I stumbled across a fabulous YouTube video last week. It's by a woman named CeeCee:

Her style is not necessarily my style, but I loved her easy watercolor masking with washi tape.  A very simple idea with seriously cool results.  And so, I gave it a try myself.  Rather than cards, I made small works of abstract art.  First some very simple brush strokes:

Simplestrokes-wm
This is probably the most minimalistic artwork I've ever made.  And I like it.

SingleSimple-wm
And now, some more dense pieces:

FancyCards-wm
FancyCards-wm
FancyCards-wm
FancyCards-wm
FancyCards-wm
I love how these turned out!  The big thing that I hope you take away from this post (besides the idea of mixing watercolor and washi tape) is that you can always find a way to translate an idea into something that works for your style.  Part of my creative growth — and I hope yours too — is being able to see something I like and use it as a trampoline — i.e. something to get my own ideas bouncing and moving — rather than a step-by-step blueprint.  Making art is a process.  We all need training wheels at the beginning. That's how you learn.  But after a while it's time to get the training wheels off and pedal into the sunset!

Thanks for stopping by!

Julie Fei-Fan Balzer

Based outside of Boston, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer is a mixed-media artist who constructs vibrant compositions. Passionate about connecting with and inspiring other artists, she shares her expertise through in-person workshops, her online classroom www.balzerdesigns.com, and through monthly membership at www.MyArtPractice.com.

56 thoughts on “Super Easy Watercolor Masking

  • I love CeeCee. I think she has taught me so much and now i learn from you too

    Reply
  • I love CeeCee. I think she has taught me so much and now i learn from you too

    Reply
  • I love CeeCee. I think she has taught me so much and now i learn from you too

    Reply
  • I love CeeCee. I think she has taught me so much and now i learn from you too

    Reply
  • I love CeeCee. I think she has taught me so much and now i learn from you too

    Reply
  • I love CeeCee. I think she has taught me so much and now i learn from you too

    Reply
  • I love CeeCee. I think she has taught me so much and now i learn from you too

    Reply
  • I used to follow her years ago. It’s great to see her development over the years. I’ll follow her again now. I really enjoy how you adapted her idea. You have taught me so much also. Thank you.

    Reply
  • I used to follow her years ago. It’s great to see her development over the years. I’ll follow her again now. I really enjoy how you adapted her idea. You have taught me so much also. Thank you.

    Reply
  • I used to follow her years ago. It’s great to see her development over the years. I’ll follow her again now. I really enjoy how you adapted her idea. You have taught me so much also. Thank you.

    Reply
  • I used to follow her years ago. It’s great to see her development over the years. I’ll follow her again now. I really enjoy how you adapted her idea. You have taught me so much also. Thank you.

    Reply
  • I used to follow her years ago. It’s great to see her development over the years. I’ll follow her again now. I really enjoy how you adapted her idea. You have taught me so much also. Thank you.

    Reply
  • I used to follow her years ago. It’s great to see her development over the years. I’ll follow her again now. I really enjoy how you adapted her idea. You have taught me so much also. Thank you.

    Reply
  • I used to follow her years ago. It’s great to see her development over the years. I’ll follow her again now. I really enjoy how you adapted her idea. You have taught me so much also. Thank you.

    Reply
  • Thanks for this. I started this exact process last night and am thrilled to see your take on the next layers.

    Reply
  • Thanks for this. I started this exact process last night and am thrilled to see your take on the next layers.

    Reply
  • Thanks for this. I started this exact process last night and am thrilled to see your take on the next layers.

    Reply
  • Thanks for this. I started this exact process last night and am thrilled to see your take on the next layers.

    Reply
  • Thanks for this. I started this exact process last night and am thrilled to see your take on the next layers.

    Reply
  • Thanks for this. I started this exact process last night and am thrilled to see your take on the next layers.

    Reply
  • Thanks for this. I started this exact process last night and am thrilled to see your take on the next layers.

    Reply
  • Thanks so much for sharing! Learned so many things from CeeCee as I love watercolor and calligraphy. Thank you for sharing the reminder that we can all do our own interpretation of someone else’s art lessons. I am just beginning to fully understand what you mean. You are a dear in addition to an amazing creative!

    Reply
  • Thanks so much for sharing! Learned so many things from CeeCee as I love watercolor and calligraphy. Thank you for sharing the reminder that we can all do our own interpretation of someone else’s art lessons. I am just beginning to fully understand what you mean. You are a dear in addition to an amazing creative!

    Reply
  • Thanks so much for sharing! Learned so many things from CeeCee as I love watercolor and calligraphy. Thank you for sharing the reminder that we can all do our own interpretation of someone else’s art lessons. I am just beginning to fully understand what you mean. You are a dear in addition to an amazing creative!

    Reply
  • Thanks so much for sharing! Learned so many things from CeeCee as I love watercolor and calligraphy. Thank you for sharing the reminder that we can all do our own interpretation of someone else’s art lessons. I am just beginning to fully understand what you mean. You are a dear in addition to an amazing creative!

    Reply
  • Thanks so much for sharing! Learned so many things from CeeCee as I love watercolor and calligraphy. Thank you for sharing the reminder that we can all do our own interpretation of someone else’s art lessons. I am just beginning to fully understand what you mean. You are a dear in addition to an amazing creative!

    Reply
  • Thanks so much for sharing! Learned so many things from CeeCee as I love watercolor and calligraphy. Thank you for sharing the reminder that we can all do our own interpretation of someone else’s art lessons. I am just beginning to fully understand what you mean. You are a dear in addition to an amazing creative!

    Reply
  • Thanks so much for sharing! Learned so many things from CeeCee as I love watercolor and calligraphy. Thank you for sharing the reminder that we can all do our own interpretation of someone else’s art lessons. I am just beginning to fully understand what you mean. You are a dear in addition to an amazing creative!

    Reply
  • CeeCee is lovely to watch and her techniques are great. not my style either, but as you found, any technique can be made to fit our style.

    Reply
  • CeeCee is lovely to watch and her techniques are great. not my style either, but as you found, any technique can be made to fit our style.

    Reply
  • CeeCee is lovely to watch and her techniques are great. not my style either, but as you found, any technique can be made to fit our style.

    Reply
  • CeeCee is lovely to watch and her techniques are great. not my style either, but as you found, any technique can be made to fit our style.

    Reply
  • CeeCee is lovely to watch and her techniques are great. not my style either, but as you found, any technique can be made to fit our style.

    Reply
  • CeeCee is lovely to watch and her techniques are great. not my style either, but as you found, any technique can be made to fit our style.

    Reply
  • CeeCee is lovely to watch and her techniques are great. not my style either, but as you found, any technique can be made to fit our style.

    Reply
  • I love the way Ceecee makes art, it seems so easy you want to start to.
    Het you tube canal is a daily stop for me, i just love what she’s doing!

    Reply
  • I love the way Ceecee makes art, it seems so easy you want to start to.
    Het you tube canal is a daily stop for me, i just love what she’s doing!

    Reply
  • I love the way Ceecee makes art, it seems so easy you want to start to.
    Het you tube canal is a daily stop for me, i just love what she’s doing!

    Reply
  • I love the way Ceecee makes art, it seems so easy you want to start to.
    Het you tube canal is a daily stop for me, i just love what she’s doing!

    Reply
  • I love the way Ceecee makes art, it seems so easy you want to start to.
    Het you tube canal is a daily stop for me, i just love what she’s doing!

    Reply
  • I love the way Ceecee makes art, it seems so easy you want to start to.
    Het you tube canal is a daily stop for me, i just love what she’s doing!

    Reply
  • I love the way Ceecee makes art, it seems so easy you want to start to.
    Het you tube canal is a daily stop for me, i just love what she’s doing!

    Reply
  • i love how you’ve adapted what i showed in my video to your style. brilliant! and thank you for the shoutout.

    Reply
  • i love how you’ve adapted what i showed in my video to your style. brilliant! and thank you for the shoutout.

    Reply
  • i love how you’ve adapted what i showed in my video to your style. brilliant! and thank you for the shoutout.

    Reply
  • i love how you’ve adapted what i showed in my video to your style. brilliant! and thank you for the shoutout.

    Reply
  • i love how you’ve adapted what i showed in my video to your style. brilliant! and thank you for the shoutout.

    Reply
  • i love how you’ve adapted what i showed in my video to your style. brilliant! and thank you for the shoutout.

    Reply
  • i love how you’ve adapted what i showed in my video to your style. brilliant! and thank you for the shoutout.

    Reply
  • Great ideas from both of you!

    Reply
  • Great ideas from both of you!

    Reply
  • Great ideas from both of you!

    Reply
  • Great ideas from both of you!

    Reply
  • Great ideas from both of you!

    Reply
  • Great ideas from both of you!

    Reply
  • Great ideas from both of you!

    Reply

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