Thank you to DecoArt for sponsoring this post!
I designed this project to be super quick, fun + easy to make with just a few special products.
DecoArt has a new mixed media line that includes everything you need (Guess what? These little boxes came with my order! Ha! Dont'cha just love re-purposing?)
Supplies:
DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics:
- Diarylide Yellow
- Primary Magenta
- Pyrrole Orange
- Titan Buff
- Titanium White
DecoArt Media Products:
- DecoArt white gesso
- Metallic Lustre- Gold Rush
- paintbrushes (Filbert + 2" flat)
- palette knife
other supplies + tools:
- 140-lb Watercolor paper (I like the textured look of cold-press)
- container of water
- paper towels
- hair dryer
- Kraft boxes
- markers + pens to decorate boxes
- embroidery thread
- scissors or decorative punch to create tags
- eyelets
STEPS 1 and 2: Apply clean water to paper with 2 inch flat brush.
Saturate the paper with water but don't allow it to puddle.
(Loose brushstrokes will help the paint flow more spontaneously, in the following steps.)
Select a base color - lightest color
Titan Buff is my first layer of color. Immediately add water to the paint. Paint most of the paper but leave the white of the paper untouched in a few areas. Let dry.
--> Quick tip: A hair dryer speeds up the drying process!
STEP 3: Continue layering paints (light to dark)
Gently push the paint around with a filbert paintbrush. Spritz water onto paper surface to force paints to blend without leaving hard edges. This technique creates our beautiful watercolor effect!
Here's the order: Diarylide Yellow, Pyrrole Orange, Primary Magenta, Titanium White.
(Titanium White was added last, to keep the surrounding colors bright. Remember to allow paints to blend with each other for a variegated wash.)
I love bold, eye catching colors so it's no surprise that DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics are my absolute essentials! They are highly concentrated, pigmented acrylics that will not fade. ONE drop goes a loooong way.
Bonuses...they are professional grade, intermixable + affordable so you can get a whole range of colors to play with.
Did you know DecoArt Media products can now be found at
JoAnn.com or at your local JoAnn Fabric and Craft store?
Ooooo! I love how this looks! I hesitated on the thought of cutting this beauty up so I decided to scan it so that I could use it as many times as I wanted. Brilliant idea, right?! ;-)
Once you are satisfied with how the watercolor effect looks, dry the front and back of the paper with a hair dryer or heat gun. (This method ensures that all paper fibers are thoroughly dry.)
STEP 4: Decorate kraft boxes
Use markers or pens to draw whimsical botanicals, scalloped edges + doodles.
A white china marker is great for creating a hazy, cloud-like effect!
Sharpie markers are my favorite because of their opaque, creamy look on most surfaces.
STEP 5: Make round tags, then embellish!
Use a decorative punch or scissors to create your gift tags.
Or, lightly trace around a circular object with a pencil to create perfect circles.
Cut circles out with scissors or a circle punch, if you have one.
Next, scrape a very small amount of white gesso through a letter stencil with a palette knife.
Give your tags a punch of shimmer by rubbing Metallic Lustre in Gold Rush onto the letter with your finger.
--> Quick tip: The Metallic Lustre is water-soluble so if you accidentally get some of it in an area you don't want, you can go in with a paintbrush + water to clean it up.
STEP 6: Punch eyelets onto kraft boxes + attach gift tags
Punch one hole on the front of your kraft boxes, then another hole at the top of your round tag.
String embroidery floss through the eyelet + gift tag, then tie into a bow.
Here are my finished whimsical watercolor gift tags + gift boxes...
What do you think? Do you like creating handmade gifts? How often do you make them?
We LOVE hearing from you, too!
Share your projects with us by using these hashtags: #decoartmedia #decoartprojects #mixedmedia
