Think Outside the Lines

Ok, friends, grab you coloring supplies and get ready for a fun challenge! You like to color, you know you do! You have been a vital part of this "adult coloring" craze since way before it was a craze! YOU are the cutting edge! You work hard to create those perfect images to embellish your paper projects. You spend money and time working on getting flower petals to look dimensional and at the end of the day, you are happy with the outcome, but wonder why you can't seem to make it pop off the paper as you would like. I am about to tell you one of the key secrets...gather in close. We don't want just anyone to hear. It is this simple trick...don't use black to outline the image. That's it. Too easy? Not possible that it would matter, you say? In nature very few things have a black outline. Black sure does help you see where you need to color, but it also serves to flatten the image.

Light hits an object and our eyes can see its form and color. There is a lot of science to this and I don't want to bore you with all that, but light plays across the surface of an object and allows you to see dimension. You can see overlapping and shadows because of the way the light hits that object. Light doesn't put a black line around an object so you can see it.

Your challenge for this on-going Wednesday challenge, is to color an image (flowers are great practice images) where you do not begin with a black line. If you are going to stamp a flower, use an ink color that is close to the lightest color you will use in coloring it. If you are going to draw one, keep that pencil line so light you can only just see it. If you are selecting a digi stamp, print it out and tape it to the window and trace your image onto your paper very lightly. The key thought is that you want to be able to make those lines disappear!

I did not make the card below. I got it in the mail and thought it was perfect for what I wanted to show you. The daisies do show forward and back petals and they do have some dimension, but not nearly what they could/should have because of the black outlines. The ATC has no lines. The colors are the same except for the green in the leaves, but the dimension is greater.

Play with this and see what you can come up with. We do not expect perfection. What is that anyway? Jump in and try. It is painless!

Well, isn't that something??? I'm going to go play right now!

I'm looking forward to trying this. Not sure when I'll be able to, as crazy as the week is, but I am definitely intrigued.

Marilyn, thank you for all of the art insight you give us! It is definitely appreciated.

I actually did this but haven't mounted it yet. It is certainly a different look than you get with a black outline. I started a second one because I want to try a different medium, but got bombarded with work and had to put it aside. Thanks for the push Marilyn!

Good work, Elaine! I hope you have fun with it.

Marilyn, you make art so fun and do-able! I will try to find some time to do this challenge. Because, well... it will challenge me!

Here is my first attempt. I have to go get a paintbrush for my second one...don't know if I lost them in the move or the grand-kids absconded with them.

No clue why I'm only getting 2/3 of my photos. Argh.

Elaine, that is gorgeous!! Is it water colors? The roses just look amazing!

Elaine, that is so beautiful!

I posted about Elaine's card and it disappeared. If you see it somewhere, send it here, will you? I will try again.

Elaine, I am so in love with this card! It is so soft looking. If my mom were alive, I would ask if you would sell it. She loved roses! Our little Bug's middle name is Rose, just like Great-Grandmommy's! (Sheri, is that right? It feels strange!)

You have done a great job with this, Elaine!