Friday, May 9, 2014

Watercolor Class ~ Lesson Three

Hello Friends! So I'm back today with my homework for Lesson Three of the Watercolor for Cardmakers Online Class. Today, we learned about watercoloring stamped images. This lesson was right up my alley, since I looooove to color! Usually with my homework for these classes, I focus on doing the technique I learned and creating a card to showcase it. With this lesson, I decided to take a different approach. I absolutely loved each and every technique shared today, so rather than focus on one and creating a card, I tried all three techniques and created a sample swatch of each. Again, the idea with this lesson is to stamp an image and then watercolor it using a variety of media. Take a look...

The first technique was taught by the very talented Jennifer Rzasa. She stamped her image with VersaFine ink and then watercolored it with Inktense pencils. I really love my Inktense Pencils and I don't use them nearly enough. I took a picture of what the coloring looked like, before I added water.



You can see that I didn't add very much pencil at all. That's the beauty of the Inktense pencils. A little goes a long way. Here is what the image looks like after I've added water.



Quite different, isn't it?! The colors are so vibrant and they blend beautifully. I really like the way this one turned out. I think it's my favorite of the bunch!


The next technique was taught by Swarup Murthy(Sanketi). This was my first encounter with Sanketi and once I saw her method, I fell in love!...In love with her, her teaching style and her artwork. I immediately went to her blog and YouTube channel and subscribed. I plan to visit her blog often...she is soooo talented.
She taught us the wet on wet method of watercoloring a stamped image. Let me just say here, please visit her blog and see what this is really supposed to look like. This was my first attempt and it's a mess, but I wanted to share it anyway.


I apologize for the blurry photo, my batteries were dying. Anyway, the idea here is to wet the paper and then add paint and not wait for each layer to dry. I tell you, I did not do this technique justice at all. Visit Sanketi's blog! I had a lot of fun with this though and I plan to try it again.

The third technique was taught by Shari Carroll. It's embossing the image and then watercoloring it with Distress Markers. This is probably my favorite technique of the three.



I inked the image with Versamark and then inked it up with Distress Ink and embossed it with clear powder. I need some of the clear matte embossing powder, because I don't really like the shiny look. I love the control the embossing gives, though. I am able to achieve a watercolored look with all the blurred lines. I've used a similar method HERE and HERE.

I really enjoyed today's lesson and I learned a lot by trying out each technique. Here's a look at all three together...


All different, all special. I will not be making these into cards. They are going into a swatch book, but I will definitely be re-visiting these techniques in the future.

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings~


supplies~
stamp set:Sweet Life(Close to My Heart)-stamp of the month
specialty paper: 140lb cold press water color paper(Strathmore)
coloring media: Inktense pencils(Derwent)  Transparent Watercolors(Grumbacher)  Distress Markers(Ranger)
ink: Walnut Stain Distress Ink(Ranger)  VersaFine Onyx Black, Versamark(Tsukineko)
other: Clear embossing powder(Judikins)  waterbrushes watercolor brushes

4 comments:

Sheila H said...

Wow - these techniques are amazing and so are your results, Barb. The swatches actually look like paintings. Your talent is growing! I can't wait to see you make some cards with these new techniques.

Jeanne said...

Fantastic work, Barb! I was amazed at the change in your first two photos (where you used the Inktense pencils). I've never been able to figure out watercolors, so to see what one can do with them is so impressive to me. I'm glad you are having such a great time and learning so much. Keep enjoying it. Have a wonderful Mother's Day!

Anonymous said...

Wow, I am so impressed. To see each technique done with the same stamp is fabulous. I learned a lot from your efforts. Thanks very much for sharing your talents, Annette.

Erika Kjellsson said...

What a great idea! Using the same stamp on all three techniques.
Why didn't I think of that?

Your images are awesome, and I think you have done really well with all three. Be proud of your art!

/Erika