A: Gelatos can be blended with your fingers for fun backgrounds on paper or canvas. They are also water soluble, and can be mixed with water to use as watercolor paints or sprays. I like to scribble them in a palette and add a little water for a quick watercolor wash or some soft splatters.

A: Sure! Water soluble markers and alcohol markers can be layered in either order, because neither solvent affects the other. You can watercolor with Distress markers over alcohol marker coloring, or add details to a watercolor with alcohol markers. Just follow manufacturer's recommendations for your specific products and make sure your base is completely dry before working over it with another medium.

A: I stamp first. Cut the die from another sheet of paper to create a template, and lay the opening of the template over your stamped image so that it's perfectly framed. Tape the template in place, and nestle your die right into the opening. Tape the die down for a little more security, and make your cut.

A: You can use watercolor and Inktense pencils together. When I use them together I tend to do most of my work in watercolor pencil first, then add finishing touches with Inktense pencils where I want the color and shadows to be darkest. Remember that the Inktense colors are very intense, transparent, and permanent when dry, while watercolor pencils can be a little lighter, more opaque, and will tend to lift and reblend when refreshed with water.

A: With wax or oil based colored pencils, the pressure you color with can make a big difference. Light pressure, sharp pencils, and layers of color will eliminate lines. Another way to eliminate lines is to blend the colored areas with a solvent. There are different types of solvents that can be used (an alcohol blending marker, or mineral spirits, rubbing alcohol, or baby oil applied with blending stumps), and also some methods of blending that are done without solvents (such as burnishing with a blending pencil).