Blue Crocus Card Video and Tutorial

 Hello there! I'm back this week with a video featuring Signs of Spring stamps from Gina K Designs and Spectrum Noir Markers. I am so pleased to have received the entire collection of alcohol markers from  Spectrum Noir and plan to feature them regularly. I still love and will use my Copic Sketch markers, but I've wondered, for some time, how Spectrum Noir compare because they are such an affordable alternative.

So far I find them to be wonderful. They remind me very much of Copic Ciao markers. They are hex shaped, and large like Copic Ciao, and also have the bullet and chisel tips. You can replace the bullet tip on the Spectrum Noir markers to a brush tip if that is what you prefer, but I don't plan to do that, except possibly to experiment down the road some time. For now, I prefer to use them "as is" to show everyone just how well you can color and blend with the bullet tips.

Even though I have the entire collection, I want my first few projects to draw from just a few of the Spectrum sets, so you can see that you really can color beautifully with a limited number of markers and build your sets up as choose or can afford. On today's card, I used the 6 Piece Blues set and the 6 Piece Greens set.

Here is the video, but if you prefer to watch on Youtube, you can find it here.

 Start by cutting and embossing white cardstock with Spellbinders® Standard Circles SM largest die template and stamp the crocus image, from Signs of Spring, using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

 Begin coloring in the darker areas with Spectrum Noir markers, TB5.

 Blend out from there with TB3.

 Fill in most of the way using TB1, leaving just a few tiny highlighted areas uncolored.

 For the foliage, color in the darker parts with CG2.

 Then fill in with CG1.

 I don't have a color comparison chart to share with you, although I am certain they can be found online if you search. I do plan to list what I consider to be nice alternatives from my own Copic Sketch collection that I would have used if I had made this card using Copics. I hope to do the same for Spectrum colors when I do Copic posts.

For my card today, these are the markers I would have used to achieve similar results. There are probably better matches to the Spectrum colors, but these seem like the closest ones in my collection.

 After coloring, I placed the circle back in the die cut and sponged around the edges using Memento Cantaloupe ink. (PL alternative - Sweet Corn)

 Then sponged around the bottom using Memento Bamboo Leaves. (PL alternative - Fresh Asparagus)

Next, cut and emboss white cardstock using Spellbinders Adorning Squares die templates. Use the two largest die templates, nested together. When cutting with nested die templates, you can secure them in place using low tack tape, or hold them just right using Spellbinders Magnetic Placement Mat.

With the die templates still in place, sponge around the edges using Memento Bamboo Leaves.

Stamp the sentiment using Memento Danube Blue (PL alternative - Powder Blue) onto a 1/2 inch strip of white cardstock and trim the ends. Cut a piece of green cardstock with the largest Adorning Squares die template and adhere to the back of the white die cut. Secure the circle and sentiment layers using self adhesive foam squares and use more to secure the entire assembly to a 4 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch white card base.

Thank you for visiting. I hope your day is wonderful!


Supplies

Signs of Spring Stamp Set - Gina K Designs

Spectrum Noir Markers - 6 Piece Blues (TB5, TB3, TB1), 6 Piece Greens (CG2, CG1)

Pure Luxury Cardstock (White, Jelly Bean) - Gina K Designs

Memento Ink (Tuxedo Black, Cantaloupe, Bamboo Leaves, Danube Blue)

Spellbinders® Die Templates (Adorning Squares, Standard Circles SM)

Jumbo Sponge Daubers

Paper Trimmer

Scissors

3D Adhesive Foam Squares

Tape Runner