Working

Trying to catch up at night is tough!
here goes.....The great Art Adventure is coming up soon and I am looking at all the ways we can advertise the event. If anyone out there has a good local event website for the spokane area PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
Copic Pens
Lately as I have been touring the country I have been bombarded with questions about Copic Markers. These pens have been on the art scene for over 15 years and with the advent of Manga and the scrapbookers search for everything acid free( even better they are archival) it should not surprise me that Copic has made a huge leap forward in the minds of papercrafters. Graphic artists and designers have used them so why shouldn't we!
Here is what you need to know.
Why are they so expensive?
Copic pens are refillable making it a bargain in terms of a pen and on most styles the nibs are replaceable.. They should last several years if tightly capped which in my experience is better than most pens!
The nibs are also polyester making them last much longer than the standard felt tip
What kind of paper should you use?
I recommend using clay coated papers made for inks. Glossy or MatteKote are preferable also you could try any smooth short fibered papers. Most art supply stores carry "marker paper", Manga papers would also work well. Uncoated papers are not as suitable since the ink sinks and spreads or bleeds easily.
What other supplies can you use with Copic pens?
This is where the possibilities can really take off. Over Copic pens you should try colored pencils, gel pens,Spica pens, acrylic paint or even gouache. Copic pens can be used on a wide range of surfaces including leather,plastic, metal, glass and fabric.
Try this technique once you have a few Copic markers.
Stamp an image on MatteKote paper using a dye ink pad, let it dry completely.
Do not use StazOn under Copic pens since it is a solvent base the alcohol in the pens will wipe out the image.
Apply a thick layer of Micro Glaze over the image as a mask. Use a cotton swab around the inside edge of the image for a clean look.
Stamp a big background over the whole piece using pigment ink (Colorbox Fluid chalk works well).
Before the background is completely dry, buff the entire piece with a paper towel vigorously. This should yield a softly smeared colored background surrounding a perfectly masked image.
Copic markers work exceptionally well over Micro Glaze.
Now layer in basic Copic colors beginning with the lightest working into deeper tones you'll notice just how easily the pens blend. There is a blender pen available for those whose like to keep their pens pristine. I simply use the broad tip of my lighter tones to blend then wipe the nib clean on a paper towel it is amazing what can be lifted away by a bit of a rub and blotting with towel.
Once you have colored the image you may need to add back in a highlight or two.
The new Ranger Inkssentials opaque white pen is perfect for this job!
I have tested it with great results over several ink surfaces including Copic and other alcohol inks. Add a highlight, let it dry, then color it with a pale Copic color. This is great for areas you might have colored over a tad too much.
To complete the piece buff on just a bit more Micro Glaze for a waterproof finish.
Once you try Copic markers it is hard to go back to waterbased pens.Their blendability and durability are truly what most coloring freaks (like me) crave!
See you in Spokane!