This floral page is packed with playful pen techniques, watercolor blending, and a good reminder that mistakes can lead to magic. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to build texture and movement with simple pen strokes, layer in loose watercolor for your background, and even how I handled a leaky pen mishap (spoiler: it turned into one of my favorite parts of the piece!)
Begin by prepping your art journal page by taping off the edges with painter’s tape to create a clean border. Using a fine-tipped permanent pen, sketch your flower. I like to start by dotting in the flower’s center and then doodling large, loose petals that fill the space.
Next, mist your watercolor palette to activate the paints. Wet the background of your page with clean water, since we’ll be using a wet-on-wet technique. Then, drop in various shades of green, letting the water guide the blending for a soft, organic look.
Paint the flower center with a bright yellow watercolor. Once you’re happy with your background and flower center, dry the page using a heat tool.
Next, switch to a slightly thicker pen to outline the petals and add detail. Use a mix of dots and short lines to build texture in the flower center, then add fine, natural strokes to the petals to give them depth and movement. Finally, draw a border around the entire piece by tracing along the outer edge – this helps frame your artwork and tie everything together.
Next, I’ll use my Totally Textures stamp and a black ink stamp pad to add texture around the outer edge of the background. This also helps cover up a mistake I made when my pen leaked! I’ll also use a stencil brush to add additional black ink around the border.
Remove the painter’s tape and let dry!
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Supply List:
- Indigo 8 X 8 Watercolor Journal
- Watercolors – Sennilier
- Black Ink Pad
- Painter’s Tape
- Dynasty Brushes
- Molotow Permanent Markers
- Stamp: Totally Textures
Check out Tracy’s Art Journal Starter Kit!
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