I am using my watercolor art journal to create a fun, colorful background and a sprinkling of pretty flowers down the middle. These won’t be literal flowers, but more like abstract, imperfect flowers. This is great for beginners and you only need a handful of supplies. I’ll also be sharing some fun painting techniques, tips, and tricks that you can use in your own art journaling journey!

I taped off the border of my paper with some painter’s tape. Next, I am going to start by priming my piece of paper with some DecoArt Chalky Gesso (White) with a flat brush. Then, I am taking white, Leaf Green, Desert Turquoise, and Irish Moss and just applying those colors to my background, blending from top to bottom. I want to soften things up a bit, so I’ll take a paper towel and just blot my paint.

I’d like to water down my acrylic paints a bit. I’m going to add some of my green and blue paint to the top, mist it with water, and have it drip down the paper. I want to make sure I have some more darker green through the middle, so I’ll add some more of the Leaf Green with the paper towel.

Let’s move on to the flowers! These will be more abstract. Use whatever flower colors you would like – I’ll be using Pyrrole Red/Primary Red, Cadmium Yellow, Jack-O-Lantern Orange, and Wild Berry. 

Grab whatever tools you have to add some flower dots – your finger, paintbrush end, pencil eraser, q-tips, or some dotting tools. Apply your flowers at a diagonal angle down the middle of your paper. I’ll also be applying some splatter. Cover your paper, except for the middle, to keep your splatters in one area. Mix some paint with water, grab a fan brush, and just tap that onto a pencil or other paintbrush over your paper. I’ll be doing this with my red paint and white paint. Let dry.

Take some Prussian Blue Hue and a coarse, dry brush. Apply it lightly to the edges of your paper. Remove your painter’s tape and enjoy your new art journal page!

This might be one of the most abstract paintings I’ve ever done, and I love it. The more you just let go and let it be imperfect, I think the better this turns out! 

Watch the replay below!

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Supply List

• 7 X 10 Watercolor or Mixed Media Journal
• DecoArt Chalky Gesso (White)
• Decoart Americana Colors: Prussian Blue Hue, Desert Turquoise, Pyrrole Red/Primary Red, Leaf Green, Cadmium Yellow, Irish Moss, Forest Green, Snow White, Jack-O-Lantern Orange, Wild Berry
• DecoArt Sealer:  DecoArt Matte 
• Other:  Dotting Tools
• Tracy’s Resources Page