Video: Happy Thanksgiving Polychromos on Dark Cardstock

Nichol Spohr

Hello! One of my favorite looks for fall is gold embossing on dark cardstock and coloring in images with colored pencils or metallic watercolors. Today I'm sharing an Autumn Bounty with this background created by stamping and embossing images from the Autumn Bounty Stamp & Cut Set on navy cardstock with Gold Embossing Powder and coloring in the images with Polychromos colored pencils. 

(If you are having problems viewing this video, please try watching it HERE on YouTube.)

Images from the Autumn Bounty Stamp & Cut Set were stamped on navy cardstock with Versamark Ink and heat embossed with Gold Embossing Powder. The images were colored in with Polychromos colored pencils, using the white pencil as the base for most of the images. I love the way the color pops off the dark background!

Sentiments from the Autumn Bounty Stamp & Cut Set were stamped on navy cardstock with Versamark Ink and heat embossed with Gold Embossing Powder and White Embossing Powder. A Nesting Oval Infinity Die was used to die cut the sentiments into an oval and matted on a white die cut oval before being popped up with foam adhesive and adhered to the background as shown.

The design was finished by adding three die cut images from the Autumn Bounty Stamp & Cut that had been stamped on navy cardstock, embossed with Gold Embossing Powder, and colored in with Polychromos Colored Pencils. The images frame up the bottom of the greeting oval.

I hope this has inspired you to try coloring in background images with colored pencils on dark cardstock! Happy Fall!


  • Martie Johnson

    Hi Nichol,
    I always wondered how to stamp on a darker colored paper but never could get it to work for me. Thank You for this tutorial it was very enlightening .
    I will keep my eyes open for more of your tutorials.
    Thanks Again,

  • Jeff Wince

    That background is absolutely gorgeous. Fantastic!

  • April

    What is the stuff you are rubbing onto the paper before you stamp?
    Is that laquer?

    Beautiful technique.

  • Kathy Wills

    Beautiful! Haven’t thought of coloring white over the dark card stock. Thank you so much.

  • Sandy Dayhoff

    Love this! So happy I got this set! Thanks for sharing!

23 Responses

Martie Johnson

Martie Johnson

Oct 15, 2018

Hi Nichol,
I always wondered how to stamp on a darker colored paper but never could get it to work for me. Thank You for this tutorial it was very enlightening .
I will keep my eyes open for more of your tutorials.
Thanks Again,

Jeff Wince

Jeff Wince

Sep 27, 2018

That background is absolutely gorgeous. Fantastic!

April

April

Sep 26, 2018

What is the stuff you are rubbing onto the paper before you stamp?
Is that laquer?

Beautiful technique.

Kathy Wills

Kathy Wills

Sep 22, 2018

Beautiful! Haven’t thought of coloring white over the dark card stock. Thank you so much.

Sandy Dayhoff

Sandy Dayhoff

Sep 21, 2018

Love this! So happy I got this set! Thanks for sharing!

Doris Cote

Doris Cote

Sep 19, 2018

This is so pretty! Thanks for inspiring!

Hamutal

Hamutal

Sep 19, 2018

Stunning! Beautiful coloring!

pam edwards

pam edwards

Sep 19, 2018

I love the dark cardstock for the background. It really looks great. I have never been a fan of the gold embossing powder but your card looks beautiful.

Carol Jones

Carol Jones

Sep 19, 2018

Beautiful! Love your card design and coloring. I’m just starting with colored pencils and I love it. Thanks for the great tips and inspiration!

Debbie

Debbie

Sep 19, 2018

Very pretty card! I never heard of Polychromos colored pencils. I’ve always had a hard time coloring embossed images with colored pencils. I will have to try again. Great video! Thanks.

Diane Laube

Diane Laube

Sep 19, 2018

Thanks so much for the wonderful coloring tutorial. Your cards was beautiful. Really helpful.

BeverlyBL

BeverlyBL

Sep 19, 2018

I love this look. So beautiful. Love it on the blue.

Mitzi

Mitzi

Sep 19, 2018

I’ve never used polychromos pencils, but I have Prismas and am hoping to get somewhat similar results. I really like the look of colored pencils on the dark cs. Thanks for sharing.

Denise T.

Denise T.

Sep 19, 2018

YES!! You are for sure a “Hero” star
Thanks for sharing.

D. Orr

D. Orr

Sep 18, 2018

Love this card, fall always gets my creative juices flowing.

Elaine Fellows

Elaine Fellows

Sep 18, 2018

Some very good ideas and a beautiful background.

Judy Sander

Judy Sander

Sep 18, 2018

Amazingly awesome! Beautiful coloring and love the design of the card overall. Another Nichol “jewel”. :-)

Deb L

Deb L

Sep 18, 2018

I look at a stamp set and never see what someone as talented as you do. What a great card.

Henriëtte

Henriëtte

Sep 18, 2018

This is a great card Nichol, love the colours on the dark cardstock. Thank you for showing.

Margaret

Margaret

Sep 18, 2018

Love this! The look of fall colors on a dark background is beautiful! Will be trying this today!

Debi Walton

Debi Walton

Sep 18, 2018

Really pretty card.
Wanting to try to do this myself.

Karthikha Uday

Karthikha Uday

Sep 18, 2018

Lovely card! :)

Lagene

Lagene

Sep 18, 2018

AWESOME creation! I love your gold embossing and wonderful pencil coloring and layout!