Watercolour Your World

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to use watercolour pencils? Let me tell you a little bit about them.

Before I continue, it is most important to tell you about the ink pad you should use to stamp out your image. You probably guessed, it is Stazon. If you think you have a permanent black ink, please test it on a scrap piece of paper prior to diving into your good image. If you do not use a proper ink, your image will be all smeared.

Watercolour pencils look rich, and vibrant, when you hold them in your hand, and look soft, and subtle, when you are done. Do not confuse them for regular pencil crayons. These coloured pencils are water-soluable. What does that mean? It means that you use a brush and water to blend the colour.

Many of you are familiar with the plastic pens that hold water, with a brush at the tip. This is what is used by many artists, but because stampers work with images that have small areas, the best product to use is simply a professional brush and water (to the side).

Colour your image like you would with a regular coloured pencil. Being neat is not necessary. Next, dip your brush into the water, tap it lightly onto a paper towel to remove excess water, and blend your colour. If you really want to get creative, add colours opposite to each other on the colour wheel. You will be amazed with the results; they help to make your image really pop. When you do this, add just a small dot of the second colour into areas here and there.

Do you have to use watercolour paper? Not necessarily, but recommended. If I am doing a small image, I will use regular white cardstock, and I will make sure that my brush is almost dry because the paper will buckle if there is too much water. Watercolour paper is made specifically for watercolour paint and pencils. It prevents your colours from blending together and getting muddy.

There are many different grades of paper. Play around with the various grades and see what works best for you. I use both heavy and light grades, depending on what size image I am using. Small images work well with light grades, while heavier grades are best for large images.

Watercolour paper comes in large sheets, and in booklet form. Buy what best suits you.

Remember, above all, have fun. Don't stress. Practice, experiment, play!