I've lived near the sea nearly all my life so I adore aquatic/nautical themed cards and the instant I saw this gorgeous coral die by Alexandra Renke, I HAD to have it for a message-in-a-bottle idea that immediately came to mind.
LINK: Enjoy in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE! Thanks for subscribing and giving us a thumbs' up!
TIPS:
Use the recommended sandwich (in the Gemini Jr. manual) for cutting regular low profile dies.
If your watercolor paper is warped (after it has dried completely) you can sandwich it inside some clean typing paper and send it through the Gemini to flatten it! Works spiffy! (Use the same sandwich as you would in the aforementioned tip.)
Make sure your watercolor work is completely dry before die cutting, to ensure sharp/consistent cuts through the paper.
Use just the two cutting pads + a card stock shim, for embossing with regular/standard embossing folders.
Hope you enjoyed today's project and have a splendid Mundane! ;)
Use these tips when working with your intricate dies!
Hi everyone! Thanks for stopping by! Happy Satur-YAY! We're celebrating the weekend by getting our craft on. I hope you leave here inspired to create!
Today I'll be working with some new dies and stamps from Alexandra Renke. We found the beautiful Alexandra Renke products at this year's Creativation trade show and we're thrilled that they are now available in the Ellen Hutson store. The dies are so beautiful and oh so delicate. We fell in love with these beautiful designs.
Sometimes working with intricate dies like this can be a little bit of a challenge. They're very delicate and can be challenging to cut...if you don't know the tricks. So I'm here today to share several tips for getting great die cut results with intricate dies.
I'll walk you through all of these tips in the video tutorial, so be sure to check that out!
Start with a lightweight card stock. If you're having trouble cutting through 110 lbs card stock with your intricate dies, you may want to use an 80 pound or 100 pound yardstick instead. If you don't have the color you're looking for in a lighter weight card stock, just die cut from white card stock and color with your favorite marker or ink pad! Today I'm using Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 80 lbs card stock and the new Essentials By Ellen 100 lbs card stock.
Add adhesive before die cutting. Adding adhesive to such intricate die cuts can be challenging. That's why I prefer to add a double sided adhesive, like Stick It, to the back of my card stock prior to cutting. This makes it quick and easy to adhere my die cuts when I'm ready.
Check your plates. Extremely warped or overused plates may alter the amount of pressure that you get when you're running your dies through your machine. If you're having trouble getting a clean, thorough cut, you may want to replace you cutting plates to achieve more even and consistent pressure.
Shimmy and shake. Shims are a great way to get better results when using intricate dies. I recommend metal shims for the best results. Metal doesn't compress like a card stock shim would, so you get even pressure cut after cut. Metal shims are available for both the Gemini Junior and the Big Shot, and I'll show you how to use both of them in today's video tutorial.
The right angle. If you're using a shim and you've got good plates and you're still not getting a great cut, try running your die through your machine at an angle. This little trick works great when you're having a tough time getting a clean cut.
The infamous pokey tool is a must. They're not really called pokey tools...but I think that's what a lot of us have come to know them as. A craft pick is a great way to eject your die cuts from the dies. Intricate dies tend to get stuck, and getting them out without ruining them is easier when you use the right tools. I find a craft pick is just the right tool for the job.
Brush it out. A die brush is also an excellent tool when working with intricate dies. A die brush can be used to eject pieces that remain stuck in the die after die cutting. It can also be used to eject pieces from the die cut itself. Simply roll it over (I like to use a microfiber cloth beneath) to eject the hanging chads. They'll get caught in the cloth beneath and leave you with a nice die cut...without having to pick those pieces out one by one.
Stack for dimension. For the love...do not try to put foam adhesive on something this delicate....unless you love to torture yourself. Instead, die cut the same shape several times and stack them on top of each other to achieve dimension...and keep your sanity.
Tweezer time. I like to use tweezers to help me place my intricate die cuts on my card fronts. I just find it's easier to pick them up and place them without my fingers getting in my way.
So there you have it...my best tips for getting great results every time you use intricate dies. These are tips I use ALL the time and I've shown you all of them in today's video.
I've kept today's card rather simple, allowing the beautiful die cuts to be the star of the show. And I love the way this card turned out. When you have die cuts this beautiful, you really don't need much more.
I hope you're taking advantage of this Satur-YAY by getting your craft on! If you're craftin the day away, we'd love to see what you're making! Share it on social using #EllenHutsonSaturYAY so we can check it out.
Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you've enjoyed this project and a look at the Alexandra Renke line! We're excited to have the Alexandra Renke line as a part of our product line up in the Ellen Hutson store.
Happy Satur-YAY and until next time, I hope you have a fabulous day!
XOXO
Watch The Video
You can watch this video in HD on our YouTube channel by clicking HERE. Don't forget to subscribe while you're there so you don't miss any of our card making and paper crafting video tutorials.
Emily Midgett has some great tips for creating this stunning & simple watercolor card! Check it out:
Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE! Thanks for sharing some comment love and a thumbs up with Emily there and be certain to subscribe to our channel for other fantastic videos!
Hey everyone! It's Carissa here today. I hope you are having a fabulous Satur-YAY! I'm celebrating the weekend by getting my craft on and I hope you'll join me in my celebrating by getting your craft on too!
Today I'm going to be playing with the Avery Elle Liquid Watercolors. These watercolors may look like reinkers, but don't let their appearance fool you. They are so much fun to play with and the colors are just so yummy!
I'll be showing you a couple of ways to make quick and easy watercolor backgrounds using these watercolors, using what I've dubbed, the drop method. It's so easy....dare I say it? Nope. Gonna leave it right there and let you see for yourself in today's video tutorial.
These watercolors are available in 10 colors, giving you a great range without the need for mixing. The colors coordinate with the Avery Elle pigment inks. So you know they're colors that you're going to love!
Since these watercolors are already liquid, they are quick and easy to use. They're ready to go and can be picked up from a palette or an acrylic block and taken right to your paper. I love that I can grab them and start creating right away with a color palette that I love.
Once I create my backgrounds, I'll be using the Avery Elle Splash stamps and coordinating dies to turn these beauties in to some quick and easy cards.
I hope you enjoy this look at these fun watercolors. And I hope you'll join me and get your craft on this weekend. If you do, be sure to post it on social using #EllenHutsonSaturYAY so we can see what you're up to!
Until next time, happy Satur-YAY and I hope you have a fabulous day!
XOXO
Watch The Video
You can watch this video in HD on our YouTube channel by clicking HERE. Don't forget to subscribe while you're there!
We are so excited to be celebrating National Craft Month today with our sweet friend Nicole from Right At Home Stamps! Nicole is hosting a week long celebration of our favorite hobby! Each day there is a different challenge, guest designers, and prizes up for grabs for those who participate. In order to join in on the fun you must make a project inspired by the challenge and post it to one of the following forums:
Post to the Right at Home Facebook group (link will be provided in post on RAH blog)
Post on Instagram with #NCMwithRAH and tagging @rightathome
Post to personal blog and add the link to your post in the comments of the RAH blog post
For today's challenge, I've tested out three new watercolor techniques...
#1. Alcohol
Adding rubbing alcohol to wet watercolor creates pretty blooms, similar to effects you can achieve with alcohol inks.
#2. Water Droplets
Droplets of water & liquid watercolor are spread with air and a pipette for a fun abstract look. Very fun to play with!
#3. Plastic Wrap
Plastic wrap pressed into wet watercolor and left to dry, creates a fun texture.
See a little bit more about how to achieve these looks in this quick video...
Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE! Thanks for sharing some comment love & a thumbs up and be certain to subscribe to our channel for other fantastic videos!
To turn all these fun backgrounds into cards, I die cut them into stitched rectangles. I added a hand-cut slope of watercolored "grass" and then the Right At Home Holidays Are On The Way car filled & topped with watercolored flower die cuts.
Thanks so much for stopping by and make sure to head over the the Right At Home blog to see what Nicole has created!
Hello friends! I'm excited to share some fun watercoloring with you today - especially for those who panicked without a brown watercolor in the sweet new Avery Elle watercolor set. (If you do people or animals, you might have noticed that quickly!) But after today - you're gonna be equipped to deal with any hair or bear that might come your way!
First, a little factoid about color: Brown is made from yellow, red, and blue! In equal parts (which is nearly impossible to manually mix) you'd get a very middle of the road brown, nice and rich and even. Add extra red and you have a ruddy brown. A little more yellow and it'll push it more toward a sand color. More blue and it may get deeper/darker, or turn more grey (which can also be a useful color!)
So let's get started and I'll show you how to play around with mixes. Ready?
Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE! Thanks for sharing some comment love and a thumbs up with Sandy there and be certain to subscribe to our channel for other fantastic videos!
Fun and easy, right? Well, okay, I get it. It would certainly be easier if I could say "Dip once into the Fizz, once into Sapphire, and half a dip each into Cherry and Celery!" But...alas, that's why they call it art, not science, right?
To put the finishing touches on my card, I used a dotted border die (links to all the supplies are at the end of the post), and popped it up on some dimensional adhesive. That's it! Here's the chart I made with the colors - feel free to pin it for reference to decide what colors you'd like to try out. Lemon Grass, Sugar Plum, and Aquamarine are kinda my favorites so far!
I hope you'll be daring and try mixing some unique colors - it's fun to experiment!
Good morning! Emily Midgett here with you today sharing my thoughts on the new Avery Elle Liquid Watercolors! I have used a different brand of liquid watercolors several years ago, and I have to say, these are very similar in quality, but at a much more affordable price point, especially for a beginner! I’ve created a video showcasing a few different techniques that you can easily do with these pretty colors, including an ombre background wash and some tips on no-line watercoloring.
Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE! Thanks for sharing some comment love and a thumbs up with Emily there and be certain to subscribe to our channel for other fantastic videos!
In case you can’t watch the video, I will share some of the process, as well. To create the subtle wash on the background panel, I used Avery Elle’s Liquid Watercolors in shades of Sugar Plum and Sea Glass mixed with some Shimmer Spritz and my 1” Silver Black Velvet wash brush (try saying that three times fast!). I started by taping my slightly-larger-than-A2 Arches Cold Press watercolor panel to a cutting board, then propping it up at an angle against some washi tape, used my wash brush to add concentrated color to the top of the panel, then after cleaning my brush and leaving it very wet, pulled the color down into a subtle ombre. I flipped the cutting board and repeated the process with the Sea Glass, as well. The sparkle of the Shimmer Spritz cannot be captured accurately in a photo… this background is super subtle and super sparkly. Gorgeous. Next, I began work on the Hydrangea blooms from Avery Elle’s Floral Bouquet stamp and die set. I started by die cutting the main blooms and some leaves from Arches Cold Press watercolor paper, then stamping the images using my MISTI and some very pale blue ink. I then began watercoloring the images using Sugar Plum and a Sugar Plum/Sapphire mixture for the flowers, then Celery and a Celery/Sapphire mixture for the foliage. As I mention in the video, one of the main elements to remember is to keep the wet sections away from each other. So, I start by watercoloring one petal, then find another petal that is not right up against that wet petal. As long as you keep the wet petals apart, your individual elements will remain distinct and crisp. I also mention in the video that watercoloring is all about layers; use the Sugar Plum as your first layer, then add a drop of Sapphire to several drops of Sugar Plum to add your second layer to create shadows and depth. (This is one of the nicest aspects of the liquid watercolors; you can create a formula for your colors and always be able to recreate the same color just by knowing how many drops you use! The possibilities are endless!) Repeat the process with the leaves using first the Celery, then the Celery/Sapphire combination.
After the watercoloring has been completed, it’s time to assemble the card. I first die cut the My Favorite Things Vertical Cover Up frame from some white card stock and mounted it to the ombre watercolor panel with foam adhesive. I added the watercolored hydrangea and foliage using both foam and liquid adhesive to the corner and a Many Thanks die cut from the Essentials By Ellen line to the frame using liquid adhesive. Some lilac Nuvo drops added some texture. A few thoughts about the Avery Elle Liquid watercolors: ~Watercolor paper is important. If you use good quality watercolor paper (I’ve used Arches Cold Press here), the colors move and blend beautifully. You can even reactivate the color after it’s dried a bit on the paper. If you’re like me and you can’t resist the urge to stop fussing with your projects, this is especially helpful haha!
~They mix like a dream. You can always recreate a custom color because you can measure exactly how many drops you’re adding to your palette. Perfect for those of us who are slightly OCD in our cardmaking!! ~If pan paints overwhelm you (by virtue of the sheer volume of colors available or the cost), then the liquid watercolors are a great place to start. You can mix and match to create almost any color imaginable, and the price point is fantastic. You can get a very inexpensive palette from Wal Mart or your local big box craft store, add a few drops of color, and you’re good to go! ~You can very easily create deep, vibrant color or super subtle pastel colors by adding a little or a lot of water to your paint pans. I hope you’ve enjoyed my quick overview and initial thoughts on the Avery Elle Liquid Watercolors! They are all available in the Ellen Hutson store right now, so head on over and check them out! You won’t be sorry!
It might sound wacky but adding salt to your watercolors can create beautiful effects and textures! Check out Laurel quick video demo:
Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE! Thanks for sharing some comment love and a thumbs up with Laurel there and be certain to subscribe to our channel for other fantastic videos!
Are you curious about the pretty little bottles of Avery Elle Liquid Watercolors? Learn more about them for Heather in this quick tip video:
Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE! Thanks for sharing some comment love and a thumbs up with Heather there and be certain to subscribe to our channel for other fantastic videos!
Hey, y'all! Hope your Monday is off to a fab start! Today I'm sharing how I like to get a watercolor look using Copic Markers on plain old Neenah Solar White card stock!
LINK: Enjoy in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE; thanks for giving us a thumbs' up and subscribing!
These li'l cuties are playing hide & seek in the bamboo forest, LOL! :)
We are just tickled to welcome our friend Yoonsun Hur back to The Classroom today! Yoonsun has two great watercoloring techniques to share today and we know you are going be as wowed with her watercoloring as we are!!!
Make sure you head over to Yoonsun's blog, Rejoicing Crafts, to see more of her stunning work! While you are visiting her, share some love by leaving a comment on her blog! And if you do it before March 13th, you will have a chance to win a $50 coupon to use in our store!
Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us, Yoonsun! We hope you can come visit us again soon!
Hello crafty friends! It’s Yoonsun here and I am guest designing with Ellen Hutson this month. I am so happy to be a part of the amazing company!!
Today I have two fun cards to share with you with my favorite, watercolor technique!
Key technique 1: Watercoloring with Distress markers & watercolored pencils.
I stamped the images from the Wasabi stamp set onto watercolor paper in black pigment ink.
I stamped udon image on Post-It Note in the same black, cut the stamped image, then I used the negative piece for stamping tiny flowers (from the So Matcha stamp set) on the surface of udon bowl.
I colored the stamped images with Distress markers and watercolored pencils – I like to have rough texture from watercolored pencils.
Key technique 2: Watercolored bamboo background with Distress inks
I stamped bamboo image from the So Matcha stamp set on watercolor paper panel using Mowed Lawn & Crushed Olive Distress inks.
I brushed over the stamped images with clean water - Distress inks react with water!!
Once the panel was completely dry, I added green colored ink splatters around the watercolored bamboo.
I hope you enjoyed my fun cards and the watercolor technique today. Thank you so much for stopping by. Happy crafting!!
Hello everyone! Amy Rysavy here to share a couple of cards with you using one of the new stamp sets and coordinating die set from Ellen Hutson's January release!
I used the new S'Whale stamp set for my cards. I first created a simple "water" background using some Dr. Ph Martins watercolors on hot pressed watercolor paper.
I heat embossed the images from the S'Whale stamp set onto more hot pressed watercolor paper, and watercolored them in with the same watercolors.
I then used the coordinating die set to cut them out.
The sentiments are all from the S'Whale stamp set, I heat embossed them onto black card stock with white embossing powder. The sentiments and the whales were adhered to the cards with foam tape.
After I had the cards put together I added a few Sparkling Clear Sequins from Pretty Pink Posh.
I finished the insides of the cards with more heat embossed sentiments, and stamped the little school of fish multiple times with Versamark ink and that was it!
To see how these cards came together check out my video below:
Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE! Thanks for sharing some comment love and a thumbs up with Amy there and be certain to subscribe to our channel for other fantastic videos!
Thank you all so much for joining me today and thank you to Ellen Hutson for inviting me to be a guest designer! Links to all the supplies used are at the end of the post!
Hello! I'm so excited and very honored to be a guesting here in The CLASSroom for the Ellen Hutson December Watercolor Days. I've loved watercolors since as long as I can remember, in fact, I still have a set that I got at a drugstore when I was in high school. (Not saying how long ago that was...LOL!) Now I've graduated to The Good Stuff: Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolors – these paints are so good you all. I've upgraded my brush game too!
Today I'll be working with this BIG DaVinci mottler flat wash 30 and I have a bunch of techniques to share – this brush is just so much fun and there are so many things you can do with it!
Watch the video to see:
Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE! Thanks for sharing some comment love and a thumbs up with Lisa there and be certain to subscribe to our channel for other fantastic videos!
I just may have gotten a little carried away LOL! Here are some takeaway tips about each set of cards and the techniques.
Bold Stripes
These are so simple and so fun to make and are a great way to get starting using a BIG brush like the daVinci mottler 30. For this batch of cards I used Canson XL paper and the colors in the palette are ALL mixed with Daniel Smith bronzite genuine – ah so pretty! The colors from left to right are: sap green, phthalo green, hansa yellow light, quinacridone rose, and pyrrol scarlet.
Takeaway Tips:
These would be great to mass produce!
To make a border on your card front, cut a template from cardstock or chipboard and lightly trace around it with a pencil, then tape off the edges with artist tape so you'll get a clean edge. I keep my template with my die cuts and use it all the time.
To help with removing the tape, stick it to your clothes before you press it on the paper
When removing tape, pull it away from your project – that way if it happens to tear it won't ruin your watercoloring
Leave a little gap between colors so they don't blend together
Daniel Smith bronzite genuine makes everything better – it's just so pretty and shimmery! I mix it with everything! :)
When mixing colors, if you know you're going to use the color right away then use your brush, otherwise use a palette knife, butter knife, or a coffee stirrer you snagged at Starbucks :)
Here's a closeup so you can see it better!
Northern Lights Background Techniques
In this set of cards I shared tips for making aurora borealis backgrounds. Someday I hope to make it to Alaska to see the Northern Lights in person – until then I'll just dream and paint them instead. I put together a pinterest board HERE https://www.pinterest.com/sideoats/aurora/ for inspiration. I think these Northern Light backgrounds are a great way to play and have fun with color mixing and blending techniques -- they're so unreal looking that the sky is truly the limit!
I used Arches cold press watercolor paper for these as I found it really showed off the granulation in the Daniel Smith blue apatite genuine.
Takeaway Tips
Tilt your paper to let the colors mix and mingle on the paper – it's like magic!
Apply granulating colors like the blue apatite genuine in a nice juicy wash so that they can really do their thing. If the paint is applied too thickly or without enough water you won't get as much of the granulating effect.
Don't be afraid to experiment and have fun, you never know what might happen.
If you don't like how something turned out, don't throw it away – use it for die cutting instead! You can also put a second background on the inside of your card.
Try an inlay die cut technique like the iceberg from scraps. Use gold foil paper for that extra something.
Now for a few closeups so you can see everything better.
See what I mean about saving those scraps? Here I cut 2 Flora & Fauna icebergs from watercolored backgrounds that I didn't like, and then did popped some pieces into another iceburg that I die cut from gold foil paper. Oh and in case you were wondering, that star up there came from the Essentials by Ellen Concertina Tag set and it has a Neat & Tangled Like Magic sequin in the middle! :)
Look at all that granulation from the blue apatite genuine! Oh my. I kept this one clean and simple with the Flora & Fauna polar bear die and the peace from the Essentials by Ellen Holiday Words dies.
And this guy! Yeah I think he's pretty much my fave. I was just playing around with the brush – I love how random it is and I bet I couldn't make this again if I tried. It's the perfect background for that cute lil polar bear from the Flora & Fauna Arctic Starry Night set, right?
Dry Brush Techniques
This big daVinci brush is perfect for dry brush techniques! I prefer to use Arches watercolor paper for this technique as the paper has more texture so the brushwork really stands out. I used quinacridone rose and bronzite genuine on these – just can't get enough of that bronzite sparkle! :)
Takeaway Tips
You'll want to use a dry or just slightly damp brush for this technique
Use your fingers to separate the bristles and then keep them apart by holding them with your thumb as you work
Tap your brush into a puddle of paint, then drag it across the paper – so cool!
Here's a closeup of the Holiday Cheer card. For this one, I used the Essentials by Ellen Concertina tags die to cut out a tag and then the Modern Christmas die set for the holly and the berries. I heat embossed the sentiment with rose gold embossing powder and then added some rose gold sequins to match. Love love love all that granulation on the holly leaves!
See what I mean about saving your scraps? When I don't like something I just save it and die cut it later, as I did with with the Essentials by Ellen Modern Trees. There's no pressure with watercolor – just play and have fun. Experiment.
And last but not least, a closeup of this clean and simple card, filled with Joy!
I hope you'll try some of these fun watercolor techniques with that BIG ole brush, and don't forget that Daniel Smith bronzite genuine really does go with everything! :)
Hi there! Emily Midgett from Sixth Street Sundries with you today. I’m so excited to be joining in the Ellen Hutson December Watercolor Days! I have been dabbling in various coloring mediums for the last few years, and I have to say that the Daniel Smith watercolor line is by far one of my favorite mediums to use. And, luckily, Ellen Hutson has such a great stock of this line (as well as marvelous prices!) that I couldn’t resist making two different projects for today, including a video! Disclaimer: I am completely self taught. I have no formal training, so the terminology or artistic theory might not be absolutely correct. These are the techniques that I’ve found work best for me. One of the great things about watercolor is that you can just play around and get some fantastic results! This post is long, so get comfy haha!
For my first project, I decided to create a holiday card using the Ellen Hutson Mondo Poinsettia stamp and die set and the Exploring Watercolor set.
This set includes some great basics to help you start your watercoloring journey, including great quality brushes and paper, as well as some really versatile basic colors that you can use to create almost any color in the rainbow. I’ve created a video to show my process for creating this card:
Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE! Thanks for sharing some comment love and a thumbs up with Emily there and be certain to subscribe to our channel for other fantastic videos!
In case you can’t watch the video, here are a few tips that I find extremely helpful when painting with your Daniel Smith colors: Layers. I’ve found that layers are an extremely important element of all coloring mediums. Because of this, it’s very important to have paper that can withstand multiple layers of liquid, which is one of the reasons I prefer the Arches cold press paper for Daniel Smith watercoloring. I don’t have to worry about the paper disintegrating no matter how many layers or how much scrubbing I do. Having good paper also helps because you can more easily manipulate the color, allowing you a little grace when trying to achieve your shading. Don’t be afraid to play with the shading or to go back in after you initially have painted a petal to add some darker color. Watercolor can be a very forgiving medium if you have the proper tools.
I have another card to share with you today using the Daniel Smith Essentials palette and the Exploring Watercolor set. For this project, I’ve included a few stepped-out photos to highlight what a difference adding that second (or third… or maybe more) layer of shading can add to a watercolored image. Here’s the card, using Ellen Hutson’s Mondo Peony stamp and die set:
I started by stamping and heat embossing three of the peonies from the Mondo Peony set onto Arches cold press using some white pearl embossing powder. I mixed three colors to create the custom pinks and purples for these blooms: Quinacridone Rose, French Ultramarine, and Rhodonite Garnet. To create the variations in shading for these blooms, I altered the ratio of red:blue. For the dark purple peony, I added more French Ultramarine; for the fuchsia peony, I added more Quinacridone Rose. (The Rhodonite Garnet adds some lovely shimmer and creates a pretty pink undertone to the final color. It’s very eye catching, but not a necessity.)
After I had created my custom colors, I painted the first layer of each flower. After those first layers had been painted, I went back to my custom color palette and added a touch of what I consider to be an “essential” color: Neutral Tint. This color is great for creating shadows and adding depth to your painted projects. I’ve used it here to add shadows, as well as to create the artsy backdrop for my floral cluster on the finished card. For the second layer of paint for the flower, I’ve added a touch of the Neutral Tint to my pink and purple mixtures to give them a grayish cast, creating a shadowy effect. You can see the difference that the second layer makes make here:
After I had finished adding shading to the flowers, I mixed up some Phthalo Blue and Hansa Yellow Light (both included in the Essentials kit) to create the green for the leaves. The Essentials color selections give a nice variety of possibilities, depending on how much of each color you mix. I could have made these green leaves more teal by adding more blue than yellow. These particular leaves were about equal parts yellow and blue. I arranged all of the flowers in a cluster in the corner of an A2 sized piece of Arches card stock, adhered them all with dimensional foam adhesive, and trimmed off any pieces that were hanging over the edge.
To create the background, I used the Round #12 brush included in the Exploring Watercolor kit. I saturate my brush with water, pulled quite a bit of Neutral Tint from my palette, and added it to the Arches card front, then cleaned my brush and saturated it again with clean water, putting the tip of the very wet paintbrush to the edge of the paint on the paper to pull the color out very loosely. I allowed it to dry, then stamped the greeting from Ellen Hutson’s Amazing Women stamp set onto some pale gray card stock using Altenew’s Purple Wine ink. I trimmed the greeting strips down and adhered them with dimensional foam adhesive. The final step was to add a few Sparkling Clear sequins to add some shimmer.
That’s all for my projects today! If you made it all the way to the bottom, thank you so much!! I hope you’ve learned a few tips from my meanderings in watercolor. I encourage you to play around with your watercolors and develop your own techniques. It’s so relaxing and SO fun! Thank you so much to Ellen Hutson for inviting me to participate this week! Have a fabulous holiday week!!!
I love loVE LOVE Art Graphic Twin Markers due to the gorgeous array of water-based colors and durable rubber brush nib-- and enjoy using them quite frequently for watercolor effects. I've previously shared other methods (link to a video tutorial HERE), and today's video features a THIRD method! I'm a girl that loves lots of options!
One thing I wanted to emphasize, although I am not featuring "omitting" in today's video, is that one of the huge benefits of these markers is the ability to color very specific areas directly on a stamp, due to the brush nib--something otherwise difficult to do with ink pad.
Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE. Thanks for giving us a thumbs' up and for subscribing!
Does this make a great masculine card, or what?! *cheeky grin*
TIPS:
When inking an image/stamp with a water-based marker, use the broader brush nib, and hold the pen horizontally for maximum coverage.
Stamp images onto watercolor paper for optimal results; regular card stock will pill when water is added.
Clean off the stamp before changing marker colors to avoid contamination. The Lawn Fawn Stamp Shammy is excellent for quick clean-ups while you are working.
Keep a paper towel handy for blotting excessive water from the brush nib of the water-brush and for cleaning off the tip before working on another area/color.
After re-activating the ink and blending it out with the water-brush, work on another area while allowing the previous to dry. When you return to color an adjacent image, this will help minimize any bleeding of ink from one image into the next.
Allow artwork to dry thoroughly before adding ink spatters; this will keep your spatters "crisp" and they won't run into the artwork.
To create spatters, rub the brush nib of the marker against an acrylic block, close to the edge; use the water-brush to swipe/flick the color off the block and onto your project. If you desire more spatter, apply more marker color to a "dry/clean" area of the acrylic block. This will keep the color more intense and avoid "wicking" water up the nib and into the barrel of your marker (which can dilute the concentration of color inside the marker).
NUVO Drops tip: After applying the drops, if they seem not to be flattening as much as you'd like, try holding the card horizontally, with a firm grip, and simply "slapping" the back side of the card against your work table--sometimes, that works better than thumping the back of the card with your fingers!
LINK: Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE. Thanks for subscribing and giving us a thumbs' up!
Ellen has compiled this color palette based on the 2017 trends forecast! I decided to use them to create a watercolor backdrop to the focal balloon from this super fun set by Concord & 9th, called Happy Balloons (there is also a coordinating Happy Balloons Die Set). The photo of the sea glass piled up there, with the ocean in the background inspired me to take a watercolor approach for my backdrop, but you could certainly stamp the balloons in these ink colors for a totally different take!
Down in the supplies list, you will find the Distress Ink Colors I used that coordinate from the above palette.
This stamp set is SO MUCH FUN and super clever!!! I haven't even begun to tap into all the options it provides!
Thanks for joining me today, and Happy Mundane! ;)
Today I'm doing some camouflauged die cutting with the brand new United We Flourish set, Sending Sunshine
I love it when a set contains endless options for combining greetings to say just what you need! :)
LINK: Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE. Thanks for giving us a thumbs' up and for subscribing!
TIPS:
Make sure your watercolored art is completely dry before die cutting, to get a nice clean/crisp cut.
I used frog tape on the back of my negative die cut panel to hold the die cuts I was putting back into place, but you could also coat a piece of scrap card stock that is large enough to cover the openings with double-sided sticky adhesive.
The Zig Two Way Glue pen goes on blue but dries clear and while wet, creates a strong bond between the die cut pieces you are layering together.
For grabbing and placing exceptionally tiny die cut pieces, try using the Jewel Picker!
Burp your NUVO drops before applying directly to your project, or make them in advance on a non-stick craft sheet, allow to dry and glue them on later.
After applying NUVO drops to your project, use a piece of washi tape to hold the card shut so it will remain flat and allow the NUVO drops to dry in uniform shape, instead of "sagging".
Pico Clear Embellisher is a fantastic way to add a high gloss effect to your die cuts--the needle nose applicator really helps you get it where you want it.
I don't know how anybody could possibly be uncheered by receiving sunshine in their snail mail... ! :)
Hey everyone! Welcome to Satur-YAY! We're celebrating the weekend by getting our craft on. And I have something very shiny and exciting for you today. I'm playing with the Deco Foil Transfer Gel....and I'm in love.
You may already know that I'm a fan of all things shiny. So anytime theres a new product that involves something shiny, like foil, I'm the first in line to give it a go. In today's video tutorial, I'm going to do a little exploration with the Therm O Web Deco Foil Transfer Gel.
The Deco Foil Transfer Gel goes on much like an embossing paste. Once it has dried, it will react with heat and allow you to foil over the top using a Minc machine or laminator. The finish you can achieve is very different from other foil mediums because it leaves you with a dimensional foiled effect. For more dimension, you can apply a thicker coat. For less dimension, you can apply it in a thinner coat. It's consistency is a little more like mayonnaise than your traditional embossing paste, making it very easy to spread. I always find this process kind of fun. It's kind of like frosting a cake. But I don't recommend licking your frosting tool when you've finished. ;)
For today's projects, I used several different stencils to create some backgrounds. I didn't cover the entire background for these projects. Instead, I used my palette knife to apply the Transfer Gel in particular areas. I wasn't too careful about making sure my edges were perfectly smooth. I think the fun of this product is that you are left with lots of dimension and a foiled finish....two of my favorite things.
Now, I knew the wheels would be turning for all of you foil lovers out there. And I knew the first question everyone would ask is "Can you stamp with it?". The answer is......YES! I dabbled just slightly in this technique in the video tutorial below and was able to achieve pretty good results. I think with some more play time and experimentation, I would have even better results.
The focal images and sentiments for today's card come from the My Favorite Things All Heart stamp set. I stamped them on watercolor card stock and used my Zig Art & Graphic Twin markers, along with a Wink Of Stella, to create a beautiful shimmery watercolor look on these images. These markers are quickly becoming a favorite for me. I've linked the specific colors I've used in the supply list below.
Since these focal images are on the smaller side, I really wanted to make sure my foil backgrounds didn't overwhelm these images. I am using the Antique Pearl foil for my backgrounds. It's leaves these backgrounds with a beautiful pearlescent golden shimmer. Perfection! But keep in mind, you can use this Transfer Gel with any of your favorite heat transfer foils from either the Therm O Web line or the Minc line.
And with a stencil like the Cascading Scallops stencil, you know I couldn't resist throwing in one mermaid card. :)
I created several card projects all at once. They were quick and easy....but keep in mind your Transfer Gel will require some dry time.
I'll walk you through the creation of these cards and the exploration of this Transfer Gel in the video tutorial below. Be sure to check it out.
It's your turn now. It's time for you to get YOUR craft on. I'd love to see what you're creating this weekend. Use #EllenHutsonSaturYAY so I can check it out.
Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you've enjoyed these projects. Until next time, happy Satur-YAY and I hope you have a fabulous day!
Watch The Video
You can watch this video in HD on our YouTube channel by clicking HERE. Don't forget to subscribe while you're there so you don't miss any of our paper crafting video tutorials.
We are so excited to welcome a new friend to The CLASSroom today, the fabulously talented Amy Rysavy! You have undoubtedly seen Amy's beautiful creations "around" the internet with companies that have been lucky enough to work with her like Honey Bee or challenges like The Color Throwdown Challenge.
You can see more of Amy's fantastic work on her blog, Prairie Paper & Ink. And while you are there, show Amy some love and leave a comment there before June 22nd for a chance to win a $50 coupon to use in our store!
And not only is Amy here today to inspire us for mermaid week but she also has another sneak peek for you of Mermaid's Tail, a new Essentials by Ellen release coming next week!
Hello everyone! AmyR here and I'm so excited to be sharing this fun shaker card with you all using the new Mermaid's Tail stamp set and coordinating die set.
I started off by stamping the mermaid tail image onto Ranger watercolor paper with Delicata Golden Glitz ink and heat embossing it with Ranger Princess Gold Embossing powder. I did some quick and easy watercolor over the tail using my Daniel Smith Dot Charts (specifically Pthalo Green, Duochrome Emerald and Duochrome Arctic Fire) and a waterbrush then let it dry before die cutting it with the coordinating wafer die. I used the Daniel Smith dot charts and my waterbrush to create "waves" for my shaker background. Essentially I just touched my waterbrush to the dots of paint (Pthalo Blue and Pthalo Green) and drew waves onto the watercolor paper. I kept moving the color around and letting them blend into each other. To make my card a shaker I die cut white card stock with a circle wafer die, and added the trio of bubbles from the Mermaids Tail coordinating dies. I backed it with a piece of acetate then used a double layer of foam tape. For the shaker element I used the Seaside Holiday sequins from 28 Lilac Lane, after adding those I adhered the die cut piece to the watercolored "wave" background. As a final embellishment on the card front I added some Tonic Nuvo Jewel Drops in Sea Breeze, Orange Marmalade and Key Lime. I finished off the inside of the card by stamping the mermaid tail with the Delicata Golden Glitz ink and stamping a sentiment from the Mermaid's Tail stamp set with Hero Arts black ink. And here's the finished card! I love how the Nuvo Jewel Drops go so well with the sequin mix. And that mermaid tail stamp? SOOOOO pretty with the Princess Gold embossing powder – you wouldn't even need to color it after that (I almost didn't – but I was itching to use my dot charts LOL). I also love the mermaid tail stamped in the Golden Glitz ink and not embossed – which was why I used that ink for the heat embossed image (rather than Versamark) as I planned to stamp it on the inside like I did here.
So that's it from me today! Thank you all so much for joining me and be sure to check out the supplies if you're interested in the links below!
Supplies:
***The Essentials By Ellen Mermaid's Tail stamp & die sets will be available on July 10th!***
I've got a fun interactive card for y'all today--but the interactive part is on the inside, instead of the outside. It's also a sneak peek of a set from a small but enchanting upcoming release on June 10th. :)
Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE and thanks for giving us a thumbs' up and for subscribing!
I've included a downloadable PDF with measurements for the interior pop-up box the tail is mounted behind. Please find it below, immediately above the supplies list.
ADDITIONAL TIPS:
Sometimes stamping your image with a coordinating color of ink works better than traditional "black", as in this case; Hero Arts' Orange Soda Ink is bleedproof, so you can watercolor over it without fear of losing the details of the image.
Using a patterned paper that complimented the project to create the interior pop-up box saved a lot of time; I could focus on stamping and embellishing the card front and the wobbly mermaid tail.
Mini Action Wobblers are self-adhesive and the perfect size for a wide variety of card projects; available in 6pc, 12pc, 48pc and even 100pc packages
Attention all watercolor lovers! Don't leave me out here painting alone, okay?
I'm Sandy Allnock - back with a bit of a splash of watercolor to kick off the celebration of World Watercolor Month for 2017!
I chose the sweet little Fairy Happy stamp set from MFT - I wanted something that I could add a splashy fun background to, and these little ladies looked ready for some magic! I also painted with just the dot card...I've been running a little private experiment to see how many cards I get out of one dot card, and it's gotten to 12 already! So if you've been reluctant to dip your toe in the water due to cost - pick up a #8 brush, a pad of paper, and a dot card and you can get a lot done.
LINK: Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE. Thanks for watching & subscribing!
All this week we'll be sharing information about the color trends for 2017.
One of my favorites--one I've used increasingly over the last year or two--is the combination of black and white with a pop of color. Today, I'm sharing a project that features black and white, along with my all time favorite color, that also happens to be the Pantone Color of the Year 2017: GREENERY
As you can see on my finished project, while the dominant third color is greenery, I also interjected a little yellow/citron, hints of teal, and a few touches of orange red.
While considered a neutral, greenery conveys a sense of nature and is symbolic of growth, good health and "freshness". Depending on the hue, it can be energetic or calming and soothing and can be partnered with virtually any other color quite successfully!
Black and white, also neutrals, can bring other colors into the forefront, enhancing their vibrancy and visual presence in a unique way. Here are some of my favorite tips for incorporating black and white with a pop of color:
Black and white patterned paper with geometric designs give other colors a bold, modern look.
Depending on the scale/size of the black and white pattern, I tend to get the best results by using it on a small scale to enhance a focal image, or I let it take center stage while other images/accent colors remain minimized.
White embossing a sentiment on a rich black card stock can prevent it from getting lost on the layout--which can happen, even if there is a lot of white space in the design.
On today's project, you may have noticed that I added a white panel underneath the die cut; the black and white pattern of the background stamp is very bold--it was overwhelming the watercolored die cut leaves and flowers. Adding the white panel reduced the visual static, so neither has to compete with the other for the eye's attention.
Do you use a lot of black and white in your card designs? What are some of your favorite ways to use these colors?
It's Art Impressions week in the CLASSroom and I'm excited to bring you another watercolor creation featuring their watercolor series line. This line is a fun mix and match, make a scene with rubber stamps and is a fun way to watercolor without actually drawing a thing!
I was drawn to this beautiful house stamp as it reminds me a lot of my own century home in the layout of some of the architectural elements and I thought it would be fun to put together this scene. I've really used my imagination though on this painting as it has a garden I can only dream of!
The set is the Watercolor Series 8 Set 1 and it comes with a sample image and some instructions inside the folded packaging to help you recreate your own.
The rubber is a high quality grey rubber cling stamps and comes with four pieces that can be used separately or together.
To use these stamps simply peel off the paper backing and place the cling foam directly onto an acrylic block.
I've used three of the four stamps to create the scene. You'll notice that these images don't have a lot of hard lines on them. The house seems to fade off which is great for adding in greenery along the sides without having to worry about a black stamped line showing through. I've stamped them in Jet Black Archival Ink which is my go to ink for watercoloring...and almost everything!
Before I get to the watercoloring, I thought I'd show you a peek at my watercolor storage. It's a metal utensil trio and I store my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers in two of the bins and my Peerless watercolors in the third. It makes it super handy to grab and go. I often bring my watercolor supplies upstairs to the kitchen where there is more natural light when I'm painting.
To start with, I add in brown pigment along the main lines of the house, then blend out the color with a brush with clear water on it.
I slowly build up the house and the shadows, the greenery and the details, one step at a time. I usually start quite light and then go back in and add more color and depth as needed.
After adding in some more greenery in the foreground and a blue sky in the background, I'm done with the watercoloring section.
Here's a peek at the palette of color I used.
Once the painting is done, I adhered it onto a vellum mat and then onto a Solar White card stock card base. The Essentials by Ellen Lovely Stamp set by Julie Ebersole has some fabulous sentiments in it and I've stamped one one the bottom of the design with the Misti.
The top of the card needed a little something to anchor the design but I wanted to keep it clean and simple. My sewing machine came in handy for a added strength to the adhesive and also added a light design element.
And finally, just before I called it finished, some white gel pen accents on the watercoloring add in some great highlights.
Thanks so much for joining me today in the CLASSroom! I hope you'll be inspired to try creating your own stamped watercolor scene!
Good Wednesday morning and welcome to the CLASSroom. We are focusing on Art Impressions products this week and I chose to work with the Garden Bench – Watercolor Series 7 Set 2. Before I started I hopped over to You Tube to see Bonnie Krebs’ two part video tutorial that shows step by step how to create a scene with these stamps. For my project I also used the Watercolor Flower and Watercolor Foliage stamp sets. Both of these sets can be used over and over with all of the Art Impressions watercolor scenic stamp sets.
I used a mix of Hickory Smoke and Gathered Twigs markers to apply ink to the bench stamp.
I wet my brush, squeezed the water off and began gently pulling out the color off the lines of the bench and cat.
I applied Peeled Paint on to an acrylic blog for my palette, mixed it with water and painted around the bench and between the slats to create a base for the grass and foliage that will surround the bench.
I applied Tumbled Glass ink on my acrylic block, mixed it with water and lightly painted the bench. I have to admit I got my blue a little too dark but I just had to keep going.
I applied peeled paint to the foliage image and stamped it around the bench. Each time I inked the foliage I stamped it two or three times to create darker and lighter images. I then went back with my damp brush and softened the leaves.
I repeated the same multiple stamping technique with the grass image.
I used a larger brush to pull soften the grass image.
I used Chipped Sapphire to apply blue flowers around the bench and softened with my smaller wet brush.
I added touches of brown along the edge of the bench to create a slight shadow.
I failed to get a picture of the last addition of small flowers around the base of the bench using Wilted Violet ink and finished by adding one tiny butterfly. Oh and I must confess my little sleeping kitten got a little to dark when I first tried pulling the color off of his lines. So I stamped another one, cut it out and attached him in place with a couple glue dots.
I hope you have been inspired to try creating an Art Impressions watercolor scene of your own. Although I’m no great artist I had lots of fun with this project.
Hi friends! Carolyn Peeler with you today... As I was trying to come up with a snazzy title for today's post, I decided that I would simply let the title tell you why I think the Art Impressions line of stamps is so special. I kid you not, these stamps totally make you look like you're all that and a bag of chips when it comes to your artistic abilites. We've all been there, had times when you are pressed for time, but want to make something special for a friend, or had days when your artistic inspiration is just. not. flowing. That's where these stamps come in to save the day. Today's project was the first time I have used Art Impressions, and I am a believer.
Something that is totally awesome is that Art Impressions cares that you get a good result using their watercolor stamp sets. On the packaging they have an enlarged image of the stamp once colored in so that you can see the detail and how you could shade it. Then (this is the good part), on the back of the packaging they have numbered steps that you can follow to help you easily figure out how to make your masterpiece. (Please note: Instructions are not provided for every Art Impressions stamp set, they are limited to the watercolor stamps. If instructions are included, you will see it noted on the packaging, and/or in the description of the item in the Ellen Hutson store.)
If you purchase a set with instructions, it will look a little something like this:
As you'll note, I used a different color palette than the packaging. I changed it up as I felt the colors on the packaging were to Autumnal for this time of year. So instead of coloring it to make the pot clay, I colored it in grey to mimic a galvanized metal milk can. Let's jump in, shall we?
First, stamp the pot, using Pumice Stone Distress ink (you can color directly onto the stamp with a marker or ink it with the large or small ink pad), onto watercolor paper. Notice how the bottom left corner of the stamp is not there. That is because, by following the instructions, I learned that I should wipe the ink off that area before stamping onto the paper in order to give me space to add grass to that corner.
Now it's time to add some grass, while you can do this with the AI Foliage Set, I simply used markers and hand drew the grass. I started with using the Brush end of the Bundled Sage Distress marker. As you draw with the marker, try to use upward strokes that taper at the ends - even if not all your strokes are done that way (mine aren't), if the majority are, it will look more like grass.
Your next layer of grass is to use the fine tip of the Mowed Lawn Distress marker and add more blade of grass, like so:
Now we use water and a fine or medium tipped paintbrush to help the two greens blend together a bit. Be careful not to over blend. You still want to see the individual blades, you just want to soften things a bit.
After you've blended the grass it's time to color the can. I used Distress ink in Pumice Stone and Hickory Smoke. I dabbed them onto my Ranger Craft Sheet with the darker color on the top (Hickory Smoke) and the lighter color (Pumice Stone) below. I then sprayed a bit of water beside the ink in order to mix and create my watercolors. Here's a time lapse of the coloring process.
Allow the image to air dry, or speed up the process by heating with a heat tool. After it dries, it will look a little something like this:
Our next steps are for adding the branches and flowers to the top of the pot. Let's start with the branches, which I stamped with Brushed Corduroy, once again you can color directly onto the stamp with a marker or ink it with the large or small ink pad. Don't worry if your branches are hovering a little above the top of the can (like one of mine is) once we add grass you won't really be able to notice. Additionally, you'll notice my branches are not all the same height - even though both were stamped with the same stamp. I achieved this by using a paper towel to wipe the ink off the bottom of the branch on the right before I stamped it, effectively shortening it :)
Now for some color! I used Shabby Shutters and Picked Raspberry Distress markers to add the flower to the top of the can. For ink application I colored directly onto the stamp with the markers, then stamped them.
Next we'll add one more branch using Gathered Twig ink to bring a secondary brown into the piece. And we'll stamp the berry branch that is on the left of my piece using the Bundled sage and Picked Raspberry markers. To finish off the greenery, we'll add grass at the top using the same colors and technique that we did for the grass at the bottom of the pot.
Just like we did to the grass at the bottom of the pot, we'll now use a fine or medium tipped paintbrush to help soften things a bit. You are not trying to blend the lines out, just give them a wee bit of a fuzzy edge. Basically, this means if you simply trace each branch or flower once, that will most likely be the perfect amount.
And with that, your watercolor image is ready to be added to a card!
After the greeting is embossed use a circle die to cut it out.
Finally, It's time to pull it all together. I used Licorice cardstock to ground the card, then mounted it all on a white cardstock that was folded into a card.
Thanks for joining me for today's fun project in the CLASSroom. If you have any questions, be sure to let me know in the comments. In the meantime, here are the links to the products used to make this card:
Hello and happy Friday, crafters! As we wrap up Reverse Confetti week here in the CLASSroom, I have a celebration card to share with you today:
I used Reverse Confetti's Circle Wishes stamp set and Lacy Scallop Circles dies to create this card. I always like to look for different ways to use stamps and dies, other than how they were originally intended. So for these dies that most people would use to frame a main focal image, I used them to create a cheerful and fun background for this celebration card. I love versatility!
I didn't have an exact design worked out for this card from the beginning but knew I wanted to give the background some added interest, so I embossed the plain circle die from the Lacy Scallop Circles set onto an A2 (4.25" x 5.50") piece of Neenah 110 Lb. Solar White cardstock. To emboss in my Big Shot, I used a tan Embossing Pad and the Sizzix embossing sandwich I found on Ellen's blog:
As I said, it's not really noticeable on the finished card so you could skip this step if you wanted.
I adhered the scallop circles to the card base, letting some of the circles hang off the edges. After trimming off the overhang, I splattered metallic Gold Wink of Stella onto the background and circles. To do that, just give your Wink of Stella marker barrel a good squeeze until you see the ink start to run out of the brush, then start tapping the pen against your hand/finger to splatter it:
I finished the card by stamping the star, flower and heart that are included in the Circle Wishes stamp set with Delicata Golden Glitz ink onto the background and scallop circles. Finally, the sentiment and lower left heart circle were popped up with X-Press It High Tack Double-Sided Foam Mounting Tape:
Just think of all the different shapes of dies you could use with this background technique! Have fun creating!
It's Friday and welcome to the CLASSroom! This week at Ellen Hutson LLC we've been featuring colored pencils and lots of wonderful techniques with them. Today I'm sharing a card and a look at how to use watercolor pencils, in particular, the Faber-Castell Art Grip Aquarelle Watercolor Pencils.
Colored pencils take a fun twist with watercolor pencils. It's a combo of both a colored pencil and a watercolor pigment so that there's lots of fun ways to use them!
I love the look you can get from adding water to watercolor pencils and it really makes blending a breeze. I've used them to color this sweet watercolor paper panel which is a fun and quick way to create a great card focal point and sentiment at the same time.
These sweet Taylored Expressions Watercolor Panels are what I used to create my design. They are perfect for card or ATCs or scrapbooking accents. You can even slip them inside a card as a little gift. You can color them with markers or regular colored pencils, etc. but the watercolor paper really lends itself especially well to watercoloring. There's a few different styles and packages of these great panels available so be sure to check them out. I've used the Inspire package for this project.
These eco-friendly pencils are patented to prevent breakage and have an ergonomic soft-GRIP® dot design. Art GRIP® Aquarelle Watercolor Pencils allow you to add watercolor painting effects to your projects. Simply use a wet paintbrush (included) to brush over your design and the water-soluble leads turn into soft, rich watercolor. Apply a wash of color to stamped images or create beautiful backgrounds for cards and scrapbook pages. Unlike other pencils, Art GRIP® pencils are glued the full length of the barrel for long-lasting break resistance and have comfy GRIP® dots and stylish triangular shape. The watercolor pigments dissolve completely and are permanent, waterproof and lightfast when dry so you can create layer upon layer of beautiful watercolor effects that will last a lifetime!
Creating the project is simple and these watercolor pencils make it super easy and portable to watercolor on the go. Simply use the watercolor pencils to color in the areas you wish. You can even blend colors together by coloring an area with one color over another. The points on the pencil make it really easy to get pigment exactly where you want it.
Once you are done coloring, all you need to do is add a little water to blend.
I wanted to add a little more color and depth to some of the areas so I started experimenting with how best to do that. You can see how I've added extra pigment to the bottom half of the larger block letter words. I found the best way to do this was to use your pencil just like a brush! Simply dip the pencil in water and you can actually draw on the areas with the wet pigment and it lays down a LOT of color at once!
Here's what it looks like. The first area is a dry scribble of a dry watercolor pencil. The second area is the same scribble only it has been mixed with water afterwards and then blended out. You can see how you can get an easy graduation of color. I really love how well these Faber-Castell Aquarelles blend out. I've tried watercolor pencils in the past that did NOT work well but I'm loving how well these ones work!
Area three is a simple dry pencil line and it is show to contrast with how the next area looks. When you dip the pencil first in water and then draw a line, in area four you'll see just how much more pigment you can lay down for an accent.
And while I didn't use this method in my design, I also want to show you another way to use these pencils. You can first scribble a lot of pigment onto some scrap paper to create a palette. I've added water to this section, then picked up the color with a wet brush and then used it to watercolor a simple flower. In this way you can use the pencils more like traditional watercolors if desired.
To add further detail to the text, I pulled out a White Uni-ball Impact Gel Pen to add in some highlights to the design.
Once the image panel was finished, I matted it and adhered it to my card base. The card base itself looks almost embossed with a tone on tone die-cut layered on it. It's also from Taylored Expressions and is called the Leafy Vine Cutting Plate.
Thanks so much for joining me today in the CLASSroom! I hope you've enjoyed yet another look at colored pencils and how to use them to create your own special works of heart!
