Office Art: Watercolor

We are in the oh-so-slow process of fixing up the upstairs at our house.  When it's done, I'm going to move my office upstairs.  So that means I get to make all kinds of office art to fill up the walls! :)

First up is a simple watercolor project that has a pretty cool effect.

You will need:

• Liquid frisket (it's kind of like tinted rubber cement)
• Watercolors
• Paintbrush
• Watercolor paper
• Office paper

First, decide on an image or shape that you want to feature in your picture.  I chose to reuse my puppy profile and my ampersand.

Next, print out and cut out your shape.

Then, place the shape on your watercolor paper and apply liquid frisket around the edges with outward strokes.  This will allow you to color the inside of the shape.  If you want the background to be colored and the shape to be white, trace your shape in pencil and then trace inside the lines with the liquid frisket.

Lift up your shape and let the frisket dry.

Then, simply fill in the shape with watercolor!  A few tips on watercolor: if you want deeper colors, use less water and more pigment.  For a more subdued hue, apply water to the paper first, then layer on your color.

The frisket keeps the paint from going outside the lines

Let the paint dry, and then rub off the frisket.  You should be left with a beautifully outlined watercolor image!

 

I made the puppy profile in the afternoon, and I went over to make another with my friend, Catherine, in the evening.  She drew up a cursive C for hers, and I think it turned out so pretty!

I can't wait to hang mine up! ... I just need to get an office :)

And don't forget! If you try this out yourself, be sure to send pictures to holly[at]goeslightly[dot]com to be featured on the blog!