Watercolour Painted Stamp Portrait with Blended Colours

A project from our live show CREATE AND CRAFT - Join Carley Duff for her brand new IMALA 22 Launch show 1 - Broadcast 4th OCT 22 · 04/10/2022 · watch it from 52:00

🔊 TAP FOR SOUND

Create a stunning portrait card using watercolour techniques with alcohol-based marker pens to achieve beautifully blended skin tones and vibrant hair colours. This project demonstrates how to add dimension and highlights using white gel pen details, bringing your stamped portrait to life. The finished piece features a detailed face with soft colour transitions and professional-looking depth.

DOWNLOAD THIS GUIDE (PDF)

Step by step

1. 

   Stamp the selfie portrait image onto white watercolour cardstock using black ink, ensuring good contact with no air bubbles.

   ▶ watch this step (52:00)
2. Begin colouring the face using a soft peach marker pen, focusing on the darker areas indicated by the black stamp lines. Work gently to build up colour in the shadowed parts of the face. ▶ watch 53:00
3. 

   Using a lighter shade on your palette, blend outwards from the darker areas of the yellow rose to create natural colour gradation. Work gently to soften the transitions between the deeper and lighter tones.

   ▶ watch this step (53:15)
4. Colour the hair using orange and ginger tones. Layer darker shades first, then blend lighter tones over the top for depth and dimension. ▶ watch 54:00
5. 

   Use the chiselled end of the marker pen to follow individual hair strands and add definition to the stamped image. Work carefully along the lines to enhance the detail and create depth in the hair.

   ▶ watch this step (54:45)
6. 

   Use a black ballpoint pen to add fine detail and definition around the eyes. Start with the darker areas and build up the detail gradually to create depth and dimension.

   ▶ watch this step (55:00)
7. 

   Use a white gel pen to add highlights to the eyes and face, creating light and dimension on the portrait.

   ▶ watch this step (55:30)
8. 

   Mount your completed watercolour portrait onto black cardstock to create a backing frame for your artwork.

   ▶ watch this step (56:00)
9. Create a triangular stand by folding a 6 by 4 inch piece of black cardstock into thirds. Secure the folded stand with a tape runner to hold the shape. ▶ watch 56:30

Tips from the show

• Always colour the black areas first as these are your darkest areas, then blend outwards with lighter shades.
• Use alcohol-based marker pens for seamless blending without squeaking.
• A ballpoint pen creates finer, more wispy lines than fine liners and resists smudging better.

More from this show

• Textured Aperture Card with Crackle Paste and Heat Embossing
• Kinetic Spinning Aperture Card with Layered Elements
• Wet-on-Wet Watercolour Background with Random Stamped Dots
• Layered Stamp Masking Technique for Scene Building
• Ink Blending and Watercolour Wash Technique on Stamped Image

Written up from the show itself. See every guide from our shows · free how-to guides · watch live on My Telly