Try This fun Watercolor Halloween cards tutorial #watercolor, by Ellen Crimi-Trent- Artist on YouTube. 1 min 31 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 31 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Cut your cotton paper to 4 x 6 inches and tape the edges down if it curls. Keep a spare scrap piece nearby to test your colors and the masking fluid.
Sketch your shapes lightly in pencil: a ghost, a moon, a witch hat, a cat or a few bats. Keep them small and simple so the sky still has room.
Shake the masking fluid well. Apply it over every area you want to stay white, using an old brush or a dip pen. Never use your good brush.
Rinse the applicator with soapy water straight away, then let the fluid dry completely. This usually takes 10 to 15 minutes.
Wet the paper with clean water using the size 12 round brush. Aim for damp and slightly shiny, not a puddle.
Drop in ultramarine, Prussian blue and peacock blue for the night sky. Add a touch of pyrrole red or burnt sienna low down for a warm glow.
Let that layer dry, then add a second glaze of Payne's grey or burnt umber for depth. Use burnt umber for bare tree branches or a fence.
Wait until the paper is bone dry, then rub the masking fluid off with your fingertip or a rubber cement pickup. Pull gently, not sideways.
Soften any hard edges with a clean damp brush. Use the size 8 long round for small details like windows, eyes or bats.
Let the card dry flat, then write your greeting inside with a fine pen or a small brush.
Tips and common mistakes
Test the masking fluid on a scrap of the same paper first, since some papers tear when it is peeled.
Do not leave masking fluid on the paper for more than a day or two, as heat and time make it stick.
Rinse your masking fluid brush with soap and warm water before it dries, or the bristles are ruined.
Dry each wash fully before adding the next one, or the colors turn muddy.
Questions
Do I have to use masking fluid?
No. You can paint around the shapes and leave the paper white, but masking fluid keeps the edges much cleaner on small cards.
Can I speed up drying with a hairdryer?
Yes, use the cool or warm setting and keep the dryer moving. Never use hot air on masking fluid, because heat makes it fuse to the paper.
What if the masking fluid rips the paper?
That means the paper was not fully dry or the fluid stayed on too long. Try peeling more slowly and test on a scrap next time.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
