Want to make your own watercolor cards? Here’s how!

Handmade greeting cards are a beautiful way to connect with the people you love. In this tutorial, we’re creating quick, expressive cards using nothing more than a pencil, brush pen, and watercolor. The charm is in the looseness — these doodles are designed to be perfectly imperfect, making them accessible to artists of all levels.

Each design starts with a playful sketch, then comes to life with bold ink lines and a splash of color. Whether you're drawing pets, espresso makers, cocktails, or abstract florals, these cards are personal, memorable, and fun to make.

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Download and print four of my own card designs on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/posts/120264851

Want to explore more watercolor techniques? Check out my full library of eCourses:https://bit.ly/2P6ARmS

Supplies Used

• Shop My Watercolor Set on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Vg1SHp

• Shop My Watercolor Set on Blick: https://bit.ly/41c26mO

• Brush Set: https://amzn.to/2WzSIKr

• Paintable Cards: https://amzn.to/4jkO5cS

• Fine Liners: https://amzn.to/3RLNyVW

• Tombow Markers: https://amzn.to/3Nu80b0

• Faber Castell Pitt Marker: https://amzn.to/3tG2Amj

Step 1: Sketch Your Doodle

Start with a simple subject — a pet, favorite drink, flower, or food. Lightly sketch your illustration with pencil.

• Don’t overthink it! These drawings are meant to look loose and handmade

• Think in shapes: circles, ovals, and triangles will take you far

• Sketch quickly and messily — this is where the charm begins

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Step 2: Ink with a Brush Pen

Use a black brush pen to outline your sketch.

• Keep your touch light for thin lines

• Thicken selected areas like the bottoms of shapes or inner lines for depth and emphasis

• Don’t worry about mistakes — imperfect lines make the piece feel authentic and warm

Step 3: Erase and Paint

Once your ink is dry, erase all pencil lines. Then bring your illustration to life with watercolor:

• Use minimal pigment on standard blank cards (like Strathmore Creative Cards)

• For richer color, try watercolor-specific cards

• Use watery mixes to preserve the brush pen detail and transparency

• Try creative shadows using color (like a mix of red and blue) instead of just gray

  
  

Step 4: Add Detail

Come back with a few finishing touches:

• Add shadows under characters or objects using Payne’s Gray + water

• Use fine liner or colored pencils to add texture, fur, or leaf veins

• Draw new elements — like leaves or decorative borders — directly on the card to fill empty space

A limited palette keeps everything cohesive. You might include colors like:

• Olive Green

• Raw Umber

• Payne’s Gray

• Rose Madder Hue

• Light Red

• White

• Light Yellow (pencil)

• Dark Orange (pencil)

Final Thoughts

Once you start making these, it’s hard to stop. In one sitting, you may find yourself creating a whole stack of cards — each one completely unique and totally personal. These little illustrations are perfect for holidays, birthdays, thank-you notes, or just-because moments.

Thanks for drawing with me today. I hope this tutorial inspires you to build a collection of your own handmade greetings. If you’d like a head start, don’t forget to grab the printable card set on Patreon!

Happy creating.