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Several weeks ago I shared my new favorite way to watercolor outline images using Distress inks (although other mediums work great too) over on WPlus9 blog. In case you are not a subscriber of theirs, I’m sharing this video and project on my blog as well.
I love to watercolor and truth be told Distress inks are my current favorite watercolor medium – easy to use, lots of colors, cute little ink pads (and also storage tins, ha!). So I’ve been using them a lot in the past few weeks when I wanted to watercolor something. Instead of trying to stay inside the lines and make sure my watercolor is absolutely perfect I actually tried a different approach and started coloring intentionally leaving some areas white.
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VIDEO TUTORIAL – LOOSE WATERCOLOR WITH DISTRESS INKS
I’ve created a video tutorial where I am sharing everything in detail. You can watch it below or on my Youtube channel.
Like this video? Please give it a big thumbs up and share with a crafty friend! Drop me a comment too, I love hearing from you!
CARD DETAILS
I started by stamping images, leaf outlines from the Autumn Leaves stamp set, in Coconut Husk Dye Ink. You can stamp them in black, but I had that particular color sitting on my desk and I wanted to give it a try. It is waterproof so works great with watercolors.
I didn’t do any masking, I’m not a fan of masking lately (this is probably just a phase or something) so I just overlapped the images slightly when I did my stamping. You could do masking, but I think that would take a lot of extra time. Once my background was stamped I used several colors of Distress inks (all listed below) and a water brush to do my messy watercolor. I did two layers with the bottom one being lighter and the top one being a bit darker. Love the way it turned out.
I needed a focal point for my card, so I stamped a little pup from Friends for All Seasons: Summer and colored him the same way. I would say that this loose watercolor does look better on leaves, not so great on the puppy, its okay, but not perfect.
To create a sentiment I heat embossed “With Much Gratitude” in Hero Arts Copper embossing powder onto a piece of vellum; pup was adhered on top and that panel was foam mounted over the watercolor background.
SUPPLIES
I’m listing the products I used below. Click on the link to go directly to the product. Where available I use compensated affiliate links which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!
 Wplus9 Grateful Greetings Clear Stamps Shop at: SSS | WP9 |
 Wplus9 Autumn Leaves Clear Stamps Shop at: SSS | WP9 |
 Wplus9 Autumn Leaves Designer Dies Shop at: SSS | WP9 |
 Wplus9 Autumn Leaves Set Clear Stamp and Die Combo Shop at: SSS |
 Wplus9 Friends for All Seasons Summer Clear Stamps Shop at: SSS | WP9 |
 Wplus9 Friends for All Seasons Summer Designer Dies Shop at: SSS | WP9 |
 Wplus9 Friends for All Seasons Summer Clear Stamp and Die Combo Shop at: SSS |
 WPlus9 Coconut Husk Dye Ink Shop at: WP9 |
 Spellbinders Platinum Die Cutting and Embossing Machine Shop at: SC | SB | AZ |
 Hero Arts Heat Embossing Gun PW200 Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Pretty Pink Posh 4MM Clear Droplets (small) Shop at: SSS | PPP |
 Pretty Pink Posh 6MM Clear Droplets (medium) Shop at: SSS |
 Neenah 80 Solar White Paper Pack 250 Sheets Shop at: SSS | AZ |
 Hero Arts Copper Embossing Powder PW116 Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Bazzill 40 LB Vellum 8.5 x 11 White 25 Sheets Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Versamark Watermark Emboss Ink Pad Shop at: SSS | HA | AZ |
 Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad Wild Honey Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad Festive Berries Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad Peeled Paint Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad Forest Moss Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad Gathered Twigs Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad Spiced Marmalade Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad Candied Apple Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad Tea Dye Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 EK Success Powder Tool Applicator Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Medium Water Brush Shop at: SSS |
 Be Creative Tape 3MM ROLL Double Sided Sookwang Shop at: SSS |
 Sakura Quickie Glue Pen Shop at: SSS | AZ |
Great card, Yana. Love this “loose” water coloring technique. Can’t wait to give it a try.
Very gorgeous card Yana ! Love your video with this very cool water coloring technique ! I have to try this ! Thanks so much for sharing.
Love this type of watercoloring. Awesome result!
Words can’t express how much you’ve inspired and helped me to improve with water-colouring, with your tutorial here as well as in other videos! Thanks to you, I may actually have some water-coloured cards appearing on my blog! This technique: LOVE! Thank you (and thank you again for the novels you recommended. Totally enjoyable!)
~carol
Great water colouring., a very pretty card!
So, so pretty. I always enjoy your videos and learn so much. I like how you showed the comparison between the card stamped in black vs. brown. The brown stamped card is so much softer. Thanks so much for sharing yourself with the world.
I love this card because it’s so quirky! The beautiful traditional watercolor background makes a perfect base for the cute little doggy with his basket full of bones. I am thankful too, for your talent.
Great water coloring technique. Love your card!
Just got your email and noticed that you moved the the US and to Phoenix, AZ. Welcome, I hope you enjoy it here. Hot in the summer, but the rest of the year is lovely. I have this stamp set and love to water color the leaves. Great idea to use it as a background.
Brilliant video and water colouring technique – and what a beautiful card!
Hope your’e settling in after your recent move 🙂
Love this water colored look and no masking! Thanks for the video too!
Love this technique! Very artsy look and easier to do! You always have such great techniques!