Hand over the markers, friend! Try Daniel’s favorite quick stamping technique.

Are you just getting started with stamping? Daniel West, EH Design Amabassador extraordinaire, is here to share his favorite stamping technique and it’s perfect for beginners.

Talk about difficult to choose! Picking a favorite stamping technique challenged me more than I thought it would. After a good while contemplating all the fun ways to use stamps, it occurred to me that I should highlight the one I go to most naturally… a fun outline drawing I can stamp in black and color quickly with Copic markers.

No fancy blending needed. No ombre inking on the stamp. No kissing one stamp on the other. These all create a fantastic result, but I love putting an image on an acrylic block, pressing it into a juicy black ink pad and stamping it onto some bright white cardstock.

TIPS:

• For a great first impression, especially when using an acrylic block, make sure your pad has a healthy amount of ink in it.
• When pressing your inky stamp to paper, hold it there a few seconds. Avoid pressing the stamp into the paper, just let it sit a sec on the surface for a solid impression.
• For Copic and similar markers, make sure you use an ink that plays well with alcohol. Hero Arts Intens-ified Black and Gina K Amalgam work well!
• Stamp several of the images from your main stamp set out and die cut them while you have them out. You can store them with the stamps and dies for a quick project later.

For this project, foil a piece of black cardstock with silver foil and the Tiny Stars Background.

Next, die cut the foiled panel and a matching white panel with the curved die from the Planet Surface Dies.

Then, prepare the die cut starry black piece with antistatic powder, stamp the Eiffel Tower image and “merci” sentiment from the Bear Ware Grand Tour stamp set onto the front with Versamark Ink and melt silver embossing powder over them.

After that, stamp several bears and accompanying images out with Hero Arts Intens-ified Black Ink and die cut them with their coordinating dies.

Next, choose a simple pale palette of Copic markers in families of three to blend easily and keep your project cohesive. (I used R01, E31, E34, E35, W1, W3, B00, B02, and B04.)

Then, to color the bear, add a single strip of W3 on the bottom from foot to foot, some under the arms, add a shadow with it under the chin and dot in a bit on the ears in case you want to reposition the beret. Add a two rosie cheeks with an R00 or R01 (depending on how cold it is outside).

After that, color in the baguette with some E35, E34, and E31, blending as you go.

Next, color the beret with the B00, B02, and B04 in the same way.

Finally, assemble all the pieces together. Adhere the black foiled piece to the front of a card base with liquid adhesive. Pop up the white planet piece with foam tape. Add some foam tape to the back of the bear and some liquid adhesive on his legs and add him to the front. Glue down his beret where you like it and tuck in the baguette under his arms, too.

Thank you for joining me today! If you feel inspired to shop for the items I used in this project, you will find listed in the grid below for your convenience.

Supplies