Hello! I am back with a fun watercolor in-lay technique! I will be using the newly released Cherry Blossom cover plate die from Hero Arts. But you can use this technique with whatever similar cover dies you have in your stash.
First, I took a panel of thick watercolor paper and used the die to die cut it. I kept all the pieces in place and flipped it over to the backside. I made sure all the pieces were still in its place.
Then I put dots of glue only on the pieces that is the background of the cherry tree branches. I left the cherry blossoms and branches without glue. Then I took a piece of copy paper about the same size as the watercolor panel and place it on top. I gave it a good press with my palm, then i flipped it over.
Next, I slowly removed the die-cut cherry blossom branches, leaving the background portion adhered to the copy paper.
I will use watercolor pencils which was in the My Monthly Hero December 2023 kit to color the background and the cherry blossoms. But you can do this technique, too, with regular watercolors. With a sharpener, I sharpened the colors I needed onto a palette. I removed the wood shavings and left the pencil pigment on each palette well I then activated it with water. The pigment from a solid, became liquid watercolors. I used red, blue, green, purple and brown, a well as white to dilute some of the colors.
For the background, I used a large brush and created a gradient wash of purple and blue. Then for the cherry blossoms and branches, I used a heavily diluted red with a little white, then green mixed with yellow for the leaves and then brown for the branches.
After the watercolors were dry, I pieced the cherry blossom and branches back together with the background. This will create a one-layer in-lay card. Then I used the colored pencils to draw in the details of the flowers and branches.
I stamped Happy Birthday in Espresso Core ink. This sentiment is from the Hero Arts My Monthly Hero March 2024 premium kit. Then adhered it to a side-folding card base and added a thin brown frame cut from Woodland Hero Hues Cardstock with the Rectangle infinity die set. If you look closely at the frame, you will see “wood grain” marks. I did that by swiping it with white pigment ink before die-cutting it.
I hope you enjoyed learning about this easy way of watercoloring intricate die cut such as this. Please give it a try!
In the meantime, have a wonderful crafty day!
’til next time!
❤️
Anna
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