This ~n~ That with Sharon: August 2012

Meant to have this done earlier but with my end of quarter for summer (which was insane) and me getting a total knee replacement, it got put by the wayside for a bit, but I finally got it done! I used Copic markers and will list all of the colors I used for the balloons at the end of the tutorial.

So, without further adieu......here it is!!

Steps 1 & 2:

I didn't take a pic of step 1....That is to take a regular pencil and lightly draw in the rest of the balloons.

Step 2 is to color in the knot of the balloon and the edges with the darkest color of that balloon....in this case I used V17.

Picture a balloon and notice how the edges are always darker than the center since the light cannot come through the edges the same way it comes through the middle.

Next use the next lightest color V15 and color in more of the balloon while leaving the center uncolored.

Using the lightest color V12, color in the center and blend all the colors together.

Start coloring another balloon...coloring the knot and the edges. I did not color the edge where the purple balloon overlaps since the purple balloon is actually covering the edge that would be dark on the pink balloon. I used RV55 for the darkest pink.

Color in more of the center with the lighter pink RV52.

I finish up the pink balloon with RV00 for the lightest center and to blend the other colors all together.

Next I color the green balloon starting with YG17. With this balloon I colored all the way around the inside using thinner lines where the overlap of balloons are. I just wanted you to see you can do this and it will still look ok if you use light colors and thin lines.

I used YG13 for the lighter green.

I have went and colored all of the other balloons but you can see how the green looks a bit darker by the yellow, pink, and purple balloons where I added the darkest color all the way around the edges.

Now.....to give the see-through look of the balloons. take the lightest color of each set of colors and color on the light pencil marks you have already put in. Lightly color on the balloon that is over the balloon under it....color almost all the way to the edge leaving the edge the original color of the balloon on the top. You will see how it will add just a slight bit of color on the balloon on the top and make it appear as if you can see though the balloon to the balloon that is floating behind it. I then took a white gel pen and colored in the reflection marks to cover up any spots that I went inside the lines.

Practice on some balloons before you color the entire image....just in case you are not happy with them.

You can always email me if you have any questions.