All Season Watercolor Cards: PreClass

This is one of few classes on this site for which rubber stamps are used; that’s generally because stamps go out of production regularly, and future students get frustrated! But Michele at Purple Onion Designs has committed to keeping the stamps for this class in stock as a set, as well as those for the Colored Pencil Jumpstart Class – be sure to leave her a note of gratitude when purchasing your stamp set!

Supplies

Stamping

NOTE: Purple Onions is not able to sell stamps to the UK due to the new VAT rules that are soo hard to navigate for a tiny company. Students living there can use other stamps in your collection though!

• The stamps are available in one set from Purple Onion Designs HERE. Or individually:
  • Bella (bunny holding a flower)
  • Billy (goat, which I paint as a tiny little holstein cow!)
  • Poppy (bunny with flag)
  • Wags (puppy with long ears)
  • Spruce (moose)
• Stamping Ink: anything that’s waterproof, like Versafine Onyx Black
• Optional, for the act of stamping:
  • MISTI, stamping tool
  • Clear Mounting Stamp (see video below)
  • Thick Mount Sheet, 8.5×11, EZ Mount
  • Tsukineko Tack ‘N Peel

For those unfamiliar with using unmounted red rubber stamps, here’s two video showing options:

Mounting stamps:

Using the clear mounting stamp:

Watercolors

Daniel Smith Watercolors are used – you can definitely use other brands, just know that the paints may not perform exactly the same way. You can also choose other colors as desired! Note some of these are 5ml, some 15ml, depending on what was available at the time links were made:

• New Gamboge (EH Blick)
• Aussie Red Gold  (EH Blick)
• Burnt Sienna  (EH Blick)
• Anthraquinoid Scarlet (EH Blick)
• Cobalt Teal Blue (EH Blick)
• Cobalt Blue (EH Blick)
• Indanthrone Blue (EH Blick)
• Serpentine Genuine (EH Blick)
• Yellow Ochre (EH Blick)
• Sap Green (EH Blick)
• Perylene Green (EH Blick)
• Quinacridone Rose (EH Blick)
• Burnt Umber (EH Blick)
• Neutral Tint (EH Blick) or Payne’s Blue Gray (EH Blick) 

You may want to have a white gel pen on hand – I use the Uniball Signo Gel Pen EH Blick. I also recommend paper towels or baby wipes!

Paper

I recommend Arches – other brands may work fine, but to get the effects taught and for paints to move well, it should be a 100% cotton paper.

• Arches Cold Press Paper EH • BLICK 

Brushes

For cardmakers, I recommend synthetic blend Silver brand brushes, from their Black Velvet line; the 8 round works well for small stamps, but for the background washes in this course you’ll also want a 12 round. Other brands can also be used.

• Silver Brush Black Velvet Round #8 EH – BLICK
• Silver Brush Black Velvet Round #12 EH – BLICK

Finishing cards

The details of completing a card aren’t included in this class – feel free to diecut shapes or add embellishments as desired! The designs here are simple – card panels are trimmed down to 5-1/2 x 4, and added to a coordinating card base using dimensional adhesive – offsetting the panel so a wider strip appears on one side. The designs have deliberately left areas for stamping sentiments, or the words can be stamped on the inside of the card.

I retain the copyright to the content you are learning in class. That means you cannot sell or give away the concepts from my classes – no re-teaching of my specific lessons, nor posting a video with your re-draw of the class lesson; especially not sharing any downloadable handouts with others.

You absolutely are encouraged to post and gift your creations made with these techniques, of course! Please DO make your own designs with any techniques you learn here, adapt these lessons, and develop your own style. I love to see students making strides and personalizing lessons! Tag me on Instagram, I’d love to see what you’re making!