What a difference a pen makes!

I was inspired to try this after reading Dove Art Studios blog where Jennifer has been colouring one of Dustin Pike's new images using various colouring mediums she's used in the past & comparing the results!  So this morning I decided to give it a try myself & thought I'd show you the results from my test:

All produced using:

  Personal Impressions Premier Quality Smooth White card (250gsm)

Magnolia "Death Cap" rubber stamp

 Memento Tuxedo Black

PENCILS:

Caran D'ache Supracolor II

As a teenager, whilst studying art at school Caran D'ache pencils were ny on all I used due to budget limitations.  The pigment in these pencils is very very good, with smooth, creamy leads which produce bright, vibrant colours that blend together well. Now, I always used cartridge paper which has a rougher surface, ideally suited to pencils, whereas here I used the same smooth cardstock for all.  If I recall correctly when I have tried to stamp images on cartridge paper in the past it has had a tendancy to bleed, so perhaps Bristol Board would be a good compromise as the card for this excercise was a tad too smooth so I couldn't achieve my normal standard of blending when used dry. The wet wasn't too bad, but again I could have done with a more textured cardstock. 

Prismacolor (blended with Zest-it)

I'm still learning with these pencils and usually use them for backgrounds rather than colouring entire images.  I've mentioned in the past that I use Zest-it as my blending fluid due to my asthma, and it does seem to work very well with these pencils. The colours are not quite as vibrant as the Caran D'ache but they do blend like a dream on the smooth cardstock making them an ideal companion for Copics!

PENS:

Tombow

These are the first pens I bought specifically for rubber stamping - personally I found them great for intricate detailed stamps but they were not so good over large areas.  They, like all similar felt tip pens rough up the surface of the cardstock and colouring lines show up.  I have the blender pen, but I never have managed to get them to "blend" nicely - have you got any tips?? 

Copic

My oh my, these are something else!  The trick with these is getting the right cardstock - the smoother the better - I've tried many in the short time I've been using Copics and found the test card to work best for me.  Please note, I am not Copic certified & probably like when painting watercolours, I break all the rules, so it may not be suitable for everyone.  I adore the fact that if you're careful you don't get colouring lines, Copics blend like a dream - although some colours are a tad temperamental and the colours themselves are vivid, making these ideal for stamping projects.  Not to mention they are refillable - yep I've got to that stage on some of my favourites already and as for the air-brush system - woo hoo - it's fun, although I still need to practice a tad more.

I had great fun doing this little experiment this morning - and it's confirmed, Copics are the medium for me (what a surprise!!!!)   

Can I just ask if any of you have tried the X-Press IT Blending Card - it is supposed to be the "bees knees" for Copics & I'm itching to get my inky little paws on some to try it for myself . Does anyone know if it there are any plans to release it in the UK?

Why not try this little experiement for yourselves - and see what suits you best!