Sunday 28 August 2011

Colouring with watercolour. My first attempt.

Evening everyone.  Today I didn't manage to make any cards but did manage some playtime this afternoon.  One of the things on my wish list is to learn to colour using watercolour and whilst watching Leann Chivers demonstrate Whispers brush markers one day last week, a tiny little bell rang at the back of my mind!  Sure enough I had a basic pack of them hidden at the bottom of one of my drawers - they were an impulse buy some time ago and apart from trying to ink up stamps with them - and making a lovely mess - they hadn't seen the light of day since.  So this afternoon I sat down with them and a waterbrush and had my first real attempt to colour in watercolour.


Ok so what I need to tell you all now is that, unless it is six inches wide and covered in emulsion paint, I have not had much practise with a paintbrush.  From left to right first, second and third go.

First one, "Sorry Shanna" from Stamping Bella


I think she must be wearing a cheap dress because the dye has stained her arm!  I surprised myself here because there was no pale colour in the basics set of Whispers so had to work out how to get a skin colour, which I did at first attempt (there may be some hope for me yet!).  I definitely don't like her hair here.

Second one


Again I think she is wearing a dress made from cheap material because the dye has stained her arms again!  I like the hair better in this one.  Actually she reminds me of a young lady I used to look after when she was a toddler so I think I will calle her Suzi!

Third one - I decided to try a different image so here is "Birthday Girl" from Crafters Companion.


As well as switching image I also chose different colours.  She is obviously wearing a good quality dress too because the dye hasn't stained her person!!  I did have a problem with the paint "bleeding" out near the tail of her sash, but I was using watercolour paper from a pad I had hanging around so wonder if that was the problem, or am I just too heavy handed with the water?  I do have some watercolour card in my stash but didn't want to use it until I had had more practise using a paintbrush and seeing how the watercolour actually works in respect of shading etc.  I have often watched others doing it but doing it myself isn't so easy.

If anyone would care to offer advice I would be most grateful.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Catherine x

7 comments:

  1. Hi catherine, love this post and sorry i have no advice, i'm sometimes too heavy handed for watercolour. Maybe it could be the paper? Lottie looks fab and the others apart from as you say the staining on the arms. Good luck..

    Louise xx

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  2. Just had a thought catherine, could it be that the arms were still a bit wet when you put the dress colour on? not sure which way round you painted them but honestly i wish my first attempt at water colour had looked like this.

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  3. Really lovely hun just ashame the blue ran i saw in a demo someone embosed with powder to stop that hope that helps hun xxx or another way it to dab with kichen towel xx

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  4. Hi Louise - thank you for your comment - I do appreciate it. I am reasonably pleased with Lottie and as you say it could be the paper. I think I will try the card out next time. And the staining on the arms is definitely lack of brush control on my part - but practise makes perfect - or so they say!

    Catherine x

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  5. Thanks Louise - I definitely put the dress colour on first (had to do the pretty bit first!!) so it is definitely lack of brush control there.

    And thank you Aquilla for the advice - I really appreciate your feedback. Now that you have mentioned it I also saw someone use embossing powder first so may give that a try. I do think the paper had something to do with it too though. And I will keep my paper towels to hand next time I have a go.

    Catherine x

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  6. Hi, we all watercolout like that to start with xxx My advice would be to get a waterbrush rather than paint brush. to start with you could always leave the image to dry in between doing the different colour such as painting the flesh tone waiting for that to dry and then do another colour xxxx
    Carolyn
    xxxxx

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  7. Hi Carolyn. Thank you for your feedback - I appreciate it. I used a waterbrush because I find it easier to use than an ordinary paintbrush. Leaving it to dry in between times is probably a good idea - I'm just too impatient but think I need to learn some patience for this - maybe I should do a few at a time, bits at a time to give them each time to dry!

    Catherine x

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