OK admit it, you have a set of rarely used watercolor pencils buried deep in your crafting stash. Maybe someone bought them for you as a gift or you bought them for yourself with the best intentions but then got distracted by markers and other shiny new supplies that came your way. Never fear, they are so fun and easy to use, by the end of my video today you will know how to work that watercolor!
I love the bright fresh look of watercolor pencils! It has rained the last 4 days and it looks like it will rain until Sunday and on a day like this I reach for the most bright cheerful colors for my projects. If this keeps up you will need sunglasses to read my blog come Friday 
I know, it is quite a change from the muted drab colors I normally choose LOL! OK enough chitchat here is the video tutorial:
Did you notice how pretty my waste-paper (that covers my work surface) looked at the end of the video with all of the excess splashes of color on it, I usually toss it into the recycle bin but today I trimmed it and used it as a background on this card.
I ended cutting out the cupcakes that I demoed, I embossed a scrap of paper and die cut a sentiment and placed it all atop the waste-paper background. On the next tag I colored the cupcakes as demoed on the video but I added a background in with watercolor pencils too.
Here is the cupcake on cardstock (The one I started at the end of the video) after coloring the cupcake I painted the background with yellow watercolor pencil then placed my mask over the cupcake and spattered pink over the tag. I also edged the tag with pink watercolor pencil.
Supplies used:
Stamps: Vintage Cupcake set from Pink Persimmon
Watercolor Paper: Fabriano CP 90# I bought on sale here ($14.62 for 75 sheets! 9.5″x12.5″ a great deal!)
Watercolor Pencils: Inktense from Derwent (but any brand will work, Inktense is my fave)
HugSnug seam binding from Sew True (I died it with watercolors and crinkled it up and let it dry before using)
This project qualifies for the following challenges: A Spoonful Of Sugar, Claudia & Co, Clear It Out!, Everybody-Art-Challenge, Sweet Stamps , Top Tip Tuesday, Crazy Challenge, Make it Monday and Stamp with Fun
Happy crafting!
Filed under: Stamping Tagged: | coloring, cupcake stamp, derwent, how to use watercolor pencils, inktense pencils, pink persimmon, watercolor card backgrounds, watercolor pencil tutorial, watercolor pencils
Great projects, love your coloring skills
Thanks for joining us at Clear It Out
Wow, what beautiful tags and card!! Your water coloring is amazing!! Thanks for joining us at Sweet Stamps!!
Kendra
Great tutorial!!! Thank you, Lindsay. I haven’t used my watercolor pencils in a long time. You’ve reminded me how much fun they can be. Your card and tags are beautiful!
I don’t know why but I couldn’t view the video. Your cupcakes look wonderful. I think I’ll have to get my water color pencils out soon and play. In this economy the Copics are not in the budget any longer…boo-hoo. Hope to see your tutorial soon.
Thanks for a very information newsletter.
huh, that is weird, maybe go to my youtube channel (see the link on the right sidebar) and watch directly from there. I watched it on both of my computers off my blog and it played fine…
Yeah! Got to see the tutorial and I’m so inspired. So is my daughter. I think I know what we will be doing for rainy day activities this week. Thank you!
I love your tutorials. You give us such practical and creative craft ideas. I do have water color pencils sitting on the shelf. This makes me want to run in and pull them out. You have inspired me once again.
Just love your cupcakes and coloring! Tags and card are beautiful. Thanks for joining us at Sweet Stamps.
Hi ya, Really love your creation, If you would like to be considered for the Top Tip Tuesday DT call that you have linked to you need to add our banner to your blog and also email us with a little about yourself thanks hugs Samantha :0) (TTT)
Hi
Gorgeous creations!!
Thanks for the brilliant tutorial too.
Thank you for sharing with us at Make It Monday this week.
Michelle
Don’t forget……… if you leave a comment on another entry, mention that you saw their card on “Make It Monday” for a chance at second prize. The more entries you comment on the more chance you have of winning.
ooh what pretty cupcakes and a fab tutorial
Thanks for linking up to make it monday
Lisa x
Don’t forget……… if you leave a comment on another entry, mention that you saw their card on “Make It Monday” for a chance at second prize. The more entries you comment on the more chance you have of winning second prize.
These look truly fantastic! I want to watch the video when I get home later tonight!
Awesome tutorial and love your techniques/end result. It is so much fun to play with watercolor pencils or just plain old watercolors to create backgrounds like that. I absolutely love the tag background
hugs
Great lesson on watercolor pencils, I loved it and learned a lot!
Lindsay!! Great vid tut!! Thanks for taking the time to make your great videos!! I know what I’ll be doing this weekend! Dusting off my watercolor pencils!! Thanks so much!!
Great video! I need to dig out my watercolor pencils.
Lindsay,
Great tutorial; I love using my watercolour pencils. I also love the colour combo on your sample cupcakes!
What a great tutorial. Thanks for joining us at Sweet Stamps.
what a cute image
thanks for playing with claudia and company JOY DT
This was just fantastic! Thank you so very much. Now, I have to go on a treasure hunt in the room from #*@@!
Can’t wait to give it a try.
have fun searching for your pencils;) I bet you’ll find all kinds of treasures!
This is just wonderful! Love the fun design and the colors. How great you could use the paper to accent the card.
Thank you for sharing with us this week at
Sweet Stamps Challenge
Have a sweet week.
Lovely tutorial, however I missed your voice.
EXCELLENT!!
I love my watercolour pencils and great to see someone with your talent use them.
I cannot remember never having watercolour pencils in my life, even before papercrafting, they are fabulous. I’ve owned various qualities and found that even inexpensive ones can still produce beautiful results.
Thank You for continually sharing your talents with us.
Lynne x
Beautiful tags! And thanks for that reminder about using the pencils. Mine need some table time!
Amazing! I have some cheap watercolor pencils that don’t even see the light of day because I am just not that talented! You are fabulous. Love the cupcakes. Thanks for joining us at Clear It Out!
I rarely use the cheap watercolor pencils I have, as I don’t feel I have the ability or talent for it. Your marvelous tut inspires me to get them out and try!
I just want to say what fun with the watercolor pencils! I will have to invest in better pencils than the ones I do have. I will, also, check into Pink Persimmon. I signed up with their website. Keep up the great work kiddo. You are my inspiration. Xmas lights can now be found at garage sales real cheap!
Thanks for the great video, I just want to go and get out my watercolour pencils and play with them today.
Great technique.
Thank you for that awesome tutorial! I love those stamps and colors!
HI ya, Samantha from Top Tip Tuesday here!
Lovely card, however you have your Kids card to the Design Team Call! In your post you have said your card is for the Kids Challenge so please could you add your card link to the Kids Challenge post thanks hunny,
IF you wanted to enter the DT CALL you need to see that post :0)
you can find both the posts from here . http://toptiptuesday.blogspot.com/2011/05/urgent-please-read.html
hugs Samantha
http://toptiptuesday.blogspot.com/
oh thanks, I’ll link it to the kids challenge;)
Oh gorgeous, beautiful creations.
luv
Debby
I could not locate the Derwent Inktense but did purchase the Derwent watercolor pencils. Will these work as well as the ones in your demonstration? I don’t want to open the case if these won’t give me the same results.
Hi Louise,
I have the full set of Derwent watercolors as well. They are more pastel than the inktense but they will work just fine. Given the choice tho I’d pick the inktense as I like brighter more transparent colors. The regular Derwent colors a softer and more opaque, it is up to you, they will work equally as well just the color line is difefrent. Both are a top notch choice:)
great tutorial!
I tried using my other watercolor pencils. Blah! I broke down and orderd the inkset pencils from Dirkblick. I will be much happier using those that are used in the video. I just wish Archivers and Michaels sold these products used to save on shipping.
you will love them , I got mine at blick too, even with shipping you still pay less (about half) than the craft store:)
Great cards, great tags! THanks for joining us on Sweet Stamps.com You did a great job on this!!
Ohh wowwow,your tag is so amazing,the image and the color are exellent,i lovee love it.
Hugs Jeannette
That was such a great video, Lindsay, especially as I have the Inktense pencils but haven’t used them to their full capacity. This is even better than the video that came with the pencils. Many thanks for doing it,
Lucy x
Hey Lindsay!
Thanks for the great tutorial. I’ve been wanting to purchase some watercolor pencils for a while now, and after watching your video and doing a little research on my own, I’m definitely going to go with the Inktense pencils!
BUT… what kind of paintbrush do you use? (A #4 round brush is what I’ve seen recommended.) And I know you said you can use regular cardstock but that watercolor paper is better. If I do want to buy true watercolor paper, what would you suggest? (Again, I found that 140 cold press paper was recommeded.)
Just wanted to hear what you have to say!
Thanks again for being so creative and being such a great teacher to those of us who are novices!
Have a great week!
Elaine
Hi Elaine,
I used a #6 round in the video. If you bu a quality paintbrush it will last forever. I prefer the Aqualon and Majestic brushed by Royan & Langnickle brush company. They are good quality and have the acrylic handle so if they are left overnight in a bucket of water they will be OK unlike wood handled brushes that will swell and become loose if left in water (don’t ask me how I figured THAT out!) Also you can purchase thes brused in sets with a coupon at AC moore (I mail-ordered mine many years ago but they are cheaper to get them in store with a coupon I think)
As for paper you want it to be smooth so if you can find it get hot press paper. A large sheet (22″x30″) of 140# paper at an art store will run you about $6 but you can cut it down and make lots of cards. If you are mail ordering and not sure what to get see if you can buy a pad of hot press paper (usually they have a 10 sheet minimum when ordering paper online and that mayt be more than you will ever use) OR I have found that the Montville CP paper by canson is smooth enough for stamping. I was also very impressed wioth the cheap student grade paper I used in my video (link above) and I got 75 sheets for $14. Prices for paper vary on different factors:
1 what the paper is made of-cotton vs wood pulp and the % of each. You do not need 100% cotton for stamping, it is more important if you are painting and plan to soak the paper repeatdly and woker over and over on it as it makes it more durable.
2 how thick the paper is #90-#300 Again the ticker paper is fore use with lots of water, it is like chipboard it is so think!
I am a painter and use all kids depending on the look I am after, I have about 30 diffrent WC paper in my studio-each one fits a specific need:)
Also I wanted to mention that I prefer a larger round because if you buy a good one it will come to a nice sharp point but also it will hold a lot of water making it good to do backgrounds too. Perhaps for a beginner I would reccomend a set so you could try a few sizes.
Experiment and have fun!
BTW sometimes companies offer a trial pack where you can get a few sheets of diffrent papers, that might be a good way to go and they are inexpensive. I bought a strathmore one once, they are fun to try!
Thank you so much for sharing this with us over at Top Tip Tuesday
Carol x