Hip, hip hooray, it's Watercolor Wednesday!!
Hello to You! I am excited to share this week's edition of Watercolor Wednesday.
Yesterday, as I was scrolling through Instagram, I came across the account of Caroline of Made Vibrant. On Instagram, she is @ckelso.
I was really drawn to her colorful art with hand lettered phrases. When I looked at her account information, I saw that she offers an online course called Better Lettering. I checked it out, and it's quite good!
So, today, I am sharing what I created after following the inspiration and my intuition.
If you'd like to play along, here's what you'll need.
Supplies for Hand Lettering and Watercolor Painting
- copy paper (24 lb. is nice)
- Copic Sketch marker (slate)
- a pencil
- an eraser
- Prang Watercolor Paint Set
- Niji Pearlescent Watercolor Set
- Sakura GRAPHIC 1.0mm pen
- a water spritzer bottle
- a jar of water
- a few round brushes
- a paper towel or cotton rag
Let's Play with Hand Lettering
TIP: IF YOU WANT TO USE THESE HAND LETTERED ART CREATIONS, GIVE YOURSELF MORE ROOM THAN I DID. Mine were a little too close together.
On a piece of copy paper, or maybe two sheets of copy paper, begin with penciling some hand lettered phrases. These can be quotes or intuitive messages that want to come through.
Next, use the Copic Sketch marker, the brush end, and trace your pencil letters. FYI, I learned from Caroline, that when the letters link together, and you use a brush pen, paint brush, etc., that's called Brush Lettering (click to see Brush Lettering on Google Images).
Use a white eraser to get rid of your pencil lines.
Let's Do Some Watercolor Painting
I chose to set out two paint sets. One is the Prang watercolor set and the other is the Yasutomo Niji Pearlescent watercolor set (they are linked in the supply list above, if you want to check them out on Amazon).
Spritz your paint sets with water. This is especially helpful when using pearlescent paints, as it helps with getting the proper shimmer result.
I started by adding design elements around the edges of the brush lettered phrases. In the photo below, you can see one of the benefits of using a round brush. The pointed end is great for making even the tiniest of dots.
Try to let yourself play, by working back and forth between a number of hand lettered phrases. Add a shape (like the heart), add borders, etc.
If you are using semi-transparent or transparent watercolor paint, it's okay to paint over a word.
TIP: If it's too dark or opaque, use the paper towel to blot up some of the color.
TIP: Use your paint tray to mix new colors. Experiment, explore and enjoy working with the paints in new ways.
Experiment with layering dark over light (the border below), painting around the letters in a word (see "Soul" below) and painting over a whole word (see "Freedom" below).
Switch to a tiny brush and see what it can do for you!
I made circles around the tiny red dots I created earlier.
As you go, squint your eyes to see how things are looking. It's also helpful to take a photo and look at your art from that perspective, too.
On the other hand, how it looks doesn't have to matter at all. What matters most is the process of creating and playing. Creativity opens up different parts of your brain, and helps to connect your mind, body, spirit, and soul.
When you paint around the letters and leave some white space, it looks pretty neat! Have you tried that yet? Mix it up! Paint over some words, paint around some letters, paint around some letters in a word, but not all of them, etc.
I decided that I wanted to see some of the words more clearly than they appeared after painting over them with the pearlescent paints. So, I used a micron pen (TIP: only use on dry paint) to trace the letters. I did not get too fussy about it. There are many options when you go back over your letters. You can outline them, add shading, add doodles, and on and on. You choose how much you want to add. A simple outline was all I was after this time.
Thank you for playing along with this edition of Watercolor Wednesday, featuring Hand Lettering and Brush Lettering. I hope you feel inspired to try something new!
I also want to say that if you have shaky hands, it's OKAY! Let your hands shake and paint anyway. That becomes part of your unique mark and style as you create. Remember, the process is more important than the end product. Set an intention or write an affirmation before you begin. Maybe write it out on a post-it note and keep it within sight to remind yourself. You might write something like, "It's OKAY if my hands shake! I am going to paint anyway." Or write, "There's no such thing as perfect. I'm here to experiment and have fun!"
You get the idea. Let your inner muse come out to play!
Blessings to you,
Briana
