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That's a big question. Watercoloring is just a method of taking watercolor paints, watercolor crayons, reinkers, etc. and applying it onto watercolor paper using a wet brush or aquapainter. I think using watercolor paper is key. I prefer 140 lb. cold press which is easily available. I say "just a method" but in fact it can take many years to master watercoloring and using layers of color for shading etc. You can also use markers to watercolor but it isn't as easy as using paint or the other things I've mentioned. I've heard good things about a DVD by Art Impressions on using watercoloring and stamping. Google watercoloring and you will find a ton of articles. The nice thing about stamping is that you use a waterproof ink pad such as Staz On or Memories and you have the outline of the image already there. Then use your watercolors to color in the image. it is my favorite technique, although time consuming!!
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
WOW! Thanks for the info. I guess I don't know much about it because I thought it had something to do with blender pens and just a regular ink pad. I have seen that done - what is that tecnique then?
You can using ink from a reinker or by pressing plastic up against the ink pad and applying it to your paper. If you have the new style SU ink pads you can press the middle of of the cover to the ink pad when it's closed a few times then open it up and you'll have enough ink on the lid to use. You can mix it with water or use it at full strength. I use to do that before I got the watercolor wonder crayons... now I have no reason to do it that way.
I have used an Aqua-brush (I think it is great. It is a brush that you fill with water and use a stamp pad for color.) I find it is better to do the "Water color" on and extra piece of card stock rather than directly on the card. I am a beginner and I have felt good success on some of my cards. There are several sizes of Aqua Brushes I found a small and larger one helpful. Good Luck
I started out using blender pens and my ink pad. I did that for years since I couldn't really afford adding watercolor pencils or crayons. I think its great since it really expands upon the use of your materials. Just push on the lid of your pad, then dip the blender pen into the ink that is on the lid of the ink pad. Color along the edges of the your image. Then, blend toward the center. SOmetimes an image even has shading marks. This is where you should start with your color so that it will be darkest there. HOpe this helps.
Yup, you can use the spots - use either on old CD (thank you AOL), or a piece of acetate for your palette - touch the spot to it to make your pool of ink. You can also use your markers in the same way: scribble a bit on your CD or scrap of acetate (or plastic plate, or...) and watercolour from there...
A neat way to do it is to emboss your image then wet an area that is going to be all one color with plain water. While it is still wet, add a little color and watch it fill in the wet area. Only do one color at a time.
Play a lot. It's so much fun. I have watercolor crayons, paint, pencils, and twinking H2O's. Love them all.
Heidi, I'd say you can use anything that won't soak up the ink, so the stamp boxes would work. Just don't do what I tend to do and drag my sleeve along the inky surface...
Can you watercolor with the stampin' spots? Thanks!
I actually use the lid of my spot for my palette. I take the lid off and press the spot onto the top of the lid. The watercolor from there, wipe it off when I'm done and replace it on the spot. That way I don't have to have anything extra with me (acetate, etc.);)
I am fairly new to this whole thing, but I use water color pencils (I bought them on sale at a local craft store) and draw a heavy line in the area that I want colored and then use a blender pen to spread it around. I've also used a blender pen and pastels or chalks, but find I have way more control with the pencil. I haven't tried the aquapainter. Sounds fun.
I actually use the lid of my spot for my palette. I take the lid off and press the spot onto the top of the lid. The watercolor from there, wipe it off when I'm done and replace it on the spot. That way I don't have to have anything extra with me (acetate, etc.);)
That's a really great idea....never thought of that! Thanks!
I sometimes use my re-inkers in the lid of my stamp pads - but for the most part I use my aqua painter and tap it to the tip of my watercolor pencil. I love to water color, it's probably the way I make most of the cards I do...
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I use my watercolor pencils and blender pens. It's great! Try it. use a black permanent pad like stazon to stamp your image...use a lined stamp image rather than a solid image stamp. Add a little color with watercolor pencils and then just use your blender pens to fill in the image.
I finally had luck using Black Stazon for my rubber stamping itself, and then aquapainter and ink refills. Finally starting to look like watercoloring. Just have to practice a bit more is all. Whew....
I've used pastels, pencils and wonder crayons. By far I love the wonder crayons with my aqua painter, especially on my stamped and embossed images! The pencils are great with the blender pens. I tend to use the pencils more when I don't emboss.
I am just starting to get into watercoloring and my question is this: does it matter what type of paper you use if you're going to use watercolor crayons? Or can I just use heavy neutral cardstock? Does it make a big difference?
I've watercolored on all types of paper. I don't use the crayon directly on the paper. I take a crayon and either color a color spot on plastic and use my aqua painter on the spot to pick up the color. Mostly I use my aqua painter and pick up the color directly from the crayon. I don't even take it out of the case. Most important, make sure there is not too much water coming out of the brush. Play with it on scraps and see what works best for you. I love playing with mine!! Good luck!:-D
I am just starting to get into watercoloring and my question is this: does it matter what type of paper you use if you're going to use watercolor crayons? Or can I just use heavy neutral cardstock? Does it make a big difference?
Thanks for all the knowledge on this site!
I wasn't pleased with the results I was getting with my WWC until I tried them on watercolor paper. The wc paper makes it very easy to "push" around the color, i.e. it doesn't immediately sink into the paper. It also will take multiple layers of color without warping your paper. I also prefer to either lay down some color onto the image or take color directly from the crayon with my brush -- gives a more intense color.
Well, I just came back from my local art supply store and I picked up a pad of 140 lb. cold press watercolor paper. I think I'm going to *play* this afternoon
I also use the spots...just "wipe" the lid of the spot across the ink pad...ink gathers on the rim and you can use your blender pen on the rim to pick up the ink.
If you have a small paint pallet you can keep the ink there and reuse the next time you want that color, just use a wet brush to pick up the color. I think it would be easier to get the ink in the pallet using either reinkers, spots or crayons. Mine has a plastic lid so dust dosen't get in.
Watercolor paper makes all the difference in the world!! I've always used 140 lb cold press, which is heavy and has a texture. I just tried 90 lb hot press, which is quite smooth and as thin as SU white paper. However, it is watercolor paper, and therefore, the color will float on watercolor paper before drying -- a major advantage. Both have their advantages. Good luck!
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
I love to watercolor with Aquacrayons and blender pens - watercolor pencils are a favorite too! I usually emobss the image first. And also pick the color off of the crayon or pencil with the blender pen. Only wish I had more time to play...
When I first attempted to water color I was not very happy with the results.
However, since then I found sets of watercolor pencils that I love..
You color just like you would with colored pencils and then I blend with my SU Aqua Painter...Hope this helps, good luck
I love this web site. Thanks to this post, I went to the store and got watercolor paper. Made a big difference. I also got the aquapen. I was using a blender pen. But it tended to make things streaky or at least not as watercolor like. I can now use both my ink/spots or my watercolor pencils. I get the watercolor look that I was seeing on some of the really cool cards. Thanks!!!!!
This is a great thread. Thank you, everyone, for all the information! I made a note to purchase 140 lb cold press watercolor paper -- sounds like it makes all the difference.
How do you watercolor?
using spots
