Cardmaking - how to make perfect watercoloured circle ornaments for Christmas cards

After cutting your watercolour paper to size you need to gather watercolour paints, a large round brush, wipeable surface and a glass that has a thin rim the size appropriate for the size of ornament you want to make.  I chose a glass that was 1 7/8" to be created on a piece of watercolour paper 3.5" x 5".  You need to wet the pan of watercolour you want to use a bit and let it sit a bit.  You want your watercolour to be a bit on the thick side.  If it is too runny it runs down the sides of the glass and messes the perfect circle you are trying to create when you turn it over!!  Add watercolour to the rim of the glass. 

Don't leave it too long or the watercolour will dry on the rim.  If so, no loss just reapply another layer of paint and then turn it over and place it on your watercolour paper leaving room at the top for the cap and ribbon or string.  Press a little and then lift up.  

It leaves a perfect circle of colour which will become the outside edge of your watercoloured ornament.  

Load your round brush with paint and slowly start drawing the brush's tip along the edge of the circle going slowly and smoothly.  Keep loading your brush and continue to add colour to the ornament until  you have been all the way around. Touch up any places where you have left a gap between your strokes and the circle.  That will leave your center clear.  Load a little bit of water to your brush and tap it around in a circle with the tip touching the ring of colour and the fat part of your brush on the white area.  This will give you a lighter area and create a bit of a highlight to give your ornament some dimension.  

There you are with a perfectly circular watercoloured ornament without a black outline!!!  

I added stippling by banging my brush onto my finger over the paper.  Splattering this way if very unpredictable and adds directional marks.  It also can make stipples in areas well outside of your piece of watercolour so I will have to do some research on how to best to that.  I did you an old toothbrush for the metallic splatter which worked better.  I would have preferred larger drops and less of them.  I will ask my sister.  She does a much better job at stippling!!!  You can check out the cards I made with these little works of art here!!  Therese