Watercolour is one of my favourite colouring mediums to use when it comes to floral stamps. But when it came to the background, I wanted a soft wash as though the watercolours from the flowers were bleeding out. Watercolour bleed background technique allows you to softly build colour around the flowers in the background before going back in to define the flowers.
PRODUCED AS PART OF MY DESIGN-TEAM WORK FOR Bumbeleberry papercrafts - SEE END OF POST FOR MORE DETAILS
Watercolour bleed background: Adding the colour
The stamp set I’m using is the Altenew Sketchy Floral stamp set and has a lovely large floral branch element to it along with some great sentiments in a clean classic font. Stamp this onto Distress watercolour paper using MISTI to get a good impression. This floral image is large floral and although I’m using it on a 5.5X4.25 piece of paper, it could easily suit large cards like a 5 by 7.
Initially stamp this floral in Antique linen distress oxide ink so you can roughly see where the design is on the background. This ink will blend in when adding the watercolour wash background but gives you an idea of where to build the colour up.
For this card, use the Altenew Watercolour 36pan set along with a number 12 round brush. First of all, add clear water over the whole panel to use the wet on wet technique to create the background.
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Next, drop Persian blue colour into the wet clear water over the large flower and allow the colour to bleed outside of the flower lines. Repeat the same process with the flowers at the top of the page using the colours Ocean Waves, Dusk and Desert Night. With the first layer of colour down dry the panel to add another layer of colour. You can do this as many times as you want to build up the colour, or just do the one layer for a very soft subtle wash. But make sure in between the layers, you dry the panel.
Once the background was complete, restamp the image using you MISTI as you have not removed the stamp and cover this with Metallic Platinum embossing powder before heat setting. Now, go in with more concentrated colour to colour the florals in, adding depth and dimension.
Watercolour bleed background: Assembling the card
After the florals were coloured, use the Jet Black to colour in the branches and add some paint splatter for a little more interest. The panel was trimmed down to have a 1/8 inch border and foam mounted onto a white card base.
After this was adhered, I then realised I need to add the sentiment. So to prevent ruining the stamping with the sentiment use a MISTI and a piece of acetate to decided on the position of the sentiment.
Therefore, place the acetate over the card panel, position the stamps and the stamp onto the acetate with ink. The clear nature of the acetate allows you to see through to the card to determine if the sentiment looks right. If not, you can then move the acetate panel around until you’re happy with the position. Then you can place the stamps back over the sentiment on the acetate and close you MISTI door to pick the stamps up. The just remove the acetate and stamp down onto your card panel.
To finish the card off, I added a few Morning Dew nuvo drops.
(click to enlarge images)
Watercolour bleed background
Supplies
Affiliate links used at no extra cost to you at these shops: Altenew (ALT), Scrapbook.com (SB), Craft Stash UK/US (CS UK/US), and Create and Craft (C&C).
All other shops are not affiliated links: Bumbleberry Papercrafts (BP) and WOW! UK/US (WOW UK/US)
 Original MISTI – My Sweet Petunia Shop at: ALT | BP | SB |  Metallic Platinum – – WOW! Embossing Powder Shop at: CS | WOW UK | WOW US |  Metallic Platinum (Large Jar) – WOW! Embossing Powder Shop at: WOW UK |
 WOW! Dual Speed Heat Gun (UK version) Shop at: CS | WOW UK | WOW! Dual Speed Heat Gun (US version) Shop at: WOW US |  WOW! Clear ultra slow drying embossing pad Shop at: CS | WOW UK | WOW US |
 Watercolour 36 Pan Set – Altenew Shop at: ALT | BP | SB |  Sketchy Floral – Altenew Shop at: ALT | BP | SB |  Distress Watercolor Cardstock – Ranger Shop at: SB |
 Antique Linen Distress Oxide – Ranger Ink Shop at: BP | SB | CS | CS (US) | C&C |  Antique Linen Distress Oxide Re Inker – Ranger Ink Shop at: SB | CS | CS (US) |  Morning Dew Nuvo Crystal Drops – Tonic Studios Shop at: SB | CS | CS (US) | C&C |
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DISCLOSURE
This post was produced as part of my design team work for Bumbeleberry Papercrafts have not been paid to make this post, but I am given supplies from Bumblerberry Papercrafts to use. However, I create projects with creative control and produce projects I am proud of and with products that I love. The information provided is based on my own personal experience – I am not an expert.
1 thought on “Watercolour bleed background”
Your card is beautiful. Thank you for the video.