Did you know you can do watercolor printing using markers?! It’s SO EASY to make these cheater watercolor paintings, and they turn out super pretty, no special painting skills required!
Download one of our free, printable templates (see below!) to create a piece of art or a card that looks like a real watercolor painting! Simply color on a plastic freezer bag with washable markers, add a bit of water, and watch the colors transform into beautiful art. It’s such a fun and easy watercolor hack!
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How to Make "Watercolor" Prints Using Markers
Equipment:
- Spray bottle (with water)
Check Out The Video Tutorial:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Set up your watercolor paper
- Cut your watercolor paper to 8.5 x 11 (letter size) and print off one of our free templates! You can find a link in the supplies list above, or many more options below!
- Place a large plastic bag overtop of the template.
Step 3: Color on the freezer bag with markers
- Use a washable marker to color on the plastic bag. Start with one color and add random scribbles in different areas across the bag.
- Choose two or three complimentary colors and continue coloring until you're happy with the colors or the pattern you've made.You can leave a bit of space between colors, or put them right next to each other. The closer the colors, the more they will blend.
Step 4: Add water and watch your design come to life
- Spray water overtop of the marker. Be generous, spraying close to the plastic, until the color starts to bead up on the plastic.
- Slide your watercolor paper out from under the bag and place it, printed side down, on top of the bag.Press the paper down, pushing out from the center. Use a paper towel to wipe away any extra liquid that comes out the sides of the paper.
- Flip the paper and plastic bag back over so you can see your design.Push with your finger to spread the color around. You can spread the color out from the center, or try to blend two colors together.
- Optional: If you'd like the color to spread a bit more, lift the bag and spray a bit of water directly on the paper.
- Then put the bag back down and push the color out with your finger.
- Remove the plastic bag and use a paper towel to blot any excess water.Allow to dry.
- Your "watercolor" print is complete!
Helpful Tips:
- Watch the video tutorial for a few different ways to make these “watercolor paintings”. You can make a random pattern, create a lined ombre design, or start from the center for a tie-dye look!
- Test your color combinations on small pieces of paper. You want to make sure the colors compliment each other and blend well, and not turn into a muddy brown color.
Download our free watercolor printing templates:
Click on the links below to download our free, printable templates for cards or wall art! The PDF files will open in a new window. Then simply print the templates on 8.5 x 11 (letter size) printer paper.
>>> Enjoy the Little Things <<<
>>> Be Proud of Your Progress <<<
>>> Good Things Take Time <<<
>>> You Can If You Think You Can <<<
>>> Make Your Dreams a Reality <<<
The following two cards come with 2 designs on each page so you’ll need to cut the paper in half before making your art.
>>> Happy Birthday / Thank You <<<
>>> You Bring Color Into My Life / May Your Days Be Filled With Color <<<
What kind of markers are best for these fake watercolor paintings?
You need to use washable markers for this art project, like Crayola markers. We tried both the thick markers and thin, and the thick ones worked a lot better. The thin markers don’t seem to transfer as much color onto the plastic bag.
We experimented with permanent markers, but even after spraying rubbing alcohol on the bag the color didn’t transfer well at all. It mostly just stayed on the plastic bag.
What paper is best for watercolor printing using markers?
We definitely recommend using watercolor paper if you have it. We used a paper cutter to cut our paper to printer size (8.5 x 11) and printed the templates on it. The watercolor paper allows the colors to blend and spread really nicely, making the markers really look like watercolor paint!
If you don’t have watercolor paper, cardstock works as well, but it gives the art a bit of a different look. Cardstock allows the colors to transfer well, but you can’t spread the color out in the same way, because the paper isn’t meant to absorb water.
Make a faux watercolor painting using washable markers! It’s so fun and easy to create a beautifully coloured card or art for your wall.
Experiment with different colours and patterns and proudly display your homemade art, or give it as a thoughtful homemade gift!
Here’s even more fun art ideas:
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon |  Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound |  Amazon Canada
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