Hi everyone! Recently I have been getting a lot of questions about the amount of watercolor in the Daniel Smith Dot watercolor charts (I have one with my favorite 18 colors and there are also other dot charts available exclusively at Simon Says Stamp) so I decided to film a video as that’s where I can talk more and go into details easier.
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VIDEO TUTORIAL
As always, I filmed a video tutorial showing how to create this project from start to finish. I’m hoping you’ll enjoy it. Watch it below or on my Youtube channel.
Like this video? Please give it a big thumbs up (you can do this on Youtube video page right under the video) and share with a crafty friend! Leave me a comment too, I love hearing from you!
HOW MUCH WATERCOLOR IS THERE IN A DOT CHART?
Depending on how you like to color, if you like pale colors (and you dilute pigment with a lot of water) or if you like bold and saturated colors (you don’t dilute the pigment but rather use a lot of it on your project) one dot will last you for a different number of projects. I don’t have one number to give you, I can’t say that this will last you for 10 cards as we all color differently, and for some it might last just for 5 if you lay down a lot of pigment and for others it might last for 50 if you just use a bit of color for your projects.
The purpose of a watercolor dot chart is to try the color out. You are not buying the entire tube of color (that you might end up not liking), you are buying a sampler sheet where you have enough watercolor, enough pigment to swatch it and to try it on several projects to understand if this is the color you’d like to add to your collection. This is how I got started with Daniel Smith watercolors and I’m so glad I had these palettes because they really helped me to pick the right colors for my collection.
HOW DO YOU USE A WATERCOLOR DOT CHART?
Whenever I use a watercolor dot chart I like to work with a waterbrush and not a paintbrush. Using a waterbrush makes it easier to pick up the color, add water to the color and lay the color on your project.
Whenever I color with watercolor from a dot chart I also like to have a paper towel on my desk – this is just a place to clean my brush (I’m trying to stop using my hand to clean it, it’s not a good habit to have) and I try to have a clear block or any other sleek surface where I can dilute the color and maybe even mix different colors together.
So how do you color with this dot chart? I make sure that my water brush is wet, that the bristles are wet, I pick up the color from the chart, I transfer it onto the sleek surface, if needed I sweese the barrel of my waterbrush to pump a bit of water out – and by doing so I dilute the color, mix it with the water and using that same brush I pick it up again, but from the block this time and transfer it onto my paper.
CARD DETAILS
I started working on this card by stamping the Cosmos background in clear embossing ink onto Arches Hot Press watercolor paper using my stamp platform. Just to be safe – I stamped it twice. You can stamp it without the platform but for large 6×6 background I have found it’s especially useful to have the platform as it ensures you get great results.
Next I covered my paper with white embossing powder and heat set it. For my coloring I used just 4 colors – Sap Green, Quinacridone Rose, Quinacridone Gold and Cobalt Teal Blue (all of these are available in my watercolor palette).
I also used my Tonic Aqua Shimmer pen and went over all of the flowers adding shimmer to the petals. It’s hard to see, this color shows up best on dark surfaces, but it did add a bit of beautiful shimmer to this piece.
I used Simon Says Stamp Stained Glass Love stamp and coordinating die to create a sentiment for this card and I simply white heat embossed To My Very Best Friend in white embossing powder onto black cardstock. I also embellished my card using clear droplets in small and medium size from Pretty Pink Posh.
NEW RELEASE FROM SIMON SAYS STAMP
SUPPLIES
I’m listing the products I used below. Click on the link to go directly to the product. Where available I use compensated affiliate links which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for your support
Simon Says Stamp Cosmos Background Shop at: SSS |
Simon Says Clear Stamps Stained Glass Love Shop at: SSS |
Simon Says Stamp Stained Glass Love Wafer Dies Shop at: SSS |
Simon Says Stamp Daniel Smith Yana’s Set Watercolor Palette Shop at: SSS |
Daniel Smith Quinacridone Gold 5ml Shop at: SSS |
Daniel Smith Quinacridone Rose 5ml Shop at: SSS |
Daniel Smith Sap Green 5ml Shop at: SSS |
Daniel Smith Cobalt Teal Blue 5ml Shop at: SSS |
Medium Water Brush Shop at: SSS |
Zig Watercolor BrusH2O Detailer Shop at: SSS |
Arches Hot Pressed Watercolor Pad 9×12″ Shop at: SSS |
Hero Arts White Embossing Powder PW110 Shop at: SSS |
Hero Arts Heat Embossing Gun PW200 Shop at: SSS |
Simon Says Stamp Black Cardstock Shop at: SSS |
Neenah 110 Lb Solar White Cardstock Shop at: SSS |
Simon Says Stamp Embossing Ink Pad Shop at: SSS |
Crystal Ninja Crystal Katana Mixed Media Pick Up Tool Shop at: SSS |
Tim Holtz Tonic Craft Stamp Platform Shop at: SSS |
Pretty Pink Posh 4MM Clear Droplets (small) Shop at: SSS |
Pretty Pink Posh 6MM Clear Droplets (medium) Shop at: SSS |
Tonic Deluxe Adhesive Nuvo Glue Shop at: SSS |
ScraPerfect Crafting Pouch Shop at: SSS |
Tonic Studios 8.5 Inch Paper Trimmer Shop at: SSS |
Scor-tape 2 1/2 Inch Crafting Tape Shop at: SSS |
White Fun Foam 12 Pack 9 x 12 Shop at: SSS |
Scrapbook Adhesives White Foam Squares Shop at: SSS |
Tonic Aqua Shimmer Pen Nuvo 2 Pack 888n Shop at: SSS |
PIN THIS PROJECT
Are you on Pinterest? I’d love for your to pin this project if you like it! Thanks!
Lovely card, Yana. I particularly like the colours you chose to use on this beautiful image. Thanks for all of your tips on the use of a dot chart watercolour sheet.
Yana, Thank you, what a AWESOME post, you answered a lot of questions that I had regarding them, I will “pin’ this later because if I do it now I will never get off pinterest, I love that site ( a little addicted, lol ). Your card is Beautiful, love the colors and I love that 6×6, I am really into 6×6 background stamps lately. Well, thanks again for some great information, I really enjoyed this post.
very beautiful!
This is a beautiful card Yana, great water colouring and a gorgeous stamp.
Beautiful card! Thank you for all the helpful information on how to use a dot chart. I have been intrigued by them, but haven’t given them a try…yet.
Yana – a beautiful card and lots of great tips throughout the video tutorial about how to use the large stamp background with water colour dot charts. :o)
Gorgeous card Yana! Thanks fornthe video, I appreciate your tips about how you use the watercolor dot chart.
I love Daniel Smith watercolors! Thank you on the video on how you use the dot sampler. That Cosmos background is so gorgeous and I love your card.
Thank you for the info about the dot charts. I’ve been curious but now I think I will order them! Your card is beautiful and I think the one you didn’t use is very card worthy!