These were the fabulous new products from Copic for summer 2010 CHA: 
X-PRESS IT BLENDING CARD
This has us very excited! Marianne Walker mentioned a couple months ago that she recommend this paper to anyone living in Australia (because they can’t get Neenah over there), and now it's coming to the United States!
Why did we fall in love with this paper? Because it blends beautifully, it bleeds less than our old favorite, Neenah Classic Crest, and it has a nice, bright white color. If you have ever tried Bazzil Simply Smooth paper, the Blending Card is like a hybrid between Neenah and Bazzil.
This paper is now available for retailers to purchase through your usual Copic North American (and Australian!) distributors. It comes in a large pack with 125 sheets of letter sized paper. It is about 92 lb. paper -- just a little heavier than the Neenah, but it is a much tighter grained paper, so it doesn't feel too thick.
Here’s an example Marianne colored for you:
If you look at this close up on the pink popsicle, you can see that the Neenah is a much softer paper, and it can feather if you don't let it dry a little between layering colors and/or color too closely to the stamped lines. This gets to be a big problem when you're working with intense reds and other dark colors.
The Blending Card, however, gives nice blends without bleeding and you don't have to wait or be careful! I love it! Because it is not as soft as the Neenah, it takes less ink to color so your marker lasts longer before needing to be refilled.
Here is a video from CHA of Marianne Walker talking about the new blending card on YouTube. You can view it here. Everyone who stopped by the CHA booth and tried the blending card absolutely LOVED it! You'll love it too, so be sure to check it out soon at your local paper crafting store.
Copic design team member, Sherrie Siemens, just posted an awesome video of her coloring on the new Blending Card and using the new masking film (detailed below). You can find that HERE.
HIGH TACK DOUBLE-SIDED TAPE
Another new product Copic is importing from our friends in Australia is something that has proven to be very popular, X-Press It High Tack, Double-Sided Tape:
This tape is extremely high tack, acid free, easy to use, and comes in 3 sizes: 1/8", 1/4", and 1/2". Originally developed for the picture framing industry in Australia, this tape is perfect for paper crafting. Rolls are very inexpensive, and there's a lot of tape on each roll as well -- 55 yards on rolls of 1/2" and 1/4", 27 yards on the 1/8" rolls.
X-Press It Tape is heat resistant (you can heat-emboss with it) and very strong. Members of our design team have used it for hemming their pants and it will survive the washer and dryer!
High Tack tape is easy to use. It tears cleanly with your fingers and the liner/backing is easy to peel off. I really like this!
MASK-IT MASKING FILM 
The next new product is also from Australia -- new Mask-It Masking Film, from X-Press It Graph X. This film is perfect for those of you who frequently airbrush and want a high-quality mask that will last over and over again.
Mask-It is a clear, medium-tack adhesive-backed film that is easy to cut, and easy to apply. It works great on cardstock and is perfect for protecting areas of your work that you want masked during airbrushing. One really nice point is that you can clean the surface between sprays, unlike using paper masks that get sticky from ink buildup. Best of all, since it's totally clear, you can be assured of accurate positioning every time!
Using Masking Film:
If you have never used a mask before while airbrushing, then this tutorial should be really useful. There are many types and kinds of masking films, friskets, and adhesives available, but for today's tutorial we are using Mask-It, medium tack film.
1. Start with a copy of your image stamped or photocopied onto scrap cardstock. Apply a small piece of clear film over the stamped image. Make sure there are no air bubbles under the film, as this will distort the final shape when you re-use the film. Note: test your Mask It to make sure it will not pull up the fibers of your paper. If it seems to be stronger than the paper, then gently touch the adhesive to your clothing before applying to the paper. This will make it less tacky.
2. With sharp scissors, carefully cut around the scrap image. Save any pieces you will be using for masking. If you are airbrushing around a shape, save the inside, if you are airbrushing inside a shape and protecting the surroundings, then save the outside. You do not need to save the paper parts, just the clear Mask-It.
3. Apply the clear film to the area you want protected when you airbrush. This is tricky, since images with thin lines can shift easily, and you don't want to block any areas that should be airbrushed (it looks strange when you have an unintentional white halo around your art). Make sure that the film is smoothed down at the edges and won't move once you start blowing air.
4. Airbrush from the middle out. The medium tack film is great because even on fine detail areas it doesn't blow up around the edges, even if you've used the same mask a few times.
5. Carefully remove the frisket, and you're done! Save the used piece for your next project with that image. If you get a marker buildup, simply wipe the surface with hand-sanitizer.
STARTING THIS FALL:
Intermediate Certifications will start this fall, and spread across the nation next year! We are still gathering up exact details, but here is a good summary of what we will cover in this class:
It will be technique based, and geared for those who want to color more professionally. We won't have time to work on altered arts and mixed media, rather, we will be discussing choosing colors, shadows, and how to color tricky things like faces and hair.
More information will be available soon, so stay tuned. Please do not email us for applications or information, as the applications are not ready yet and it will be a different application process than in the past.
Note: You cannot take the intermediate class without having taken the beginner certification, so sign up today for the regular classes!
And just another reminder that I've updated my Copic Info page with new Copic Certification classes! I'll be back tomorrow or Monday with my own example of an image colored on the new X-Press It Blending Card!
