Using a "new-to-me" medium to create a background - tempera paint sticks! | Adult Colouring

Disclaimer: All content on my channel is intended for adults.
In the spirit of my other background-creating videos (which - spoiler alert - don't turn out that well), I thought I'd give it another shot. Because, apparently, I don't learn my lesson the first few times around...
:)
Watch me as I try the "new-to-me" medium of tempera paint sticks to see if I can create a cool-looking background in Small Victories by Johanna Basford.
Intrigued? Let's go! :)
And a great big thank you to the lovely Helen Cryer ‪@helencryer‬ for introducing me to these neat paint sticks through her channel. If you'd like to see how to do real, beautiful art with these (as opposed to the mucking around that I'm doing :)), check out her video here:
• This Was My Fastest Am...
Links to purchase the Shuttle Art Tempera Paint Sticks 40 set:
Amazon Canada: www.amazon.ca/...
Amazon US: www.amazon.com...
Amazon UK: www.amazon.co....
Links to purchase the Shuttle Art Tempera Paint Sticks pastel set of 20:
Amazon Canada: www.amazon.ca/...
Amazon US: www.amazon.com...
If anyone has any questions about anything they see in the video or would just like to say hello, please pop down to the comment section below!
Thank you for watching! Keep calm and colour on! :)
Connie
#adultcoloringchannel

[@floralheart]

The fact that it doesn't come off is already a big deal. That background looks really beautiful. Thanks, Connie!

[@colouringchemist]

It's so totally cool! I've had the book closed for a couple of days now with nothing in between the pages and there is absolutely no transfer or smudging on the opposite page! I just wish I could figure out a way to blend them on the page - I'm still pondering that one... :)

[@cazcaz2701]

Connie, I love your enthusiasm whenever you find a new product to try. Love the video ❤❤❤

[@colouringchemist]

So glad you enjoyed the experimentation! :)

[@KarensHobbyTime]

I like it, it's like color shifting paint. Thanks for taking the risk for us to see what happens.

[@daisyjail713]

Wow, Connie, that looks spectacular! 😃 I see some tempera sticks have fallen into my Amazon basket… 🥴😁 Thank you for always trying out these things for us all! I also love watching Helen’s splodge and scribble paintings come together 😊

[@AmazinGraceXOXO1]

The opacity of the white is unbelievable! Thank you for sharing!

[@michaelbusby1802]

Connie, you are an artist! Love your videos! ~ Kathy Busby

[@colouringchemist]

Awwww... Thank you! :)

[@peterlittle6651]

Great video, like the chemistry and exploration of colour.

[@colouringchemist]

Thanks - so glad you liked it! :)

[@JessicaSzempruch]

That looks amazing! A two toned effect with the gold and rust colors is pretty cool. I will have to get some of those. A fixative free medium is always a good thing. Thanks for your bold experimentation!

[@colouringchemist]

So glad you liked it - and liked my "throw-caution-to-the-wind" experimentation! :D

[@kyliescolouringindownunder3098]

Hi Connie I seen Helen’s videos I always watch them to learn how to paint ect she is amazing.. those paint sticks look amazing thank you for sharing ❤❤❤😊😊😊xxxx

[@colouringchemist]

So glad you liked it! :) And Helen is amazing!

[@anikrossignol8809]

Turned out awesome!! Very cool Connie!

[@colouringchemist]

Thank you! :)

[@Colorfully-Chaotic]

I just love your experiment videos! I never would have given these a second look because I don’t want to mess with fixatives. Had no idea they dry with that finish. Thanks for sharing. ❤😊❤

[@colouringchemist]

You're very welcome - glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@judyoger]

Connie hello, thank you for sharing. I love the rust orange and the gold, I think that would be fantastic in Kerby Rosannes book that has the Phoenix, either as a background or on the Phoenix itself. So spectacular and vibrant.

[@colouringchemist]

Excellent idea! :)

[@jeanblythe1595]

That looks so fun!!! My mother used to paint with tempera paints, until she discovered acrylics. I am not brave enough to use masking fluid, but you sure showed us what it does, so maybe I will find the courage. Ahem. You are too an artist, just like everyone who plays with new media is an artist. You may not feel like one, but you are one. That was a gorgeous background you made!!! Thank you for introducing us to those tempera sticks.

[@colouringchemist]

Awww... Thank you for the kind words! And you can totally do great things with masking fluid - just jump right in! :)

[@cherylbirchard9482]

Hey Connie, purchased the same sets you have together and am having so much fun using them. Haven't coloured in any books yet but you've given me the strength to carry on and give it a whirl! Enjoyed the video!

[@colouringchemist]

So glad you liked it! :) Have fun with the paint sticks! :)

[@diamondslashranch]

I saw Helen using these and wondered if there was an application for us. Always enjoy your experiments, well done.

[@colouringchemist]

I will never, ever be as artistic and creative as Helen but I love to watch her create. And I can always take her ideas and adapt them to my own significantly-less-talented style of mucking around with art stuff. ;) :)

[@mrsfrench847]

This is why I come rushing over when I see a video from you! Very fun and interesting!! I loved the outcome. I think one day you are going to curious yourself into a cool invention!!

[@colouringchemist]

You never know! ;) :) Glad you enjoyed it!

[@robynbroderick6822]

Hello Connie. Gosh that looks gorgeous. Very interesting supply I am curious . Love these videos 💖

[@colouringchemist]

So glad you liked it! :)

[@winter89_colours]

This is fun. I've been looking at tempera sticks for a bit now.

[@colouringchemist]

Glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@lauren_read_color]

These are fantastic. I used the the blue metallic on a background recently and it worked amazingly. The metallic is so shiny!

[@MissChelle]

These look so much fun! Wonder if you could shape them into a point with an exact knife. Keep the shavings in a little container to use later. Love the gold! ❤️🇦🇺

[@colouringchemist]

Hmmm... Now you have me thinking. :) The stick itself is pretty soft so they'd be easily shaped but I don't know how well they'd hold a point. I'm totally willing to try it, though! I'm not sure how well the shavings would hold up - the paint tends to dry out VERY fast and I don't know if the little bits would stay malleable or if they'd just dry out. I'm also not sure if they could be re-wetted. Also willing to test out those things, too! Thanks so much for the suggestions! :)

[@MissChelle]

@@colouringchemist I have an ‘outside the box’ brain. 👍

[@colouringchemist]

@@MissChelle Love it! :)

[@gapeach6605]

Hey Connie, great video, love you taking us with you on your experiments. I bet your students really enjoy being in your class. Your enthusiasm is so enjoyable to watch. Just wanted to ask if you would consider doing another video using stencils? Curious to see how well that would work with these paints. Take care and looking forward to your next video!

[@Ninjamom_colours]

GORGEOUS!! Thanks for experimenting for us!

[@colouringchemist]

You're welcome - glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@maryannprzybycien2013]

Hi Connie, I just recently bought these too, and your video popped up as a suggestion to watch. I tried them on watercolor paper as well as the "Small Victories" coloring book. I found that if you wet the paper first, then use the sticks, they blend nicely. I used a watercolor paint brush to move the paint around into the small areas. Hope this helps! ❤

[@dawntappenden1804]

Interesting Connie, what about using with background stencils and different colour overlays - for instance autumn leaves 🤷🏼‍♀️ thank you for sharing these😊

[@colouringchemist]

Excellent idea! I'm working on a follow-up video and I'll include some stencil work - thanks for the suggestion! :)

[@neecywatson8250]

I just bought some a while back, now I will try using them. Thanks❤

[@Elizabeth-xi5jx]

I love these tempera sticks! I have a collection of them. The process is just so fun :D I do not blend them, but you can layer streaks of the metallic ones over the solids to create an interesting effect. I created a spooky background in a Kerby roseanes with the metallic blue over some dark colors that I think turned out pretty cool. I did use masking fluid over the picture. Mostly they're just. a lot of fun!

[@colouringchemist]

That's cool! I put the gold metallic over the rust red colour to create this background and then I did another background off-camera where I put the gold metallic over a combination of the rust red and the yellow ochre. I think I put down too much gold on that one, though - I can barely see the colours through the metallic shine. :) Ah well - I learned something and that's the most important thing! :)

[@snowhearts69]

Thank you so much for this video! Before it was even half over I went to Amazon and ordered the skinnier ones, I think they would work in the Disney color by number

[@lesleyegbert4807]

That background turned out quite nicely. All that gold made me think of childhood trips to Vegas. It was fun watching someone else do the same experimentation I've been doing recently with tempera sticks. I've got the Kwik Stix brand and they seem to be only slightly less transparent than my set of silky crayons (Creative Mark). For both pieces I've completed with the tempera sticks, I've pulled out my silky crayons to adjust colors or get in to smaller areas. Careful layering the metallics over other colors, the glitter can do strange things optically which might leave you with unwanted colors in your finished piece (ask me how I know!) If you're looking for further tempera stick inspiration, there's a video I wish I could link to. To find it, search KZbin for "full cup creative arts WOOOW". She's not using it in a coloring format, but it might be a fun watch regardless. She inspired me to get out the big paper and go freehand, with pretty good results.

[@juliet.colors]

I love it! I'm gonna get those. I love to new mediums and papers to check out.

[@colouringchemist]

Have fun and enjoy! :)

[@tammythomas9030]

Wow! That’s brilliant!!!!

[@colouringchemist]

Thanks! So glad you liked it! :)

[@veronicadunn565]

I have some of this paint! Now I can try it! Thanks o brave lady!!

[@SharonJoseph-b7f]

I don't have those crayons but similar. I found blending with a paper stump good and drawing on a pallet and pick up like paint with a little water.

[@kp-ew1bn]

What a fun experiment!

[@maureenmorley9555]

Hello! I saw this and was curious and you solved my curiosity!! I like the metallic look of this!!! Also I am new to your channel and glad I stopped by and subscribed!!! Thank you for the explanation and your experience with this!!! This was awesome!!! Really looking at this it gives it an Asian flair with these two colors. Very interesting!!!

[@waymire01]

My eyes lit right up when I saw that white. I'm constantly on the hunt for something to fully cover the hidden objects in the older Mythographics. I so wish they were smaller. They are neat but so chunky not good for much, other than a wide open background and most pages don't have those... especially due to the opacity which is a mixed blessing. If they were the size of a twist crayon you could do so much more with them. I'm guessing they wouldn't be able to be applied with a brush with how fast they dry. Please try going over the top with pencil and let me know if it works?

[@colouringchemist]

I'm working on a follow-up video where I test them for basing and also try some techniques for getting into the smaller spaces - stay tuned! :) There are some smaller sticks out there - similar in size to a twist crayon, I think - and I have them on order I'll include those in the follow-up video, too. We'll see if we can turn these into more than just a "one trick pony" for colourists. :)

[@deb.e.mixedmedia]

These look fun!

[@JoAnneSmith-di8ok]

This was interesting. Thank you!😊

[@Victoriacolouringquest]

It might be good to do a layer and then go over with a stencil on top with another colour. Thanks for sharing

[@barbarahowell2549]

A wonderful success. I love watching your experiments. I'm curious if you can use the metallic paint stick over any other kind of medium such as acrylic paints, watercolors, colored pencils, etc.

[@anikrossignol8809]

I was just looking at those the other day, wondering if they might compare to Gelatos?! Glad to see this video come up!

[@colouringchemist]

They're definitely different from Gelatos but they do have some of their own very cool properties! :)

[@countrygalscoloringplacean8168]

Thanks so much for the video ❤

[@colouringchemist]

You're welcome! :)

[@maddychi]

Can you color on top of these with pencil?

[@anikrossignol8809]

Good question! It would be great product for basing

[@colouringchemist]

I'm working on a follow-up video where I try out the basing idea - stay tuned! :)

[@patriciandcowgirl6044]

Cool! I tried a very cool new product to me. Sharpie Creative Markers. They don’t bleed through paper!!! Comes with fine brush like tip and goes on wet. Opaque. Check out reviews.

[@colouringchemist]

Neat! Are those the acrylic pens put out by Sharpie? I haven't tried them yet but I've got them on my colouring "radar"! :)

[@leonnehaaijman4709]

That background looks great! New sub here 😊

[@janehammond1322]

Haven't seen these used before. The gold backgrouojnd looks amazing. Could you draw over them with acrylic markers?

[@countrygalscoloringplacean8168]

I have also never used tape on the side.

[@colouringchemist]

I'll often put tape on the opposite page like that - I'm kind of messy when it comes to backgrounds and the tape helps to keep the other page cleaner. :)

[@countrygalscoloringplacean8168]

Do you have to use masking fluid let me know! I have never used if. Glad you gave these a go. I have them too and not brave enough yet. I liked how you used the two colors.

[@colouringchemist]

You wouldn't have to use the masking fluid but it would be hard to be precise with the sticks and get right up to the lines on a page since the sticks are so big and chunky. That's why I used the masking fluid. :) Glad you liked it!

[@HeatherRoselliDesignsTea-we1lg]

I bought some that said tempera sticks - narrower stick, M&G Washable Tempera Sticks - but I am almost certain that they are the same as a silky crayon! - what do you think? Are they basically the same? I was able to blend them out using Gamsol (spirits). I have another set coming from We Are Memory Keepers that I am hoping are truly tempera paint. I saw a skin tone set of the fatter tempera sticks on Amazon that look promising for neutrals/browns/skin. I am trying to figure out how to apply them in smaller spaces and not just backgrounds though. Thanks for the video!

[@colouringchemist]

I just bought a set of the thin M&G sticks (and another thin set :)) and I have a follow-up video in the works - stay tuned! :)

[@TheDressageAddict]

Hey, Connie! I'm struggling to get that mirror finish you achieved with the Metallic Neocolor 1s.. no matter how I try, I can't seem to get the "strokes" from my coloring to go away. I've tried using full burnishing pressure right away as well as adding layers progressively. Once I go to lightly buff the product, it still shows the directionality from my coloring process because of how the mica reflects the light I think. If I try to buff it more/with more pressure, I get bald spots on the page! Do you have any tips? I got a really smooth shiny finish from the normal neocolor 1s, just not the metallics.

[@colouringchemist]

There will always be crayon "strokes" that show through with that polished metallic Neocolor I technique - I just try to colour in a consistent direction (that makes sense with the image) so that the strokes are at least all running in one direction. :) I know - it can be misleading when we KZbinrs show pages on screen - it often makes backgrounds look "perfect" when, in real life, they are almost always a bit patchy or streaky. :) You could try doing a last layer of the metallic crayons with all your strokes going in one direction (either horizontally back and forth or vertically up and down) and don't press super hard - just hard enough to get a nice sliding feel to the crayon and to get those uni-directional strokes. Then do your polishing. You will still see streaks but if they're all in the same direction it isn't quite so noticeable (at least - that's what I find :)). And you're right - you can't buff with too much pressure or you'll take the crayon off. :) Also - make sure you're using fairly good quality tissues. The super inexpensive tissues might be too rough to get a nice finish. Hope that helps!

[@kaleidoscopiccolours]

Hi Connie. I was wondering if it's possible to scribble the tempera paint sticks onto a palette and then use a blending brush to apply them to a page? You can do this with Gelatos but maybe these paint sticks dry too quickly for this technique?

[@NessaWolfeMuller]

♥️✨

[@colouringchemist]

❤️ :)

[@Donnistill]

What do you look like. I have a whole face pictured in my head. I never get to see the people though to see if I were close.

[@colouringchemist]

Yeah - I'm not comfortable with my face in front of the camera so you'll probably never see what I look like. :) I'm in my 50s, have long, reddish-brown hair that's greying at the temples, and I have grey-blue eyes. And I have what I optimistically call a "country girl" build (I'm not slim :)). Hope that helps!

[@countrygalscoloringplacean8168]

How did the back of the page do?

[@colouringchemist]

It's great - nothing at all on the other side! :)

[@TrulyScrumptiousColors]

Fair warning if you ever accidentally get it on your clothes or fabric they will never come off. It stains instantly. I've got a sweatshirt I accidentally dropped it on and it's still there years later.

[@colouringchemist]

Oh no! Good to know - thank you for the warning!