Hi friends! I was playing with my watercolor pencils a lot this weekend and it occurred to me that you may have never heard of the tool I used to get soft even blending with these pencils. It is a water-based blending marker. My favorites are Stampin Up or Tombow but you can also get them by Dove, Letraset, Marvy LePlume and probably others. It is basically a marker filled with equal parts water and glycerin. One of my viewers even cleaned out an old marker and filled it herself because she could not buy them in her country. Watch this video to see how easy blending watercolor pencils with a clear water-based blending marker is, PLUS frugal card making tips!
Now, just to be clear I prefer this method for coloring stamp art because the images can be kind of small, for drawing and painting freehand I prefer a water brush or a synthetic brush and a bucket of water. Try both methods and see what you prefer. Make sure you use a water based blender because the alcohol ones do not work well for this and they make the colors stain through the back of the paper (not good if you want to make a one layer card.) A water-based blender will set you back about $3 but a good one can be used for years! I hope you found this tutorial useful and you are inspired to try it with your watercolor pencils soon! The Prima Watercolor Pencils I am using are from Hallmark Scrapbook. Happy crafting!
Thank you Lindsey.
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yes, would LOVE to see you do the pansy card as well! 🙂 thanks a bunch!
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Thank you for the tip! I have become obsessed with water coloring lately and will be getting one of these pens and experimenting with it!!
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Can’t wait to try this. Would love to see the other card demonstrated also. Thanks for all you share.
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Hi my love Lindsay, thanks for the heads-up…..Now to start shopping! lol Or I may try to make my own. Love ya’ Patricia B
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Very nice Thank You card. Would you demonstrate how you tear your paper for the ragged edge look sometime, please? I am enjoying your tutorials and excited about watercolor painting! Thank you
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I love this video. I have some of the Marvy blender pens so will be trying. I’d like to see you do a video on the pansies, too. Thanks.
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Thanks for the advice. I’d like to see how to do the other card as well. Thanks! 🙂
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This is just what I needed. I’ve been wondering about Copic but I like this so much more. I’d love to see the other card too. Thanks!
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what proportions of water and glycerin do you use to refresh the blender pen? Love your site, and would love to see the other card also.
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50/50 equal parts:)
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And something like gamasol for your other non watercolor pencils.
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yes:)
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Should be a ? On the above question.
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Dear Lindsay, I just LOVE your blog! I found you last year, and I’m not sure ‘why in the world’ I didn’t sign-up at that time to receive your posts?!??! You give the best advice, have super fun ideas, and I love that you DON’T focus on any one topic, but rather give your followers lots of inspiration all-around. You made me realize I like to switch-up my crafty works, too..jewelry, knitting, etc. I’ve never tried drawing of any sort before, never felt even the slightest bit of talent in that department (can’t draw a straight line)…but I might give it a try following some of your techniques! I can hear you telling me: “give it a try, stop dawdling, it’s just a bit of paper and some paint or markers!” Thank you Lindsay, keep up the great work and thanks for making us laugh, your experience, and for helping us to be successful!
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Thanks for another great tutorial. I would love to see the other tutorial too. I’ve been using watercolors for a short time and find that i like a more vibrant look for a lot of things..
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Thanks so much. I have a question I have few blender pens but how do I know if it for my watercolor pencil or my copic markers?
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smell the marker, if you can smell alcohol it is an alcohol marker, if there is no (or little) oder it is waterbased:)
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Nicely done. I need to get my Dove blender out and get busy. Would like to see the pansy card demo.
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Great video, I would like to see the other tutorial too.
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Great tutorial, yes please demo the pansy card. Thanks.
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Hi Lindsay 🙂
Awesome card!! Thanks for sharing! You are so talented!
Best wishes. Take care
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Dove blender pen has a brush tip! At leas the ones I have….
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thank you Lindsay i really kike the coloring and i would lve to see the pansy one too
thanks a bunch
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Thanks for the great tutorial…your card will be a BIG success!
Paper Hugs,
Jan
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Great tutorial. Would like to see the other one colored also. I like the stampin up blender pen also. The Dove pen seems a little juicy to me. What are the amounts to make your own solution? Edna
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50/50 equal part water and glycerin:)
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Yes to the other card would love to see that…
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I really enjoy the coloring tutorials – I have learned a lot! Thank Lindsay!
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yes please do the pansey tutorial.
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Thank for this video on blending watercolor pencils. I have always been afraid to use them because they never seem to look nice. I will definitely look for a waterbased blender marker.
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I threw out my Tombow blender pens ages ago because the tips were all frayed. I plan to replace them now. I also love your idea of taking a die cut from the center of your mat piece. Very clever and frugal. Yes, I would love to see a demonstration of your other card. It is gorgeous and the House Mouse card is sweet. Thanks bunches for your tutorials. You have no idea how much they have helped me.
Hugs from the snow mountains of Prince Edward Island,
Teresa
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Wow, wow, wow! I always learn so much from your videos! Thank you, Lindsay :o) I would love to see the pansy card tutorial.
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I would love to see the pansy card!
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Love the house mouse stamps. And I have the PSX pansy stamp, would love to see the tutorial.
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Would love to see the pansy,
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I purchased a Recollection’s Blender Pen from Michaels. Can I use this for watercolor pencils? I could not find anyone to help me. Or, are these only good for colored pencils and alcohol markers? I could not find any info online. Help!
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just smell the nib of the pen, if it smalls like alcohol it is for alcohol/permanent markers, if there is no small it is for watercolor:)
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Good tip. Smell the nib…. Shall do!
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Why thank you, I never thought to use a blender pen with my watercolor pencils. Will try it this afternoon, while it is fresh in my mind! I would love it if you would show us how you
watercolored the flower card. It too is very nice, quite stunning, as a matter of fact. Fun to see how many subscribers you have, my dear…, and from all over the globe. Why you are a starlet!
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Love blender pens. So much easier than aqua pens. Thanks for the great tips throughout the video.
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Have you ever used the Dove blending solution?
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I have not.
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So, would you say that the dove blending solution is the same as your 1/2 glycerin, 1/2 water that you use in the blender pen?
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I believe so:)
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could you fill a water brush with half and half glycerine and water? thanks for all the great videos, just found u on u tube
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yes but you might get more liquid than you want.
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