Hi everyone,

I hope you managed a break over Easter, preferably one filled with art.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been rediscovering my love of inks and stencils for bright and colourful backgrounds. A few people have asked me how I manage to keep the colours from ‘muddying’ or going grey so I thought I’d share my techniques with you.

In my video I go through my take on colour theory and the colour wheel when working with Dylusions (or any other non-permanent inks) and create the background for this bright pretty piece.

• 300g Watercolour paper (e.g. Strathmore pad)
• Dylusions ink sprays in all the colours!
• Spray bottle with water
• Paper towels
• Stencils (including various Artist Cellar, The Crafter’s Workshop & Tim Holtz layering stencil)
• Pencil
• Twinkling H2O’s
• Dip pen + acrylic ink (or other permanent pen)
• Paint pens (for lettering)

1. Keep to just a few layers.
2. Keep cool and warm colours separate
3. Dab the ink off between sprays
4. If colours start to get muddy dab them off with the paper towel
5. Use sprayed water to make colours less vivid or to remove/reduce colour you don’t like the look/placement of.
6. Work round the piece.
7. Leave the piece to dry completely before you go in again with more colour!

I hope you enjoy the video and learn something that helps you have more fun with these gorgeous inks. Do share your lovely creations on the Lulu Art & Friends facebook page.

If you’d like to keep in touch with what I’m doing you can follow my blog at kookymakes.wordpress.com or like my facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/kookymakesart

Kooky