TUTORIAL!: Paper-Tole Using Mo Manning's Baby Christmas Elf "Sticky"

Hi There.. My biggest apologies for this late Tuesday Tutorial!! I got a little combobulated with the conversions between Australian times and American times!! and so.. well... it's LATE!! But better late then never!!

So Today I'm going to be sharing with you a brief overview of Paper Tole. Paper Tole is the art of 3D paper creation!! It uses one image multiple times, cut out, and shaped and layered to give a 3D effect. Now there is plenty of different information on the Internet on how to do this, and PLENTY of different way to do it. This is JUST ONE!!!

Paper Tole can be a extremely complicated and fiddly craft and so I have tried my best to make this as simple as possible so that you can give it a try for yourself. :)

So this is the Card I have made!!

This GORGEOUS Little Baby Christmas Elf is called "Sticky" and is available for purchase from Mo's Digital Pencil

Ok.. Here we go on how to make this little cutie!!!

TUTORIAL!: Paper-Tole Using Mo Manning's Baby Christmas Elf "Sticky"

You Will Need!

• "Sticky" the Baby Christmas Elf which can be purchased HERE!! Printed 4 times plus 1 as a Base layer.
• Copics (or other colouring medium) *I will list my Copic colours at bottom of blog post
• Cutting Mat
• Sharp Blade  *some choose to use needle point scissors
• Embossing Mat *have seen some use mouse mat as alternative
• Stylus Medium and Small Ball  * look for something with a smooth rounded tip like a pen end as alternative
• Tweezers
• A Dark Grey/Blue Marker for Edging the paper *I've used Staedtler Mars Graphic 3000Duo
• Clear Drying Silicon
• Toothpicks
• Spellbinders Opulent Ovals Die
• Christmas Paper of Your Choice *I've used Kaiser Craft 6 1/2 Paper pad Christmas Carol 

Step 1. Print out your Digital stamp. You want to print out Sticky 5 times in total. Once on whatever you plan to have him on... that will be your BASE LAYER... and 4 more times, they can be spaced close together on one page because you'll be cutting them out anyway. :)

Step 2.

 The great thing about Paper tole, is if you plan it well, you don't have to colour the same image in 5 times!! You just need to colour in PARTS of the image in each, as the rest will be underneath the rest.
So Following this above picture ONLY colour the areas that are white for each Elf.. It may help you to label each elf with a number 1 - 4 just above there heads if you like so you know which layer you are working with at all times.

Step 3.

Now I have taken the guess work out of this for you this time, but I'll explain so you can do this for other pictures. To work out your layers and how you are going to cut them, you need to look at your picture and ask yourself what is at the very back of the picture, the furthermost back compared to everything else... for me, that would be Sticky face, because if Sticky was real, his Tummy would stick forward, his legs would stick forward, his arms ect!!.. so you now know his face is one a bottom layer!!! now with the bottom layer, your going to be gluing pieces onto this, so you'll need that to be a large layer, even though you only need a face... You then look at what kind of stick out next on the body, what is next closest to you... I kind of think of this process like dressing someone from this point on. Well He has a head, let's give him a tummy, and a Hat!!, But I'll need a way to attach the Candy cane and Pants later, so leave some of them on the tummy portion for later. This is how it works. I just work my way up the layers. Mind you, You'll often see me print out my digi in printer paper first and cut it out roughly, stick it together with blue tack to make sure it looks right if I'm unsure of a layer sequence. But like any Technique, the more you do it, the easier it gets. Soon you'll look at an image, and know straight away how to chop it up, using the least amount of prints and effort. :)
So. Using the above picture as an example, cut around the GREY SECTIONS!!! ******PLEASE NOTES****** Remember those PESKY little balls... I accidentally chopped mine off and had to do some hasty repair work!!! You can cut either with scissors, or with a Sharp blade and mat.

Step 4.

After you have cut out your pieces, I want you to take a C5 Copic marker, (or a dark grey colour for anyone else using other mediums) and colour in any remaining uncoloured stamp.  Now the reason we do this is because when you place the layers on top of each other there are tiny gaps that you see from different angles and you do not want to see white shining through, instead they will appear like shadows this way, deepening the 3D effect.

Step 5.

This next step is done for the same reasons as the last, to stop white from shining through layers. *warning.. do not use Copic markers to to this step!! and test whatever marker you are going to use on a scrap piece of similar paper on it's edge prior to doing this, as you want to make sure it doesn't bleed, you don't want to wreck your beautiful colouring at this step... you can buy Edging Marker specifically for this purpose... it's something about running a marker along the edge of paper, the paper absorbs in differently*
What you want to do here is from the back of the image run the edge of the marker felt brush tip, along the edge of the paper, to colour the edge of the paper dark grey/blue. in the picture the left side is coloured the right side is not... it makes a LOT of difference to the overall finish of your work, though a pesky irritating little step, especially with such TINEE TINY pieces!!

Step 6.

Here's where we give our little pieces dimension!! Using a embossing mat, place your pieces IMAGE SIDE DOWN!!! and move the ball stylus in a small circular motion on the image, applying slight pressure onto the paper. The paper should begin to roll up into a concave shape.

Step 7.

 Your going to push the silicon out a little bit from the end with one hand, and using a toothpick or matchstick, roll off a small blob with the other.. it takes some practice.. but YOU CAN DO IT!! :) I have heard there are glue syringes available for silicon, but I have not been able to find any as yet.. until then.. this is how my mother was taught in her Paper tole class, and how she then taught me! LOL... FUN FUN!! Make sure you have scrap paper done for the silicon part!!, and spare toothpicks for when one gets to yucky you can swap out a clean one!

Step 8.

 Assembly!! This is one Base layer!! you one Fully intact none coloured image!! or at least it should be!! go ahead and colour the base layer in C5 as well, or at the VERY LEAST the edged of it... Now this is REALLY IMPORTANT!!, As this is your base layer, if there is anything you wish to have in your background, or any die cut, you need to do it now. So it you wanted to colour the background with some copics, or distressed inks with a blending tool GO NUTS!! have a ball!!... want him in a die cut shape, die cut him now... because after he is done with his layers, you really can't do much with him. It's just tooooo fiddly. If you want to continue with replicating my card, you can just keep him on a square piece of paper!! EASY PEESY!!!

Step 9.
I'm just going to run through the assembly now with pictures! I hope they are explanation enough. Use the silicon is small amount on the back of the pieces, concentrate the silicon on those parts you want to stick out the most, so think of the face as sticking out more, the tummy stick out more, the arm, the leg ect. When laying down the pieces use your tweezers to position. The great thing about silicon is that it takes quite a bit to dry, so you have time to reposition!! So don't stress!!! Gently press with fingers, you don't want to squish the silicon between the layers to much!! You want to keep that HEIGHT!!
AND SMILE!!!! This is MEANT to be fun!! :/

TADDDDDDDDDDDAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Allow the silicon to dry completely, usually takes 24hrs, depending on glue bought. 

Now.. To Complete my card!! My Apologies, My Photos of this became corrupted :(

 Step 10.
Taking the largest Spellbinders Opulent Oval die cut a frame out of your Christmas paper off centered. Position "Sticky" within the cut frame and stick down using chosen adhesive. Adhere this to a card.
Now taking Both the largest and Second largest. Using gold foil paper, line up these dies within each other using some tape to hold them in place. Make sure you use some baking paper between the dies and foil paper if it's particularly light paper, as my first gold frame tore!! :( Run through your die cutter. Once through the die cutter you should have two usable shapes, a lovely golden frame that will be used in the card, and a solid gold center piece that can be set aside. Adhere the Gold frame to the inside edge of the spotty paper frame you have created using your chosen glue medium.
Decorate card with a simple sentiment to make the Paper tole the highlight of the card!

Well I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!
So Sorry for it's lateness *looks very shamefull!!!*

As promised!!
Copic Colours used
Skin: E000, E00, E11, E21, E04, R20
Hair: E29
Top: Blender, C0, C1 C3, YG00, YGO3, YG25, YG67
Pants: R29, R46, R59, C5
Hat: R29, R46, R59, C5,
Hat Wool: Blender C0, C1, C3, C5, C7, W1, W3, W5
CandyCane: R22, R24, R29, CO, C1, C3, Blender

Thanks for popping by. Any questions, feel free to leave me a message and I'll get back to you!!
Xo HUGS!!