Want to make cards for your loved ones but never really found the time to. These DIY watercolor thank you cards will take you less than 10 minutes. Don’t believe me? See for yourself. I have some nifty shortcuts you can do that will save you a ton of time!
It’s kind of fun to see how the same colors react differently when different techniques are used. And watercolor is one such medium where the possibilities are endless. Today’s tutorial will feature glazing and blending. If you’d like to read more on the topics, hit the links below.
GLAZING WITH WATERCOLORS
BLENDING WITH WATERCOLORS
Before I begin, I’d like to talk about these fabulous watercolors I received in the mail the other day. Dr.Ph Martins Hydrus watercolors! I absolutely LOVE them. They’re super pigmented, bright and they come in these tiny bottles that are so cute. Additionally, you only need a teeny tiny bit and you can use it forevaaaa! Like literally forever!
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Alright so, materials required for these DIY watercolor thank you cards are:-
- Strathmore watercolor cards. Pro tip 1 to make this easy! Get a set of these because you don’t need to go through the hassle of cutting and folding paper.And, they come with an envelope as well. So everything’s sorted!
- Dr.Ph Martin’s Hydrus watercolors or really any that you have in hand
- Princeton quill brush in No.4. Again, like I say you don’t need to go crazy buying all brushes. Own one or two good quality ones. That’s all!
- Tombow Fudenosuke hard tip brush pen
- Tombow MonoTwin permanent black marker – This is fabulous for filling in and the black is super rich.
- White gel pen
1.Abstract DIY watercolor thank you card
This is a really quick way to create a statement. Because bold strokes and colors that pop always work! Start by painting quick strokes in one single color. Allow it to dry for a while. If you’re short of time, get your hair dryer out and let it do its magic.
In the image below, you’ll notice how the blue shows through the yellow on the left side because it was completely dry. Here, the effect of glazing is clearly evident. While on the right, you’ll see that there is a slight bloom and the layering is less evident here. This is due to some amount of dampness there is.
Once you’re done creating your artwork, allow it to dry completely.
Once dry, use a brush pen, to write your message. Make the letters pop by adding a shadow using a white gel pen.
2.Simple DIY watercolor thank you card
Using the same colors, start by painting 1/3rd of the paper.While the paint is still wet, apply the next color . Finally paint the last color let it blend. How easy was that? This will take you literally around 5 minutes. Seems like, you have your DIY card sorted you busy person!
Allow the paint to fully dry before writing on it. Pro tip 2: Use a hairdryer! You can use a similar style as previously shown or use a bold font as shown below. The Tombow Mono Twin markers come in handy here!
To make the letters pop, add a little accent using a white gel pen. Make sure the effect is consistent.Either on the top right or top left. Whatever suits you best!
And that’s it! How amazing yet simple was that. I had a blast creating these. And now I’m off to drop these off at the post office. Want to know what I did with the envelopes? Stay tuned for that next week!
What do you think?
I know I ask this every single time, but I loooove hearing from you. Tell me your favorite among the top two. And if you create any of these, tag me on Instagram with #makeinkstruck because I love seeing your awesome creations! Cheers!
Well, all of your tips are my favorite at the moment! I have made cards before, but mostly with sewing fabric onto cardstock. Now you’ve got me thinking of getting out my watercolors and trying this technique! I really like how you use the white pen to highlight the letters. I imagine I’ll have to practice A LOT to get my letters as perfect as yours! Thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you for stopping by Kathy. Such a fun technique to sew over cardstock. I’m horrible with the needle and I assume that’s going to be so difficult for me. Hand lettering is so much fun and it’s something that I feel everyone should have a go at it because writing with a pen/pencil is considered obsolete at this time and age which i think should change. I hope you have a wonderful time trying out hand lettering. 🙂
Thank you so very much for your ideas & inspiration! I love creating cards for loved ones, friends, & my infusion nurses. I am so excited to infuse your suggestions in my cards. I also plan to take your peony class, my favorite flower.
Thanks so much for the lovely comment Patty! I would love to see your lovely cards, and I’m thrilled that you plan to use some of my ideas in them. I hope you’re having a lovely day 🙂