Easy Floral Backgrounds: Reverse Stenciling Watercolor Technique

Watercolor is a versatile and vibrant medium that allows artists to explore a variety of techniques.

One fun and creative approach to working with watercolor is reverse stenciling.

This method involves using stencils not by painting inside them but by painting around them, leaving the shape of the stencil visible as a negative space.

In this article, we’ll walk through how to use the reverse stenciling technique to create an easy and fun floral background for your art journal, giving your pages a fresh, colorful, and unique look.

Watercolor Reverse Stenciling for Art Journals

If you’re new to watercolor, reverse stenciling is an ideal way to experiment with this medium in a controlled yet creative manner.

Unlike traditional stenciling, which focuses on filling in the shapes, reverse stenciling emphasizes the negative space, allowing the watercolor to flow and blend around the edges of your stencils.

To start, gather the following materials:

• Watercolor paints
• Watercolor paper or your art journal
• Stencils (preferably floral for a soft and organic look)
• Brushes and water
• Masking tape (optional for securing the stencils)

Once you have these materials, you’re ready to create a beautiful floral background that will stand out in your art journal.

1. Prepare Your Surface and Stencils

The first step to creating your reverse stenciling watercolor background is preparing your workspace.

Secure your watercolor paper or art journal page to a flat surface with masking tape to prevent warping as the paper absorbs water.

Choose floral stencils that suit your style—whether you prefer detailed, realistic flowers or simple, abstract shapes.

Place your stencils on the page, arranging them in a way that you feel will create an interesting composition.

You can use masking tape to hold them in place if needed, ensuring that the stencils don’t shift during painting.

2. Paint Around the Stencils

Now, it’s time to start applying your watercolor. Choose a light wash of your favorite colors—pastels, greens, or bright floral tones work well for a background.

Using a wet brush, begin to paint around the edges of your stencils, letting the watercolor flow freely around the shapes.

The goal here is to let the paint fill the space around the stencils while leaving the stencil shape itself untouched.

As you paint, don’t be afraid to let the colors blend and flow together. Watercolor naturally spreads and creates beautiful transitions between hues, so take advantage of this fluid quality.

You can layer different colors, work from light to dark, or even experiment with adding splashes of water to create texture and movement.

3. Lift the Stencils to Reveal the Design

Once you’re satisfied with the amount of color and the watercolor has dried slightly, carefully lift the stencils off the paper.

You’ll notice the floral shapes are now clearly visible as negative space, surrounded by your colorful watercolor wash.

This is the essence of reverse stenciling—the focus is on the shape created by the absence of paint, which makes your design stand out against the vibrant background.

If you’d like, you can go back in with a fine brush to add extra details or embellishments to your floral design. For example, you could outline the shapes with a contrasting color or add splatters of watercolor for extra texture.

4. Add Final Touches to Your Floral Background

Now that the reverse stenciling watercolor background is complete, you can decide if you want to add any finishing touches.

Some ideas include:

• Ink pen outlines Trace around the floral shapes with a fine-tip pen to give them definition.
• Lettering or quotes: Add a handwritten quote or message to personalize your art journal page.
• Layering: Consider adding more layers of watercolor for a richer, more complex background.

This technique is very adaptable, and you can repeat the process using different stencils, colors, and layouts for a variety of effects.

A Creative Tool for Your Art Journal

The reverse stenciling watercolor technique offers endless possibilities for creativity in your art journal.

By combining the fluidity of watercolor with the precision of stencils, you can create unique and eye-catching floral backgrounds that reflect your style.

Whether you’re an experienced artist or a beginner, this fun and easy method will open up new ways to experiment with color, texture, and composition. Try it out, and see how reverse stenciling can enhance your watercolor art!

We thank Krista Robertson for the images.

Enjoy This Video Tutorial

Source: Krista Robertson

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