How to Make Watercolor Cards Using A Cricut Scoring Tool

No art talent is required to paint using this method, just have fun with it!

You do not have to be an artist to create some beautiful watercolor cards, and hand made cards are far more appreciated than store bought one's! Here is how you can use your Cricut Scoring tool to help you create a beautiful watercolor card, even if you have no artistic talent! Here is a link to this image in Access if you wish to paint it.

Time: 1 hour

Skills: Beginner Cricut Skills

Supplies: (link to a supplies list to make it easier for you)

1. A Cricut machine and a scoring tool, Cricut has two kinds of Scoring tools:

1. Scoring Stylus compatible with Cricut Explore & Maker.

2. Quick Swap Scoring Tools 01 & 02: compatible with Cricut Maker (I have the Cricut Maker so I used the Quick Swap Double 02 Scoring Tip, the Single 01 tip also works).

1. Cricut Standard Green mat, some blue painters tape

2. Watercolor paper (I used JOT 350 gsm 8x10 inch paper (folds to 8x5 card I found it at my local Dollarstore, if you do not have a nearby Dollarstore I will provide an alternate product in my link).

3. Removable Vinyl (any color you want, this is only to prevent watercolor from bleeding over the white birch trees and to give the card a clean edge)

4. Water Color Pencils, Markers or Paint & Brushes (Pencils are the easiest for beginners)

5. Metallic Silver marker paint pen, a Gel White Paint Marker for Snow Highlights and a black fine point art pen for details.

Steps: please read all of the instructions before starting!

1. Log into Cricut Access and select the image you want to paint, most images in Access that can be 'cut' can also be switched to be Drawn or Scored. You can merge multiple images together, like I did, or simply select one you like.

2. My Image Template: my image is already setup for you, the only thing you need to do is change the image size to match your card size, or make a card the size I made (8x5).

   1. For my image you will first cut some of the image on removable vinyl, then you will score your card, the removable vinyl is then placed on top of the scored watercolor card to protect certain areas from watercolor paints. If you are making my image go ahead and cut that first. You can weed it while the machne is scoring the watercolor paper.

3. Creating Your Own Image Template: This takes a bit more knowledge and skill so if you are a beginner I recommend making my card first to practice and see what I created, within Access I always include some instructions on every template I share to help other crafters like you. So that you know what I did, and that it is complex.. Basically I created a Square Shape to the size of the unfolded Card paper, added a score line down the middle for the card to bend in half and used the align center feature to place it exactly in the middle. I then located a couple of images I liked, changed them to 'draw' images, made duplicates, then tested using the "Contour" and "Slice" features to remove the overlapping portions until I was happy with it. Once I had the image I wanted I duplicated it so I could create a cut version to block out just the white birch trees and an outside edge since I did not want the paint to bleed onto the other side of the card. I then switched the original drawn image to Score, I placed it on the bottom of the card, attached both images to the card image and I was ready to make it. Another option to blackout any areas you wish to remain white is to use watercolor masking paint (similiar to rubber cement) you paint it on the paper, let it dry, then you paint with your watercolors, let those dry and then rub the masking paint off with a rubber cement eraser).

4. Important tips before placing your watercolor paper on the green mat!

   1. if your watercolor paper has a smooth side and a textured side you will want to place the smooth side down on the green Cricut mat, the textured side can adhere to the mat when you go to remove it because the scoring tool presses down so firmly. If both sides of your watercolor paper are textured then you can either use a less sticky mat or cut a piece of copy paper slightly smaller than the watercolor paper to place between the matt and the watercolor paper, then use the painters tape around the edge of the watercolor paper to hold it in place.

   2. Place your card on the green mat in an offset location! I usually move it 1 inch down and 1 inch to the right (see photo below); this offset placement ensures that your image can be scored edge to edge and provides room for taping the edges if needed. If you placed the watercolor paper in the upper left corner Cricut's software would automatically add a quarter inch edge on only the top and left side which could make the card appear off center.

   3. Tear off four 1 inch pieces of Blue painters tape and press it against your palm first to make it a little less tacky, this is to help hold the paper in place without tearing the edges when you remove it. Place each piece over the four corners of the paper on the mat.

5. Placement: In Cricut Access press the blue 'Make' button in the upper right, on the next screen move your image to the same Offset Location that you had placed your watercolor paper on the mat (in my case it was 1 inch down and 1 inch to the right of the upper left corner, see below). Press the 'Continue' button on the lower left side of the screen.

6. Settings: In the next screen switch the base material type to: Heavy Watercolor Paper 140 lbs (300 gsm); change the Pressure to "More" in the drop down, and be sure to insert your scoring tool; then load the mat and press the "C" button.

Off set the image on both the mat and Cricut screen

Cricut Settings for Heavy Watercolor Paper

After scoring you can see the outline of the image, each depression will hold more watercolor paint!

7. Removing Watercolor paper from the Green Mat: carefully peel the blue painters tape at each corner away from the watercolor paper, then you should be able to gently remove the watercolor paper simply by slightly bending the green matt. If that does not work then lay the mat sticky side down on your work table and bend it until the corner of the paper pulls away, then holding the paper still continue to bend the green mat away from the paper.

8. Painting Your New Masterpiece! Place your removable vinyl over the card, the outside edges will just barely cover the left, bottom and right side, this will help you to not get paint on those areas where it could absorb onto the inside of the card. One benefit of scoring is the paint will pool in the recessed areas adding even more dimension to your artwork. For painting you have several options:

   1. The easiest way is to color it with watercolor pencils, then using a water brush paint a bit of water over what you colored, let it dry then using a silver marker dot on some snow and with the white gel pen draw some lose squiggly swirls on one side of the darker green trees, then using a black fine marker add a few details using squiggly lines for the bottom of the trees, draw some straighter lines for the trunks and branches on a few trees but not all, keep your marks loose and flowing, finally be sure to sign your masterpiece! Colors I used: dark green, sage green, medium dark blue, lighter blue and a just a bit of a very light sky blue in a few places leaving some areas white for clouds. Tip: I always keep one piece of watercolor paper to test colors for my projects.

   2. The next method is a little bit more difficult using Watercolor brush markers, they are already loaded with watercolor paints, they will have a sharp point for making thin lines, and pressing down harder will give you more coverage. They will dry to an even hue, no matter how many layers of the paint you apply, so to make it darker you will need to select a darker shade. These are sold in sets so you should have many shades of each color to choose from. Let it dry then add the same snow and highlights and details with the silver marker, black marker and white gel pen.

   3. The hardest method is to paint it with watercolor paints and brushes: here you will need to add water to a tray, wet the paint color you chose, load your brush with the color, add it to your water on the tray, mix and test it out on a test paper, adding more color or water to adjust the color, mixing it with other colors, and when you're happy with the shade you created then paint that part of the card. Create your next color, paint, and repeat until you are finished. Let it dry then add the same snow and highlights and details with the silver marker, black marker and white gel pen.

Hand made cards are appreciated more than store bought one's!

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