Learn the basics of rubber stamping with this free class from Stampendous and Paper Craft Planet. Lesson Ten: This week we're coloring with pencils and markers. Learn about lighting sources and different techniques to give your images a sense of depth and definition.

2. Coloring with Markers and Pencils Like any coloring, the key to a great look is shading. Choose a light source and decide from which direction it would be hitting your subjects. Most objects in your image should be lighter on that side. Markers can be “layered” with additional passes to deepen color. You can achieve a huge variety of shading by applying different pressure to colored pencils. A firm pressure yields a solid, vibrant look, while a softer pressure lends softness and light to the sky. Pencils can be sharpened to get into tiny spaces. A white pencil adds highlights to the gifts.

3. Observant Owl Card This card demonstrates the drama you can achieve coloring with plain, water-based markers. There is an interesting effect created with the treetops going off the top of the card. A few leaves layered off of the edges allows you to complete the scene in your imagination. The orange leaves draw attention to the owl and show the beginning of fall without overwhelming the card. The focus is on the wayward porcupine. The owl is farther down that you would expect, and he’s tilted slightly to look like he’s spying on the porcupine below. He’s not sure if this is a clump of grass with eyes or a prickly new friend.

4. Observant Owl Card Supplies used to make this card: From Stampendous SSC1055 Birch Buddies Perfectly Clear Stamps SSH26 Long Acrylic Handle From Tsukineko: Versafine Onyx Black Ink Pad Memento Markers in: Spring Sprout, Bamboo, Summer Sky, Bahama Blue, Dandelion, Tangelo and Rich Cocoa From Creative Impressions: Polka Dot Lime Grosgrain Ribbon Glimmer Ribbon - Teal Card stock from WorldWin™ Turquoise Cascata™ - 4 ¾” X 5 ¼” White card stock – 5” X 11” folded in half, 4 ½” X 4”

5. Observant Owl Card Stamp birch trees with black ink on smaller white panel. Move in an upward angle making a little sloping hillside. Make sure you leave enough space between two of the trees to place your owl on the branch. You can tilt the branch slightly on the block to make a landing space for your owl, but be careful not to rip your branch at the tree trunk.

6. Observant Owl Card Stamp grass clumps around bottoms of trees and create the hillside, mask a few of the trees by covering their edges with a sticky note. This will make it appear that the grass goes behind the trees. Stamp some leaves at the top of the card to suggest tree tops, and stamp a clump of leaves sprouting from the branch where your owl will be perched.

7. Observant Owl Card Stamp your owl on his branch and your porcupine below on the ground. Begin coloring with the blue sky. Make long, downward strokes with the Summer Sky marker. Then use the Bahama Blue marker to make small upward strokes from the horizon line to add depth to your scene.

8. Observant Owl Card Color the hillside, tree trunks, and most of the leaves with Spring Sprout. Color the grass clumps and use long strokes to shade one side of the tree trunks and leaves with the Bamboo Leaves marker. Color the owl, porcupine, and one leaf with Dandelion, Tangelo and Rich Cocoa markers.

9. Observant Owl Card Glue the white image panel to the turquoise panel. Glue a strip of green ribbon to back sides of turquoise card. Glue a strip of teal Glimmer ribbon in the middle of the green one. Tie a scrap of green ribbon in a knot around both strips. Glue turquoise card to folded white card.

10. Observant Owl Card Your finished card is the perfect way to say, “I haven’t seen you around lately, how’ve you been?” Notice that the tail of the green ribbon purposely draws attention to the focal point, the porcupine.

11. Observant Owl Card Some other great ideas using our darling owl and porcupine.

12. Wisemen Glass Card The soft curves of the Wisemen’s robes, the buildings, and even the treasure jars inspired this modern twist on an abstract version of the Wisemen following the Star. By hand cutting a few subtle curves instead of using harsh rectangles and straight lines, emphasis has been added to the traditional King James verse and given a comforting feel to this well-known Christmas message.

13. Wisemen Glass Card Supplies used to make this card: From Stampendous: SSC256 Wisemen Glass Perfectly Clear™ Stamps SSH38 Small Rectangle Acrylic Handle GX220U Multi Ultra Fine Crystal Glitter From Tsukineko: Versafine Onyx Black Stamp Pad Card stock from Bazzill Basics™ Atlantic, Lime Crush Card stock from WorldWin™ Turquoise Cascata™ White Card Stock Prismacolor Colored Pencils: Chartreuse, Light Aqua, Aquamarine, True Green, True Blue, White, Goldenrod & Sienna Brown Glue pen, scissors, adhesive, dimensional foam

15. Stamp the wisemen in black on the white panel and stamp the star on the small white panel. Wisemen Glass Card Cut around the wisemen panel with scissors, making all edges curve outward. They needn’t all be the same.

16. Use colored pencils with firm pressure to color the wisemen in vibrant color. You could easily duplicate this look with markers. Wisemen Glass Card Cut the turquoise panel in a similar shape to the wisemen panel. Glue the white image panel to the turquoise panel.

17. Cut bright green panel into a curving strip narrow at one end and wider at the other. Wisemen Glass Card Glue the panels together as shown in card sample.

18. Cut out the star. Add glitter to its center using a glue pen. Wisemen Glass Card Apply a piece of dimensional foam to the back of the star to adhere it to card front.

19. Stamp the words on the front of the Green panel Wisemen Glass Card

20. This elegant verse from Matthew can look stunning in several different color schemes. The example below uses watercolor techniques for a different look. Wisemen Glass Card

21. Card Challenge Prize Package One lucky stamper will win all the products used on these two projects in our Challenge Prize Package! Thanks to: Stampendous, Tsukineko, Creative Impressions, and Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L for these generous prizes.