Sending Hugs + Fineliner Tips

*Compensated affiliate links used where possible at zero cost to you. No posts are ever sponsored or paid.*

I colored in front of the TV last night. We were watching an awesome documentary on the development of video games - notably one of my favorites - Space Invaders.

I started working the health food store my mom managed when I was like 13. The world was a wee bit less tightly wound then, so I was able to work and get paid and learn how to do life. I got paid $1/hour and saved 700 of those dollars and spent them on Calvin Klein and Gloria Vanderbilt Jeans at the Galleria in Houston, where my mom took me and my friend Mary to spend our hard earned money. 

But the store was located in downtown Bryan (the place my beloved Lyle Lovett sings about in This Old Porch), and there were just a few places available for lunch breaks: the Woolworth's deli counter (where I got my first paint by number set btw), Mr. Gatti's Pizza and Los Nortenos (the ACTUAL place he was singing about). 

I was a child, so I chose pizza, and in my defense - Mr. Gatti's was good back then in the late 1900s. But what I did is I went there - they had these super cheap, small, personal pizzas - I want to say they were like $1.50 - and I played the table version of Space Invaders for an hour. I freaking to this day LOVE that game. It's one of the best games of all time. 

And I got really, really good at it. My sister-in-law's cousin worked with me and would play me sometimes, and I'm pretty sure we got in trouble for being late back from lunch during epic Space Invader battles. If I had the money and the space, I'd have that tabletop game and I'd play the heck out of it!

I love all games and puzzles - it's the DNA from my dad - and so video games were just an evolution of all the puzzles I loved as a child - crosswords, logic puzzles, games, cards, physical puzzles. They so click with my psyche. 

And while we can't get together like normal now, there's still a HUGE community feel around gaming. I have a super duper fun friend group that plays Pokemon Go, and I think we chat more over the game during pandemic times than we might have before - so that's an unexpected blessing.

And if YOU are a Pokemon Go player - my friend code is 2089 0288 7039. Our group loves to raid, so if you like that, just let me know and I'll add you.

But we do all miss hugs, so that's what today's card is about!

I've been watching a bunch of tutorials on skin tone coloring, and really the secret is one from the old masters - UNDERPAINTING. No matter what skin tone you are coloring, you need layers of colors. I normally avoided coloring people because I think getting realistic skin tones is so hard, but if you watch a few tutorials, you won't be as intimidated.

I LOVE my fineliner tips for this - especially on the hair and highlight areas like cheeks and noses. 

Here are the colors I used for the skin tones - and I do have a coupon code for these markers below if you want to try them. They are the only alcohol fineliner/brush combo and I am obsessed. Skin - 6153 3165 3040 3050 4145 5118. Grass 8220 8270 8250. Clothing 7135, 7150 5245 7185. Hair - 3040 3050 3180.

I made the background with this stencil and ink blending and just flicked the grass with the markers listed above.

This set is a fun new release from the peeps at Hero. More inspiration awaits below! This set does have coordinating dies. 

CM481 Kids United [ HA ] DI818 Kids United Frame Cuts (F) [ HA ] Layers of Clouds Stencil – Picket... [ PFS ] Graphit — Marker Universe [ MRK ] My Sweet Petunia [ MSP ] Pre-Cut & Scored Cardstock [ CTC ] Sakura CLASSIC WHITE Fine Line 05... [ SSS ] Art Anthology BIG CRAFT MAT 24x36 311473 [ SSS ] Heavy Base Weight Card Stock- White [ GNK ] MISTI Stamping Tool [ MSP | HA | SSS | ELH | MFT | UNT ] Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -... [ BLIC ] LightView 2in1 LED Magnifier for... [ BRG ] Mudder 10 Pack White Buffer Sanding... [ AMZUS ] Xyron ADHESIVE ERASER 23675 [ SSS | ART | AMZUS ] Teflon Bone Folder - Ellen Hutson LLC [ ELH | SSS ] Crafter's Companion GEMINI... [ SSS ] Scor-Pal MINI SCOR-BUDDY Scoring... [ SSS ] Essentials by Ellen Storage... [ ELH ] Die Storage - Clear Storage Pockets... [ CHC ] XL Stamp Storage Pockets [ ELH ] Mermaid tidy towel case and glue... [ ETS ] Lawn Fawn STAMP SHAMMY Cleaner LF1045 [ SSS | CST ] Airtable: Organize your stamps & dies [ ART ] Patience & Hugs | Unity Stamp Co |... [ UNT ]

Want more inspiration today? Check out these awesome peeps! Leave comments to be entered to win a $50 gift card to be announced on the Hero blog.

Hero Arts
Pocono Pam
Dana Joy
Daniel West
Ilina Crouse
Libby Hickson
Lydia Fiedler
Maria Willis
Mindy Eggen
Seeka
Channin Pelletier

Loveyameanitbye

CURRENT COUPON CODES 

15% off anything at Marker Universe or any of their other sites - Understandblue15.
10% off the whole store at A Colorful Life Designs - LydiaFan10
5% off at LBC here with code LYDIA5
\Phone stand for filming link below in the banner - 20% off sitewide with code UNDERSTANDBLUE