DIY CRAFT IDEAS: MAKE THREE WATERCOLOUR BOOKMARKS WITH THE MUSEUM AQUARELLE RANGE

This summer, let your imagination run free and add a splash of colour to your holiday reading with these three watercolour bookmark craft ideas. Whether you love the warm tones of a sunset or prefer the refreshing atmosphere of a walk on the beach, bright flowers or the sweetness of summer fruits, there's a design for every mood. With Caran d'Ache's Museum Aquarelle range of water-soluble colour pencils, transform simple pieces of paper into vibrant and cheerful works of art.

Get your favourite colours out and dive into a summer of creativity by making three unique watercolour bookmarks. Perfect for staying in the summer vibe or making your vacation come a bit early!

Here are the supplies and accessories you'll need for this craft activity:

• Museum Aquarelle watercolour pencils
• Watercolour palette
• Watercolour paper, cut into 5 x 15 cm strips (2 x 6 inches)
• Water brush with integrated water reservoir or watercolour paintbrush
• Graphite pencil
• Cloth or paper towel
• Pompom or ribbon (optional)

Find inspiration in the magic of a stunning sunset or a relaxing day at a sunny beach to create the essence of your favourite summer scenes.

1. Sketch the outline:
• With a soft pencil, lightly sketch the horizon and the basic shapes of the palm trees, clouds and other outlines of what you'd like to include.

2. Paint the sky:
• Choose your pencils according to the time of day you'd like to capture: for a sunset use yellow, orange and red tones; for a daytime scene use different shades of blue.
• Apply the colours straight on to the paper. For a sunset, start with yellow at the top, then orange and finally red as you reach the horizon. For a daytime sky, use a pale blue at the top and then work towards darker blues as you reach the horizon.
• With a damp paintbrush gently blend the colours, starting at the top and working your way down to create a natural gradient.

3. Add the sea:
• For a sunset, use blue or turquoise to paint the sea beneath the horizon. For a daytime scene, use lighter and brighter blues.
• Apply the colours in wide horizontal strokes and use the paintbrush to blend and mix the colours, which will create waves and an impression of movement in the water.

4. Draw in the details:
• Once the background is dry, use a black colour pencil to draw palm trees or sea birds on the beach. You can lightly dampen the pencil to make your design melt into the rest of the watercolour background.

5. Add the finishing touches:
• Add touches of light or reflections in the water with a white pencil or leave parts of the work blank.
• Make sure your bookmark is dry before using it.

Whether you love a meadow of wild flowers, tropical blooms or a field of lavender, flowers always remind us of the beauty of summer with their bright colours and their variety of shapes. A source of inspiration for a vibrant and colourful bookmark.

1. Sketch:
• Draw simple flower shapes such as daisies, tulips, sunflowers, roses or cosmos.

2. Paint the flowers:
• For the petals, choose bright and summery colours such as red, yellow, purples and blues. For the stalks and the leaves use different shades of green.
• Apply the colours, starting by the petals. Feel free to combine the colours on your palette to make new hues.
• With a damp paintbrush make the colours bleed a little to create a soft watercolour effect.

3. Add in the details:
• Once the background is dry add darker details in the centre of the flowers and lines on the leaves to provide depth and realism.

4. Finishing touches:
• Highlight details with touches of white or very pale colours to bring light to your work.
• Leave the bookmark to dry.

Make a refreshing bookmark that gets inspiration from summer fruits. Lemons, strawberries, watermelons or apricots- these colourful designs will bring a fruity and vitamin-packed touch to your summer reading.
 

1. Sketch:
• With a graphite pencil, sketch a selection of summer fruits such as lemons, oranges, strawberries, watermelons and cherries. Fill your bookmark with these outlines, varying the sizes to give the bookmark a harmonious look.

2. Paint the fruit:
• Apply the colours directly on the paper. Combine the shades on a palette to create your own colours.
• With a damp paintbrush gently blot the colours to create a watercolour effect.

3. Add in the details:
• Once the background is fully dry, add some details to the fruits such as strawberry seeds, orange segments or a reflective shine on the cherries. Use darker colours for the shadows and touches of white for the reflections.

4. Finishing touches:
• Add green leaves or drops of water to add a sense of freshness.
• Leave the bookmark to dry completely before using.

To customize your bookmark, punch a hole at the top and add some ribbon or a pompom!

Did you enjoy these DIY craft activities? Explore your creative potential with the Creative Class by Caran d'Ache that brings together workshops designed to take you on a trip into the world of art and inspire you.

✏️ Summer is the perfect time of year to let your creativity run free with vivid colours and inspiring motifs. Whether you prefer the tranquillity of a summer landscape, the brightness of colourful flowers or the freshness of summer fruits, each bookmark is its own small work of art.

🎨 Share your summer creations on social media by tagging @carandache and with the #Carandache hashtag. A bright and colourful summer is on the agenda!