Basic Card Making Week 2 - Water colours & Stamping

Week 2 - Water Colours & Stamping

During this revisit to basic card-making I am showing ideas on simple cards that, hopefully , anyone can join in. I do not consider myself much of am artist, although a competent crafter, and it is my crafting skills that I use to make my cards.

Sometimes we want to make simple card, and sometimes we want to expand our techniques and go for more elaborate cards, experience has taught me that unless you are really good at matching colour and sizes so that your perspectives are right, it is good to stick to some basic rules.

Matting your toppers makes the focal point 'pop'
Background mats are often black (simple and effective) or for Christmas Red goes with Gold
Green with Silver (generally).

For Water Colour cards there are several ways of adding your colour, paint with water colour paints, spray your card and then use your water colour pencils with a brush to add colour, (drawing directly onto the card with the pencil will always leave a line). I have also used Tim Holtz Distress stains and these are water based inks, colour can be built up and they have a dauber top that is very simple to use.

Always use a Water Colour Card, any other card will warp with the water, some card will disintegrate and leave little fluffy bits, while other card will not hold the colour well or give that soft look your are trying to achieve.

All the cards for this week were made on Windsor & Newton Gummed Water Colour Pad
I cannot remember where I bought it, but the front cover was damaged and it was reduced to an amazing £1.37. Wow I love my bargains

The sheets are 12 x 9" and so I cut each page into 4 pieces

Card 1

     Well let's call this card 1A
While the card below is card 1B
As both cards have been made using the same techniques

For the base card I used the Water Colour pad piece 4.5" x 6" 

Both cards I used the Tim Holtz Distress Stain 

Card 1A was a mix of denim Blue, Silver and a hint of red 

I also used the stain to run around the outside so it did not need a matting layer

And stamped the greeting in black ink

Card 1B, I used a Build a Butterfly stamp set and again used the Denim blue for the base stamp, daubing the stamp with the ink,

the silver for the middle outline stamp and then a blue stamp pad for the top outline stamp 

I then added a black half frame before putting it onto the base card 

 Both base cards are scalloped cream card 5" x 7" 

Card 2 

I love this simple water colour shaded background. I use a water colour pencil to make the background. This water colour base card is smaller at 7.75cm wide and 12.5cm high. First I sprayed the water colour card with plain water, then using a water-pencil took colour from the pencil and added it to the middle of the card. I built up the colour and mixed a litttle blue to the outside of the green. What I love about water colour is the subtle colour that then allows the detail of the stamp to stand out.

Black ink pad was used for the grass stamp image and greeting 

This was then layered onto a piece of black card 8.5cm x 13.25 cm 

I hope you enjoy having a go at water-colours, if you do not have pencils or water colour paints, use a ceramic saucer or old tile and press a water base ink pad onto the surface, then use a paint brush or water colour pen to put the colour to the paper.

Back later in the week with 2 more card ideas using water-colours.

Happy Crafting 

Dee