CTMH Technique Blog Hop: Wacky for Watercolor

This month's technique blog hop is featuring our beautiful watercolor paints.  You are going to get some creative ways to use this versatile crafting product!  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Wendy's blog.  From here you'll visit Darlys next.)

As I searched for creative watercolor techniques, I really liked the look of the abstract dripping watercolor technique. I didn't want to create a canvas, but after a few trials I was able to make this "thinking of you" card.  (If you'd like to skip the tutorial, go to Darlys next.)

 To begin, I cut a panel of watercolor paper 4"x5.25" that I attached to the flap of an open box with a little rolled washi tape on the back.  (I needed the panel to be vertical so it would drip rather than flat on a table.  The small box was very effective.  I could tilt the box flap as needed to encourage the paint to run.)  I learned that for the drip to be effective on paper, you need to wet the watercolor paper first.  I just brushed stripes of water across the panel from left to right with my large flat brush.

Then I saturated the purple paint with water.  Using my largest round brush, I began pouncing color across the top of the card, working from left to right.  The paint began to drip in two placed on the left but nowhere else.  (Unfortunately I forgot to photograph this step.)

 Next I added the blue color I had chosen in the same manner as the purple.  I went back and added a little water and got more drips across the card.  (When the paint hit an especially wet strip across the bottom third of the panel, it ran from side to side rather than down.)

 In the same manner, I added the third, green color. I tried adding a very light, watery fourth green and found that adding more water was more effective.

Because the water worked so well at adding additional drips, I went back and dabbed water in places along each color band.

After the panel dried, I inked up the sentiment from the Happy to Be Friends stamp set in Emerald for the "for you" portion and Pacifica for "Thinking" then stamped on the bottom right of the card.  I adhered my watercolor panel to an Emerald card stock base.  A pair of blue enamel and glitter gems finished it off!

Thanks for hopping by!  I'd love to know what you think of my card and this technique.  You should definitely give it a try; no two creations will be alike.  Now go see Darlys's beautiful watercolor project!

Click HERE for the complete list of participants.