Using Magical Micas to Colour Bedtime Luka

Many people are confused by the name of Magical Micas and think these are nothing more than your average Mica powder - WRONG!!  Ah how I wish they were just called Magicals - would be soooo much easier to explain.  Magical Micas are a sparkly paint, they come on powder form (so you can do more things with them) and the dye in the paint is activated by wetting it (works with water, clear glaze medium or even Copic Blending fluid/alcohol).  I thought I'd do a very quick post (with a video clip to follow) to show you one way to use the fabulous Magical Micas.

You will need: Magical Micas, Bedtime Luka stamp, waterbrush, cardstock and Versafine Onyx Black stamp pad. 
I used the following Magical Micas:  Carpathian Bluebells (PJ's), Marigold Yellow (hat), Cocoa Bean (hair) and Cajun Carnelian (rosy cheeks and hat).

Using Versafine ink, stamp Luka onto either XPress It Blending card or watercolour card, I've added a tiny bit of watercolour pencil to his face, because only characters from Twilight have sparkly skin!

Make sure your waterbrush is full of clean water, and dip the tip into the Magical Mica powder - you only need the tiniest bit - see how much I'm using.

Gently tap this bead of colour onto the inside lid of the jar (this acts like a palette), which will wet the powder and activate the dye.
DO NOT SQUEEZE THE BRUSH - you will end up diluting your colour.

Use this to add colour to the darkest areas of your image first.

Once your darkest colour is added, swipe your brush on some scrap paper to remove a little of the dye colour - not all - just 2 or 3 swipes.  You now have a lighter tone of your original colour.  Proceed to add this lighter colour to the mid tone areas of your image.  If you have a harsh line between the dark and mid colours, use the brush to 'scrub' at line until blended or for really stubborn lines, add a tiny bit more colour from the 'palette - ie: Magical lid' just where the colours meet.

To create the lightest colour, wipe water brush on paper towel or scrap paper until it is clean and then swirl clean brush over white areas to wet and over the edges of the mid colour, you should see the palest of colour moving into the white areas - you can encourage this along with a circular brush motion over mid tone and light area.  Again if you have harsh lines, take a little colour from your palette and apply to the edge where the colours meet.

I like to let each section of colour dry (eg: the hat) before moving onto the next colour, as it helps to prevent colours bleeding into each other.  In this case I left the face and moved on to the PJ's.  Using the same steps, add the darkest colour first.

Then the mid tones (I love the Carpathian Bluebells colour - such a soft pretty blue).

Then the lightest colour - I didn't remove all the colour from my brush, so my lightest colour is not as pale as on the hat.

Add 2 spots of Cajun Carnelian to the cheeks and then quickly clean brush, blend carnelian into the watercolour pencil.

Keep blending until you achieve a somewhat natural look.
As a final touch, add some of the Cajun Carnelian to the hat where the very darkest areas appear, blend into base colours.

And there you have it, La-La Land Bedtime Luka coloured using Magical Micas, doesn't he look soft and cuddly.

Back with more soon

Kate

 

Comments

[Jo]

adorable!

[Lori]

Love it, Kate!