Happy Valentine's Day! I have another card for you from Alex Syberia Design's February release ... Clematis! Such a beautiful digital image to watercolour.
I printed these flowers on Canson Mixed Media 98lb paper. I began by loosely dropping in colour using Mijello Mission Gold water colours on wetted paper. When the entire panel is wet, it is likely to warp. By wetting the backside of the panel, it will lie down flat on the surface making it easier to work on. For the flowers, I used Bright Violet and Peacock Blue. Sap Green was used for the leaves. I let the paint spill out into the background.
I then reached for Lilac Waterfall, Nuvo Shimmer Powders. These powdered pigments are highly saturated and so I use them sparingly. I lightly tap bits of powder here and there on the panel. I then take a paintbrush loaded with water and tap it over the powder. For me, this is the right amount of water to activate the pigments without them migrating all over the panel! I repeat this process until I am satisfied with the result. Lilac Waterfall has rose, blue and lilac pigments that will unify the composition. I love how these powders can add depth to a painting.
After the panel is dry, I watercolour each of the flowers using the same paint colours as the initial wash of colour. To begin, the petal is painted with water .... just enough to create a sheen. With a number 8 brush, I pick up paint off the block and drop the colour at the base of the petal. After cleaning my brush in water, I draw the colour up the petal adding in more water to create a gradient. As I painted each flower, I worked on alternating petals returning to the skipped petals when everything was dry. You can lightly touch the areas you have painted. If it feels cool, it is not dry. Patience or your heat tool are your friend when watercolouring! When working on the details of each petal, you do not want paint spilling out of the petal on an area you have already painted.
The leaves were previously washed with Sap Green. I continued adding detail in the same manner as the flower petals. I introduced Olive Green for a dark tone and dropped in Permanent Rose for some colour variation.
I used a small paintbrush to splatter the panel with both Bright Violet and Peacock Blue. The smaller the brush, the finer the splatter. The sentiment is embossed twice with WOW! Primary Ebony embossing powder. I trimmed the panel to 4 1/8" by 5 3/8" and adhered it to a black foam. My panel was slightly warped. Attaching it to foam and placing some weight on it while it is drying, flattened it out. I mounted this panel on 4 1/4" by 5 ½" black card stock before adhering it to the card base. A few touch ups to the flower centre with Zig Dark Oatmeal to create some shadows finishes up today's card! Thank you so much for finding some time in your busy day to visit!
For a VIDEO TUTORIAL , please link to YouTube
Products:
Alex Syberia Designs (Shop Link) : Clematis is available through ETSY. Link provided.
Simon Says Stamp - Say It All Friend (Thinking of You sentiment)
Nuvo Shimmer Powder - Lilac Waterfall
Mijello Mission Gold - Bright Violet, Peacock Blue. Sap Green, Olive Green, Permanent Rose
Zig Clean Colour Real Brush - Dark Oatmeal
Canson Mixed Media 98lb paper
WOW! Embossing Powder - Primary Ebony