Cut cardstock to 4.25 x 5.50 inches and block. Blocking means that you tape all four edges of the cardstock to something stiff, such as cardboard. Blocking will to eliminate warping/buckling of your cardstock when using watercolors. Standard masking tape is used to block and Lyra Aquacolor Water Soluble Crayons are used for everything else.

The cardstock will buckle when it gets wet as you work the sky and ground areas, but it will dry flat. My preference for watercolor cardstock is Gilbert Oxford Cover 80#.

The watercolor crayons are "scribbled" directly onto the cardstock using the side of the crayon in a manner which is pleasing to you, then blended using a slightly wet wedge type make up sponge moving it side to side across the cardstock. You can add more color if you feel it is too light. Just remember to not "scrub" the cardstock with the sponge. The sky area is worked first, using the following Lyra Watercolor Crayons: yellow # 13007, medium blue #13048 and light pink #13028. The sky area will account for approximately 2/3's of the entire upper portion of the cardstock.

Ground area is worked second as follows: scribble brown #13076 lightly over remaining blank area at the bottom and slightly overlap onto the lower portion of the sky area, then scribble green #13070 over the same area. Using a wet wedge type make up sponge, blend the ground colors moving the sponge in a circular motion. Ground area will account for approximately 1/3 of the lower portion of the cardstock.

To add a bit of texture to the ground area, the "Direct to Rubber" (DTR) technique is used with the Tall Grass 253D stamp. Using a darker green watercolor crayon, color over the entire surface of the stamp. Spritz stamp lightly water from a fine mist spray bottle and stamp directly on the ground area of the cardstock twice. Repeat as necessary to fill ground area.

Using the DTR technique, color Quaking Aspen 238G with medium green, orange and red watercolor crayons. LIGHTLY spritz with water from a fine mist spray bottle and stamp directly on the cardstock. Be sure to use as little water from the spray bottle as possible. Too much water will cause the stamped image to be less crisp.

Repeat the DTR technique on the Quaking Aspen 238G and stamp twice more. This fills out your scene.

Using a waterbrush, smooth over the tree trunk areas and create the shadows beneath the tree trunks. Let dry.

Remove tape from piece. Pull tape at an angle so that if it tears it will tear AWAY from the piece, not into it. Trim edges as desired and mount on a card front.

"Trees in Watercolor" by Tyra Smith 2001

Finished Size: 4.25" x 5.50" inches

Images: Stampscapes® 238G Quaking Aspen, 253D Tall Grass

Materials: Gilbert Oxford Cover 80#, Krylon Copper Leafing Pen, Niji Waterbrush, sponge, fine mist spray bottle, masking tape, stiff cardboard

Colour: Lyra Aquacolor Water Soluble Wax Crayons