I have been wanting to learn to watercolor for a long time now, but I rarely find the time to sit down and work on it. Something I have learned abut myself lately is that there is very little “fun” in my personality, and if I don’t schedule some fun in, it will be missing from my life.
I decided it was time that I finally sit down and watercolor for a bit one day and came up with this wreath of flowers. Not the best panting ever, but I was pleased that it didn’t look like a 5 year old had painted it with a plastic brush. As I was trimming the watercolor paper down, I noticed that half of a sheet was the perfect size for a divider in my A5 planner. I instantly knew I had to make myself some watercolor dividers.
I have been wanting to re-organize my Color Crush A5 planner into more of a household binder, so I needed dividers for things like budget, recipes, and cleaning schedules. Initially I had planned to design something in Photoshop and just print it out, but I love the weight of the watercolor paper so it seemed like a better option.
Start by cutting a standard sheet of watercolor paper in half. Then punch the holes before you start watercoloring. I have this punch, and I think it is a must-own for anyone with an A5 binder! It makes it so easy to customize your planner and add anything and everything.
Start by LIGHTLY sketching your design in pencil. I wanted to do another wreath type of design, so I used an old-school math compass to map out my circle. I use that thing more for art than I ever did for math!
If you are at a loss for ideas, I find it helpful to look at watercolor graphics on Pinterest to spark some ideas of what flowers to paint and how to arrange them. Obviously you wouldn’t want to copy someone’s work, but its a great way to draw inspiration!
Water color your design and let it dry thoroughly. I went in with a Faber Castell artist pen and wrote “budget” because hand lettering is not my forte.
Once you are completely finished painting and lettering your divider, make sure it is 100% dry. If it’s even a tiny bit damp, this next step will smear the color.
Use a brush or sponge applicator and VERY lightly apply some Mod Podge over the top of your design. If the design gets too wet the paint will smear, so use a light touch. This will help to seal your watercolor so it will last with daily use in your planner.
I love how simple these DIY watercolor dividers are to make! They add a nice, soft, personal touch to my planner and the customization options are endless.
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