In today’s post: Learn how to make these beautiful watercolor art prints using just markers and water!
I am completely incompetent when it comes to art. When I was a kid and my family used to play Pictionary, no one wanted me on their team because I couldn’t even draw a recognizable stick figure. Last time I tried hand lettering ended with tears. My most recent attempt at “art” (ladies’ paint night) ended just as badly – we were all laughing so hard I cried. I can craft, and I can sew, but drawing or painting is really out of my comfort zone.
So when I discovered that you can “fake” a pretty watercolor background using markers and water, I was immediately intrigued. This technique is easy enough for both kids and complete art incompetents like me! Pair the cheater watercolor technique with some printable quotes, and you have a really simple project that yields really beautiful results.
Watercolor with Markers Technique
This cheater watercolor technique is really easy. You start with a printed quote (I have six you can download below) and some old fashioned Crayola markers:
You’re going to color with the markers on a gallon zip bag, then spray the bag with water. This causes the marker color to run and blend. When you flip the bag over onto your printed quote you end up with a pretty, watercolor-like background:
So cool, right? I know it’s not nearly as nuanced as a real watercolor painting would be, but it also doesn’t take any special supplies, training, or talent. So I’ll take it.
It’s seriously easy enough for a child to do, but there are enough ways to manipulate the end result that it’s fun for adults, too. I’m hooked!
Watch this video to see the technique in action. Then keep reading to download six free printable quotes and learn all my tips and tricks.
Printable Watercolor Quotes
Download my printable quotes by clicking on the links below (remember, the PDF files will just have the quote on a plain white background – you get to add your own watercolor background!):
Do Small Things with Great Love
Supples for Watercolor with Markers Technique
Paper. You can use this technique on a variety of surfaces (Click here to see how I used this technique to decorate Easter eggs!), but since I wanted to combine it with a printable quote, I used 8.5 x 11 paper. I tried a variety of papers so I could figure out which one worked best:
- Cardstock: Plain white cardstock is easy to find and inexpensive, making it a good choice if you’re doing this as a fun project with kids. However, the water causes it to buckle quite a bit when it dries, so it won’t look great if you’re planning to frame and/or display the finished project.
- Mixed Media paper (98 lb, order here on Amazon or find at Walmart for quite a bit cheaper): This paper is nicer than cardstock because it’s thicker and has some texture, which looks pretty. It buckles less than cardstock but it’s still hard to get it completely flat. If you use this paper, try leaving it under heavy books for a couple of days after it dries to flatten. NOTE: this paper is 9×12, so you’ll need to trim it before printing on it.
- Watercolor paper (140lb, order here on Amazon or find at Walmart for around $5): This paper is quite thick and has a really beautiful texture, making it my top choice for this project. It will buckle just slightly from the water, but if you leave page under heavy books for a day or two after it dries it will end up flat enough to look nice on a clipboard or in a document frame. It definitely gives the most professional looking result, and it’s what you see in the photographs in this post. However, because it is so thick it will jam in some printers. If your printer has a top feeder that allows the paper to go through the printer with a gentle bend, it will probably work fine. But if your printer pulls from the front and rolls the paper 180 degrees to come back out the front, chances are this thick watercolor paper will not work. NOTE: this paper is 9×12, so you’ll need to trim it before printing on it.
Printer. If you want to download one of my printable quotes (or use another favorite one) for this project, you’ll need a printer. I tried this project using pages that had been printed with both an inkjet and a laser printer, and both worked just fine! NOTE: I was able to iron the quotes that I printed on my Inkjet printer, but when I tried ironing the quotes printed on a laser printer they smeared.
Markers. I used regular Crayola Markers. I haven’t tried other brands, although I’m guessing they’d work as well. I also haven’t tried using washable markers.
Plastic. I used a gallon zip bag for my plastic surface because nearly everyone has those on hand, but I’m guessing you could also use a plastic page protector. After each use, you can just wipe the plastic surface clean with a paper towel and use it again!
Spray bottle. Make sure your spray bottle is on the “mist” setting, and fill it with water.
Paper towels. These are helpful for cleaning up any overspray and for blotting excess color.
How to make a Watercolor Print using Markers
First, print whatever quote you’d like to use on one of the papers I mentioned above. Next, lay a gallon zip bag over the quote. If the zip bag has an opaque area that you can write on, make sure that’s facing down.
Scribble on the bag with markers. I like to use two different colors that I know will blend well together, maybe three. Do not use colors that will make brown when combined together. I start by scribbling with the first color in four or five different spots, then scribbling with the next color. It will take some experimentation to figure out how much marker ink you want to use, but you really don’t need that much. I like to keep the scribbles contained within the area the quote covers.
Next, use your spray bottle to spritz water on the scribbles. You’ll see the marker ink bead up when it gets wet. Again, you’ll want to experiment to see how much water you like to use, but I find that 5 or 6 sprays is generally sufficient.
Pick up the zip bag and quickly flip it over, then place it back down, centering it over your quote. Depending on how much water you used, some of the ink may run off the bag as you flip it. Rub your fingers over the bag, blending the colors beneath it. You can blend a lot or a little to get a look that you like.
When you’re done blending, slowly peel the bag off your print. At this point you may have some pooling colored water. You can either leave it to dry (it will dry darker in those areas) or you can use a paper towel to blot some of it up. If you blot right away, it will pull more color off. If you wait a few minutes to blot it will pull less color off.
If you don’t like how it looks, blot it up right away and pull off lots of the color, then just repeat the process. You can also repeat the process to add more of one color. Please note that you may get color on your fingers during this process unless you are careful.
You can experiment: blot up more color, layer on more color, spray the finished print with water for a speckled look, etc. I actually recommend experimenting with colors and techniques using plain paper to see what you like best before you start working on the actual prints. It’s tons of fun!
Susan says
Wow, these look fantastic, and just using kid’s markers! No expensive supplies needed. SThank you for such clear instructions. My video wouldn’t play but your written instructions were so good, I didn’t need it. Well done.
Saskia says
Thank you so much and i am very happy with them, and you gave them al alway so we did not have to just pick one, thank you for you your kindness and schare all of them with us, for people who cannot to buy handletterbooks and you just gave It to them ( me) form the kindness of your hart. I will try my hardest to make something beautiful, you made another person verry happy , the world neer more people like you, i triest to help to be making a group for the disabbelt who has to fight and struggle against judgemental people who make oud lives even worse, because by most of us you can,t see that we are sick and they thinks that gives them the right to tell horrific lies instead of seeing the pain behind your smile, they told the worst lies about me that a was a scam, a fraude who ript them of, a non profit oragisasion ends at zero just where you start, but i endid minus 250 euro in red, that much i gave away, does not sound like a fraude but than It hit me, the smear campaing has started because i have a narsichisic mother and sister, and i finaly went after 48 years of beinig the scapegoat child who just came home after a 3 mondhts voluntary stay in a clinics why i stil keept feeling so different, not how i should feel after my fathers passing of a accute hart failiure, which i have to came out recent check up, stress for a long periode of time ( me growing up, my body,s chancing, my Brain and nerve system to and standing on the fight or flight position and whole days being on high allert while my Brian was chancing to i have braimdamage, ontthreatable because living under these surcumsrances my Brian made to much dopamine and 40 years later that won,t just stop, because jou still live in fear, evil excist, when i looked into het eyes because between 0 till 10 adore their parents, need the unconditional love and the feeling of beinig safe and protected, i got neither an unworthy child who does everthing wrong ( al familie faults where my to blame so the picture of the perfect family that only excided in her, make believe reality and everyone had a role and role was to keep uperiances up, by blaming an shaming me for everthing that whent wrong came because i was stupid and lasy, selfish, disrespectfull to m y mother, i learnend in therapie that the told everywhere we where she talked bad about me, because the must be the center of attention to play het favoriete role as victem and i the worse daugher a mother cauled have and who does not believe an emotional mother , broeken over the behavior of het child, narcisist don,t have feeling but they can act so well what makes Thieme do dangerious, i was in my puberty nothing but a shadow and so the had full controle over me and with every dokters appointment she came with me, no not for support but to complaign about me en take al mij selfesteem en worht untill there was nothing left of me, no opbringing, no identiteit, not knowing wat love is, never had, never new safe and protected, in her eyes which turn black when ze deed me is saw hell and when your between 8 andv10 i wet mijzelf so Scared was i Ans she won, she broek me for insurerence i should never leave her because if i went wo else she could play psycho games on in het imaginaire narcland because the golden child had perfecte childhood who learnend hoe to play form the master its zelf , and there where to psychopats with there favorite To i, me, i lost my humanaty before i was an adult and nu that time , things Really got black, not because its sundown but things got so mest up and you never new wat there up to , as a survival of a covert narcist, the stealth under the narc i,m damaged for live, hearing you have hartfaillure en won,t live to see sarah, my mother is bassic right, i,m nothing, i,m a burden to the world, i mist nu childhood, middlrschoom, high school, i,m not raised, but created into something i,m not, while i was in the klinic that was the frist time alone, whit narc or sister and what a diverence was that, what a freesom , the diagnostisch was thought, but my freedom was priceless , this is something i will never fotget and i wish i could stay there, a place where they really listned to mee, took me serieus and i asked my therapeut if he watched out for mam and her lies and manipulatieve behavior and destroy my last chance on a beter live, he asked why and sadley enough i was right but worts enough she knew that i had ADHD and HSP and so the slowley destroyed my everthing instead of pullinh me trough and helped me for a safe and protected way to the real world an at that point a couldnot hold back anything andecthe ADHD combi with extra impulses an hyperactivity Ans she lost me because of ketting It out i had all the positieve treads that comes with is and i had more time in the spotlight, people talk about me and nu positieve change, how confident i become and the goals i had set mezelf there , since in mist nu childhood, my transfotmation From childcto ab young adult, know It,s nu time to start living and beginning to find my identety and start living by is and prove to mijzelf, and loose the fake id and hoping people than forget whats been told, my seconde goal was to start en smalle giftSHOP AND sell everthing i,ve made and start a group for the mental en fysica disabbelt what a great succes became, but just after the start i don,t know wat happend but al i saw was het mould going open an clousing spitting lies howcbad this place was and terrible people that called them dokters , die ogen waren nu gitzwart en poison an hate came out now i,de found out wat een lastercampagne or smearcampange inhoudt met flying monyk en na haar favorietenrol te spelen als slachtoffer over wat ik haar wel niet aangedaan heb ( ben 47 jaar een scapegoat child geweest and sad but true people rather believe the lies and everthing to hurt me to the core and they believe het, but the thruth about my live as victem of childabuse an never wil know how It is to live a live with no fear, with familie who loves an support you , familie diners and stalking to you, i hope one travel but no group anymore, thank you for everthing you fkg
Kathy says
These are beautiful, what a great Easter craft.
Susan Casper says
I love everything you do!!!! Your Mother- in – law, JoLyn and my husband Brian are cousins, JoLyn has been my friend forever. Now they have moved, I can’t find her! Please ask her to call Susan. I have known Scott and his brothers also forever. What a fantastic family. So proud of both you, and Scott and your wonderful accomplishments. I recommend your site to all my friends. Took both the Cake Mix Lemon Cookies, and the
cake mix Carrot Cookies ( I used a Spice Cake Mix and they turned out great) to Relief Society, and now your recipes are in demand. All I could say was: its always autumn.com. for all the ideas they want. Thanks for sharing . I however, cannot seem to print off your quotes . I , but I will keep trying.
Susan
Lillian Gonu-Lincoln says
You’re awesome! Great idea!
LaTisha says
I ran across this and have made several! I had crayola washable markers on hand and they worked fine. I got water color paper and cut it down. It runs through my printer fine. I did find that when i print first and water color second, the printer ink comes off some. It looks ok but isn’t a clean look. I don’t know if letting it ‘set’ longer would help, or if it’s because we have a laser jet, but I tried doing the water color first and then printing and it works perfectly!
Thanks again for your fun idea!
Jade says
Hi Latisha!
I’m just wondering, how did you print the watercolour paper? did you put it on a specific setting?
Thanks for your time.
– Jade
Kris says
Love this,the kids had fun & the parents loved receiving them.
Crystal says
I can find anything except the crayola washable markers. Can I use them?
autumn says
Hey Crystal, I just had a reader tell me she used crayola washable markers and they worked great! I haven’t tried them myself, but it sounds like they should work.
Kim says
Can you do these watercolor prints with paint?
Clare Manu says
Where did you get the quotes from? With such clarity.
Harjith says
A fantastic simple idea! Thanks for sharing
Lindsey says
Hey Autumn! I’ve been trying to get the print to blend well. Every time I flip over the bag with the markers, it just sets and I can’t blend. Suggestions? I really love this idea and want to get it to work! Also, does it make a difference if I free-style write calligraphy vs. a print?
autumn says
Hi Lindsey. I’d try spraying the bag with more water before you flip it over. It’s the water that help the ink to blend before it sets. As for free-style wrirting calligraphy vs a print, you’ll probably just have to try it and see. It should work just fine, but depending on the pen you use for calligraphy it’s possible the water involved would blur it a bit. I hope you get it worked out!
D McGee says
Not all those who wander are lost – JRR Tolkien
Christine [email protected] says
I have two questions I hope you will answer. 1) Should I laminate if I plan to sell? Also, I didn’t see where you get your sayings. Hopefully, you have time to answer this.
Thank you
Christine
Shannon M says
I tried doing this today and I printed it on watercolor paper. I let the paper “dry” for a few hours before trying the coloring and when I did it instantly bled and smeared black ink everywhere. What is your suggestion? We have an inkjet printer.
autumn says
Hey Shannon, sorry it didn’t work for you. The ink from my inkjet printer doesn’t bleed during this project, but maybe different brands of ink work differently. If your ink bleeds, your best bet would be to take your watercolor paper to a copy shop and ask them to print on it with a laser printer, which will not bleed at all. I know that’s a hassle though, so it might not be worth it. You could try asking a friend to print it for you and see if it works better with someone else’s inkjet!
Glenda says
Thank you! These lovely, uplifting quotes are a blessing! I’m going to let the teens that I do arts and crafts with (foster kids) make these. I think they will enjoy this simple yet impressive project.
Renee says
I’m doing this with Sunday school kids at synagogue today. I think they’re going to love it!
I have a tip for anyone who wants to make their own quotes:
I wanted the text to be in Hebrew, so I made my own using canva.com which is a great graphics making site that has plenty of its tools available for free. I made a graphic with custom dimensions and set it at 8.5 x 11 inches. Worked great!