Master the Copic Marker Flick Stroke Technique: Yippee for Yana
Hi friends! Please join me in welcoming back the oh-so-talented and amazing Yana Smakula! (Please note: our dear friend Yana is Ukrainian. To show support to our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, please see Yana’s post HERE.)
Hello, crafters, this is Yana Smakula for Simon Says Stamp! Welcome back for another Yippee For Yana video! Let’s look at the Flick Stroke – the Copic Marker coloring technique to color flowers for a realistic look.
I’m using the Pixie Dust stamp set as it features large beautiful blooms which is easy to color. The flick stroke is a simple way to color petals, leaves, or other objects to achieve a realistic-looking result. You’ll need to select the colors of markers for your image, just as you would with any other type of coloring. I used: RV11, R85, and R89. In a few instances, I also used RV00 as the lightest color to blend some of the petal detail.
Start with the lightest color and apply long ficks from the base and the tip of the petal in the center. Try to keep the center of the petal white, or free from color as this is where our highlight will be. Best, apply your medium color but shorten the flicks. Finish by adding the darkest color to create shadows. By adding the flicks to the image you not only add color, but create texture and identify the fold in the petals.
The flower centers were colored using a circular blending method. I added Y19 (this color was also added to the petals to bring in a bit of yellow and make the petals warmer), C9, C7, and C5 to create a really dark center.
Leaves were colored in the same way, but instead of starting with the lightest color, I started with the darkest – YG67; added YG17 (medium color), and finished with the lightest – YG03.
Once my coloring was done, I cut the image out using a coordinating die. I die-cut another layer from scrap paper and adhered the two using glue to have a sturdier die-cut on my finished card. I created an A2 top fold card base from white cardstock and set it aside. Next, I cut a 4 x 5 ¼” white cardstock panel and added faint ink blending using Pawsitively Saturated ink in Flannel – I added this color to the bottom left side of the panel. I stamped the Old Letter stamp over the ink blending using the same Flannel ink and added Splatter White to add white texture. Once dry, this panel was foam-mounted onto an A2 card base, and the flower die cut was foam-mounted on top.
I added a simple “have the best day sentiment” (which comes from the Simon Says Stamp Everyday EZ Strips) and embellished my card with Aura sequins from Spellbinders.
I hope you’ll give the Flick Stroke technique a try next time you plan to color flowers. Have fun stamping (and coloring!)
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Ways to support Ukraine:
If you are looking for ways to support Ukraine, we encourage you to visit this page on Yana’s blog:
Thanks so much for stopping by, and thanks to Yana for being our guest!
Friendship Panel: The Perfect Galentine’s Day Gift!
Hi friends! Happy Sunday! Please join us in welcoming special guest Paula Cheney with this gorgeous Galentine’s Gift idea! Read on and enjoy!
Have you heard of Galentine’s Day? It’s like Valentine’s Day, but for gals! Celebrated every year on February 13th, it’s all about honoring friendships, especially among women. I think it sounds like a lot of fun, so I wanted to create something special that could be given as a gift to a friend for this unique holiday. Let’s get started!
Substrate
- Paint the edges of a Etcetera Rectangle Panel using Distress Paint, Old Paper. There are two sizes of panels in the package, this is the smaller of the two sizes (5.25 x 7.25”).
- Cut a strip from one of the papers in the Worn Wallpaper Scraps pack. Use Collage Medium to adhere the strip to the right side of the panel.
- Choose another wallpaper from the pack to cover the rest of the panel. There are 20 different wallpapers in the pack, so there is plenty to choose from! Also add a thin layer of Collage Medium over the surface to seal the paper.
- Once the Collage Medium is dry, scribble Walnut Stain Distress Crayon on the edges. Use a damp fingertip or a wet wipe to rub the crayon along the edge. Pouncing with a wet wipe helps to mottle the crayon, so it looks like authentic aging. Set panel aside to work on the embellishments.
Embossing Glaze
- Cut a piece of Distress Watercolor Cardstock 4.25 x 5.5”. Using a stamping platform, add multiple heart stamps from the Stampers Anonymous Love Notes stamp set, onto the smooth side of the cardstock. I am showing more hearts than I will use, but I figured if I was going to stamp, I might as well give myself some choices of size and shape.
- Ink the stamps with Spun Sugar Distress Oxide and stamp on the cardstock.
- Immediately sprinkle multiple colors of Distress Embossing Glaze over the top of the Oxide hearts. I used Picked Raspberry, Kitsch Flamingo, Tattered Rose, and Saltwater Taffy.
- With one hand underneath, slowly tap the card to move the excess Embossing Glaze to the side and off the card.
- Use an embossing gun to heat the Glaze. Watch carefully as the Glaze is quick to melt. If you heat it for too long, you can lose the texture of the Glaze.
NOTE: a Ranger heat tool will melt the Embossing Glaze, it just take a little longer than an embossing gun.
- Use the Simon Says Stamp Love Notes Wafer Dies to cut out the hearts using a die-cutting machine. The Simon Says Stamp dies are so perfect to get just the right cut for each heart shape!
- Use a Mini Blending Tool to lightly ink the edges of the heart with your favorite brown Distress Ink color – mine is Gathered Twigs.
Embellishments
- Choose a Photomatic image to use for the centerpiece. Use Tonic Recoil Snips to cut around the image, leaving just the black frame around the photo. NOTE: You could also use one of your own photos (about 2 x 2.5”).
- You can easily tint the Photomatic image with Distress Crayons. For background or clothes, just scribble a bit of crayon directly on the image and rub with my fingertip to disperse the color. For small spaces, I like to use a cotton swab. Quality does matter with cotton swabs. Higher quality swabs are tight and will maintain their shape when rubbing or when picking up the crayon from the Studio Mat. It is well worth the extra dollar or two to get the best swabs you can when using them as a tool at your craft table.
- Cut a small piece of Worn Wallpaper, just larger than the Photomatic image. Tear and crumple the edges of the paper, then lightly ink with your favorite Distress Ink.
- Add the Wallpaper to the back of the image with Collage Medium or by sewing the two pieces together. Add a few pieces of Cello Sticker Tape (my favorite!).
- For the sentiment, I chose one of the sayings that are part of the stamp set. I sprayed a small piece of Watercolor Cardstock with Antique Linen Distress Spray. Once dry, I stamped it with Scorched Timber Oxide Ink and cut it to fit one of the idea-ology Label Frames.
- Glue the sentiment to the back of the Label Frame with Collage Medium. Once secure, add three Simon Says Stamp 3D Foam Squares to the back.
Assembly
- Pull a few floral elements from the Worn Wallpaper Scraps pack to serve as the background for the collage. The smaller piece was added with Collage Medium. The larger piece was added to Simon Says Stamp Thin 3D Foam Squares so it floats over the small piece.
- Adhere the Photomatic image with three Simon Says Stamp 3D Foam Squares. I put them right down the center back so I could slip hearts in on the left and right sides.
- Using multiple thicknesses of foam squares, add the embossed hearts to the collage. Notice I added “xo” to the open heart on the right? That is also from the Love Notes stamp set, I just didn’t ink the entire image, leaving just xo. Also, add your sentiment with the foam squares that were previously added.
- Use Collage Medium to add a bit of vintage lace below the photo. I also added Cello Sticker Tape and a Tiny Clip for a bit of added detail.
- Cover the photo and sentiment with half a post-it note. Squeeze a dime size circle of Picket Fence Distress Paint on to Studio Mat. Add a splash of water and stir with a Distress Splatter Brush. Flick paint over the surface.
Remove the paper masks and set aside to dry.
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Thanks so much for stopping by, and thanks to Paula for being our guest!
Our Sending Love Class is Now Available!
A Huge THANK YOU to Everyone Who Joined Us Live for Our First Exciting Virtual Class of 2025!
We had an absolute blast Creating Together with all of you, and we hope you enjoyed it just as much as we did! Your energy, creativity, and enthusiasm made this class unforgettable, and we’re so grateful to have shared this special experience with such an amazing community.
Missed the class? No worries! You can catch all the fun whenever it’s convenient for you. Just click or tap the image above to watch the class on-demand—pause, rewind, and rewatch as much as you’d like to soak in every detail and technique!
Now, let’s dive right into the three fun projects we created together and the supplies you’ll need to bring them to life. Get ready to spark your creativity all over again—let’s keep the magic going!
Project #1 Card:
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Project #2 Box:
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Project #3 Tag:
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Guess what? If you had a blast in this class, make sure you’re subscribed to our blog, newsletter, and SMS updates! You’ll be the first to know about our next fun-filled virtual class event and kit!
