Monday 6 August 2012

PanPastel Tutorial... Simple Blending.

White Gel Pen Highlights

Hi everyone,
I hope this simple 'How to Blend' with the PanPastels Tutorial will help if you are new to this medium. I've used three bright colours, Permanent Red, Diarylide Yellow and Phthalo Blue. This is how I blend.

The card stock is 'White Linen' from the Papermill on line store. I use this a lot as I like the textured finish it gives me. It's not always easy to stamp on, but I feel that adds to the 'mix'!

Start with the Red and SWIPE your sponge over the pan ONCE only. Do not DAB the Pan, this disturbs too much chalk. Don't overload your sponge because you will pick up far too much powder and just get into a right mess!
The magic is in the 'layering' of your colours.

Apply the colour to your card stock. I use a circular blending motion.

Swipe the sponge over the red again, only once remember and go back over your work in the same place to build up a layer of colour. Carry on building up your red layer until you are happy with the depth of colour achieved.
 
Move on and do the same with the Yellow making sure you go over and out from the edges of the Red. Blend them together you now have Orange. Build up your layers of colour slowly.

Repeat the Yellow until you like the shade you have achieved.
Ensure the Yellow has some space for itself before you move on to add the Blue.

Blend the Blue into the Yellow, as before, so Green appears. Apply more Yellow if you want a brighter green or more Blue, of course, if you want it darker. 
I hope you are still "Swiping" your sponge across your Pan. No overloading or dabbing!

Place some copy paper over the colours as you move over and up your card, this is to protect your work from your finger marks as your fingers will be messy!

Add some more Blue so it gets it's own space, blending it out  from the Green, then add the Red again blend out from and into the Blue to make a lovely Mauve. 

Each colour must have its own sponge, even the new shades you have created, green, orange and mauve. 
I do not wash my sponges. You can if you wish, but I like to store them in colour coded plastic resealable bags to use over and over again, as quite often there is enough surplus colour left on the sponges to complete other projects without getting out the Pans!

Finally, apply a small amount of Black around the edges of the card to add a bit more depth and interest!

Spray your finished background with a cheap hairspray (this is not archival) or a proper Pastel sealant.

Then its onto the stamping and on this card I've used distress Inks plus black archival and Dylusions Stamps from the Doodle Parts Set.
Distress inks

 Dylusions Stamp

I hope this helps. The finished card is much 'richer' in colour that my pictures show. The light was a bit 'iffy'  today. 
Please email me if you have any questions ... eileen@ken-godwin.com.

Thanks for looking. Have fun and please let me know how you get on!
Eileen xx