One day I was in my LSS... Be Creative in Pitt Meadows, B.C. and Lisa Strahl had hers there. I thought what a wonderful idea! So...I began.
I started with 4-1/4 by 5-1/2 but the pages were going to be too small and the book would be too thick so I started over and went with half-sheets. I decided to use my stock of Gina K Pure Luxury as: 1) I was not a fan of the paper (I know people rave about it but, I have way too much trouble blending on it) and 2) It was nice and thick with no bleed-through to the other side....perfect for my book. I got all the paper cut to size, my binding coil at hand, my Cinch ready to bind and I picked up a sheet of heavy-duty acetate/mylar stuff...cut it in half and it was perfect for the front and back protective covers.
I started at the internet with digital clip art. I could have stamped it all but, I am such a newbie at stamping and there were so many images to do....I decided to go with digital instead. I searched until I found the images I wanted to represent my swatches....blank faces, hair, flowers, leaves, etc.
I created my templates and printed off all my pages.....sat down one night with my Copics and colored the pages in. I split each section by color and representation. I was not concerned with the actual representation of....say a leaf or a barrel but, with the laying down of my color blending families.
I am really, really happy with it. I can sit down now...open the book...look for a color family I want...see the main color, the highlight and the shadow....grab my markers and color. No more guessing!
Have a wonderful day!
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13 comments:
Hi. I am usually a blog lurker but I wanted to comment to say what a fantastic job you have done with your swatch book! I found your blog through SCS as I love my copics and always want ideas for my swatch book. This is great idea and a great size for a book. I have been doing the same thing, but I have been putting my pages into an A5 folder in page protectors, as I am finding it too difficult to work out how many pages to add to my swatch book and it allows me to add as many as I need. Great job! Hope you will keep posting more pictures of your swatch book as I have definitely been inspired. Annie :)
Thank you. These are just a sampling of the pages in my book. I did all my pages up before I bound them...and, it is not really all that difficult to add more pages to the book after it is bound.
Cathy
What a great idea, love how you did this!!! Thanks for sharing it with us.
This is great! Thanks for sharing.
Awesome!
I wish I had the time to do something similar with my watercolors.
I am not an organized artist though.
Ah...you can always squeeze in a moment while that darling son of yours is sleeping!
Cathy
I am just starting to realize how much I need a swatch/technique book. I googled the subject and found you. Thanks for the inspiration.
You're welcome Julie.
Cathy
Wow... this is a great technique book. Thanks so much for sharing!!! I just have to get more markers. lol
Wonderful idea. That would be so helpful to not have to do guess work every time. Thanks for the inspiration.
Hi Catrick, Thanks to Pinterest if found your “Copic Swatch Book”. I too am a visual person and your great ideas will help me get organized. Using blank images will be very helpful. I find the color codes on the Copic pens annoying and not true color when set on paper. When I first started to buy my colors, because of cost and upon recommendation, I purchased individual pens only to find some colors have never been used. Might you have any suggestions of what colors I should have in a beginner set?
I also struggled with the Copic Color Chart and found Sandy Allnock's Hex Chart....makes so much more sense to me.
As for color lists...if you Google Copic Starter a lot of blogs come up. I started with Suzanne Dean from: http://scrapbitz.blogspot.ca/. You can find her list under "Tutorials/Templates".
FYI...I have ended up with all the colors and every second one of the greys...lol.
Cathy
Sorry, you can find the Hex Chart here: https://sandyallnock.com/
Cathy
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