Create with Watercolors: Why You'll Love It & How to Get Started

Hey Friend, are you looking for a simple yet satisfying creative project that isn’t too overwhelming or stressful?

Try Watercolor Painting!

Start here with learning and practicing watercolor washes that make your heart happy and provide inspiration for living life more abundantly. Maybe you’ll find a new creative love!

Also check out the videos and FREE resources below to help you live life more abundantly.

Are You Craving Some Creativity Too?

One afternoon I had a little free time and I felt that familiar craving crawl over me. With this precious little bit of time to myself I wanted to create something with my hands, to play with color, to make something beautiful. But I didn’t have lots of time to really invest in a big project. I needed something I could pull out and play for a bit, then put away when the time was up, leaving me filled with the joy that creating brings. 

That’s when I came up with this idea for a simple watercolor project: a dozen inspirational messages washed in vibrant watercolors. It’s perfect for when you get that craving for creating:

• Paint a little or a lot depending on your available time.
• The commitment level is low so the fear of failure flies out the door. It’s practice and play after all.
• It can be replicated easily because you use photo-copies or print right from your printer. You can make as many copies as you’d like. No worries about messing up and ruining it. You can just start over again and again. 
• It satisfies the craving for creating and playing with color.
• In the end the finished product is pretty and has purpose. Function and beauty – something I really like.

Also, studies show that coloring can help you feel calm and relaxed 1.  Laying down color and creating with your hands can be therapeutic, especially once you’ve practiced a bit and feel more confident so you can paint comfortably without worrying about failing 2. 

That’s just what this watercolor project can do for you. As you learn and practice the art of watercolor washes you’ll gain skill, ability, and confidence, and feel joy in creating along the way.

Here we’ll create mini washes to practice putting color down and using water to wash the color across the paper. Through practicing this technique you’ll learn how to control your brush, the paint, and the water to make them tools in your creative hands. Practice will give you confidence you’ll need for taking on more challenging watercolor projects in the future, such as this one. 

Three-For-One: Practice, Pretty, and Purposeful

But for me, all that used-up paper and paint just for practice feels like a waste. I love to get two benefits for my efforts. Three’s even better! That’s what I really love about this project: while you’re practicing making washes, playing with beautiful colors, and building your skill level, you’re also creating mini-masterpieces that can be posted or given away to others for inspiration. 

1. You get practice making watercolor washes.
2. You’ll create pretty color combinations that will delight you.
3. You’re finished work is purposeful because they’re inspirational messages you can decorate with or give away.

Sure, you’ll make some you don’t like and they’ll head for the trash can, but some of them will make your heart sing and you’ll love how the paint washed over the page and dried in delightful ways. Those you’ll want to tape to your fridge, stick in a journal, or tuck inside a love note to someone to make their day. I think it’s a win-win. My creative, beauty-loving side is happy and so is my practical, giving heart. 

Keep reading to get started with step-by-step instructions and how-to videos.

What you’ll need:

• • • 12 Inspirational Sayings print & paint master copy, grab it FREE below.
    • Paint brushes, such as here or water pens. I LOVE these.
    • Watercolor paint, such as here  or this travel paint set.
    • Painting palette such as here, or a white plastic plate. 
    • Watercolor-quality paper. Strathmore mixed-media paper 300 Series here is my favorite and gives the best results for this watercoloring project because it has the right surface for the watercolors to move on without being absorbed too quickly AND is just thin enough it can be put through a copy machine or printer. I’ve also had pretty good results with a good white card stock. Another great option is this sticker paper which will turn your little masterpieces into stickers!
    • Access to a copy center or your own laser ink printer (this is the printer I have and it works great for this project) to print off the master print & paint practice sheet. 
    • Jar of water. 
    • A few paper towels.

How to Print Up Your Free-Printable & Start Painting

This project uses a unique method that eliminates the worry and frustration of writing perfect sentiments or drawing your subject just-right in order to watercolor. It helps you bypass all that to get to the fun of laying color onto paper. I use this method for many watercolor projects. Master it (it’s not THAT hard) and you’ll be set for many watercolor projects found here on my website. You’ve got this!

Instructions for printing your free printable pages to paint. You have two options:

Option #1: COPY CENTER

I’ve had the most success with photocopying the master image onto the mixed media paper at a copy center. The photocopied versions come out clean, crisp, and you can print many copies easily. I also especially like how photocopying raises the ink a bit to create pools for the paint to settle in.  

1. 1. 1. Print off a master copy of the 12 Inspirational Sayings print & paint page (grab it below) at home. Make sure it’s a clean, dark copy.
      2. Cut down the Strathmore paper from 11 x 14 to 8 ½ x 11. It’s just one cut on a trimmer. Cut as many as you’ll want to make copies of. I suggest at least 3 sheets for each master page. This is easy with a cutter at the print shop, or you can use a ruler and scissors at home. I’ve looked for this paper pre-cut to 8 ½ x 11 and can’t find it anywhere. If you do, please let me know! 🙂
      3. If you’re using 8 ½ x 11 regular cardstock or the 8 ½ x 11 sticker paper, you’re ready to go.
      4. Make photocopies of the master practice pages onto the 8 ½ x 11 mixed media paper (or cardstock or sticker paper). Set the paper in the tray outside the copier. Place the master in the top feeding tray. Make sure the copier is configured to accept the paper from the outside tray. It’s really important to only make one copy at a time not a bunch if you’re using the Strathmore mixed-media paper, otherwise the paper will jam in the machine (yes, I know from experience). The machine will take this thick paper but is happiest when it’s one sheet at a time. I like to make several copies per visit to reduce trips to the copy center. I love to always have something to paint on hand.

This is my preferred method because the prints come out clean, the ink doesn’t smear or flake, and the ink is raised a bit making watercoloring on it so satisfying with pockets where the color can pool. Highly recommended unless getting to a copy center isn’t possible or is just too much of a pain. Then printing at home is a great option.

Option #2: YOUR OWN PRINTER

1. 1. 1. Prepare the water-color quality paper. If using the Strathmore mixed-media paper you’ll need to trim it down from 11 X 14 to 8 ½ x 11 inches. It’s just one cut on a trimmer. Cut as many as you’ll want to make copies of. I suggest at least 3 of each master page. If using cardstock or sticker paper it’s ready to slip the sheets into your printer’s paper tray.
      2. If you’re using 8 ½ x 11 regular cardstock or the 8 ½ x 11 sticker paper, you’re ready to go.
      3. Put the paper in your printer’s paper tray. If using the sticker paper, make sure you’ve got it facing up or down according to your printer’s correct procedure. Yeah, I printed and painted an entire page of stickers to find out I had it backwards and had printed and painted on the back of the sticker paper. Ugh. That was frustrating! Don’t be me 🙂
      4. Print the 12 Inspirational Quotes practice page onto the paper in your printer following your printer’s instructions. 

This second option is more convenient by far and can work beautifully. But some home printers may make the ink smear. I’ve used my laser printer at home with great success and it’s a dream when you’re in a pinch and can’t get to the copy center.

Set Up Your Painting Station

• • • Squirt a bit of paint from the tubes onto the smallest circles of your palette. The large squares and bigger circles are for mixing. With watercolor it’s OK if you don’t use all the paint in one sitting because the watercolor paint will dry but you can keep using it later.
    • Set up a comfortable station with your jar of water, jar of brushes, your palette with paint, a paper towel or two, and your copy of the 12 Inspiration Sayings practice sheet.
    • If you’re using the travel watercolor set and waterpens, your setup is simpler. Just make sure your water pens are full of water and you have your paper towel nearby and your copy of the 12 Inspirational Sayings practice sheet.

How to Create Watercolor Washes

There are three types of washes:

1. Flat is one solid color top to bottom.
2. Variegated is a wash of two or more colors.
3. Gradient is using one color that goes from dark to light. 

The first step for all washes is to prepare your paint palette:

• Choose a color that makes you happy. For me my first choice is teal blue. Load your brush with water then dip into the color. Mix in a square on your palette. Add more water and paint until it’s the color you like and you have plenty of it pooled on your palette. It’s nerve wracking to have to mix up more paint in the middle of a wash and usually ends up with bad results with streaks and lines that dried while you were trying to hurry and mix up more.
• Do this with all the colors you want to use. Pre-mixing means your paints are ready when you are.  This is important with watercolor washes because you want to add color before the previous paint dries.

Now I’m by no means perfect at watercolor washes, but the following demonstrations will show you the idea.

Each video is shown at 2X speed.

Flat Wash

• Load up your brush with prepared color from palette. 
• Paint a bold sweep of color across the top, making sure you’re using plenty of paint.
• Gently angle the top of your paper up allowing the paint to create a “bead” or line of pooled water at the bottom edge.
• Load up your brush again and make another sweep across the paper connecting your new stroke with the edge of the “bead”. You don’t want to let that edge become dry. 
• Continue these steps until you reach the end of your paper. 
• To eliminate the “bead at the end, rinse out your brush in clean water, dry it on a paper towel, and carefully run it along the bead, soaking up the extra paint as you go.

Variegated Wash

• Load your first brush with the first color you want to use, getting it wet but not dripping. You can tap your brush on the paper towel to get the brush just right.
• With your brush loaded with color, make a soft sweep across the top of one of the inspirational quotes, starting at the top of the square. 
• Then, quick, before it dries, rinse your brush then load it with your second color and drag it along the edge below the color just until the water mixes with the painted swath. Move the brush until you get the look you like. 
• You can then go in with another color just below the edge of the new water line, adding water again as needed to get the effect you want. 
• You also can go directly from one color to another color without the water in between the two colors if that gives you the look you like.

The important thing is to NOT let the first layer of paint dry.

You want the two colors to kiss a wet, sloppy kiss. The water is what moves the paint and creates the magical patterns we love so much in watercolor.

Gradient Wash

Graded washes follow the same steps as variegated above but instead of adding a second color, you just add more water to your brush with each subsequent stroke of your brush, connecting to the “bead” from the previous swipe of color. As you lay down each next line you’ll pick up more water and your color will fade.

What can you do with your 12 little paintings???

After you’ve painted all the inspirational sayings, let them dry, then cut up into 12 individual little masterpieces. They’ll all be different and uniquely beautiful. Keep the ones that make you happy. Toss the rest and try again. With practice you’ll get the hang of it and your confidence will grow. 

Here are some fun possibilities:

• Stick them in your journal for decoration and inspiration. 
• Tape them on the mirror or on your computer monitor to remind yourself to choose abundance and be inspired.
• Stick them in a card to give to someone else to brighten their day. 
• Or, throw them away and print & paint again! 

The purpose of this practice is to find joy in creating and playing with color. There’s nothing too precious about it and you can easily paint more. Actually, the more you practice making washes the more skilled you’ll become and will be ready for some more advanced projects, such as this one here. 

This FREE printable is my gift to you when you sign up to receive inspirational notes from me by email (don’t worry! I’ll only send great stuff and never send spam!). When you sign up you’ll have access to my private Gifts for You Collection here at my website where I keep all the printables I’ve made and a whole lot of other awesome resources to help you live life more abundantly.

The Abundant Toolkit is my gift to you when you subscribe to receive inspirational notes from me in your inbox (don’t worry! I’ll only send great stuff and never send spam!). When you sign up you’ll have access to my private Gifts for You Collection here at my website where I keep the Abundance Toolkit and a whole lot of other awesome resources to help you live life more abundantly.

What’s in the Abundance Toolkit?

• •  13 page printable workbook.

  • 3 tools to help you identify and apply principles of abundance in your life right now.

  • Questions to help you determine where you’re out of balance with abundance.

  • Specific and personal actions you can take to live life more abundantly starting today.

When you learn and use these three tools and take the actions in this toolkit, you can feel more peace, joy, happiness, confidence, and purpose in your life. More abundance.

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