Let's Make Abstract Inspired Postcards! 4 Ideas To Try

In honor of National Letter Writing Month and inspired by the prompt "fun" from April's Creative Spark Challenge card, I thought it would be fun to host an abstract postcard making virtual workshop! In case you missed it or weren't able to attend, here are the 4 designs we created and the process if you'd like to try it!

BEFORE YOU BEGIN...

  • If you're subscribed to my newsletter or signed up for the workshop, you can print out the postcard template that was provided. 
  • If you don't have the template, cut out 4x6 rectangles out of heavy weight watercolor or mixed media paper
  • You can also do these exercises in your sketchbook / on a piece of heavy weight watercolor or mixed media paper
  • Make sure you surface is protected in case it gets messy

1) EXPLORING MARK MAKING WITH SCRIBBLES, SPLATTERS, & RANDOMNESS

I like beginning with this design because it's a good way to get warmed up, let go of control, and not worry about being perfect.

I created a guided video for this exercise if you'd like to watch and follow along! In the video I'm using a sketchbook however you can use a sheet of paper and cut it down to postcard size if you'd like!

WATCH THE ABSTRACT ART INSPIRED
GUIDED TUTORIAL

YOU WILL NEED

  • Colored Pencils (3 or more)
  • Crayons (3 or more)
  • Acrylic Paint (2 colors)
  • Pieces of cardstock or cardboard (this is to swipe paint and does not need to be perfect sizes and can be small 1-2" rectangular pieces)
  • Paintbrush, palette knife, or toothbrush (optional for making splatters)

PROCESS

  1. Grab a colored pencil and close your eyes. Begin scribbling.
  2. After about 5-10 seconds, continue keeping your eyes closed and grab another colored pencil. Keep scribbling.
  3. After another 5-10 seconds, swap colored pencils one more time.
  4. Open your eyes and take a look at what you created so far. Then turn your postcard--it doesn't matter which way or how much you turn it--the goal is to change the orientation.
  5. Repeat steps 1-3 with crayons.
  6. Take a look at your postcard so far. In the next steps you'll be adding swipes of paint. Decide where you want to add it: to break up the scribbles? To fill in empty spots? To keep all the negative spaces white and add to the colored areas?
  7. Pick 2 acrylic paints. Add small dots or dabs of paint in the spots you'd like.
  8. Take a piece of cardboard or cardstock and swipe the dots to create thin layers on your postcard.
  9. Add splatters if you'd like! I like putting paint on my paintbrush and tapping it with another brush, pencil, marker, etc. You can also put paint on a toothbrush and flick it or on a palette knife and pull it back, then let go
  10. Set aside to dry.

2) NO WATERCOLOR WORDS & FLORALS

This is a fun technique to create a watercolor look without any paint! Feel free to make your own variation by choosing different phrases, changing the size and type of writing, drawing patterns or doodles instead of flowers, etc.

YOU WILL NEED

  • Sharpie / Black Permanent Number
  • Markers (3 or more)
  • Plastic Ziplock Bag (or something similar--it has to be the soft kind of plastic similar to sandwich bags and not crunchy like cellophane)
  • A cup of water
  • Paper towels

PROCESS - WORDS

  1. Start by writing your word or phrase in permanent marker on your paper. You can choose any type of placement, size, etc.
  2. Take your plastic and color on it with marker. Choose 3 different colors then color different areas on the plastic. The colors don't need to touch and can have a small margin between them. They can be in random spots and you can repeat the colors (for example there can be 6 colored areas on your plastic, 2 of each color).
  3. Add a thin layer of water to your paper. It should be glistening but not dripping wet. I like wetting a paper towel and rubbing it across my paper.
  4. Take your plastic and put the color side down onto the wet paper. Press and move your fingers across the plastic to transfer the color onto the paper. It's OK if some of it mixes.
  5. Carefully peel the plastic off--it can be wet so be careful of drips!
  6. If you'd like to add more color, repeat steps 2-5.
  7. Set aside to dry

PROCESS - FLORALS

    1. Start by drawing your floral designs on permanent marker on your paper. You can choose any type of placement, size, etc. They are supposed to be loose and messy--don't worry that they are not perfect!
    2. Add color to your plastic. Instead of picking random areas, this time try to match colors with what you drew. For example, if you drew flowers and there are stems and leaves on the bottom half of the paper, add green marker to the bottom half of your plastic. Color different circles of color onto the plastic for the flowers and petals.
    3. Add a thin layer of water to your paper. It should be glistening but not dripping wet. I like wetting a paper towel and rubbing it across my paper.
    4. Take your plastic, line the colors up with the areas of the postcard you'd like it to color, and put the color side down onto the wet paper. Press and move your fingers across the plastic to transfer the color onto the paper. It's OK if some of it mixes and it's OK if it's not perfectly matching your drawings!
    5. Carefully peel the plastic off--it can be wet so be careful of drips!
    6. If you'd like to add more color, repeat steps 2-5.
    7. Set aside to dry

3) ABSTRACT MOVEMENTS WITH PAINT

This is my favorite way to use up extra / leftover paint! 

YOU WILL NEED

  • Acrylic Paint (3 colors)
  • Pieces of cardstock or cardboard (this is to swipe paint and does not need to be perfect sizes and can be small 1-2" rectangular pieces)

PROCESS

  1. Squeeze different sized dots of paint in the 3 colors that you picked on your piece of paper. I like grouping the 3 colors closer together so that the colors can mix. You can vary the size of dots but you don't need to put too much--a little goes a long way and you can always add more if you need to!
  2. Take your cardstock/cardboard and swipe the dots of paint. Try straight, curved, and/or wavy lines. 
  3. Usually a good amount of paint gets on your cardstock/cardboard. I like to dab that onto the postcard as well or have extra paper to swipe on and make extra notecards like these.
  4. When you are happy with the design you've created, set aside to dry.
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