How to Use Watercolors to Paint Holiday Cards

Use watercolors to paint your own holiday greeting cards. The varied effects you can achieve by using watercolors will help you create truly sensational cards.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Art Sets
• Watercolor Blocks
• Watercolor Brush Cleaners
• Watercolor Brush Holders
• Watercolor Paintbrushes
• Watercolors
• Sponges
• Holiday Magazines
• Internet Access
• Pencils
• Envelopes
• Tracing Paper
• Watercolor Paper
• Computers
• Rulers
• black, medium-point permanent markers

1. Find a suitable design for your holiday greeting cards. Look on the Internet and in holiday coloring books and magazines as well as embroidery and needlework books for suitable holiday images and designs. You can also draw your design freehand.

2. Use watercolor paper for your greeting cards. This special rag paper is made of cotton fibers and will absorb water more adequately than will other papers.

3. Choose envelopes.

4. Use a pencil, ruler, craft knife and cutting board to cut sheets of watercolor paper to a size that will fit in your chosen envelopes when folded.

5. Draw or trace your design onto one half of the card stock paper with a pencil. Paint as is, or use a black, fine-line permanent marker or paint pen to trace over the pencilled lines. Allow markings to dry before painting.

6. Wait until after you have painted the card to fold the watercolor paper.

7. Mix your chosen watercolors in a palette tray. Use colors that will reflect the holiday season.

8. Use a watercolor paintbrush to apply wet paint onto dry paper or dampen paper with a sponge before applying paint. The former method will allow you to produce crisp, clear edges, and the paint will be easy to control.

9. Apply paint to dampened paper to achieve softer, blended lines and a more translucent color. If you've never used this method before, practice until you feel you can achieve the desired effect.

10. Add any holiday greeting or message to the inside of your cards. Write your message with calligraphy pen or a black or metallic medium-point permanent marker.

Tips & Warnings

• Discount paper supply stores, art stores and craft shops have a wide variety of watercolor supplies from which to choose.

• See "How to Make Hand-painted Note Cards" for instructions on using a copy machine to transfer your design to the paper. This method will be useful if you plan on making many cards using the same traced design.

• Draw or trace the same design on each greeting card or use a different image for each one.

• Make extra copies of your greeting cards just in case you make a mistake when painting them.

• Avoid using the permanent marker line to outline your pencilled design if you plan on dampening the paper. Only do so after testing.

• Keep craft knife out of the reach of small children.