Trusting In The Lord For All Things: Watercoloring Images

Hey Everybody,

Lisa's challenge was to make a card using a wild animal.

You can check out her challenge here.

I recently got this set because my brother calls on my birthday and sings these words and HEY, then hangs up! LOL This set is from Stampin' Up!-called Birthday Song.

I stamped with Stazon black ink then colored with Stampin' Up! and Derwent watercolor pencils. I used a blender pencil to blend the colors on the flamingos.

I added the image panel to black glimmer paper then to the flamingo paper. The flamingo paper was given to me. I wish I knew where it came from. I'll have to look online and see if I can locate anything similar.

Most of what I found online is gorgeous paper that I wouldn't want to cover up with other images.

This will go to my brother for his birthday.

Keywords: CAS903

Stamps: Stampin' Up!-Birthday Song

Paper: white, black glimmer, flamingo

Paper Size: A2

Ink: memento tuxedo black

Accessories: Watercolor pencils, blender pencil

Techniques: coloring

161700

Stampin' UP! WATERCOLOR PENCILS ASSORTMENT 1

$18.00

Product detail

High-quality, smooth color pencils in Stampin’ Up! colors. Perfect for watercoloring stamped images. Use with Water Painters, Blender Pens, or alone.

* 13 pencils

* 6-7/8" x 1/4" (17.5 x 0.6 cm) each

* Acid free

Colors: Basic Black, Basic Gray, Basic White, blue, Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, Fresh Freesia, Melon Mambo, Old Olive, Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red

149014

Stampin' Up! WATERCOLOR PENCILS ASSORTMENT 2

$14.00

Product detail

Expand your Watercolor Pencils set with this assortment in 10 additional Stampin’ Up! colors.

High-quality, smooth color pencils. Perfect for watercoloring stamped images. Use with Water Painters, Blender Pens, or alone.

10 pencils in Stampin’ Up! colors. Acid free.

Colors: Balmy Blue, Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, Coastal Cabana, Crushed Curry, Flirty Flamingo, Garden Green, Gorgeous Grape, Granny Apple Green, Night of Navy

I found a Stampin' Up! video with some great ideas on how to watercolor. This was made years ago when we had archival ink and white glimmer paper. We don't carry those products now.

Instead you will need to use, Stazon black ink and watercolor paper. You can use whisper white cardstock if you are using a blender pen. Note that with Whisper white the color you apply will be instantly absorbed into your paper so it is more difficult to blend your colors. If you use a water brush on whisper white, your paper will probably warp a bit. If that happens, you can run it through your embossing machine between the two plates and that will help to flatten the paper.

Another thing I would recommend is to start with a small image so you can practice different techniques. You can also experiment with different papers like she did in the video.

Practice the techniques she demonstrates. It takes time like anything and repetition. You will develop your own style.

Some people like to color on the image then blend it and some people like to touch the blender pen or water brush to the pencil and paint.

Here are several different options for blending your watercolor pencils.

The first is a blender pencil. A watercolor blender pencil (often called a colorless blender) is a special tool made of wax or a mix of wax and oil, but it has no color. You use it to rub colors together so they mix perfectly. It makes rough edges look smooth.

What it does:Mixes Colors: You use it to push two different colors together. For example, if you lay down red and yellow, the blender connects them to create orange.

Smooths Lines: It acts like an eraser for harsh pencil marks. It fills in the gaps on the paper so the color looks even.Adds Shine: Pushing down hard (called

The second option is a water brush with a reservoir.

A water brush with a reservoir holds water inside its handle. You do not need to dip it in a cup. You squeeze the barrel to send water to the brush tip. This lets you blend paint, clean the bristles, and paint on the go.

A water brush works like a sponge that you control. When you squeeze the hollow handle, water pushes through the bristles. When you stop squeezing, the brush acts like a dry brush, perfect for making fuzzy textures like grass or fur.

Here are the best ways to use it:

Travel Painting: You do not need a cup of water. This makes it great for painting outside or on a plane.

Wet Watercolors: Squeeze water onto dry paint palettes to wake the colors up.

Easy Cleaning: Squeeze the handle and wipe the brush on a paper towel. The flowing water cleans the old color out.

Blending: Use the water to soften harsh edges on your artwork.

The third option is a blender pen.

A blender pen is a marker filled with a clear liquid. Artists use it to soften lines and blend colors together without adding new colors. Think of it like a magic eraser or a wet paintbrush that smooths out your coloring. It works great with watercolor pencils, water-based markers, and alcohol markers.

How Blender Pens Work

Water-Based Markers: Pens like Tombow Dual Brush Pens use water-based blender ink. Touch the blender pen to a colored marker, then color on the paper to create soft gradients or a watercolor wash.

Colored Pencils: The clear liquid in the pen softens the wax or oil binder in the pencil. When you color over your pencil lines, the blender melts them together to make a smooth, painted look with no white spots.

Alcohol Markers: Brands like Copic use alcohol blender pens. You can use them to push ink around, fix mistakes, or create highlights.

Quick Tips for Best Results

Always work light-to-dark: Blend lighter areas into darker areas to keep your light colors clean.

Clean the tip: When you pick up a dark color, rub the tip of the blender pen on a scrap piece of paper until it is clean before using it on a new color.

Use thick paper: Blender pens make the paper wet. Thin paper might tear or pill. Use heavy cardstock or mixed media paper.