Pencil detail using Lawncare Cuties

As promised here is the tutorial using colored
pencils to add details to your paper piecings.
I used Lawn Care Cuties
to show how I did things.

I am not an experienced tutorial maker
so please keep that in mind. I do not have
the things I need to make a video tutorial so
I took several pictures and will do my best to explain
how I did things.

I didn't realize that the program I used to edit the photos had
I text feature so the first photos I did, has my handwriting (i
think it is legible).

I will also share a link to a site that you can view video and read tutorials. Some of the tutorials are free and some cost.
This is the company that I learned from. She
colors digital pictures but I use the same techniques when I detail paper piecings. The paper used in paper piecings is not what she recommends to use but when you use cardstock for paper piecings,
it can't be helped.

I use Art Glitter Glue. It works with glitter and the wax from the colored pencils and many other things.
It does have a high freeze level so when you order it, it is best to plan to order when the temperatures are not near freezing or
the glue will be no good.

I brush, such as the one pictured below is recommended to brush

the crumbs for coloring. This one I got from Kit and Clowder but you can get them from other places

To make the cheeks rosy, I use chalk. The chalks that I use

are from Pebbles Inc.

I like to take care of the small pieces like the eyes first because

I have a tendency to lose pieces. Gluing them together

makes the bigger and easier to find.

IF you plan to use pencil detail on the pieces you have

glued, make sure to not let the glue go places

that the pencil will go. This is another reason that

I love Art Glitter Glue. It has a very fine tip and

is easy to control.

(We have a husky and he is shedding his

winter coat and his fir ends up everywhere}

I use Prismacolor Pencils. Right now, there is an amazing deal on Amazon for them.

My workplace is simple.

I use a cookie sheet on my lap in my

comfortable chair. The cookie sheet has

sides on it to help keep my pieces and tools from falling off.

I also use the picture included with the file to see how things go. You can be creative in putting them together with your own way or you can do the same way they are pictured.

A Design Team member, Sarah, shared the idea of using a

Silicone Baking Mat to help hold the pieces while inking

them. It also helps when putting details on with pencils. Thanks, Sarah.

Now, on to what you really want to know.

The way to get more detail and depth to your work is

to use several colors (shades and hues) in your work.

I start with the darkest then add additional shades.

As I  work, I go over the darkest with the next shade and extend it. If I add more shade, I repeat that by going over the previous shade and then extend it out. This helps to make the shading gradual. You will notice that on some of the pieces, it isn't very gradual. This is due to the paper as I mentioned earlier. This blending is important as I will show you the difference in a coming picture.

The numbers that I list refer to the colors of Prismacolor

pencils that I used. You can choose the colors that you want.

Different colors of paper will also make a difference

in how they appear.

While you can just use one color, as shown here,

the more colors you add the more details and depth

you will get.

If you want your pieces to show real life shades,

keep in mind where your light source is. The side

where the light source is is the side that should have the lightest shades.

The multi shade use is really important when

detailing hair.

Start with the darkest shade. Black is used in the combo.

Depending on how dark or light you want your hair will

determine what colors you want to use.

I start by establishing the part in the hair and lines for the direction

of the flow of the hair. Don't put much if any dark shade in

areas where you want the highlights in the hair. I highly

recommend taking a lesson from Kit and Clowder on how to

do hair.

Add additional shades until you have made a full head of hair.

Color with the darkest shade on the edges that

the item in life would turn back. This will give

a more 3D appearance.

Just as before, o over the darkest with the next shade and extend it. If I add more shade, I repeat that by going over the previous shade and then extend it out. This helps to make the shading gradual. You will notice that on some of the pieces, it isn't very gradual. This is due to the paper as I mentioned earlier. This blending is important as I will show you the difference in a coming picture.

Use the darkest shade for the deepest shades. Those would be

where something sits behind something. In this picture, it is where the two parts are on top of each other. In the picture of the hair above, the part of the hair that is in front of the other hair has a shadow behind the top hair.

For highlighting metal, the highlight (lighter shade) has a very

stark difference.

Here is what I just made.

When I start a piece, I like to lay my pieces out in somewhat

of a way that they will glue together. This helps to make

sure I detail the right side and so I know what pieces I have lost so I can decide whether or not I need to recut them.

Here is the part created by the darker shade of pencil.

Remember the more colors you use, the more depth you achieve.

Under the edge of the hair, you will want a shade.

Blend that shade out with the next shade up. Also add the shade around the eyes, nose, and smile lines.

and again repeat the blending with the next shade up. 

Add the color to the cheeks with chalk.

These are the colors that I used for the flesh. I use

this combination for any of my pieces. The darkest shade is the top one so I start with that one first.

Many of the pieces in Cuddly Cute Designs are made so

not much of the neck is seen. This is how I would do it is it could be seen. The darkest shade in the middle and lighter shades on either side to blend.

I have never made knees before, but I figured what the heck. So I checked the internet to see for sure, how knees would be drawn. I started with a lighter shade so if I messed up, I could change it easier.

I added the detail with darker and lighter shades. The lightest shades go down the middle and the darkest on the outside to give it more lifelike detail. Look at your leg, and you will see this detail.

Same for the detail on the arms. Don't forget to detail the thumb.

Can you see the difference when blending is used and when it is not?

Any lighter pencil can be used to blend darker colors. White can always be used, but it will change the look of your color. You can buy 

Prismacolor Blender pencils if you prefer. They are colorless.

I dip in the cut, usually means a fold in the material. Shade into the fold to make it look like one.

Use the same shading technique when adding the shades.

This is the bill of the hat. It is darker on one side

to shade the shade it creates. 

Blend it to soften the shade using a soft circular motion.

See the crumbs left from the coloring? Brush (or blow) them of your work. Don't use your hand or you may end up with streaks of the crumbs being pushed against the paper.

Shade the hat and shorts using the same technique, darkest to lightest. The lightest colors are in the middle.

Cuddly Cute Designs has awesome shoes for their pieces.

I lay mine out in the order they should be glued. I will admit,

I love these shoes but sometimes get confused.

The piece with the star has been blended with a white

pencil.

Cuddly Cute Designs pieces are made to stand alone or with the other pieces, they were made of. Don't be afraid to mix pieces from different files.

Awe! Isn't he cute with all the details?

The next piece of this file set that I chose to do is the Riding lawnmower. Made me think to figure out how it went together but I did it.

I used darker colors of shade for this hair combo. 

Another thing to keep in mind in doing the details of anything, you have to use a dark color to see the light.

Think about where the light would hit in real life so you know where to put your highlights.

The little white dots in their eyes really adds life and cuteness to your pieces. I found this pen, Hampton Chalk Marker. It's round at the tip so you can get a nice round dot.

I hope you learned a little bit about my technique.
The site that I learned a lot about how to do this is
Kit and Clowder. Right now they have a free Unicorn class as well as a few other free classes, They also have many other classes you can buy. It's a very good place to learn.

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. I will do my best to answer you. You can contact me through the comments on this post and Facebook

Please like and follow my blog and Facebook fan page:
The Cuddling Corner of Cuddly Cute Designs by Donette.

I hope to be opening a site to sell some of my work in the near future. I will post that on my fan page when it is ready.

Thanks for coming!