T Shirt Winner!!

Thanks to everyone who left fun comments on my T-shirt giveaway. The random winner chosen was:

Beth Matson  who said...
I'll have a B26 Christmas without you.

Way to go Beth! I'll have a B26 Christmas without you as well (I think this game is kinda fun).

Book 3 Blog Hop Winner

Thank you all for leaving comments on my blog. Colleen and I are so happy that people are enjoying our book, and we are thrilled that we can help someone new win a copy of the new book.

The random winner from early this morning goes to:

Leslie Parks said...

This blog hop has performed its purpose: I now KNOW I need that book. Before I thought it might be nice to have. What I like is the different styles included. I've seen so many copic-colored images of strange-looking children that I love the diversity in this book. (I do not believe you would enjoy coloring while laying on your stomach.)

Actually Leslie, I love to color on my stomach. growing up I would usually draw and color on my bed while laying on my belly. It takes a little longer to get up from that position than it used to, but I still love it. 

Congrats on winning! We hope you enjoy the book!

Paint the town R29 Blog Hop

Win a Free Shirt!
This weekend, I need to get away. I've been cooped inside coloring waaaay too much. Not that coloring is a bad thing, but the world is a really big place. So, I'm grabbing my markers, I'm leaving my desk, and I'm gonna Paint the Town R29!

(Actually...I've been coloring with the Copic Instructor Team!) We just had our annual team meeting, and yesterday we got to all wear our new shirt.

Do you also need some new threads to wear as you get out on the town? Today we’re giving you a chance to win your very own Copic t-shirt!

Leave a comment on this post and you are entered to win your very own “Paint the town R29” shirt. I’ll choose a winner on Tuesday, October 30th.

As part of your comment on my blog, please leave your favorite color saying, but substitute a copic color instead.

 For instance, I'm tickled RV04 (shock pink)  or I'm feeling a little B12 today (ice blue). Be creative! Like, This week I went to the beach and got an E13 (light suntan).


Then, go check out the other blogs and enter to win. You have lots of chances to win! Enter at each blog, then check back to see if you’ve won.


Colleen Schaan   

Debbie Olson  

Lori Craig  

Sherrie Siemens  

Cindy Lawrence 

Sharon Harnist 

Michele Boyer  


Can’t wait to win? These t-shirts are exclusive to the Copic website. You can purchase your very own “Paint the town R29” from the Copic store. Check out our growing selection of limited edition t-shirts, exclusive to the Copic site. Please Note: Contest is only open to US and Canada residents.

Good Luck and Happy Hopping!

Copic Coloring Guide Level 3 Blog Hop

Commenting has now closed- Thank You!

Book 3: People
Can I tell you how excited I am to have a blog hop for this book? I am Thrilled! Colleen worked so hard to pull together all the finishing touches to make this book a reality. I had a lot of fun working with her to create the tutorial images. We really wanted to get a wide variety of looks and styles into this book, and I feel that we succeeded.

Today we are doing a very special blog hop, in honor of the Copic Coloring Guide, Level 3: People. I was asked to share my favorite project from the book, and while I really love my card project, I must say that one image I had the most fun drawing and coloring was my Author image/self portrait.

You can see here how much I enjoy coloring. I love this image. It is me in an idealized world.   Nowadays, I am usually sitting at my desk, coloring and working on something that needs to go straight onto my computer because it was due last week. Not quite as much fun as laying on the floor, just happily drawing whatever I want.

I really don't like self-portraits. I hated those assignments in art school, and I never liked drawing myself in a realistic manner...so I wouldn't. I almost always draw myself as a comic. The hair length is usually reflective of actual length at the time of drawing. Here's a self-portrait form a 2008 blog post. You can see in this image I have shorter hair.  Some artists never change the way they draw their self-portrait, and so it may not be reflective of what they really look like. But you could totally pick me out in a crowd, based on my author image, right?

The picture I drew for our third Copic book is actually based on one of my favorite self-portraits, however. This image I drew back in 2006 for a gallery show. I think this pretty well sums up what I feel about the notion of realistic self-portraits in general. I was not happy at that time with the notion of a self-portrait, but it was rather important, as it was supposed to go with my artist statement.




Not very nice to throw darts at your own picture!

Now, to get on with our exciting Blog Hop!! Please visit the other contributors to this fabulous book.

Inside Copic Coloring Guide Level 3: People, you will find a CD with blank tutorial images to color, and detailed step-by-step directions, as well as many fabulous finished card projects.

Each participating designer is hopping today to give you a peak at their favorite project from the book - and a chance to WIN your own autographed copy! 

Blog Prize!!

To help kick off the celebration of the new book... each designer on the hop is giving away an autographed copy of the book...signed not only by Colleen and myself, but by the individual designer too!  Please comment on this post for your chance to win your copy of mine!  Commenting will be closed on my blog at Midnight, on the 26th.  Winners will be announced on each designer's blog. 

Jane Allen

Melissa Andrew 

Michele Boyer

Jennifer Dove 

Beate Johns

Sharon Harnist

Melanie Holtz

Michelle Houghton

Debbie Olson

Claudia Rosa

Colleen Schaan 

Can't wait for your copy? 

Copic Coloring Guide Level 3: People is now available at many stamping and scrapbooking stores. Visit your local store today and ask about availability.  It is also sold through the Annie’s catalog, accessible online at Annie's.

OK, have fun hopping along, and good luck winning your own copy!!

Fall Pumpkins Class, Freebie

Coloring Pumpkins for Beginners Workshop
Tonight I am teaching a private workshop to beginners, and one of the projects we are coloring is this lovely Fall pumpkin image that we shared as a freebie a year ago or so. It was really popular, so I wanted to use it again.

Here is the image once again, and you are welcome to download it and try coloring it in your own workshops. In fact, here is the handout accompanying my class tonight:

It is generic, as I am using a variety of colors, and no two attendees will have the same colors. You can easily adapt any of your own color combos into this project. However, this is a truly beginner project. The lines show you where to put shadows, and the areas are simple enough that beginners should have no problem experimenting.  Note that when teaching beginners, it is sometimes easier to color large images. I have printed the blank picture out to be about 4 or 5 in. wide, so my attendees can have an easy time. This handout is meant to be printed at 8.5 x 11 in. so beginners can really see the image enlarged and understand where to put shadows.

I hope you find this useful. Please use this to teach others!

Certification Updates
We still have a few classes open in 2012. Look in November for our 2013 class schedule. Register now for any of our remaining 2012 classes.

Standard Certification:  
Classes are filling fast, so if you want to register, check out our website for Standard classes:
Oct. 26th Portland OR, taught by Sherrie Siemens

Nov. 2nd Houston, TX taught by Colleen Schaan - Filling Fast!
Nov. 2nd Calgary, AB, Canada taught by Sherrie Siemens
Nov. 9th, Grand Rapids, MI taught by Debbie Olson






Intermediate Certification: There are still a few spaces left in our upcoming classes. Please check out our website for Intermediate classes:
Oct. 27th Portland OR, taught by Sherrie Siemens

Nov. 3rd Houston, TX taught by Colleen Schaan - Filling Fast!

Nov. 3rd Calgary, AB, Canada taught by Sherrie Siemens

Nov. 10th, Grand Rapids, MI taught by Debbie Olson

Fall Coloring Contest

Looking for something fun to color? Want a chance to win some neat prizes?  Head on over to the Copic Blog for a chance to enter our Fall coloring contest.

Simply download the image, color it using Copic Markers, and follow the rules listed on the Copic blog. I can't wait to see how you color this cute image!

Limited Edition! It's Here!

A couple days ago, a special delivery arrived on my desk. I can't tell you how many YEARS I've been waiting for this...

25th Anniversary Sketch Marker Set

But, what makes this set special is that it has a Super Brush nib on one end and the other nib is a Standard FINE!!

People have asked me for years, "When are you going to make a marker with a brush nib and a fine nib?" Now that marker is here. This nib is identical to the one found on a Copic Original marker.

I can use the firm, fine nib for small detail areas, and I don't have to go searching for another marker to be able to smoothly blend larger areas. The colors in this set are carefully chosen to include blending groups, but it includes colors that you can't find in Copic Original markers. I know some of you have sets of Sketch and a few Copic Originals for the fine nib...This set won't duplicate the Copic colors, but it does include some of the most popular Sketch colors, including some of the new 2012 colors.

Here I drew a quick sketch of a tree with my .5mm multiliner, then unwrapped the new marker set and gave them a try.

I think I'm in love! 

The sleek black bodies were first introduced in a special anniversary set from the year 2000, and were chosen again to celebrate 25 years of Copic Markers. However, the set from 12 years ago didn't include fine nibs. The black body also helps you tell the difference between these markers and your current collection of Sketch markers.

We are so excited to have the new anniversary set! The first few stores that had pre-orders are just now receiving these in stock, so ask your local retailer if they have them in stock, or see if they can order them for you. You cannot buy individual colors...they are ONLY available as a set. I think you'll love these just as much as I do!