Watercolor Arbor

Good Tuesday morning.  I have another watercolor project to share with you today that had so many boo boos I almost didn’t finish it.  I have tried making the Art Impressions Watercolor Series Set 7 Arbor scene three or four times in the past and end up tossing in my circular file.  I had so much fun working on the bucket of flowers project that I wanted to give the arbor another try.  I followed the step by step tutorial that comes with the set but had a couple mishaps that totally destroyed the scene.  My grapes got washed a little too much with my waterbrush and spread out all across the arbor.  I used the masking fluid to mask off where the pink flowers were to go but ended up messing those up as well.  It kills me to get as far into a project as I did with this one and to toss it.  I decided to see if I could cover up my mistakes again with die cut and punched images.  Here’s what I came up with.

KC Art Impressions Watercolor Arbor 1 right

I stamped the arbor using Hickory Smoke ink and lightly washed the lines to soften.  I used masking fluid to mask off lots of round flower spots that were to appear growing up the right side of the arbor.  While that dried I applied the light wash of green around the side and top of the arbor.  I painted in the water and sky area using Broken China reinker.  I stamped all the foliage around the arbor with Peeled Paint reinker and then used my brush to soften the images.  I removed all the masking off the spots for the flowers and drew them in using my Worn Lipstick marker.  I stamped the small flowers Wilted Violets and grassy section Peeled Paint around the foot of the arbor and lightly softened them with my damp brush. The grapes were stamped using Wilted Violet and this is where everything started going down hill.  LOL!  I didn’t get enough of the water off my brush and when I began touching the grapes to soften and the violet ink spread over the arbor in a very ugly way.  Shoot!  I had the paper in my hand to throw in the trash but I just couldn’t do it.  I decided to try salvaging the project by covering up the grape mess with 1/8’ punched circles that were rounded with my tiny stylus and molding pad.  Each little grape was attached with rolled up mini glue dots.  Yes!  It felt like there were millions of grapes as I painstakingly rolled up each glue dot.  LOL!  

KC Art Impressions Watercolor Arbor 1 center

As I looked at the whole scene it looked strange to have the dimensional grapes and everything else on the scene flat.  I decided to add die cut and punched flowers over top of the stamped flowers.  I formed them using my stylus and molding pad and attached with glossy accents. I added tiny white centers to the flowers using a tiny brush and white gesso.  When I had all the flowers attached I knew I was going to have to add some die cut vines to the scene.  I attached the frame over the scene using mounting tape.  I added die cut foliage by tucking it under the frame and attaching with glossy accents. I added a few more pink flowers to the foliage to carry them across the top of the scene.

KC Art Impressions Watercolor Arbor 1 left

I certainly don’t think this is what Bonnie Krebs of Art Impressions was thinking when she created this wonderful set.  I am bound and determined to complete this whole scene using watercolor techniques only.  I will have to set it aside for a couple of weeks and get over the stress of messing this one up so bad.  LOL! 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great day.

Card size”  5.50” x 4.25”

18 thoughts on “Watercolor Arbor”

  1. Ahhhh, but you have created a beautiful combo of techniques – not to worry! Individuality is a good thing, and this is just your style!!! Love it!
    Paper Hugs,
    Jan

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  2. Well Kittie,
    I always say to myself, well, she can’t top this card and you always do but with this one… you’ve truly outdone yourself. I can’t imagine the amount of work & time this took. Just gorgeous…. Thank you for sharing your wonderful creativity

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  3. What a happy accident, its beautiful. So much in your style. The grapes look so real I want to pick one and eat it! Thank you for sharing, I really admire all your work.

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  4. You are too hard on yourself….this card is perfect!!!
    BTW, got this post in my email this morning….must have fixed the problem. (grin)

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  5. I just love this!! Your added dimension just adds to the card and it looks perfect to me!! Your bucket of flowers was awesome too!

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  6. Kittie… you have so much patience to work with those tiny 1/8″ circles!! I feel like I’m all thumbs most of the time when I have to work with small die cuts or punched shapes. I also know how you feel when you get well into a project and then something goes wrong. It’s so disappointing! You did a wonderful job of rescuing this one and it’s just lovely!!

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  7. Kittie,
    Only you could take mistakes and turn them into a masterpiece!
    I thinks its a wonderful use of the stamp. You really took it in a new direction and gave it life. Reminds me of those old style paintings you see of Italy.
    Love it.

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  8. Good evening. KIttie, you have more patiance than me.what a beautiful job
    Your making mistakes. Is perfect.
    Hugs

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  9. Kittie, I can’t imagine any of your cards not being worthy! The grapes look very real and if you didn’t tell us, I would think the card was designed just as it is. Gorgeous.

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  10. I’m not a huge fan of watercolour pictures, so I much prefer what you’ve done here, mixing the watercolour with the dies: much better result I think.

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  11. This is AMAZING, Kittie!! A real Piece of Art!!
    You have soooo much talent Kittie and I am happy , you want to share it with us.
    Sometimes I love to copy one of your cards…..but this kind of cards, that will be too difficult to me:-)
    Thanks for sharing this Beauty!!
    Hugs, Eva.

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  12. Oh my goodness, just love the wonderful job you have done with this set and adding your own personal touch to it!! you have given it such great dimension, so glad you didn’t pitch it!

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  13. Oh this is such a breathtaking piece of art you’ve created Kittie! I simply adore how you added the dies cut to the artwork. It look like a real garden popping out from the frame! Absolutely breathtaking! I am also very amaze by the beautiful quality of your photograph. Great lighting and such clarity on the details of your card! I am wondering if you could share your techniques in a future post. Thanks so much!

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