Magical Mail - handmade cards

Aug 14

I haven’t wanted to draw or paint lately. Summer is always a time of more activity outside and less time spent at an art table. And we are hosting my stepson’s wedding weekend this summer. The more time I spend away, the more effort it feels it is to get started. It’s not been a part of my normal day as it usually is. I am finding myself having negative thoughts about the effort and results.

Thankfully, I have many celebrations this summer, including the beautiful couple in the photo, recently engaged.

Making cards for celebrations are a nice excuse to get back to your painting practice. And such benefits:

Less expensive than purchased cards
A great way to practice your skills
Everyone loves a hand-painted card.
Seriously! No matter how inadequate your mind tells you it is, your recipient will appreciate your artwork.
If it’s really bad, send it to your mom and have a good laugh.

Here’s how you can create your own Magical Mail art cards:

First up, purchase watercolor cards. These Strathmore cards come in packs of 10 (https://amzn.to/3vmGPVt, affiliate link). The paper quality is lower than watercolor paper-- it tends to lift and pill -- so be gentle with it. This is a good opportunity to practice laying down the paint and leaving it to do its thing. No scrubbing or rubbing. Or, upgrade to a better quality paper with these.

Using a semi-hard surface -- Masonite board or the back of a magazine -- use painter’s tape to mount, eyeballing the width of your border. (Scotch tape is too adhesive and damages the paper; artist’s tape is more expensive and not necessary.) The tape will protect the paper and allow you to move your hand freely. (It is expressive strokes – the ones that we couldn’t make if we tried -- that look so cool in paintings.)

Paint a flower, a bird, an abstract w a tercolo r doodle. Keep it simple and paint the same thing ten times. You will learn so much!

Let the paint dry completely and carefully remove the tape, not in a strip as a band-aid, but by loosening perpendicularly with your fingernail down the strip, and releasing as you are able. This is extra work, but I’ve decided it’s worth it for my satisfaction with the finished product. Everything looks better with a white border!

Your recipients will love your hand-made efforts, you will learn and continue honing your skills. Send your magical love notes off in the mail, and begin again.

Enjoy! I’d love to see your works-in-progress or finished art cards too, if you share on social media please do tag me @asargentart