Summer is a great time to have fun with small postcards and watercolor. Here these watercolor ombre postcards are painted with one color and multiple layers to get an ombre effect.

This is an easy painting activity and you can try it with your kids. You won’t need much supplies and watercolor paint is easy to wash off:)

To make 4 Watercolor Ombre Postcards, you will need:

• Watercolor paint in your color of choice, I used a mix of pyrrol red and Phtalocyanine blue, red shade by Graham watercolors
• Watercolor paper cut to postcard size or ready to paint watercolor postcards
• Masking fluid if you want to try the one with the white or orange outline, Iused the Fineline Masquepen.
• Markers
• Pencil, eraser, brushes

 Here is how you can paint the Watercolor Ombre postcards

Start by mixing the color you want to use, here I just added a bit of blue to a bright red for a bluish pink shade.

Add water to your mix so you get a rather light wash. You don’t want it too dark as you are going to paint many layers.

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Yarka St. Petersburg Professional Watercolor Pans Same palette of traditional colors the great masters used a century ago. Liquid-poured means semi-moist pans respond instantly to a wet brush. 24 pans in plastic case. Also individual pans. – Master Set

Draw the outline of your design, you can use graphite

Or colored pencil.

I did draw 3 peonies and a simple concentric circles design.

Paint your first wash all over the card with a light to medium wash.

Let it dry, then paint your second wash everywhere except on the most outside row of petals .

Then you can add designs of your choice.Here I just outlines the petals with markers.

On this one I added some lines to give more dimension to the flower.

I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.

Sakura Pigma Micron Pen Pigma Micron pens are acid-free and archival, making them ideal for any application requiring precision and permanance. Pigma ink is derived from a single pigment to ensure color consistency, and is fadeproof against sunlight or UV light. – Set of 6, Black

And on the one with circle I added some designs that were a bit more elaborated.

Variation with masking fluid

Instead of just drawing the outline of your design, you can apply a thin line of masking fluid on top before painting.

As previously, layer washes starting by the outside of the flower and making your way towards the center

I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.

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Daler-Rowney Masking Fluid This fluid is used to create striking white highlights or to mask areas for overpainting at a later stage. It forms a fast-drying, water-resistant film on watercolor paper and board, and is easily removed when dry.

Let dry and remove the masking fluid

You can leave the design as it is,

or add designs with a marker.

and color the white outline.

I would love to see your ombre watercolor creations! Feel free to post pictures in the comments.