2018 #3 Watercolours: A little something to read {by Alison Bomber}

2018 Topic 3: Watercolour
A little something to read by Alison Bomber

Watercolours do beautiful things when salt is added to suck away the colour, leaving behind a truly fabulous texture. Alison captures this effect so well, and shares with you a great gift idea in the process! ~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Alison from Words and Pictures with you today, and I'd like to share with you some salty, watery bookmarks.

I fell in love with watercolours a year or two ago, and have been exploring their possibilities since then.  I thought I'd combine them with my quote stamps to make some bookmarks.  The salt was an afterthought, but one I'm so happy I added!

I love how the pigment of a good watercolour moves in water, and how some colours granulate (the pigment powder floats in the water to create a mottled look) and some are more stable.  I was using Daniel Smith watercolours to create my masterboard, and they have lots of fabulous granulation in some of the colours.

I think it was that granulation which suddenly made me think of adding salt - something I've done in the past with Distress Inks, but hadn't done with my watercolours before.  I think the effects are spectacular, both while the paint is still wet...

... and when you've brushed the salt away once it has all dried.

I cut a section of the masterboard into strips of equal length and width and then sought out some words to fit onto them.

I used two quotes each from EAB03 Music & Silence

EAB07 Dreaming & Doing

and EAB08 Strength & Courage. See here for links to stockists.

On the paler bookmarks, I stamped in Cobalt and clear-embossed the words with Ranger Clear embossing powder.

And where the paint background was darker, I stamped in Versamark and embossed in Detail Fine White powder by Wow.

Some distressing of the edges, and some fine white twine through the punched holes, and now I can keep my place in the several books I usually have on the go at one time...

... and receive a little extra food for thought from reading the bookmark too!

I hope you'll have a go at salting your watercolours or water-soluble inks.  It really is fascinating watching the crystals at work, soaking up pigment and water and creating the incredible organic patterning.  It certainly won't be the last time I craft with added salt!

Happy crafting all!
Alison x

Blog: Words and Pictures
Pinterest: butterfly crafter

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