Today we are going to build our watercolor skills and make something really special with these vintage inspired holiday cards. I just use dollar store sets of blank cards and then cut my watercolor paper to fit onto them. You can't paint directly onto cardstock with watercolors and I find this simpler than purchasing watercolor cards. They don't take long to make, and what could be better than sending handmade cards for the holidays?
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The first step is to mix up our color palette; mine is vintage inspired with a light pink, gold and a couple of greens. Step two is to practice the flowers. With one color palette and just a few different flowers you can create several different cards. I chose a simple flower of five petals, and a rose made of a spiral of semi circular brushstrokes. The gold really gives it the vintage look with some small leaves and the stamen of the flower. I am going to use a grassy green for the leaves and a darker green for some pine sprigs.
With the color palette and floral design developed, we are ready to get started! I started with the 'Merry and bright' which I think may be my favorite. After marking out the lettering in the center I used the florals I already practiced around to frame everything. As always, I included a wreath to frame 'Joyeux Noel'. The small gold leaves are the standout here to give us that vintage vibe and a contrast with the size and colors in the foliage. The third one is a little more labor intensive but turned out so nicely! I painted right off the edges of the page to fill the top of the card, leaving a space in the bottom for a holiday message.
Just go one color at a time, keep the details simple, think about your contrast of size, leave some negative space and get creative with your cards! All that remains is to add your unique message to each card and share them with your friends and family.
