Tips on How to Design a Watercolor Birthday Card
Making a friend, partner, or loved one a homemade birthday card is an amazing way to show them how much you care about them and their special day. Watercolor is a beautiful and versatile medium that can be used to create the prettiest cards around. Continue reading for some tips on how to design watercolor birthday cards that will make your loved ones smile.
Selecting the Right Materials
Before creating your watercolor piece, you’ll need to gather the right materials. Let’s go over the materials you'll need, as well as recommendations for the best results.
Watercolor paper
Watercolor paper is thick and absorbent, so it can handle wet media. You can choose from different sizes, weights, and textures, depending on your preference and style. A good option is 140-pound cold-pressed watercolor paper, which has a smooth surface and can withstand multiple washes. I usually use high-quality watercolor paper, like Arches, but you can find cheaper paper options that are also great!
Watercolor paint
Watercolor paint comes in many forms. This type of paint is a solid or gel-like pigment that is mixed with water to create its delicate effects. Different types include tubes, pans, and liquid watercolors. The highest-quality watercolor paints typically come in tube form. Brands like Winsor & Newton, or Arteza are well-known for being some of the best. However, if you’re a beginner painter, using a multicolor, solid pigment palette is perfect for a small project like a birthday card!
I have to quickly mention the brand of watercolors I mostly work with – Greenleaf & Blueberry. I absolutely love this brand and their watercolors are top-quality, artist-grade watercolors. They can be a bit pricey but they are so special to me and I love buying from smaller businesses. So, if you ever start to take watercolor painting more seriously, check them out.
Watercolor brush
A brush made specifically for watercolor paint is the best choice for this craft. A good option is a synthetic round brush, which has a pointed tip and can facilitate fine details and broad strokes. Having a mix of brush sizes is also helpful for being able to both color the background and add in fine details.
Pencil and eraser
Personally, I don’t use a pencil much when I’m painting. One of the things I love most about watercolors is seeing where the paint takes me. There is such a beautiful fluidity to watercolors. However, you may want to paint a specific design for your card and you’ll first want to sketch your design and erase any mistakes, so don’t forget these tools if that’s the case. We recommend using a light pencil, such as a 2H or HB pencil, and a soft eraser, such as a kneaded eraser.
TIP: Don’t press too hard! If you do, the paint will fall into those indentations and they’ll be noticeable whether you erase them or not!
Masking tape and board
A board and masking tape will help you secure your paper and prevent it from curling or buckling as you paint. This is especially important if you plan on using a more economical paper option or if you are going to use a lot of water. You can also use masking tape to make a precise border around your painting, removing the tape once you’re finished.
Planning Your Design
Though you may be tempted to start painting right away, consider planning out the design first. This doesn’t need to be a lengthy process, but you should decide whether you want a specific theme, layout, or color scheme.
For a birthday card, you’ll want to personalize the design for your loved one. Do they have any hobbies, interests, or favorite things you could add to your painting? Is there a certain aesthetic or color scheme they love? To help you out, here are some creative birthday card ideas for your design:
A centered painting based on their interests (e.g., a bouquet of flowers for a gardener)
A simple design with simple shapes (e.g., plants or flowers) and meaningful words
A watercolor combination of their favorite colors
A full-blown piece of art that they’ll want to frame!
Once you’ve decided on your design, plan or sketch it out! Use your pencil and eraser to make the perfect outline for your painting. With watercolor, pencil marks can be erased once your artwork has dried completely.
5 Different Watercolor Techniques to Try
Watercolor can be a tricky medium for beginners and connoisseurs alike. Thus, don’t be shy to practice some techniques on a separate piece of watercolor paper. Here are five beautiful watercolor techniques to try out:
Wet on wet: This technique involves applying wet paint onto wet paper. This creates a soft and blended effect as the colors mix and spread on the paper. You can use this technique to create backgrounds, skies, or water.
Wet on dry: Applying wet paint on dry paper is one of the most common methods of watercolor painting and it’s the method I tend to use. I feel that it creates a sharp and defined effect because the colors stay where you put them, and then I have more control of the amount of water I want to add. Use this technique to create details, outlines, or words – I prefer doing my lettering with watercolors versus ink! Check out these calligraphy notebooks.
Dry on dry: This painting technique uses dry paint on dry paper. This creates a rough and textured effect as the paint skips and leaves white spaces on the paper. Painters use this method for fur, grass, sand, and more.
Glazing: Glazing refers to applying a thin layer of transparent paint over another layer of paint. This technique provides a luminous and layered effect, with colors shining through one another. Glazing helps you create depth, shadows, highlights, and other pretty effects. I use this method a lot when I’m using metallic paints and it has such a mesmerizing finish.
Lifting: Lifting means removing some paint from the paper using a wet brush, tissue, or sponge. This creates a light and airy effect as the paint fades and leaves white spaces on the textured paper. Lifting is great when you’re painting delicate things like clouds, waves, or snow.
After testing out these techniques, choose the right one for your project and get started. Remember, it’s OK to make mistakes and start over. Many times, my mistakes lead to something better than my original plan. Your loved one will appreciate the thought and effort you put into their gift and you will also get so much out of expressing your creativity.
Finishing Touches and Personalization
Finally, you’ll want to add the finishing touches to your birthday card art. This includes erasing any pencil marks, adding fine details, writing your message, and signing your name. You can even add unique embellishments like stamped letters, pressed flowers, or cut-out photos.
Take some time to think of a personalized birthday message. This can include telling your loved one how much they mean to you or reminiscing over a funny memory. Tell them how much you appreciate them, and don’t forget to say happy birthday!
I love sealing the envelopes with a wax stamp. You only need a small amount of wax and you don’t even need a fancy wax stamp, just use a quarter or something small to seal the wax! (WARNING: be careful when handling wax and flammable objects)
Celebrate!
Creating a personalized watercolor birthday card is a wonderful experience for both you and your loved one. Take the time to let your creativity shine and make your card something they’ll want to hold onto. We hope our tips and techniques can help you make your loved one’s day extra special. Happy painting!