Supplies:
- Watercolor paint. I am just using a pack from Dollar Tree.
- Water
- Paint brushes
- Cardstock, thick paper, paper specifically for water painting
- I also used a different color of cardstock to add to my piece in the background.
- Stamps. The ones I am using came from Dollar Tree.
- Stamping pads (ink for stamps)
- Paper towel
I did not have any special water paint paper. I also just used the water paints from Dollar Tree. I wanted to test out water painting before I spent money on nicer supplies. I started off with a white piece of cardstock. I recommend a thicker cardstock to help hold all the water from the paint. I then played around with some of my stamps, also from Dollar Tree, till I had a placement I liked.
Next, squeezed out some of my paints, and add water to each of them. Make sure to mix your paint and water together well with your paint brush. I used a soft bristle paint brush for this. I then started mixing colors and applying my paints to my cardstock. I mixed blue and green (yellow and blue) and made spots of this color mix, not completely blended together, for where my humming bird would go. I then mixed a red, and applied it to my cardstock where my flower would be. I wanted the colors to go past where the stamp would be. I even made a little green for the stem of the flower. Lastly I made an orange by mixing some red and yellow, which would go where my words stamp will be placed.
While I was making my color spots. I had dripped a dot of green onto my cardstock. I also felt like my cardstock needed a little something added to it. So, I decided to take some of my water paint and flick it onto my cardstock. Once you are happy with your water paint, set it aside to dry.
Once your water paint is dry, it is time to apply your stamps. I decided to do all my stamps in black, so they would stand out clear against the colorful background. I need to get or make a stamping block for these stamps. A stamping block is just a piece of wood or acrylic that is applied to the back of a stamp to help you hold onto it, and not get your hands dirty. I really like these clear stamps I used, because they allow me to see through them, thus letting me see exactly where to place my stamp.
Allow your stamps to dry. I really liked how my first water paint piece turned out, but it just seemed like it was missing something still. I decided to add a blue cardstock to the back, and that made a huge difference. That was exactly what it needed. I cut the blue cardstock down to size and applied it to the back of my piece. If I were to place this on the front of a card, then I would have done the off-set style. However, since I was not sure what I would do with this finished piece, I decided to just outline my piece with the blue. You can attach the blue cardstock to your piece with glue or double-sided tape. I choose the blue cardstock to make my hummingbird colors pop more, since he is the star of my piece. Feel free to pick what color you think will look the best for your piece.
I had a lot of fun making this piece. It was nice to just do something relaxing. I did not have a lot of expectations for this piece, since I was very new to water painting, but I was really happy with how it turned out. I actually have this piece sitting on my shelf in my craft room. I may play around with watercolors more in the future. Never be afraid to try something new. If it does not turn out how you want, then you can always try it again or move on to another project, but it could also turn into a new favorite hobby or just a nice piece for you to display and be happy with.
