Watercolour Piggy (With Video)

I didn’t expect to get a card made today (despite it being video day!) because I spent most of my time working on cutting out the elements for the remaining 40(!) thank you cards that I’m making as a wedding present. I still have some more to do, but it gets pretty exhausting after the first couple of hours! In the end I sat down to make this card in part as a way to relax from all that die cutting I’d been doing. There’s something very relaxing about watercolouring.

I started by laying out my elements to plan how I wanted the card to look. I then cut down my card base from a piece of heavy watercolour card. Using the Studio Square Layers Memory Box dies I double checked where I wanted my frame to eventually go, and used that as a guide to place the pig stamp from Lawn Fawn’s Critters on the Farm.

Once I had the stamp in the correct position I stamped it a couple of times with embossing ink to ensure it gave a good impression on the textured paper. I then added black embossing powder and heat set it.

I taped the card base down to my craft mat using some Post-It tape and began painting. First I applied clear water all over the background of the image, being careful not to add any to the pig. I then dropped in blue paint, adding more water to help it move as needed. I continued by adding in green on the lower portion of the card to build up grass.

I continued adding water and paint, using my heat gun to dry between the layers, until I was happy with the look of the background. I then changed to clean water and began painting the pig. Again I started with a layer of water and gradually dropped in my pigment, allowing it to bloom and blend out. I dried between the layers and continued adding colour until I had it how I liked it. I concentrated my colour towards the back-end of the pig as well as on any elements that were further back (like the back ear and the legs on the far side of the body.) This gave the appearance of dimension to the pig, and also gave the impression of a light source shining from the right hand side.

Having finished all the painting I worked on cutting out my frame using the Memory Box dies. I initially cut a pink frame with the idea that it would pull in the pink of the  pig but when I laid it over the card it didn’t seem quite right. I then cut a frame in a teal colour and another in blue, and settled on the latter. I felt that having the pig as the only pink element helped it pop more. I used my glue pen to adhere the frame into place on the card base.

Finally I needed to stamp my sentiment. I picked one from Avery Elle’s Hogs and Kisses, lined it up inside the frame and stamped it with MFT Black Licorice Hybrid Ink.

I’m really pleased with this card. The little pig is so adorable, and the colouring turned out better than I could have hoped! It is a very simple card but after spending so much time working on the cards for the wedding present (and still more to do tomorrow!) it was just the thing I needed to help me relax.

Love,

Lady Joyful

Challenges included:

HLS Watercolour Challenge – Anything Goes and Optional: Blue

Inkspirational – Rural

Lawnfawnatics – Watercolour

MFT Sketch Challenge – Sketch/Layout

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Anything Goes