Uh-oh....a new addiction: Copic Markers

There are a few crafts that I have never done, or at least never done at home, despite thinking they would be fun to do. Time, money for supplies and room to store supplies have all been factors at one time or another. This explains why I haven't thrown clay since high school and don't have a kiln. I've never had a class in stained glass but am okay with that as I don't want to store pieces of glass among all my other craft supplies.

The list of classes I've taken is long and I don't regret any of them. Saving odd bits of left over kit supplies in case I ever made something else in that craft became a problem, one I'm continually reassessing. Reassessing meaning sorting, donating and tossing. I'm never going to needle tat again. What, you've never heard of that?

Image from Wikipedia

I'm not doing macrame, quilling or frying marbles either. I did read about baking marbles, but relax, I am not buying marbles to bake them so that they crack internally. I'll wait until Colton is old enough to play with marbles and leaves a few behind.

I'm not likely to smock again unless Colton ever becomes big brother to a little sister. Yes, smocking can be done for all babies and some little boys do wear smocked garments, but that isn't the norm up here in SE Michigan. Also, Colton is big strapping boy. Putting him in a smocked garment would look almost as silly as putting one on his dad or grandpa. I can't get to photos of garments that I made years ago but here is a sampler from my smocking days. Sorry about the photo quality and angle, I was trying to avoid window reflection and glare on the glass.

 

 

My point (yes, I do have one!) is that I've stopped collecting fabric, yarn and other supplies while trying to use up or donate what is on hand. I've sworn off learning new crafts that would require more tools as I try to declutter my home and my life. So what is my new addiction?

 

Copic Markers!

 

I have always liked painting and coloring. I have always had markers in the house. I have also grumbled when a reached for a marker that hadn't been used in a while and it had dried out. Same reaction to one that was used up, usually a sign of a favorite color, and who knows which store carries that brand now.

 

My kids gave me some Copics last Christmas and I played a bit with them but realized there was a lot I didn't know. Last weekend I went to a Copic Seminar. Woohoo! We learned the advantages of Copic over other markers (for one thing, they are refillable), how to shade, how to blend, which colors work well together, what those numbers on the caps mean and also how to achieve a few special effects.

Basic coloring plus how to texturize the bear.

Shading for dimension and blending unlike colors.

A bit more detail in blending and shading.

 

If you are a Copic Marker junkie user, I would love to hear about it, including your favorite blogs, websites and You Tube tutorials.

 

Color my world warm (furnace and hot water are in and working!) and artfully blended, Copic style.