I really wanted to video this process but I’m still a video newbie and everything kept going wrong until I decided, to save my sanity, I would just take photos as I went along and share with you in writing… I hope you can glean something helpful.
If you haven’t already… you can get your free Faith Cross in the Hidden Treasures Printable Library.
{If you’re new around here… you can get the password to gain access to the Library by signing up for my newsletter. If you receive my newsletter… the password will be in the last newsletter you received.}
I already knew I wanted this to reflect the colors of Autumn so , even though they aren’t technically sunflowers, I chose PC916 Canary Yellow for my base and PC1002 Yellowed Orange for my flowers. With light pressure and small circular motions, I laid down the yellow first. I added more layers to get the brightness I wanted.
I then, again with light pressure, added the orange at the base of the flower petals and a little to the left side of the petals for shading to add some dimension and shape.
Next, I added my greens. Of course, you can make your leaves any color you like… and as summer yields to fall you could also add reds and golds and oranges to represent the changing season. But since I had so much yellow and orange already I decided to stick with greens and blue-greens.
Notice there are two distinct leaf styles so I picked two different leafy colors… and I chose a light and dark or light and contrasting color for each leaf style.
For the tiny leaves I chose: PC 989 Chartreuse for the base and PC1096 Kelly Green for the shading… and for the larger leaves I chose: PC1090 Kelp Green for the base and PC105 Cobalt Turquoise for the shading.
At this point I did add a layer of orange down in the circle around the center and a layer of PC 923 Scarlet Lake red on top of that… leaving some of the orange to show through roughly where the light might be hitting it.
I filled in the center of the flower first with PC943 Burnt Ochre, which you can hardly tell, as I then covered it over with PC946 Dark Brown adding layer after layer to get it to that nice deep rich brown. Notice how I left that light spot to show where the light might reflect off of it and give it dimension.
I shaded the Kelp Green leaves with the Turquoise so they would have more the color of sunflower leaves and I did put a touch of yellow here and there where the sun might shine on them.
Next, I put down a base layer of yellow on the berries and small leaves to make the green and red brighter.
Here you can see where I added the Chartreuse green to the smaller leaves… shading at the base with the Kelly green.
The berries got their layers of red with Scarlet Lake and decided that was perfect. Note how leaving the spot at the top yellow gives them dimension. Love berries!
Next thing was adding in a background and decided PC1032 Pumpkin Orange was perfect for the occasion! You can see here how I added layers to build up the color to the depth I wanted it.
I decided to color the faith in yellow with orange moving up from the base and the greens from the larger leaves for the outline. Not sure I like those color choices but it’s done and I’m happy with it.
Okay… gotta be honest… I think doing a video would have been sooooo much better but sometimes… in faith… you just have to go with the flow and trust God with the outcome!
Hope you have gleaned something from all this that might be helpful in your own coloring… and for some video tips in basic coloring techniques please check out my Colored Pencil Color Chart video here.
Love the colors. This is so inspiring and such a fun project. Love this new idea of coloring to engage in God’s Word. Thank you for your encouraging projects.
I simply love your art! the bright colors and the uplifting message of hope! Thanks for sharing
Beautiful pattern!
How beautiful! Your talent is truly a gift from the Lord.
This is such a pretty project. I hope to print it on sturdier paper, color it and frame it for my daughter as a Christmas gift. She shares a room with her sister – and it has been redone so I can customize the colors to decorate their new room! I’ve got one of the other freebie printables for my other daughter and I’m so excited to be able to make something pretty and faith-based for their room!
Happy Birthday from one Libra to another! The thing I like most about your website is simply the vibrant colors and the inspiration it gives me just to browse around. Your work is lovely.
Oh those are beautiful and your instructions are wonderful I am looking forward to printing one and then coloring it
What joy your art brings to my day! Thank you for being God’s encourager to my heart; you are serving Him well! (So glad to meet you at Silver Dollar City a year and a half ago.)
I just wanted to let you know I love your art work. I love the colors. When I open a web site I look for the bright colors. I have all of your books and always look for new books when I go the christian book stores. I am always excited to get emails from you also.
Inspiring and beautiful!
So inspiring. printing this out and about to begin coloring. As I color, my heart so full because of His faithfulness! Thank you so much for this freebie!!!
I am so very thankful for your coloring tips!! I have actually never colored, even as a child. I want to learn so much but when I do it Oh boy!! So thank you for your teaching and your help! Only one problem I wish you lived closer!!!
your art has always been inspirational…thank you for sharing your gift with us.
Your artwork and words of wisdom are so encouraging and brighten my day! Thank you!
Everything you do is so cheerful and uplifting. Thank you for the coloring technique, it gives your art such amazing dimension.
Gorgeous printable and coloring! I can’t wait to print this out and color in my favorite fall colors. Thanks so much for sharing!
It is always good to hear from you. I love learning new things and this was a joy to learn. Hopefully after Silver Dollar City I will get some coloring time.
Beautiful coloring, as usual, and I assume these are Prisma color pencils? Thankas for creating such a lovely tutorial!
I love this printable!! I love how you colored it for the season. Thank you for sharing with us the “how to”.
All of your stuff is sweet and lovely! I have your autumn book on my coffee table right now! A friend sent me a birthday card with one of your sweet bookmarks in it. Happy birthday to you, Karla!!
God bless, Kathy in Illinois
I teach a Wednesday night class and before class starts we have started coloring the new and awesome biblical coloring pages that are out now. We just love them. On your last email I noticed that you are coloring yours with colored pencils and layering the colors. I tried that last Wednesday night and the girls loved it. Thanks for the beautiful work and the inspiration!!
PS. I printed off all of your free pintables this month…the girls and I thank you!
Adore your new blog. I have always loved your art. Thank you for sharing and creating art which inspires and teaches.
love the new website! easy to navigate and chock full of beautiful things <3 happy birthmonth! thanks for being so generous with your designs and tips. God bless! 🙂
I have always loved your art, Karla, and I adore your new website!! I have wanted to do some coloring projects but have had trouble getting started. These tips and the coloring chart is exactly what I need to get my project started! The free printable are a wonderful bonus!
Thank you for this lovely gift!! It does take some practice making the videos, once you get the hang of it, you will do just great! Blessings! Tara
Lovely colors and great step by step instructions! These tutorials demystify the process of blending and the colors. Thank you for the printable.
Karla,
I haven’t really tried much coloring yet, but my daughter and grand daughter will surely find some wonderful tips reading this artile.
Thank you so much for this! Beautiful work! I will try this out tomorrow!! God bless you!
I am a newbie at coloring with pencils and am so very thankful for your coloring tips!! What a lovely gift! Blessings.
Thanks for the gift of the cross and the guidance in coloring it.
Wonderful step by step instructions. I can’t wait to color some to share. Thank you!
Such beautiful messages
I love this one!
The cross is so awesome, I can’t wait to color it. Thanks for the downloads.
Thank you for taking us step by step. I look forward to more – writing and photos and/or videos. 😉 I just love your artwork!
Love your new website! It is beautiful! Thank you so much for the free printables!
Beautiful fall colors with a reminder of how we always need to have our faith in God. Thank you.
Hi Karla!! Love this “video” ( LOL) of the autumn cross. The colors really pop!! I ‘m so NOT tech savvy, so I’m just fine with written instructions! Thanks
I love this!! Downloaded freebie and going to use tips!!!
I love your coloring tips. I have one of your coloring books and it is good therapy for me. Happy Birthday, Karla. God Bless You, Ann
I have always loved your work, Karla! God has blessed you with such talent! ❤️
I love it. Makes me want to sit down and colour my own right away. I don’t have any fancy pencil crayons just yet but I’m reading more and more about how much they would add to the fun of meditating on God’s word while colouring.
This was a very good step by step article on coloring this print. I have your coloring books, but I’ve been afraid to do anything in them because I don’t know how to start, or how to do the layering and shading that you do so excellently. The articles and videos you will have on this website will be very helpful. THANK YOU!
Wow! This is beautiful, Karla!
I was considering taking coloring classes (for adult coloring books) at my local art store. But now, who needs coloring classes when you have Karla Dornacher? 🙂 This is wonderful! I can’t wait for more of your guidance. Have loved your paintings for years!
Thanks so much!
These are my favorite colors you chose for the Faith cross. It’s the warmth of Fall and the warmth of the Holy Spirit wrapped up in one. Thank you so much for making this available to us. Happy Birthday and bless you Karla.