Saturday, March 26, 2011

OK, I probably need decent-ish watercolours...

One of the reasons I started abusing my kids watercolours this week was today's challenge at Make It Colourful which is Colouring Backgrounds. I like to let my hidden experimenter inner me out for that challenge and had this idea of trying out making a "proper" watercolour scene. Considering I hadn't really done much with watercolours at ALL before, the result ain't too desperate, lol

I was actually ignorant enough in the area to sneak to library and drag home couple of books on painting, just to get some rough idea how to go about it, lol.

Putting aside the specific rules for watercolouring (like working from back to front, letting the project dry between washes, how to mix colours etc.) the basic rules for colouring apply. Like using more washed-out and bluer tones for distance and getting warmer, brighter and more detailed as you come "closer". For distant hills I used paler washes and mixed greens quite heavily with blues. You would need to do the same with any medium.
I used Hilly Lane  from Make It Crafty as a base for my background, choosing to use some details and just paint over others. Very bold of me, I know...

I don't have many information about the Tilda on my card. She is from a Magnolia kit I got couple of years ago, I think it might be called Chasing Butterflies. I stamped her onto NOT 300gsm watercolour card and coloured in fairly "wet" style, letting colours mingle and soft watercoloury textures form. Then I let her dry and put in deeper shadows wet on dry, working on little areas and blending by dabbing with almost-dry clean brush on the very edhe of the wet shadow area. You need to have kitchen paper in your hand and keep constantly dabbing the moisure and pigment off your brush. Have to confess that's a technique I kinda "made up" and maybe it's outrageously wrong. :)
Either way, I had fun experimenting :)

Challenges:
Cardmadfairy's Digi Days Challenge  must use a digiback to nature
Fairy Fun Fridays - Spring-themed
Fairy Knoll - happy!
Stampin With The Dragon - bring on Spring
Art Impressions Stamps Challenge - Water Colours
Dutch Dare Card Challenge - Celebrations
Samuel Taylor's Challenge - Butterflies
Crafts and Me - anything goes
Little Red Wagon - butterflies
Everybody-Art-Challenge - Happy Birthday
Card Cupids - Spring Inspired
Cheerful Stamp Pad - Be a Sport


Thanks for visiting and come back tomorrow for a video tut on colouring facial features with Copics!
Hugs
Annika


36 comments:

Tammy said...

Absolutely beautiful! Love your description of the watercolor technique. Thanks for joining the challenge at Stamping with the Dragon.

Anonymous said...

You are a wonderful artist Annika! For someone who has never watercolored before, you sure have mastered it quickly even with a child's water color set. Your work is amazing and this card is beautiful. You inspire me to want to try new mediums! Pretty as a picture - should be framed! :) hugs, Angela

Tine said...

Hi Annika. There is nothing wrong with doing a bit of 'homework' on a subject! LOL. Great card and nicely painted too.
Tine :)

Mummylade said...

excellent result!

Anonymous said...

wow, this is stunning. i love the coloring, looks perfect. i could never do that. you really are an artist, cause this is a piece of art.
hugs

Stacey G.-2 Craf-t-4u said...

You are amazing Annika! If I attempted it, it would look like a child's painting, yours is fantastic! You blended the colors beautifully. What ever techniques you used or made up, they worked! Why buy expensive paints? These are working great for you! Thank You for joining Dutch Dare this week! Come join our hop for a chance to win some great prizes! Can't wait to see your video tomorrow!

Anneke said...

Hi Annika, soo great this scene!! I love your beautiful card!!
Hugs Anneke

Lori said...

Don't see any need to upgrade from your kids pencils, your colouring is fantastic, it almost has an acrylic or oil feel. Love it!

Unknown said...

Wow Annika, your background looks stunning, and so does Tilda!! It looks so totally different from all the other techniques I've seen so far. Hugs, Frea

Marilyn said...

Well Annika... I think you must have been a painter in another life! This is like a mini masterpiec... I love the sky, the grass.. all of it!

cnelson said...

so sweet and lovely! your watercoloring is so fab!!

Renkata said...

wow this is ART dear ANnika, simply amazing background.
Gorgeous card.

Dena said...

Wow! Annika, this is gorgeous! I love how you used the watercolors!!!
Hugs, Dena

Shirl said...

You must be kidding me, Annika! The results ain't too desperate??? It's simply A-MA-ZING! I dare say there aren't many out there who can achieve results like that just on the first experiment - and with toddler's grade paints too, and you did just that! WOW!

Archies Mum said...

Wow your colouring is amazing, I especially love how you've got the colouring for your sky.

Shazza said...

this is wonderful x

Unknown said...

Hi dear Annika, GREAT card and GREAT colouring, as usual!
Have a nice weekend, hugs Ageeth xx

Tracey said...

Hi Annika, I hope you are ok. I think you did a great job with the watercoloured background - it looks fab & so does the card :)
Hope you're having a good weekend.
Hugs
Tracey
xx

Viv said...

OK, officially stunned here! I love the sky with the different colours ...and you got all that detail in the grass with little ole watercolours? Holy cow!
What's next "O great experimenter"? How about a tutorial on this then? LOL!
Love it Annika!
Viv xx

Anonymous said...

What chew talkin' bout girl?!!! Holy Cow this is totally amazing!! I LOVE your beautiful scene here!! Gorgeous details and if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were a famous watercolor artist!! I'm so amazed with you girl!! TFS! HUGS

Merry said...

OMG!! This is such amazing work for your first watercolour with kids paints. I don't think you should change. Love all the detail in your post. Thanks so much for joining us at Cardmadfairy Digi Days...I hope you will be back again.

Netty said...

Beautiful sky Annika. Terrific card. Have a great weekend, Annette x

Maria said...

WOW! You're a natural and true artist Annika!! Your flair, vision and creativity leave me in awe each time I visit. Hugs Maria

PetraB said...

Your card is adorable, I love the scene you created as background for a running Tilda. Thank you so much for playing along with the Cheerful Stamp Pad - unfortunately the challenge is labelled incorrectly. The current challenge is: be a sport. Please would it be possible for you to change it in your post? many thanks for this. Have a great Sunday. Petra. x

Barbara Sproatmeyer (LM2) said...

Uber talented! you really have a gift of coloring with any medium - this is simply stunning. I love how solid the watercolors look on the background and then light and airy for the sky... and I really thought you colored Tilda with Copics at first glance! I'm afraid watercolors and me are arch enemies and have been since grade school. ;D

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Zoe said...

Well Annika, I am sitting here with Mr next to me and he has decided he is calling your scene "Steppin Out' He likes to name things and his first response was 'Oh wow yeah I like that'.

I think you are a magician. There isn't a medium that you can not just pick up and be a master with. Soon you will be painting masterpieces on canvas and be all famous and stuff! hehee

xxxooo

Ms. Jen said...

Kids watercolors??? Are you kiddin me?!? This is fantastic sweetie. I can't imagine what it would look like with professional paints. Fantastic-O!!

Big hugs - Jen

Anita said...

Annika, this is beautiful. You did a fantastic job with your watercoloring.

Dorcas said...

You did a lovely job on this Annnika!
Thanks so much for playing with us at DDCC for our 105th challenge celebration! We really love to have you with us.:-)
Hugs,
Dorcas

raindropecho said...

If this is what you do with "crappy" watercolors, I can't wait to see what you do with decent watercolors! An amazing coloring job - love the watercolor paint look.

- Ann

Kelly said...

Your painted background is exquisite as well as your painting of Tilda. I love all the details you have added. Thanks for joining us at FFF, we look forward to seeing your future creations.

Anonymous said...

Beyond cute card. I love it. Thanks for joining us at Stamping With The Dragon.
Hugs,
Beth

Vicki Romaine said...

Such a cute card. I love the image. Thanks for joining "Be a Sport" at the Cheerful Stamp Pad.

Dana said...

With results like these there is no way it could possibly be "outrageously wrong"!! You are such an inspiration!! I love this card so much! The sky is simply amazing : )
Hugs~
Dana

Trisha said...

This is soooo gorgeous! So a lovely Spring creation!Frame worthy for sure!! Thanks for joining us at FFF! xox Trisha

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