Watercolor Tutorial #2 - Basic Step

Hello Dear Readers,

Today will learn about basic step to paint in watercolor. Water color painting is both enjoyable and a bit frustrating at times. You will have to do a bunch of painting before you feel completely comfortable with the medium.
You can read and learn about #1 tutorial tools and materials here

Lay a sheet of heavy paper out on a table. Draw some very simple design on it with LIGHT pencil marks. 

Use a flat brushes to wash the paper. It is useful to make a wet on wet painting style.

Put a small dab of any color of watercolor onto the white palette plate. Get your brush lightly wet. Drop a couple of drops of water - from your paintbrush - onto the dab of watercolor that you have on your palette plate. 

Dip your brush into the watercolor liquid on your palette, and lift a small amount of color onto your brush.

Let the picture dry.

You can tell when the paper is completely dry because it will no longer feel cool.

text source : http://www.wikihow.com/Approach-Watercolor-Painting-As-a-Beginner

Watercolor Tutorial #1 - Tools and Materials

Hi There...

Still remember my last post about watercolor experiment? if not you can read it here watercolor-experiment-for-children-book. Many friends asked me to give some tips and tricks using watercolor as illustration or painting. Ok then, I will post several tips in watercolor painting and I will post it in several parts. This is our first part. So keep on following.

"nothing quite compares with the transparancy, luminosity and sheer beauty of well-painted watercolor" (William Newton)

Watercolor is really difficult to learn for some people. As people always says, Practice make perfect ^^. I will write this post (and next posts) based on my own experiences.

To make a beautiful watercolor painting we have understand our tools and materials first.
1. Paints (cat air)
watercolor available in tubes and pans, I prefer to use tubes since it is wetter and easy to mix.

2. Pallets (palet)
Pallets is really useful to mix some colors. I use to mix every colors with yellow ochre to get a nice color scheme.

3. Brushes (kuas)
Yes, brushes definitely is a very important tools that you cant ignore. Never pick a wrong brushes, it will cause failure in panting. A good quality brushes will hold water very well and joy to use.

a. Cotman from Winsor Newton
I pick Cotman form Winsor Newton. It is quite expensive since it cost over IDR 27000-45000 in 1998. But It will give you a very excellent results. 

 b. non branded
synthetic brushes are also enjoy to use and relatively inexpensive. It is only IDR 5000 (in 2013).

c. Flat Brush

I need flat brushes to lay a wash, to wet the paper or to apply sky.

4. Papers (kertas)

watercolor paper is quite different with other papers. It is made in different kind of thicknesses and texture. I use Canson for average usage and Fabriano for advanced usage. I prefer fabriano than canson.

5. Fresh Water (air)

It is important to have two bowls of fresh water. First bowl for washing your brush and second for dilute your paints. Adequate water will determine best result. Remember, always keep your brushes clean.

6. Pencil and eraser (pensil dan penghapus)

I use sketches pencil B or 2B for drawing outline. Keep your drawing light. 

For guiding you to learn more about watercolor i suggest you to read some books about watercolor, one of them is Painting with Watercolours (William Newton)

I think it is enough for today... will post second part soon.

(to be continued)

warm regards'

Dini

How To Make a Felt Illustration?

Today I will share how to make a felt illustration..

this is how i process my works...

First, Cut out the remaining pieces. You can pin or trace (with pencil on the wrong side) pieces onto felt and cut out. Using either a pencil or pen, but remember to do it on the wrong side, and carefully clean up the ink.  Then I will place every elements onto the fabric (background)

for simple step/easier technique you can click here

Attach your felt pieces to the fabric using a multi-purpose glue or fabric glue. whipstitch in the coordinating thread color, according to the finished photo. You can use icon stitch or roll stitch, make sure that you do your stitches small and as even as possible.

But then, my editor give me some suggestions (a lot of suggestions :D) that forces me remove some items. 

Oh nooo...!!! i said :D 

but you will see, she got the point. 

for the final touch i give some embelishment using buttons

and Violaaa... (see the difference??)
this is the final result of the illustration.. and she feels really satisfied :D alhamdulillah ^^

Hopefully you will be able to find this book on book store soon ^^

DIY-Lotus Bag

I made this for Indonesian Crafter Reg. Malang's Gathering last Sunday..
It is quite simple, easy to make but extremly cute :)
I made it from a piece of napkin and put a little touch using felts...
and the best part is... YOU DON'T NEED SEWING MACHINE!!

you can see the tuto here :
http://www.liaspace.com/2009/12/flower-pouch-tutorial-translation.html
or
http://www.liaspace.com/2012/02/flower-pouch-from-handkerchief.html

try it yourself.. and have fun ^^

DIY - Paper Doilies on Spunbond Simple Goodie Bag

Today i will share a little trick to give you  a cute accent for your simple Goodie Bag
all you needs are:
- paper doilies
- scarp fabric
- multipurpose glue


First prepare the paper doilies

then shape you scrap fabric into circle

attach the scrap into paper doilies use multipurpose glue

then you can place the doilies onto your spunbond Goodie Bag,

VIOLAAA...!!!

you can combine any color you like, use batiks or any other fabrics.
to see another project using spunbond, kindly check my newest book "Inspirasi dari Kain Spunbond"

salam

my TUTO on Magazine

you know what..?? the most happy things on crafting is sharing.. sharing our passion, sharing our dream, sharing our skill, yes indeed ^^..

and here are my tuto on magazine 

a. Sajadah Tutorial on Bonus SEKAR Magazine June 2010

 b. Cupcake Curtain Tie on Ummi Kreatif UMMI Magazine June 2012

c. Cute Coaster on Jari Lentik AULIA Magazine June 2012

Alhamdulillah.. and a bunch of thanks for mb Mutia AULIA, mb Noni UMMI, and mb Ira SEKAR

DIY - Sweet Pink Birdie Felt Applique

Dear Crafty Friends, today I will share a little bit of felt appliqué technique..

I get inspired by Melissa  from littlepinkhouse, she had shared her tuto here

She is very talented person, you will love her wonderful works.

we have another exclusive make over in August project today from Flanel Make Over

 Ok then.. are you ready for our pink birdie?

1. Cut out the remaining pieces. You can pin or trace (with pencil on the wrong side) pieces onto felt and cut out. Using either a pencil or pen, but remember to do it on the wrong side, and carefully clean up the ink. Do the same for the bird's eyes and beak.

2.  Attach your felt pieces to the fabric using a multi-purpose glue or fabric glue. Position the body on the center of the hoop.

3.  whipstitch in the coordinating thread color, according to the finished photo. You can use icon stitch or roll stitch, make sure that you do your stitches small and as even as possible.

4. Use a small, neat running stitch with green thread to attach the wing.

5. give some details with pink thread for the tail.

6. Give some leaf's petal, brown steam stitch and simple running stitch.

to see other home decoration projects, grab my  book fast ^^

Happy Crafting All ^^

DIY- Quickie Felt Birdie Tutorial

Dear crafty friends


today i will post a simple cute birdie from felt.. super cute

 all you need are some colourful felts - 1/2 circle 

 shape the heads first

 give some wings

 give some beaks

dont forget the eyes
violaaa.. you can make a four different birdies

or you can make it as a key chains or anything else ^^

you can learn more about felt accesories from my new book

click here