Just Us Girls Challenge #522 - Trend Week - Stripes - Guest Designer and Watercolor Altenew Golden Garden Stamp Set

I am super happy to be back again to be a guest designer at the Just Us Girls Challenge where the Trend Week theme is "stripes". I thought it was a good time to do a little watercoloring with some florals from Altenew's Golden Garden stamp set to add to my stripes. Oh wait, any time is a good time to watercolor florals!  I used Crafter's Companion Torn Panel background die for my stripes.

Tips on how I achieved this look in watercoloring:

1. My basic method usually is that I work in two layers. In the first layer I add color with some depth. In the second layer I add more color and depth, and texture.

2. Use the right amount of water in your little "well" made with the embossing. Make sure it is lightly pigmented.  Then you add darker pigment into the light. You know you are at least close to the right amount if, when you add the darker pigment it spreads fairly slowly and doesn't take over the whole area.  If the pigment doesn't move you do not have enough water. (more on this in the video with examples shown as I paint)

3.  I just "dab, dab, dab" when I tap in the color to the wet first layer.  And then I make "flicking" motions when adding color for texture to a dry panel for the second layer.

4. If using dies to cut out your images extend your watercoloring past the image border, so you don't leave a white edge once the image is die cut.

5. Oh, and use a bigger brush than I used. I used the Silver Black Velvet round 4 in the video demo, but a 6 would have worked better. I would not have had to get pigment from my palette as often.

Tips for flower arranging on cards (a review from a previous post)

1. Arrange the flower pieces and leaf pieces so they face different angles/directions. 

2. Make an asymmetrical design with the pieces.

3. Try to make sure the same types of flower or leaf pieces or color of flowers are not straight across from another piece like itself, trying to place it higher or lower, or farther to the left or right than other like pieces.

4. Using an odd number of each type of flower or leaf can be eye pleasing.

5. Add some greenery or other colored flowers between flowers of the same color.

Just for the fun of it, at the last minute I had DJ help me with a video where I talk through the process of what I am doing when I watercolor and why.  My apologies that is was not set up in a tripod.  I hadn't planned to show as much as I did.  I would be interested if you found it helpful that you leave me a comment.

Please make sure to check out all the wonderful cards the JUGS team made: Carol, Sue, Angie, Vickie, Ina, Bobby, Nancy, Lisa, Maria, and Cécile. And please drop by the Just Us Girls Challenge  and enter your "stripes" card!

Bonus stripes card made with scraps from playing with alcohol inks when friends were over a couple of weekends ago.  Thank you Annelise and Melanie for the "left overs".  Cards I made with my original panel are here: Alcohol Ink Backgrounds with Altenew.  Here are the "left overs".



I look forward to being back at JUGS again next week! 

Thank you for stopping by!

Betty

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