SCHPIRRER FARBEN Colored Pencils and DEA LENIHAN Coloring Book Giveaway

I'm excited to say that Schpirerr Farben has given me a 72 set of pencils for a giveaway!

These pencils are creamy and they sharpen and keep a wonderful point. I have drawn several images with them and they layer like crazy!

Just follow the directions in the link below and GOOD LUCK!

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Coloring Mushrooms and Water Droplets

Aahhh!! The magic of coloring.

It is so fun too see all the wonderful work out there. It can also be frustrating when you don't know how to do one of the effects you see.

Here is a color-along video that includes a how-to color water droplets segment.

Subscribe on YouTube for two coloring videos a week.

xo

Coloring Schedule on YouTube

I am so happy to announce my new schedule for YouTube!

                                   Watch this video HERE.

From this time forward, I will be creating two coloring videos each week...one on Wednesday and one on Sunday.

These videos will contain how tos, color-alongs, and some interesting and helpful tips.

I posted two this past week, and showed shading, highlighting, and how to color a large area in one color and add depth and dimension.

                                            Coloring Penelope
                                                                                                       

                                            Coloring a Large Area

I am looking forward to this new program, and I hope you enjoy it as well.

Please leave me a message below if you have any suggestions for what you would like to see.

I will also be working with the incredibly talented colorist Ronda Francis--I can't wait!

See you on Wednesday!

xo

PENELOPE'S GARDEN GIVEAWAY!

Only two more weeks until the spookiest time of the year!

For the next 48 hours I am running a giveaway for one Penelope's Garden coloring book.

Please enter below. You do NOT have to take part in all three options to be entered in the giveaway. BUT, there is a bonus entry for anyone that already follows me. If you share my new coloring page, Penelope's Haunted House, or this blog post, you will receive it in a PDF form to color. 

Penelope's Haunted House

Just leave your name and email below if you share, and I will zip the file magically to your mailbox.

ENTER HERE!

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Happy Halloween and Good Luck!! xo

Compare Coloring Styles and Get Creative

As a coloring book designer I have the privilege to see many talented colorists use many different styles in my books.

When I design a coloring page I have an idea of what it will look like completely colored...well, I have an idea of my version anyway.

I have drawn hundreds of images, and I am still surprised on a regular basis at some of the styles and color schemes used on my images--and I have to say I love them.

Here are some examples of the exciting ways my images have been colored:

Penelope's Pumpkins, uncolored.

Colored by Karikaribik on Instagram:

This was colored with Ploychromos pencils and Posca Markers. The colors are very earthy and rich, and very similar to what you would see in real life. Pumpkins are (for the most part) orange, and leaves are green. The flowers of a pumpkin plant are yellow. There is white highlighting throughout the picture done with a Posca marker, and the shading is done realistically, too. The ground looks dimensional and rolling because the shadows surround the objects on almost all sides. Love this.

Colored by colouring_inner on Instagram:

This was only marked as "colored pencils" so I can't even be specific which ones! It is very soft and pastel, and very original for a Halloween image. The sky is black, the ground is grey, and the pumpkins are periwinkle! Love!

Colored by me:

This was colored with Poychromos pencils, and blended with a Faber-Castell blender. The shadows fall in the direction the light of the moon would cast them, and the highlights are done by leaving them white, and not coloring there. The depth of this one is somewhere between the previous images.

Colored by Kimberley Calaminici:

This was colored with Derwent Inktense pencils, activated by water. It gives the impression of watercolor, and allows the colors to be very bright. She also used a white gel pen for highlights which is a lovely touch. She used a deep aqua blue for the sky which gives the impression of early evening. Very lovely.

It is interesting to me that we all made the mice the same color, and we also made the cat black.

This has inspired me to try and change up what I think a picture should look like, and make it into something new and different. I also want to try water-activated pencils, or maybe even paint.

I hope this inspires you to try new things while coloring. You can always make a copy of the images that you have, so you can do them in more than one way.

Show me your finished work! I'd love to see.

You can buy PENELOPE'S GARDEN HERE on Amazon or at my ETSY Store.

xo

A Cute Halloween Coloring Book Witch for Kids and Adults

Penelope the witch made her debut last Halloween as a #1 New Release on Amazon.

This year, I will be adding several new Penelope pictures to my Etsy store.

Here is a glimpse of the first greyscale image:

INK on ETSY

                                        Greyscale on ETSY

This image and more will be available soon on YouTube, with instructional videos. Ronda Francis, my coloring partner in crime, will be doing the coloring, and there will be tips and trends galore.

The full PENELOPE'S GARDEN coloring book is also available at my Etsy shop and on AMAZON.

I am looking forward to this endeavor--I hope you are too!

xo

An Invitation to Color Along and Mini Pumpkin Drawing Tutorial

Please join us tomorrow for a coloring tutorial and a mini fall tutorial. 

The demo will show how to draw and color a realistic pumpkin. If you have Penelope's Garden coloring book--great! We will be using a page from the book. But never fear--if you don't, just grab a black marker or pen and your favorite colored pencils because the first five minutes will show you how to draw a realistic pumpkin.

If you would like to download a page from the coloring book please click HERE and pop over to my Etsy shop.

If you would like to use the free color along page click HERE.

If you would like to buy the coloring book click HERE.

And if you would like to learn to draw the pumpkin at the start of the hour and use it to color just bring a black pen or marker, Sharpies are great, and get ready to draw!

CLICK HERE to join!

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Color on!

xo

A Colored Pic from PENELOPE'S GARDEN

Here is an imaged from my book PENELOPE'S GARDEN that was colored by Ronda Francis. I just love it.

CLICK HERE and purchase before price increase!

Looking forward to more images colored by YOU.

xo

Drawn by me, colored by Ronda--LOVE. xo

Buy PENELOPE'S GARDEN HERE

Witches Brew Tea While You Color

Today as I set up my area to start another drawing, and realized that part of my drawing ritual involved tea. 

In the summer as I sit with the doors opened overlooking the cove I drink iced tea. But now there is a bite in the air and I find myself putting on the kettle.

As I waited for the water to boil I moistened the rim of the teacup and dipped it into a plate covered with brown sugar--kind of like an autumn margarita. Then I added spice to my cup of Afternoon Tea by Crabtree and Evelyn. Just a pinch of allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. I added a star anise and stirred with a cinnamon stick.

This nice warm tea was just what the doctor ordered on such a cold and blustery day. 

So grab your colored pencils and your favorite Halloween coloring book, or my new one if you like, PENELOPE'S GARDEN, and get to coloring with a nice warm cup of Witches Brew Tea.

Enjoy!

Here is a quickie video with instructions for delicious Witches Brew. If you make it tell me if you like!

xo