Sometimes we find that artists will apply their ceramic methods to embellishments for kids greeting cards and this editorial gives all the advice required to beginning to painting in watercolour.

Equipment Needed:

Ceramic Item, glazed or unglazed (small enough to attach to a kids greeting card)

Colours - obtainable in paints or pens, you can use them together if preferred

Brushes, flat for wide strokes, round for fine detail, dagger for leaves

Some Kids cards, previously handmade with room for embellishments.

Additional Equipment:

Outliners - to create a raised pattern in your design

Matt medium - to give a matt finish

Gloss medium - to lighten colours without thinning them

Thinner - to make the colours more fluid without losing the properties of the paint.

Technique:

Ensure that you have thoroughly cleaned and dried the ceramic surface that is to be painted onto, and that it is completely free from grease. Apply paint directly from the bottle, it does not need to be outlined first. Pens, recommended for lines and writing, outliners can be applied directly to the ceramic surface. Leave the paint to dry for 24 hours minimum.

The item does not need to be baked if it is a decorative item, which is most likely, should you be applying them to your  designs.

As a note, If you want to make a ceramic dishwasher proof before attaching it to your greeting cards, then place it into an oven. Set the oven to 150C and heat for approximately thirty five minutes, as soon as the oven reaches the correct temperature. After 35 minutes, turn off the oven, open the door and allow to cool down.

Hints:

You can make corrections to your designs before attaching the ceramic to your kids greeting cards, using cotton buds before the colour dries.

Load your brush liberally and apply the colour, dabbing it into place, the colour has the tendency to settle to an even finish when enough paint is applied.

Use a stencil to add your design, securing it in place with masking tape. Background paints can be sponged into place to create a spotted finish.

Use masking tape to create straight lines in a design. Pull off the tape when the paint is dry.

Be sure to read the label on your ceramic paints so you can figure out the number of coats that are required for your chosen colour. Alternatively, you can always check with the vendor at the time of purchase to find out any extra details about coatings and durability.

Safety:

When constructing the paintings, it is greatly important that the accompaniments and add-ons are not too small, so there is no harm caused to the kids. Therefore, be sure to use a decorative ceramic item that is fairly large and sturdy so that it can’t be broken into small pieces.

Be sure to thoroughly wash your hands after you have finished painting, particularly when painting.

Keep your materials out of the reach of the kids while working. They may not realize the difference between the different paints, which could end up causing many problems for everyone.

Cardly.co.uk is one shop on the web that offers kids greeting cards with painted ceramic embellishments attached. They are generally created by Blue Eyed Sun and are.