Transcripts
1. Class Introduction: Have you ever wanted to make
some calligraphy quotes? But the empty paper
discouraged you or you didn't have the time to make the calligraphy and
the background too. We abandoned the whole
project. Instead. I feel you, I've done
it so many times. The solution I found
for this problem is to make your backgrounds first when you have the time for it. I'm a self-taught calligrapher. In the past four years, I've dedicated myself to it. It helped me rewrite my life. In art. There are no
mistakes, just experiments. Every so-called mistake
have the opportunity to learn and lead you
to a better result. And if not, it can be
an important lesson to Ever since I realized
that I can use calligraphy, watercolor, lettering as
a mindfulness practice. The world has become
a safer place to me. And I want to share this
with you so you can find calm and peace through art. To by the end of this class, you will be able to create ten different types of watercolor calligraphy
backgrounds. Reading. This class
is for beginners. I will teach you
what tools you need, how you can use them, how you prepare your
paper, your paints. Before you start painting, you will learn how to
choose your colors, how to mix them together, and how to put them on paper. At the end of this class. As class project, you will create three
different backgrounds that can be the base of your calligraphy or
lettering masterpieces. As a bonus, you will get three different quotes that you can trace on your paintings. So grab a cup of tea
and let's dive in. See you in the first lesson.
2. Materials: Materials needed, vapor is the most important thing
to get great results. Instead of trying
to convince you, I will show you the
difference between the non watercolor and
watercolor papers. First, you can see
premium printing paper, which I usually recommend to write calligraphy
and lettering on it. Second, cheap watercolor paper. Three, mixed medium paper. For premium watercolor paper. See, you can use all of them, but you can't expect
the same results. If you want to create
videos frustration, I recommend using a good
paper for your projects. Faint tubes, COX,
old wet brush pens. Not that important. You can use student
grade paints too, if your paper is good enough. For the project, I will use
several different paint. So you can see that it
doesn't really matter. Paintbrushes. I will use the ikea kid's paintbrush
Seth, for this class. Show. It can be done with student grade tools if you like, but you can buy
fancier brushes too. I recommend a bigger flatter run to wet the paper with it easier. And the size 12 round brush
for the painting parts. And the extra stuff. In this class, we will use
some other materials to create interesting watercolor
effects like salt or foil, sponge, paper, towel,
or toothbrush. These are common household items so you don't have to worry
about purchasing them. Know, we deal out of the way. Let's talk about the
colors you will use.
3. Color mixing and mindfulness: As I said, you don't need fancy paints to create these
watercolor backgrounds. But it is good to
know how to paint. You chose works on the paper. For this purpose, I recommend you to create a color swatch. With this exercise, you get to know your paints
and paper as well. First, make a table which
has as many columns and rows as the number of your colors you
want to try out. Then mark each first
cell of your table. Then you can have fun
with color mixing. You can make a darker and
lighter one of these. To mix two colors, you should use a pallet or
an old porcelain plate. Makes them in a one-to-one
ratio and add water to them. The more water you use, the lighter the color will be. Mark your favorite colors. So you can use them later. While you are making these, you can try mindfulness to. The core concept of
mindfulness is to be present. Maintaining a moment by moment awareness of your
thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and surrounding environment through a
gentle nurturing lands. While you are creating, watch the paint, how it
spreads in the paper. Every time a thought
or feeling arises, notice it, and without
any judgment, let it go. Don't worry, it is perfectly normal that your mind wanders. The basic dynamics of a
mindfulness practices this. You pay attention to
the present moment. Your attention wanders,
you notice it. Then you let go of
what distracted you, and you pay your attention
to your practice again. Then inevitably your attention
wanders again and so on. So every time your mind wanders, gently guided back to the painting you are
working on at the time. This will be the core
concept of all the exercise, these techniques you will
learn in this course. Experiment. Watch what happens with the paint and water on the paper with a fresh and
curious I and the mind. And every time
your mind wanders, tried to label it. Was it a thought or
was it an emotion? The labeling will help
you process it easier. And then go back
to your painting. Now without any further
ado, let's get started.
4. Wet on wet - gradient or galaxy: Wet on wet gradient or Galaxy. This is the most
technical technique I will show you in this class. The other techniques will be easier and more experimental. I start with this
because you can apply some of the
things I show you here during the other methods
to achieve greater results. If you follow along, don't forget to create
with awareness. Try to be mindful and let go of your thoughts
and emotions. Dues. Use heavier paper. The more water you use, the heavier the paper should be. Tape your paper to
a flat surface. It prevents some
of the swelling. Prepare your paint before
you wet the paper. It helps you work on
wet paper longer. Mixed out your colors in the palette and
add water to them. Wet your paper properly with a flat or bigger round brush
from different directions. It helps the fibers of the
paper to absorb more water. Start with the lighter
colors and then add more layers with
more and more paint. If you notice that your
paper started to dry up, stop your process, and wait until the paint
dries perfectly. Then you can restart
the process. If you have harsher edges
or the spreading on the surface doesn't look the
way you imagined before. Don't freak out. Learn from
every painting you create. And after all, these are
lettering backgrounds. It can be a great Luke, even if it's not perfect. You can always draw flowers, doodles on the sports
you don't like. The so-called cauliflower
effect can look good too. If you want to use
it. Feel free. There is no right or wrong way
to make these backgrounds. Don't be afraid to experiment. The first piece
are always messy. These in a folder where you
can reach out to them if you want to know how much you
developed during the process. Gradient. Read the
surface first. Go on it with one color, darker on the top and add more and more water and
let it dry perfectly. Perfectly. If it's
still wet a little, it will ruin the whole process. But if you want to try it, you can do it too. The page again. Flip the page and you can go on
with another color. It will create a
beautiful gradient. Galaxy. Read the paper. Start with a light
color than add more and more color to it. You can go in with
other colors too. You can use a reference
photo if you want to. It can help you to figure out where you wanted
the darker spots. You can restart the process
after the painting is fully dried and you are not
satisfied with the results.
5. Geometrical or abstract shapes: You can use geometrical
or abstract shapes to create stunning backgrounds. Experiment and see what
you can come up with. Prepare your colors first. Just like in the
wet-on-wet technique. You can use it to achieve
color wash on the paper. When one shape
washes into another. Using wet paint
on a dry surface, you put on the paints and let
them run into each other. It is a beautiful effect and it is always a great way to let
the paint do what it can. Just observe and
enjoy the process. You can lay it to put
your shapes on the paper, let them dry perfectly. Then in another layer,
you can do it again. Start with the lighter,
brighter colors. Get loose. Let the paint do what it can do. You can use some stencil 2s2 or rounded shapes to
guide your paint. But it is not mandatory. Just preference.
6. Using plastic: Using plastic, new life
of a frayed brush pen. After some usage, the
tip of your brush pens can fray when they are ruined. That way you can't
really use them to write calligraphy or
lettering anymore. But usually they are great for other
watercolor techniques. One side note too,
that there are some brush pen bands that
make flip bubble nibs dryers. Maybe you can double the life
of it as a calligraphy pen. Paint on plastic. On a plastic surface, you can use these
paints to create colored shapes and then
spray it with water. After that, you can
apply it to your paper. The paper can be wet or dry. It's your preference. Push the paint
around as you like, then gently take
off the plastic, let it dry and your
background is ready to go. Use a stiffer plastic so you
can manipulate it easier. Plastic on paint. You can paint on your paper. And after you put all the paint you wanted on the surface, you can paint on your paper. And after you put all the paint you
wanted on the surface, use a household foil on it. Make shapes as many as you like and let it dry completely, let it sit overnight. And when it is dried, peel off the foil. It creates cool and
unique effects. You can use aluminum
foil to or bubble wrap. With this technique, you
will never know the result. It can be a mess
and a masterpiece to it is a perfect way
to practice acceptance. And you can implement this point of view
in your life too. When you start something new, there is a chance you
create a mess at first. But you can try it
again and again. And every time you
will be better at it. Even when the result
is not guaranteed. Failure isn't fatal. But failure to change might be. Jon Gruden said, experiment, try this technique as
many times as you wish and enjoy the uncertainty
and beauty of it.
7. Salt and rice: That's used some salt or rice. With salt or rice, you can lift of water and color we did from you're
still wet painting. But the result is much more
random than 3D erasers. When you're painting
is still wet, sprinkle salt arise on it. The painting should still be
very wet for better results. After it dried a little, the salt arrest can't lift off enough water to
create the effect. You can move the rice in your
painting if you want to. Somewhat controlled results. You can use any kind of salt
arised, experiment with it.
8. Splash, splash, splash: Splash, splash, splash. You can use this on a
white surface or you can complement your galaxy
painting with it to just pick up some watery
paint in your brush and gently knock the brush to
achieve these paint splashes. The smaller the brush, the smaller the dots will be. Or you can use it
toothbrush to this method. I love using this technique to add some sparkle
to my paintings. I usually use some complimentary
metabolic paintings to make my art more exciting. You can use this technique
on a wet surface. In this case, the paint
will spread on the paper. It can create exciting
and unexpected effects. If you don't want
that weight onto your painting is perfectly dry.
9. Stripes and breathing exercise: Colored line. This is a very simple yet attention
grabbing background idea. It is perfect for short
quotes and statements. Get your colors ready
and with a bigger brush, make some lines on your paper. You can play with colors, or you can use one color in
different shades or darkness. You can make great backgrounds with no time using this method. You need to, for thick lines, you can create a very
dramatic effect. If you use thinner lines, it can be a more
playful background. Try to be present and enjoy the fresh air in your
lungs when you breathe. During this exercise. Breathing is a warrior but mindfulness technique that
can aid in stress management. It is a deep breathing technique that can help you slow
down your breathing. It works by distracting your
mind as you count to four. Calming your nervous system and decreasing
stress in your body. The technique is simple. You start with
inhaling to a count of four and holding air in your
lungs for a count of four, then you exhale at the same pace than
holding your lungs empty for a four count before inhaling and beginning
the pattern again. You can do this
circle four times. If you feel dizzy or
uncomfortable at first, you can stop it earlier. It's beneficial for you to
practice this technique one or two times a day to relax
your nervous system. Let's start it together. Inhale 234, hold 234, exhale, 234, hold 234, inhale. 234, hold, 234, exhale. 234. Hold. 234, inhale. 234. Hold. 234, exhale. 234, hold. 234, inhale. 234, hold 234, exhale 234, hold 234. I hope you enjoyed it.
10. Sponge method: Sponge methods. I loved this type of background. I use it often in
my art journal. To set the tone of my page. You can use regular sponges. You find at home, bath or kitchen sponges. You can use makeup sponges to apply the paint
into a wet sponge. Sponge needs to be wet, but you should squeeze out
the water from it as much as you can before you start the process so you
won't soak your paper. Then put it on your paper. Hold this for awhile and
carefully remove the sponge. I usually reapply the more textured sponges
in different angles, maybe with different
colors to experiment. I can't wait to see your
projects in the project gallery. You can let your imagination
free with this one. I'm curious what you
can come up with. Please upload your work in the project section so I
can see your ideas too. And you can use sponges
as brushes too. You can put them on the paper to create rainbow like effects.
11. Watercolor erase bokeh effect: Watercolor arrays,
bouquet effect. There are several methods
by which you can erase watercolor pigments from the
surface of your paintings. Let's see some. On the bad paintings. When your paint is still wet, you can use a paper towel or a regular towel to lift up some of the paint
from your painting. If you use a coin or any other rounded
shaped item in them, you can create circular
shapes easier. After your painting,
dry it perfectly. You can use soft sponges. Don't let them too much. And you can use it
to remove the paint. It stays dry. So you don't have to
use anything else. Or you can use a wet clean brush to
reactivate some of the paint. And after that, you can lift it up with a towel
or paper towel. You can use a stencil
or just freehand. It. It is your choice
what shapes you want. For a brighter spot, you can use gouache or writing before you put
any paint on the paper. If you have masking
tape or masking fluid before you start painting, it can create
interesting effects. Or crayons can do it too. Bulky. Effect is a
beautiful style. You can mix the method
I've just showed you to create these
mystical backgrounds.
12. Blow it!: Blow it. You can create cool effects with blowing
air to your still wet paint. You can use a straw, a hairdryer, he'd gone, or simply just your mouth. You can layer it to create
more dramatic effects. The main thing you should
pay attention to it to have enough water in your paper because
the wetter the paint, the more the effect
we'll show off. You can enjoy and have
fun with this technique. There is no mistakes here, just experiment and experience.
13. Masking tape: Using masking tape, you can cover up the
space with masking tape. You want to write them later.
14. Mix it together and class project: Mix it together. Now, it is time for you
to start experimenting. If you haven't done it already. Grabber good watercolor paper and divide it into three parts. Then let the fun begin. Choose the method you
would like to paint or choose several and
mix them together. For example, gradient and
bouquet go well together, or galaxy and plastic. After you finish your
three paintings, I encourage you to write
something on them. You can find the
traceable quotes in the class resources section. Use a window or a lamb and a transparent surface or a
light board to trace them. And don't forget to upload your work to the
project gallery. I will comment on
each and everyone. Be mindful by playing
with these methods. Try to enjoy every part of it. Every time your mind
wander during painting, let the thoughts
and feelings go. Label them if you like, the lead them disappear. It sounds easier than it is. Sometimes it can be
tricky and hard. You can write these
disturbing thoughts down to work with them later. Even with a therapist. That is what I usually do
and I can't let them go. I reassure my mind that I
will work on it promised. But no, I want to
enjoy what I do. It usually works. You can give it a try too. And they really recommend seeing a therapist or your physician if you can't deal with your deeper or more
disturbing thoughts. We all have so many. And it is important to
know that you are not alone and you are not your
thoughts or feelings. And the more you can
understand them, the easier not acting on them. I'm on my way on healing and I'm a much better matters
since I started therapy, I highly recommend it to anyone. So let's create some art. Shall we?
15. Bonus tips: Here are some tips that can
help you avoid frustration. After you finished your work. You can iron your warp painting so it can be flatter again. Taping. You should tilt it in a 45 angle so it can
come off easier. And there is a lower chance
that these feel free or tear your paper or blow
hot air on it. And the removal will
be much easier. Mark the date on your paintings. So you can later see the
progress of your work. And you can collect
the whale ones. You can even write down
at the back of them, what was the lesson they teach? Remember Nikki Giovanni said, Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to
errors that counts. If she can learn from them, they serve a great purpose.
16. Final thoughts and bloopers: Hi, I want to thank you. That was discourse. And I'm so proud of
you that you made it. You have learned several
ways to create beautiful, stunning watercolor
backgrounds for your calligraphy and
lettering projects. And I hope that you started
to use your art to relax, have fun, and create a
safe place in your life. If you haven't upload
your class project yet, I encourage you to do so. I'm so excited to
see your artwork. I hope you enjoyed this class and you will
enjoy my other classes too, about calligraphy,
mindfulness, digital arts, lettering, and so on. Have a nice day. Be present. And don't forget,
you are wonderful. Bye. Have you ever wanted
to make some calligraphy? You grab the pre-made
papers with anyone. And relaxing
mindfulness practice. This is the word I forgot as
a relaxing mindfulness back. Rebecca, for. So grab
a GFA little better. We're going to go on my end.
Eszter Szilágyi, You are not your thoughts or feelings!
