimes because I am going to do a scrapbook and I do want things to match. Seldom because I want the cards to have "matching" components.
I don't usually follow sketches, I just make my own designs.
Buy everything from the same collection to ensure that everything will match when doing your card or project? How do you know what stamps you want to buy? And Copics... where do I start lol? I want to buy copics and I know I want the CIAO's but I don't know what colors to start with.
I'm trying to put together a wishlist of things that I find myself "needing" when I'm trying to make my cards.
Do you guys follow card sketches? Or do you free hand you cards?
Thanks,
Tee
I don't ever buy everything from a collection. I look at it like building a wardrobe. The red in your shirt doesn't have to be the same exact red in your pants, they can blend. I don't understand matching ink to cardstock - but that's just me.
As far as copics go, is there some way you can try them out? You have lots of options: copics, watercolor pencils, Tombo Markers, Prismacolor pencils, various paints, etc. It very well might be that you have an affinity for one medium over another.
I too would not be one for buying a collection, I prefer to pick and choose, mix and match. I can see that if you use a lot of ribbon it could be helpful to have it matching, it's the only thing I sometimes find hard. But if you're planning on Copics you can always use those to colour white ribbon.
Personally I only start with a sketch when I'm following a sketch challenge. I start with the image I want to use and then go from there. But I know there are many people who use a sketch as their start-point - it really depends on what works for you!
As for what stamps I want - I have a preference for rubber but don't mind clear. I like to have a good variety of images and styles, and except for stamps that I have asked to be given as a gift, they have to be versatile and be useful for several purposes.
I don't buy a lot of patterned paper or accessories. But recently when I do, I will buy several of the papers and some of the co-ordinating accessories. I don't keep up with the latest stuff on the shelves. I'll probably have to see what I like over and over before I buy, and by then it's usually on the clearance section so I'm limited to whatever stock is left. I don't buy stamps to match my paper.
What sort of stamps do I choose? Art style - usually nature themed or elements like flourishes and textures. Type - rubber, rubber, rubber. And if it comes with storage, like cling panels or clamshells, even better. Love woodmount, but have lots of cling mount too. What few sets of clear stamps I have I'm selling off. Don't like them, so I never use them. It's probably a good thing for me coz there are a lot of lovely designs in clear stamps, but I won't buy them. Saves me heaps.
Copics - not here. I've got enough variety of colouring mediums to keep me well satisfied for a long time to come.
Card sketches - if a sketch has a simple, interesting layout I might use it. Otherwise I just keep it fairly simple. Or I go all out and just make what I think looks interesting.
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I have to have colors that match or I get overwhelmed so I need to buy from companies that coordinate their colors like SU or PTI. I'm not a matchy-matchy kind of girl when it comes to clothing or jewelry but I want it done for me in card making. I want things coordinated but I never buy a whole collection (like you see at Archivers).
I haven't jumped on the copics bandwagon yet.....but will eventually.
When it comes to choosing a stamp set I buy what I'm drawn to. I do like to check out ideas here to see if it seems like a stamp/set is easy to use.
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
First off thanks everyone for you input! I'm slowly but surely making my list. I need to go through my stamps and figure out what sentiments I have and which ones I need to buy, as well as what color inks I need.
buttons123- I guess I would buy bits and pieces from the collection. I need to figure out what embellishments I "like" exactly. I'm not sure if I like brads or ribbon or what lol. I never thought about not buying background stamps because of having a lot of patterned paper- that's a great tip.
Cathy H- Lol, sorry I didn't mean to ask tough questions, they're the ones that have been stuck in my mind for a while now. Thanks for the suggestions on the Copics I didn't know there were other markers out there.
SophieLaFontaine- I've been hearing a lot about Papertrey Ink and Gina K. I think I should look into their cardstock. Do you use those for your card bases? I'm leaning towards the CIAO's more because of the fact that the Sketch's are oval lol. I don't know how comfortable they will be in my hands. I think I like cling mounted stamps a little better than the clear stamps but those are my two biggest preferences (because they are easier to store).
HolleyTX - Thanks so much for the Copic help. I think I'm going to start with skin tones first and build up like that because in the mean time while I'm trying to build my collection I can still use my BIC markers and stuff.
SC Magnolia- no I have no way of trying out the Copics. Thanks for listing the other options, I'd never heard of some of the those like the Tombow markers.
Cook22- Thanks for the input. I guess I would only buy everything from a collection if I can see myself actually using it as well as if I actually like it. I didn't know that Copics color ribbon - thanks for that tip.
Misstreez- I'm with you, I'm usually behind on what's on the shelves. Except recently I realized what CHA was and I've been looking out for those collections that are coming out.
Allistamps123- That's how I feel about my colors not matching. I don't want to be in the middle of a card and realize that I don't have something to match it.
Tee,
I just read yesterday about a girl who put together a Copic journal. I can't remember if I read it on here or on one of the blogs I follow. Anyway, she included many things I have in my Prismacolor Pencil Journal,and some I hadn't thought of.
I get just the paper collections and sometimes only the smaller pads. My stores don't carry everything in a collection and are slow to get in anything remotely new! Plus I don't use stickers and make my own embellishments.
About markers - there are basically two types, the waterbased, like Tombow and the SU markers, and the alcohol based, like Copics, Bics, Sharpies, and Twin Touch by Shinhan.
The Copics are quite expensive, so unless you know you really love them, they are an investment.
I started off with waterbased markers, but soon found out I didn't like the look which was kind of streaky, and the fact that you couldn't really "shade" with them.
I couldn't justify the cost of Copics, so I got a set of 24 colored Sharpies, and 36 Bics. They are pretty reasonably priced. The only thing I found with those brands, is that the colors, even the ones that look pastel from the caps, are pretty intense.
So I used a coupon and got a few Copics one at a time, in pale pastel colors to go with the Bics and Sharpies. I also got a couple of flesh tones in the Copics.
I think a good alternative to Copics are the Shinhan Touch Twin markers. You can find them on sale in sets for a reasonable price. Here is a link:
I don't do elaborate shading when I color, but I like the results I get using my mixed method markers, and I haven't spent an arm and a leg on my markers. All of the cards in my gallery are colored using a mix of these markers.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
And Copics... where do I start lol? I want to buy copics and I know I want the CIAO's but I don't know what colors to start with.
Excellent questions, Tee. I'm jumping in on the Copics question because I've spent the past 18 months putting together my meager collection of 80 Copics. The first lesson I learned was that there wasn't much I could do with my Copics until I invested a small fortune.
I've found that coloring with Copics works best when I have three shades of one color, but you can probably get away with two while getting started. I will give you my suggestions for some of the shades based on my own purchases, but you'll have to decide for yourself what shades and tones you prefer.
Reds:
I did not get R27. Everything I've seen shows it to be almost identical to R29. But I did add R39 & R59 for a rich "Santa Suit" red blending group.
Pinks:
The pale reds (ie: R00) look more orange than pink. RV000 & RV02 are nice light pinks, but RV04 is much too bright, giving it an almost neon appearance. Though it might be okay for a bright flower. For a darker, rosier pink I'm using RV11, RV32, RV34.
Greens:
I'm finding a lot of the greens look alike, especially when extra color is added. For a basic green I'm using G21, G24 & G28, but I keep thinking there's got to be a better green set out there. One day, I *might* invest in some G1x shades (ie: G11, G13, G15, G17) to see if I like them better. For greenery, I like YG01, YG03 & YG17.
Browns:
I have a bunch of browns but haven't quite figured out what I best like using together. E33, E35 & E37 make a nice blending group for clothing and skin. But I'm finding that things like hair and wood need something more (more touches of light, dark, gold, etc) to bring them to life--something I've not yet learned to do.
Grays:
I prefer C shades best, though real artists will tell you that you need to use C shades with cool colors and W shades with warm colors. I like using C00, C1 & C3 to make sidewalks.
I've made a few "mistakes" along the way. Mistakes, meaning I could have done without them. Of course, my "mistakes" might be someone else's must-have color. Please keep in mind that I'm not a discerning "artist" (said with a French accent). I'm just a gal who likes to add color to her stamped images.
My "mistakes" include:
RV63 & RV66: RV63 is rather ugly and it does not blend well with RV66. But I might find a use for these shades in small flowers.
BG0000, BG000, BG02 & BG05: To my eyes they are almost identical to my B0000, B000, B02 & B04 respectively.
E17 & E19: I like the color, but they look the same to me. I don't have any other E1x shades. Maybe I'd appreciate them more if I had lighter shades to blend them with.
E51: To me, it looks just like E00.
R00 & R11: I thought they'd be good to blend with my R2x series, but I just don't use them.
SC Magnolia- Thanks so much for those links! I think keeping a journal is a great way to get started.
Cartermrc- I agree stickers are something that I realized that I don't really like much! My stores don't have everything within the collection either so I normally shop online.
Buggainok- I agree I have the BICs and they are very intense. I never thought about researching other markers. I'm going to check out some other brands.
Melissa59- Thanks so much for this copic help and for the links!!
Buy everything from the same collection to ensure that everything will match when doing your card or project? How do you know what stamps you want to buy? And Copics... where do I start lol? I want to buy copics and I know I want the CIAO's but I don't know what colors to start with.
I'm trying to put together a wishlist of things that I find myself "needing" when I'm trying to make my cards.
Do you guys follow card sketches? Or do you free hand you cards?
Thanks,
Tee
I felt overwhelmed by the Copics when I first was ready to buy them, so I ended up purchasing one of the 72 marker sets (set A) and it has plenty of colors. I haven't bought any more yet.
mswhittaker23: thanks for that suggestion. I went and looked at the 72 set that you were talking about and it does seem to have a lot of different colors. I'll think about what I'm going to do, the price of those all together, at one time, will put a pretty big dent in my pocket.
Great information, especially on the copic markers. I haven't leaped into that nest yet myself, but have thrown around the idea of learning more about them. Great information, TFS!!!
__________________ The way to knowLIFEis to LOVEmany things!- Vincent Van Gogh
mswhittaker23: thanks for that suggestion. I went and looked at the 72 set that you were talking about and it does seem to have a lot of different colors. I'll think about what I'm going to do, the price of those all together, at one time, will put a pretty big dent in my pocket.
Buy everything from the same collection to ensure that everything will match when doing your card or project? How do you know what stamps you want to buy? And Copics... where do I start lol? I want to buy copics and I know I want the CIAO's but I don't know what colors to start with.
I'm trying to put together a wishlist of things that I find myself "needing" when I'm trying to make my cards.
Do you guys follow card sketches? Or do you free hand you cards?
Thanks,
Tee
Boy, Tee, that's a boat load of questions you asked. I haven't read all the responses, but I did glance at your responders and am confident that you've gotten some good advice thus far. But, at the risk of being redundant, I'll give your ?s a shot.
1) I never buy all of a collection or a "kit." I know some like those, but I ALWAYS get frustrated at the leftovers since I never have come close to using up all of a kit.
2) Stamps? I buy what I like, at least for starters. Then I look around at styles that I don't have that others may like. For instance, I volunteer at a homeless shelter. There are a lot of folks down there in need of a little paper cheer (a card) that will like something entirely different than my taste, so I try to add things to my stamp collection I don't like at all. Ironically, it seems to work, they love the things I think are hideous - to each his own.
3) Starting with Copics. You'll probably get as many different answers as you get people answering. I say start with the lighter colors, all one color (blending) family. For example, if I'd'a known then what I know now, I'd have first purchased three pinks (RVs) and a few (2 or 3) complimentary greens (YGs) to color some generic flowers. For me, that would have been a good starting point.
4) Sometimes I use a sketch as a guideline; some people, especially those who participate in challenges follow them closely. Since my card-making is primarily for various charities (and they neither know nor care about trends, sketches, in-colors, what the lastest products are etc.), I usually do this: I get an easy idea online (sometimes from a sketch I run across but more often from a sample) and go to my workroom with it in mind. I play with it and tweak it until I think I've found a balance of easy (keep in mind I make a lot of any given card when I'm making for charities) and eye-pleasing. Then I make the card till I'm sick of it or I run out of the focal point (like a special embellishment in animal-theme for the Humane Society).
I'm sure someone has said to remember to keep it fun. Don't stress over what you don't have or want next. Remember, this is a hobby and it's supposed to be enjoyable.
I guess I am simple I buy what I like....i am not loyal to any certain brands..or styles..whatever catches my eye and I know that I can use I get...i have a few copics hope to get more but my favorite things to buy are paper stamps and embellishments like flowers glitter or ribbon...
__________________ Just trying to be the best me I can be 😊
First Time at this site and my 2 cents about copics
I was a little overwhelmed with copics at first. I took the plunge and now I love them! I am actually taking the certification classes in a few weeks.
I have built my collection on 2 fronts. I bought a set of 36 form Joann.com. If you have a 50% off coupon (which turn up frequently) they are not too bad. Also, the coupon code will trump any sale price at the time. I then added markers one or two at a time. Oozak.com has a pretty good price per marker an they ship fast, which is good since I dont have a lot of patience ;)
My other suggestions is youtube. I learned enough to get started playing around by watching youtube 'how tos'. I have also found you can track down some really informative blogs that way!
Anyway, I hope this helped, also, If I have dont something wrong per this forum, let me know and I apologize in advance!
A word of caution about buying a set of 36 or 72 Copic markers.... the colors that in these sets don't really go well together in terms of blending and shading. Unless you plan on buying more to fill in the holes, you may find yourself very frustrated that the markers aren't "working" like they're supposed to. While you can get a better deal by buying a set like this with a coupon, it isn't a great value if you don't like them. It can be a good idea to start small with a few markers, with some of the color combinations that others here suggested, and then build from there if you like them.
I buy things from a collection when I like the style/pattern/etc. I then find I have trouble putting them together in a card without the whole thing coming out too one-note and "matchy-matchy". So I find that I use the pieces separately, as if they weren't part of a collection.
__________________ Traci
Who needs tattoos? I already have ink in strange places...
I know a lot of people love the copics, but I just didn't get into them; cost and a learning curve to them. Might decide someday to get a few of the light pastel colors, but don't picture me getting any anytime soon. I have enjoyed using the Bics, Sharpies, coloring pencils (with and without goo gone or babyoil) and watercolor pencils, watercolor crayons, chalks with blender pen, and Marvy Plume markers and also the blending pen with the stamp pad inks, pigiments and other types..
I usually try to buy a few of something to try it out first before buying a whole set. That way, if it's not my thing or I don't like them, I haven't invested a fortune. I do think skin tones would probably be great in copics. I tried the prismacolor markers and did not like them at all. Part of the problem might have been the paper I used. I've heard that's very important in using copics and other types of markers. I will continue to buy the Georgia Pacific white cardstock from Walmart though, as it is affordable and they sell it locally. Wishing you the best on whatever you chose to work with.
Tee, if you are still thinking of Copics, you may want to check out the Originals. I have sets of Ciaos, and when I signed on with A Muse the starter kit included a few Originals, and I like them much more. The brush tip on the Ciaos is very soft, but on the Originals is more stiff - and I really prefer them. They work especially well for small detailed areas.
I'm not really a matchy-match person either - I do have matching now because my favorite cardstock and ink pads are from A Muse Studio. But I also use Distress Inks and other companies' patterned paper, too. And I used to use PTI cardstock and Versamagic or Memento ink for awhile - worked fine for me.
I never feel tied to coordinating products though. For example, I love 6 x 6 paper pads, because the designs are sized for cards and they are easy to store. I especially like Webster's Pages and Basic Grey. But I don't usually buy much more to coordinate with them than the BG enamel brads or WP ribbon - and I don't necessarily use them together.
When I started stamping, I bought SU's Touch of Nature and Earth Elements cardstock. I just tend to gravitate toward earthy and rich tones, and natural images. I knew that if I stuck with those colors and styles, the things I purchased would go well together. Of course, I've since expanded my horizons, but it worked well to get started.
I am also not very scientific about the stamps I buy - I just buy images I love. You'll want to be sure to have a good variety of sentiment stamps; I especially like more detailed line drawing images; and silhouette stamp styles lend themselves to many stamping techniques.
My card designs are original - I've used layout sketches maybe two or three times for challenges, but that's it. It just all comes together as I'm working on it, but sometimes I do have a general concept in my head at the start.
When you buy craft supplies do you...
First Time at this site and my 2 cents about copics
