How I do what I do #1...

I have had many requests inquiring what materials I use and how my girls are created.  So here is a little insight into how I do what I do... (I don't mind anyone having a go at this technique but I just ask that you don't copy my style, bring a bit of yourself into the technique). 

The first part of my how to is showing you how I create my girls.  This is my technique that has developed over years, the materials, process and media has evolved as my needs have changed and will probably keep doing so as time passes.

Sooo... I start with a paint colour called cloud, made by Fas, as the base of  the faces.  Two or three coats should do it onto 130 gsm cartridge paper.  I usually do a whole lot of faces and in two different sizes so I have a stock of them.

I then draw the features in with coloured  pencils, add a few highlights and rosy cheeks with Pebbles Inc chalks.   

Then I cover with a light brushing of  Pebeo gloss varnish.  Although the varnish only takes a few hours to dry I usually do these last thing in the evening and let them dry over night so they will be good and ready in the morning.  A few times I have got impatient and touched them while they were still wet and wrecked them!  

The varnish really softens the coloured pencil and chalk pastels.  It might look a little grey in parts, but that is just the scanner having problems with the glossiness of the varnish (I tried scanning it about 9 times to get rid of the gray bits.  But don't worry it will loose it's greyness once it is cut out).  

Which is the next step once they are good and dry I cut them out, I have some super fine scissors that I use to do this... and see the grey has all gone.

I then choose a patterned paper for her dress...  although this step may seem simple it can sometimes take me all night deciding what dress paper to use... Once I have finally decided (K&Company pack of 150 classic papers... sorry but the individual papers didn't have names in the pack).  I cut out the dress shape (I use a template that I trace around for this). Then I paint in the arms adding a few stripes, either with a white pen or pencil and some colour with Derwent Drawing pencils. 

I glue the head to the back of the dress and choose a swimming cap out of scrapbooking paper and trace around the head shape, cut it out and add a few shading details or spots and glue it in place.  I also added some dots with a white ink pen around the neckline of her dress.  That is her finished, I hope this has been helpful…  

I have learnt a few things doing this tutorial, one of them is that the scissors I use are called bonsai shears, I never knew that... so from now on I will say "can you please pass the Bonsai shears... thanks"

I will post the background how to and the finishing painting next week.