Coloring with SG papers

[lindarobin]

Four years ago, I did my first adult coloring using digital papers.  Found it exhausting, rather than relaxing!  However, quarantined at home, I decided to give it another go, and improve my technique.  I finished an 11x17 poster.  I'm going to do a couple more posters, and then get them printed all at the same time.

It's hard to see any detail when I upload my full poster in the gallery so I cropped out a square of it so the zoomed-in image can show the textures.

[MariJ]

I loved your coloring Linda and it’s such a great idea!   I never thought digital coloring was fun, but I think I’d enjoy using SG papers.    And, the square piece of your poster you posted is really awesome.

[ladyscrapalot]

Your layout is so vibrant! Would you mind giving a brief description of your technic, please?

[lindarobin]

11 hours ago, ladyscrapalot said:

Your layout is so vibrant! Would you mind giving a brief description of your technic, please?

Hi, Kelly!  Thanks for asking.

The first thing I do is duplicate the coloring page so I can extract the black outline.  I like to add a bevel style to it, then use this as the finishing touch on top of my coloring.

Next thing is to fix broken outlines by drawing lines to close the gaps.  The gaps are easily found by dumping paint on the outer white area, with contiguous checked.  Where the color seeps into the picture, you will find the open gap.  Undo the paint dump before you fix the gaps.

The actual "coloring with papers" is working with layers.

Method A: "Erase to Reveal"

1. Layer patterned paper under the coloring page.
2. Delete sections of white on the coloring page to reveal the paper underneath.
3. Merge layers.
4. Repeat from step 1.

Method B: "Create clipping masks"

1. Dump a primary color into sections of white on coloring page.
2. Use the magic wand selection tool (do not check contiguous) to select all of that color.
3. Copy.
4. Add a new layer and Paste into Selection.  This is your clipping mask.
5. Clip a patterned paper to the mask.  Merge.
6. Repeat from step 1, using a different primary color.

If you wish to change the color (hue, saturation, levels) of the patterned paper, do it before you merge layers.

Method B is a little more work, but it allows you to easily recreate a clipping mask (from those different primary colors) should you later wish to redo a section with a different paper.

 

[ladyscrapalot]

Thanks, Linda! I may have to look into that!

[MariJ]

That is so cool, Linda and your directions are so clear, thank you.

[scrapgarden]

Thanks so much for the directions. Will definitely have to try this.

[Smiles]

That's amazing,  Linda!  who would have guessed!