Easy DIY Paper Ball Christmas Ornament (With Free Template

December 22, 2025

If you’re looking for a simple, beautiful holiday craft you can make with supplies you already have at home, this easy DIY paper ball Christmas ornament is the perfect project. It’s beginner‑friendly, kid‑friendly, and endlessly customizable. Whether you love bold colors, soft pastels, recycled paper, or glittery cardstock, this ornament works with any style and adds a handmade touch to your tree.

Easy DIY paper ornament for Christmas tree in front of bookshelf

Below you’ll find step‑by‑step instructions, tips for choosing the right paper, and a free downloadable template so you can start crafting right away.

Why Make a Paper Ball Ornament

Paper ornaments are lightweight, inexpensive, and surprisingly sturdy. They’re ideal for:

Filling out a Christmas tree with cohesive, handmade decorations
Creating personalized gifts or gift‑topper accents
Crafting with kids or groups
Using up leftover scrapbook paper, watercolor scraps, or wrapping paper

This project takes about five minutes once you get the hang of it, and you can batch‑make a whole set in an afternoon.

Supplies You’ll Need

Printed template (download below)
Decorative paper (scrapbook paper, watercolor paper, wrapping paper, or decorate your own)
Scissors
Glue stick or double‑sided tape
Ribbon, twine, or ornament string
Hole punch or something sharp to make the hole for the string

Step‑by‑Step Instructions

1. Print and cut out your template

Download the free paper ball ornament template and print it onto regular printer paper or directly onto your decorative paper. Cut out each of the three rectangles.

2. Trace Onto Your Chosen Paper

If you printed the template on plain paper, use the cut shapes as tracers. Trace them onto your decorative paper or decorate directly on your print-out.

3. Score Each Semi Circle

Using a scoring tool or ball-point pen, score a groove into the paper so that each semi-circle folds in the correct spot.

4. Thread the String or Ribbon

Punch a hole where the template indicates, and thread your knotted string or ribbon through.

5. Assemble the Ornament

Glue the first (the one with the string or ribbon) and the second paper strips into separate circles. Put the second circle inside the first circle. Thread the third paper strip through the second circle, and around the first to hold it all together (this is where the video will help).

6. Push in all the Semi-circles

Gently push in all the semi-circles on all three strips of paper.

Voila, you’ve create a visually striking and beautiful paper ornament, and I bet it was easier than you thought it would be.

Tips for Beautiful Results

Mix patterns within the same color palette for a cohesive look
Use watercolor paper scraps for a soft, handmade feel
Try metallic or glitter cardstock for extra sparkle
Make a set of ornaments in different sizes by scaling the template before printing

Download the Free Paper Ball Ornament Template

This easy DIY paper ball Christmas ornament is a wonderful way to slow down, get creative, and add a personal touch to your holiday decorating. Once you make one, you’ll want to experiment with colors, textures, and patterns to create a whole collection.

If you’d like to help me out, share this post to Pinterest, using the graphic below.

Easy DIY paper ornament with free downloadable template graphic

A Tree a Day: November Art Challenge

November 12, 2025

Every November I look for ways to spark creativity and keep my art practice fresh in the lead up to the holidays. This year I decided to focus on one simple but endlessly versatile subject: the Christmas tree. Throughout the month, I am creating a new tree every single day, and sharing the results on Instagram with the hashtag #ATreeADayNov.

Why a Christmas Tree Challenge?

It’s a great way to get all those cards and gifts made by the time December rolls around! Plus, by committing to a daily art challenge, I am not only building consistency in my creative routine but also exploring how many different ways one subject can be expressed. This challenge has already shown me that even the most familiar shapes can surprise you when approached with curiosity.

Exploring Different Art Techniques

One of the most exciting aspects of this project is experimenting with a wide range of materials and methods. So far I have created trees using:

• Watercolor for soft washes and layered transparency

• Yarn to add texture and dimension

• Geli printing for bold, layered patterns

• Collage to combine paper scraps into playful designs

• Paint pens for crisp lines and vibrant color

• Gouache for rich, opaque layers

• Handmade stamps carved from craft foam for repeatable shapes

Each technique brings out a different personality in the tree. Some are whimsical, others are abstract, and a few lean toward traditional holiday imagery. Together they form a collection that celebrates both the season and the creative process.

The Joy of Daily Art Practice

Daily art challenges like #ATreeADayNov are about more than producing finished pieces. They encourage discipline, spark new ideas, and remind us to find joy in small creative moments. Even on busy days, taking time to make a tree helps me slow down and reconnect with the playful side of art.

And let’s face it, when you’re making this many Christmas trees, they aren’t all going to be winners. So far I definitely have my favorites and my…not so favorite ones.

Join the Challenge

If you are looking for inspiration this season, I invite you to follow along or even join me in creating your own version of a tree each day. Use the hashtag #ATreeADayNov on Instagram to share your work and connect with others who are exploring the same theme. Whether you use watercolor, collage, or even unconventional materials like yarn or craft foam, the possibilities are endless.

Celebrating Creativity and Connection

This November art challenge is a reminder that creativity thrives when we give ourselves permission to play. A simple subject like a Christmas tree can become a canvas for experimentation, joy, and connection. By the end of the month I will have a forest of unique trees, each one representing a moment of imagination and discovery.

And Here are the Christmas Trees!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jessica Mack | Artist (@brownpaperbunny)

Creative Retreat Live

February 17, 2022

Want a whole lot of free, online art classes? Of course you do!

Good thing I’ll be teaching, alongside 74 of my closest art buddies, during Creative Retreat Live. I mentioned it’s all free right? Right?! So mark your calendar, and snag your seat so you don’t miss out.

Dates: February 24 to March 5, 2022

Save my seat!

There will be classes on drawing, watercolor painting, lettering, Procreate, calligraphy, mixed media, fiber arts, journaling and so much more!

The class I’ll be teaching is How to Paint Watercolor Style Flowers Using Markers. It’s going to be so much fun! To follow along in my class you’ll only need a handful of supplies, and you can find those (along with a printable template to get you started) via the button below.

Supply List

You’re not going to want to miss Creative Retreat Live—last year’s event was basically the most fun I had all year. I left the retreat feeling inspired, connected, and energized, which was exactly what I needed in my life.

If you have any questions drop me a comment, or hit me up on Instagram.

Rainbow Wreath Tutorial

December 29, 2021

Let’s paint a watercolor-look rainbow wreath together, using markers! Just drop your email in the form below to subscribe to my email list (I promise I rarely send emails and when I do, it’s only the good stuff) then you’ll see the link that will take you to the tutorial.

Let’s go!

15 Ways to Journal

October 19, 2021

If you haven’t journaled before but you’re curious about it, or you’ve tried it but are looking for something new, I’m going to show you 15 ways to journal today. Journalling is such a relaxing pastime, and a great way to record your thoughts, feelings, or activities. Because there are so many different ways to journal you're bound to find something in this list that works for you. Here are some supplies you might like to have on hand before you start. Please note that each of these links is an affiliate link and the small percentage I earn back from purchases on these links helps pay for the upkeep of this blog. But y’all know I would never recommend anything I didn’t absolutely love!

Supplies:

Note: If you're planning to use any wet media, or blend your Dual Brush Pens with water you'll want to look for a notebook or sketchbook with watercolor or multimedia paper.

Journalling Ideas:

Feel free to use one, all, or combine some of these ideas to find a way to journal that suits you.

1. A Color A Day

Words not your thing? No problem! Each day, choose a Dual Brush Pen color that speaks to you or that you feel represents your day and add a swatch in your journal. You can leave the ink as-is, or use your Water Brush to blend the ink for a watercolor look.

2. Answer a Question Each Day

You could either choose to answer the same question each day, or come up with a variety of them, write them on little strips of paper, pop them in a jar and draw one out to answer in your journal.

3. Art Journal

Art journaling is a way of recording your thoughts, feelings, events etc. visually. It can be a mix of images and words if you'd like it to be. It can also be as straightforward or as abstract as you'd like it to be. Check out this blog post on Mixed Media Art Journaling for more ideas.

4. A Photo a Day

This is part photo album and part journal. You can print photos any way you'd like and then add them to your journal and write a little bit about that particular memory or day. Add fun decorative elements and photo frames with your Dual Brush Markers. This sort of journal is particularly fun to look back through years later, the photos really help jog your memory about things that happened (little and big).

5. A Poem a Day

If poems are your thing, this is a really fun way to journal. You could write a poem every day to suit your mood or even a short haiku.

If coming up with something from scratch seems too daunting, grab a magazine or take a photocopy of a favorite book page and combine the blackout poetry style with a haiku. In the example, the words for the haiku are highlighted using a MONO Edge Highlighter, and then a black Dual Brush Pen was used to block out all the words that were no longer needed. Be warned, this activity is extremely addictive!

6. Dream Diary

Keep a journal and pen by your bed and write in it the moment you wake up. Try to capture whatever you can remember from dreams during the night. As you do this more often you'll find you can remember more and more of your dreams.

7. Travel Journaling

Going on a trip? Whether big or small, document it in a small travel journal. You can pare down your supplies to a handful of Dual Brush Pens and a Mono Drawing Pen and you're ready to go! You can sketch, doodle, write, add photographs or mementos from your trip—anything that will jog your memory later when you look back at it.

8. Morning Pages

Morning pages can help you get all the thoughts out of your head and into your journal so you can start the day fresh without them swimming around, taking up space in your brain. This sort of activity can also help kick-start your creative juices first thing.

9. Record Your Achievements and Wins

So often we gloss over the achievements we have in life and move on to the next thing. Stopping to record them in a journal can be a truly magical thing, especially when you look back at them and have the benefit of seeing them all added together in one place. A definite confidence booster when you need it!

10. Gratitude Journaling

Gratitude journaling is another type of journaling that can help re-frame your state of mind and get you set up for a good day. You can pick the number, one, three, ten....just think of something you are grateful for right now, and write it down.

Use your Dual Brush Pens to decorate the page, or write each item in a new, fun color.

11. Sketch Journaling

Sketch journaling is where instead of writing down things you did that day, you draw little doodles of them instead. It doesn't have to be fancy, and you can choose to do it all in black and white with your MONO Drawing Pens or add color with your Dual Brush Pens. It can be just the highlights of the day, or you could draw pictures of what you ate for meals, where you went, who you saw, how you felt etc.

12. List Journaling

List journaling is one of my favorite ways to journal. You can complete a whole list in one sitting, or set up a bunch of lists and just add to them as you have new experiences. For example, you might have a lits of your favorite books / movies / songs and add to it over several months. Or perhaps you create a list of things that make you happy, or people you've sent letters to. There are lots of list suggestions in this blog post.

13. Record Happy Moments

You don't just have to journal the big moments, capture the little, everyday things too. For example, did you try a great new recipe, visit a new bookstore, maybe you watched something hilarious on TV. Put it in your journal! Use some simple decorative elements with your Dual Brush Pens to add some extra fun!

14. One Line a Day

If journaling pages and pages feels like more than you have time for right now, just commit to writing down one line a day. A super brief summary of each day, or a highlight reel if you will. Keep your journal by your bed and it can be the last thing you do each day.

15. Collage Journaling

Use pictures you cut out of magazines to represent how you're feeling or to make mini mood-boards in your journal. You can choose to add words over the top, or just let the pictures speak for you. This is where your MONO Adhesive Dots will come in handy because it works beautifully even on the thinnest of papers.

What are some other ways you can think of to journal? Drop them in the comments!

Make Your Own Mother's Day Art

May 7, 2021

Today I’m going to show you how to create your own floral Mother's Day art. This project is designed to be tailored to the individual so it will be all the more special. Here's what you'll need to get started.

Supplies

Step 1: Sketch Your Design

Choose a flower that your mom likes, or that reminds you of her. I've chosen chrysanthemums because we always grew them in the garden growing up and they would flower around Mother's Day (in Australia) and us kids would pick bunches of them for our mom.

Sketch your chosen flower onto your watercolor paper, using your MONO Drawing Pencil. I prefer to use the 4H for sketching because it's nice and light and easy to erase if you need to. You can draw your flower from memory or from reference photos.

Once you've drawn your flower, use your ruler to draw a shape around your flower. Depending on the size and layout of your drawing you might choose a triangle, square or some other shape that suits. You can even overlap the shape so that some of your flower is spilling out of the shape.

Step 2: Ink Your Drawing

Once you're happy with your pencil sketch use your MONO Twin Permanent Marker to ink over the lines of your flower. I recommend using the fine, ball-point tip for this step. The reason we're using the MONO Twin Permanent Marker and not the MONO Drawing Pens at this stage is that we're going to use wet ink over the top of the lines and we don't want any of them to smudge or blend.

Step 3: Fill In Your Background

Using the thicker, bullet tip on your MONO Twin Permanent Marker apply ink to the border of your shape and then start to fill in the background around your flower and leaves.

Step 4: Personalize Your Drawing

Now, using your MONO Drawing Pen, it's time to add a personal message or words that describe your mother in your eyes. You might choose to write them around the outside of the shape like I have, or fill in the entire white space of the paper!

Step 5: Add Color to Your Mother's Day Art

Next, you're going to color your drawing. Start by scribbling some ink from your Dual Brush Pens onto your Blending Palette. Next, use your Water Brush (filled with water) to transfer the ink from your Blending Palette to your paper. This first layer of color is designed to be fairly light because it will actually be the highlights or lightest areas of your finished artwork.

Step 6: Add the Final Layer of Color

Once your first layer of color is dry, use your Dual Brush Pens to add ink directly over the top to create the darker, more saturated areas. Think of these areas as anywhere that would have less light, so in between petals, areas of shadow etc.

Voila, you've got a personalized piece of Mother's Day art! I’d love to see what you create, so if you share it on social media tag @BrownPaperBunny. And if you're looking for more ideas, check out How to Paint Watercolor Flowers with Markers and Free Flower Coloring Pages.

Watercolor Galaxy Butterfly

April 26, 2021

If you’d like to learn how to make this little watercolor galaxy butterfly using Tombow Dual Brush Pens keep reading…they’re out of this world. ;)

If you’d rather paint with me via video in real-time check out my Skillshare class. Otherwise, keep reading!

Here’s what you’ll need to get started.

Supplies:

Step 1: Draw Your Butterfly

Start by sketching out your butterfly shape in pencil, and once you’re happy with it got over the pencil lines with your MONO Twin Permanent Marker. This marker won’t bleed or run when you add water so you can paint right over the top of it. If you don’t feel confident drawing your own butterfly you can download my template below, print it and trace it onto your watercolor paper.

Download Butterfly Template

Step 2: Add Color

Use your Dual Brush Pens to add color to the segments you’ve drawn on the wings. You can choose any colors and combinations that appeal to you, but here are a few of my favorite combos from the Galaxy Palette.

You don’t have to be terribly neat or worry about staying in the lines too much because we’re going to cover up the white space with black at the end anyway.

Step 3: Blend the Ink

Using your Medium Water Brush, or a wet paintbrush, blend the ink on your butterfly. Start with the lightest color and work your way to the darkest. Clean your brush in between segments so you don’t just spread your darkest ink over everything. I tend to keep a piece of folded paper towel handy for this purpose.

Step 4: Fill in the White Space

Once your ink is completely dry you can either use the bullet tip of your MONO Twin Permanent Marker or the brush tip of your darkest Dual Brush Pen to fill in all of the white space of your butterfly. Be careful to leave the colored segments visible.

Step 5: Add Stars

Once everything is completely dry it’s time to add your stars and make your butterfly truly galactic! Squeeze a small amount of white gouache or acrylic paint onto your palette and use your small Water Brush to add little dots and starbursts to the colored areas of your butterfly. Once they are all dry you can go back over any that aren’t as opaque as you’d like them to be. And voila, you have a watercolor galaxy butterfly!

I’d love to see your creations, so tag @BrownPaperBunny if you share them to social media.

How to paint a watercolor cactus

January 27, 2021

On this little cactus you can practice blending on a palette, blending on paper, and dry ink over a wash.

I used the Tombow Watercolor Set (mine was kindly provided by Tombow but you can use my affiliate code ‘bpbunny’ to get 15% off your own).

Step 1

Scribble some 249 (Hunter Green) and some 993 (Chrome Orange) onto the Blending Palette that comes in the set. Use the Water Brush to blend some of the two colors together, leaving some of each unblended. Paint the mixed green onto your cactus, and while it’s still wet drop a little yellow into the places closest to where you imagine the sun would be, and a drop of unblended green in places furthest from your imaginary sun.

Step 2

Once the cactus is dry, use the same technique to add colors to the pot. Then wipe off your Blending Palette and scribble some 757 (Port Red) and 885 (Warm Red) onto it. Mix the ink with your Water Brush and add on some little flowers.

Step 3

After everything is dry, use your 993 Dual Brush Pen to color in the diamonds on the pot. You can then blend the ink directly on the paper, using your Water Brush. If you’d like, you can add spikes and shadow detail with the bullet tips of your Dual Brush Pens to finish it off.

How to Set Up a Book Journal

January 26, 2021

Today I want to show you how to set up a book journal. While we've been in quarantine I've been reading a lot more and since I love bullet journaling I thought it would be fun to combine the two and make a special book journal. Here's what you'll need to get started, if you'd like to make one of your own.

Supplies:

You can use my affiliate code BPBunny15 for 15% off Tombow products, and BrownPaperBunny10 for 10% off Archer & Olive.

A Notebook (Archer & Olive Dot Grid notebooks are my fav)
Tombow Dual Brush Pens in your favorite colors
A Ruler
Tombow MONO Drawing Pens
Scissors
Tombow MONO Adhesive Dots
Scrap Papers, Washi Tape or Other Decorative Items

Step 1: Title Page

This step is optional but I like to create a title page at the very start of any journal. Having a title page means I can easily flip each journal open and see what year it was for. To make the numbers I lightly sketched the outlines in pencil then used the bullet tips of my Dual Brush Pens to draw leaf shapes to fill the numbers. The Dual Brush Pen colors I used are 025, 817, 606, 526, and 379. Of course, if you don't want to put the date on your title page you could draw a stack of books, write your name, or anything else that is meaningful to you.

Step 2: Trackers

Next, you need to decide what sort of things you want to track in your book journal. Do you want to track how many books you read in a year, what genre you read most, favorite authors, star ratings? I've chosen to track the books I read via a series of genre lists, as well as a visual overview.

Genre Lists

I've kept the genre lists fairly simple, and used my MONO Drawing Pens and a ruler to create a table to hold all the information. I used Dual Brush Pens and MONO Drawing Pens for the headings on each page. (Excuse my terrible lettering, it’s really not my forté).

You can be as broad or as specific as you'd like with the genres. For example, you might just have one spread for fiction and one page for non-fiction. Or you might split non-fiction out into memoirs, DIY, biographies etc.

Visual Trackers

Separately it can be fun to track the books you read visually, whether that's a graph or an illustration like the tracker below. You could even get really fancy and color-code your books to your rating, or their genre! Here I used Dual Brush Pens and MONO Drawing Pens to create this little shelf scene for my books.

Tabs

It's completely optional, but I like to include tabs so I can easily flip to particular sections in my journal. You can buy stick-on tabs, or make cute ones from scrap paper or card and stick them in with your MONO Adhesive Dots, or you could cut them directly from the page like I have, and use your Dual Brush Pens to color them. This works best on a notebook with nice, thick paper. If you leave room along the edge of your pages then you can cut them, leaving a tab to write on. I tend to put all of my often-referenced material towards the front of the journal so I don't have to cut every page in the notebook to create the tabs.

Step 3: Monthly Spreads

After I've set up all my yearly trackers, I set up my first monthly spread. I set a color theme for each month to take the guesswork out of it. I know that if I don't make it easy to do I won't keep up with it. So for January, I'm only using scraps of kraft paper, MONO Dots Adhesive to stick things in, black ink (Mono Drawing Pens), and some embellishment with washi tape and a gold gel pen.

I've also stuck in my January TBR (To Be Read) list of all the books I'd like to read during the month.

Step 4: Enter the Books

Next, it's time to work out how much information you want to include for the books that you read. Will you just be listing them, writing a full review, or something in between? Here's what I'm including for each book:

Title
Author
Publisher
How many pages
Genre
The format I read it in (physical, eBook, or audiobook)
Star rating
Word cloud to jog my memory
Picture of the book cover (or the photo I used for Instagram)
Book club info if I'm reading it with a group

Step 5: What Else to Put in Your Book Journal

There are a lot of other things you could also put in your book journal, really the sky is the limit! Here are a few extra ideas you might choose to include.

Book Lists

I love a good list, and they’re a fun way to capture information in your book journal. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

Books you already own but haven't read yet (I'm calling those Backlist Books in the image below)
Your favorite books for each month or the whole year
Favorite books in each genre you enjoy
Books you'd like to read in the future
Books with BIPOC main characters
Favorite authors
Books you’ve read by publisher
Books with LGBTQIA+ main characters
Books you've lent to friends and family
Books on particular topics (politics, beekeeping, knitting etc)
Characters you'd cast if a book was made into a TV show or movie
Books you couldn't finish
Favorite Book Covers
Books by your favorite author
Series of books you'd like to read or have read
Books in your favorite color
ARCs you’ve read
Your favorite books of all time
Books you want your kids / nieces / nephews / friends to read
Books that made you laugh, or cry
Books you’ve won or swapped

Book Stats

You might like to chart your reading habits, the number of pages you read each day or month, or anything else you're interested in recording.

Yearly Wrap-Up

I like to include a yearly wrap-up in my book journal too, which is a combination of my book stats and favorite books read (by genre). What else would you include in your own yearly wrap-up?

I’d love to hear from you! Drop a comment and let me know what else you'd include in your book journal, and if you share your own to social media tag @BrownPaperBunny so I can see!

If you're looking for more book-related projects, check out How to Make Your Own Watercolor Bookmarks.

Make 3D Watercolor Artwork

December 10, 2020

Today I’m going to show you how to make 3D watercolor artwork in rainbow colors! Here’s what you’ll need to get started.

Supplies:

You can use my affiliate code ‘bpbunny15’ for 15% off all Tombow products.

Step 1: Cut Out Leaves

You’re going to want to cut out at least 15-20 leaves from watercolor paper. You need enough that you can build upwards as well as out to get the 3D effect. You can either draw your design using a pencil first or just get straight to cutting out your shapes. They don’t have to look the same or be uniform. Tip: I used a large pair of scissors to cut out the basic shapes and then used these tiny and super-sharp ones to get into the smaller areas.

Step 2: Paint Your Leaves

You can use any Dual Brush Pen colors you like. I’ve chosen Dual Brush Pens 925, 985, 296, 535, 606 and 847. Start by scribbling the ink onto your Blending Palette and then use your Water Brush to pick it up and blend it onto your leaves. This is why you need to use watercolor paper for this project. Thinner paper won’t hold up to the water-blended ink. You could either color each leaf with one color like I have in the example OR you could get really wild and make each one rainbow!

Step 3: Add Detail

Using the bullet tip of your Dual Brush Pens, add some veins and detail to each of the leaves once they are dry.

Step 4: Build your 3D Watercolor Artwork

Start by laying your leaves out to get a rough idea of where you want to place them. Once you’re happy with the placement, start cutting small pieces of the Foam Tape and sticking the leaves to a separate piece of watercolor paper (or you could use card if you’d like for the backing). Make sure you build upwards as well as outwards. You can stick Foam Tape between layers of leaves to give them height or you can stick multiple pieces of tape on top of each other to create a little foam tower. Then, stick a leaf on top.

Step 5: Frame Your Artwork!

You can use a shadow-box type frame or just leave the glass out of a regular frame so your 3D watercolor artwork has room to shine. It makes a nice gift. If you did a miniature version, you could make a pretty cool 3D card!

I’d love to see what you made, so if you share it to social media make sure to tag @BrownPaperBunny so I can take a look.

If you’re looking for more watercolor projects, check out How to Paint Watercolor Flowers with Markers.

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Please note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which help pay for the upkeep of this site. That being said, I will never, ever promote anything I am not 100% in love with.

Fashion Illustration with Collage

December 10, 2020

Today I’m going to show you how to make your own fashion illustration with collage! It's super fun and easy, and if you've got kids get them to join in and make their own!

Supplies:

Tombow MONO Drawing Pencil (4H)
Card or Watercolor Paper
Tombow MONO Multi XL Liquid Glue
Scissors
Tombow MONO Drawing Pens
Papers (see note below)
Tombow Dual Brush Pens
Tombow Water Brush (optional)
Glitter / Sequins (optional)

You can use my affiliate code ‘bpbunny15’ for 15% off all Tombow products.

For the collage portion of this project you'll want to find some scrap papers from around the house. I'm using drawings my 3-year-old said I could cut up, which is a fun way to use all those old kids’ art pieces you’ve got lying around. But you could use catalogs, receipts, old photos, scrapbooking paper, or whatever else you think might look interesting.

Step 1: Sketch a Figure

Start by lightly sketching out the figure you're going to dress, using your MONO Drawing Pencil. This doesn't have to be fancy, most of it will be covered up by collage papers. But if you don't feel confident about sketching figures, you can download a template here.

Step 2: Add Color

Create a colored background to collage over, using your Dual Brush Pens. This step is optional, but it will mean that if you end up with any gaps between papers you stick on, there will still be some color showing through. I've chosen to blend the ink with a Water Brush, and add some ink splatters by squeezing the water brush while there is still ink on the bristles. It's up to you whether you want to wet your ink or leave it dry. If you do want to blend it with water you'll need to use watercolor or mixed media paper.

Step 3: Add Details

Usually, I would add details at the end of an illustration, but because we're going to be sticking papers on top of the illustration I like to add details and line-work before the collage stage. Use your MONO Drawing Pens to add details over your pencil sketch to make your lines stand out more.

Step 4: Prepare Your Papers

Rip or cut your found papers into strips, shapes or random pieces so you can arrange them on top of your illustration. I've cut mine into leaf shapes and then cut along the edges to give it a textured 'fringe' appearance.

Step 5: Stick Everything Down

Using your MONO Multi XL Liquid Glue, start sticking your papers down along the edges and then fill in the center until everything is covered that you want to be covered on your illustration.

If you have glitter, or sequins and would like to add a little sparkle to your illustration, stick them on last.

And you're all done, you've made a fashion illustration with collage! You could make these into cards, frame them, send them to a friend or relative, or cut them out and make a whole puppet show from them.

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Please note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which help pay for the upkeep of this site. That being said, I will never, ever promote anything I am not 100% in love with.

Paint a Monet-Style Picture Using Dual Brush Pens

October 24, 2020

Today I’m going to show you how to paint a Monet-style picture using with Dual Brush Pens. Taking inspiration from Claud Monet’s technique of using lots of small strokes of color to build up a picture, I’m going to show you how to easily create your own work of art. Here’s what you’ll need to get started.

Supplies:

Tombow Dual Brush Pens (I’m using the Pastel 10-Pack)
Marker paper
MONO Drawing Pencil (4H)
A reference photo

You can use my affiliate code ‘bpbunny15’ for 15% off all Tombow products.

Step 1: Sketch Your Image

Look at your reference image and break it down into its main shapes. You’re not going to worry about small details for this drawing, just shapes and color. Lightly sketch the main elements of your image onto marker paper using your MONO Drawing Pencil.

Step 2: Layer Your Lightest Colors

Starting with your lightest Dual Brush Pens, block in the main shapes or areas of your picture using short strokes with the side of the brush tip. Less is more at this stage because it’s easier to add ink than try to hide it or remove it.

Step 3: Build Up Color

Next, you’re going to keep building on your first layer with your medium tones. Sometimes it helps to squint at your reference image to see where the main areas of light and dark are. Again, go slow because you can always add more ink where you need it.

Step 4: Finish With Your Darkest Colors

For the final step, use your darkest colors in the same short brush strokes as before. Keep layering ink until you feel like it’s complete. Tip: it helps to take a step back from your image and see where it might need more ink.

Voila, you’ve got a Monet-inspired impressionist drawing you can frame and hang on the wall!

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How to Paint Watercolor Flowers Using Markers

August 29, 2020

I love the way watercolor looks, but I also really love how versatile, vibrant, and easy to carry markers are. So I’m going to show you how I use water-soluble markers to get a watercolor effect. Here’s what you’ll need to get started.

Supplies:

You can use my affiliate code ‘bpbunny15’ for 15% off all Tombow products.

Step 1: Draw Your Flower

My friend Peggy has an awesome tutorial for drawing Hydrangeas in her new book Nature Drawing and Watercolor, or you can draw your own flower from a reference photo. I recommend using waterproof fine-liner pens so you can use markers and water over the top without the ink bleeding or running.

Step 2: Apply a Light Wash

You can use any brand and color of water-soluble markers, but the ones I’m using here are Tombow Dual Brush Pens. They have a brush on one side and a bullet tip on the other. The specific colors I’m using are 873: Coral, 991: Light Ochre, 723: Pink, 761: Carnation, 195: Light Green, and 245: Sap Green.

Scribble some of your palest color down onto your blending palette then wet it with your paintbrush. Use the wet ink to apply a light wash across all of your flower petals. Once they are dry, do the same thing with your lightest green, for the leaves and stem of the flower.

Step 3: Add a Second Color to Your Petals

In order to get a more realistic watercolor effect, and have your flowers look more interesting overall I think it’s fun to add at least two or three colors to the petals of your flowers. Start with your lightest colors because you can always build the color up but it’s hard to take it away if you go too dark early.

Once the initial wash is dry, you can use the markers directly on the paper, then soften the edges of the color using a damp paintbrush. Just let each layer dry before applying the next one.

It helps build depth if you use your darker colors where there would be a shadow on petals and leaves that fall behind others and leave the petals and leaves at the front a little lighter.

Step 4: Add Shadows to Your Leaves

Use your darkest shade of green to add a small line of color where there would be a shadow on the leaves. This is usually closest to the flower where the petals would be blocking some of the light. Then use your damp paintbrush to blend the edges of the color to soften them.

Step 5: Add a Third Color to Your Petals

Time for some more delicious color on those pretty flower petals. Layer on a little more color, paying attention to the centers and areas of shadow. Then soften the edges with your damp paintbrush.

Step 6: Add Final Details

Once everything is dry you can use the bullet tip of your Dual Brush Pens to add some finer detail to the leaves and center of the flowers to really make them pop. Then, voila, you’re all done. You’ve got a gorgeous flower you can frame, give as a gift, add to your art journal, or any number of other fun things!

I’d love to see yours, so tag @BrownPaperBunny on social media!

You might also like to check out my new book Watercolor with Markers.

And if you’d like to learn more about using water-soluble markers to create watercolor-look flowers head over to my Skillshare class Create Watercolor Flowers Using Markers. See you there!

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Please note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which help pay for the upkeep of this site. That being said, I will never, ever promote anything I am not 100% in love with.

Make Your Own Watercolor Bookmark by Jessica Mack of BrownPaperBunny

Make Your Own Watercolor Bookmarks

August 16, 2020

Today I want to show you how to make your own watercolor bookmarks. They make super cute gifts, especially when paired with a new book! Here's what you'll need to get started:

Supplies:

Tombow Dual Brush Pens
Watercolor Paper
Tombow Water Brush (Medium)
Scissors
Hole Punch (optional)
Tassel (optional)
White Gel Pen (optional)

Step 1: Draw Your Shapes

Using your Dual Brush Pens draw shapes or images all over your watercolor paper. They don't have to be fancy, just anything that you can draw over and over will work. Try polka dots, hearts, simple flowers, leaves, lines, etc.

If you'd like to have a watercolor effect, wet and blend each shape with your Water Brush. I used the Medium size for mine. Let the ink dry completely before moving on to the next step.

Step 2: Add Details

The next step is to add some more details to fill in some of the white spaces. I've used leaves, but for example, if you chose hearts you can add smaller or overlapping hearts to fill some of the empty spaces.

After I drew my leaves with Dual Brush Pens I used the Water Brush again to blend the ink. Then once it was completely dry, I used a white gel pen to put a few lines on some of the darker leaves.

Step 3: Cut Out Your Bookmarks

Decide how big you want your bookmarks to be and cut them out. I started with a 9x12" piece of watercolor paper and I cut it in half, and then cut each half into four equal strips.

Next, decide whether or not you want to decorate them with tassels. If you do, you'll need to punch a hole in the end and attach a tassel. You can either make your own tassels from embroidery thread or you can buy them ready-made.

I can't wait to see yours! Tag @BrownPaperBunny on social media to show me!

If you're looking for more bookmark ideas check out this tutorial on Rainbow Watercolor Bookmarks.

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Please note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which help pay for the upkeep of this site. That being said, I will never, ever promote anything I am not 100% in love with.

Color palettes for Art Journaling

June 28, 2020

Today, I want to show you a fun way to do some art journaling with the ABT PRO 5-Packs (which Tombow kindly provided for this project). Sticking to the colors in the 5-Packs is an easy way to ensure your journal page looks cohesive. Plus, there are enough different shades to give your page contrast and keep it interesting. Let’s get started!

Supplies:

Tombow ABT PRO Alcohol-Based Markers 5-Pack (I used the Purple Tones 5-Pack)
Art journal
Tombow MONO Adhesive Permanent
Tombow Blending Palette
Tape
Tombow Dual Brush Pen (603 Periwinkle)
Water Brush or paintbrush and water
Tombow MONO Drawing Pens

Step 1: Create a Background Wash

This step is optional and I only recommend it if you’re using a journal with watercolor or multimedia paper. To create this background, use Dual Brush Pen 603 (Periwinkle) and put some ink onto your Blending Palette. Using a Water Brush or wet paintbrush, pick up the ink and transfer it to your art journal page.

Step 2: Decorate the Background

Once the background wash is dry, use the ABT PRO Markers from your 5-Pack to draw leaves or flowers around some of the edges. Feel free to let them overlap. We are going to add a few different layers to add depth and interest to your page.

Step 3: Adding Text to Your Art Journaling Page

You can use your MONO Drawing Pens to add some text directly onto your background or write on a separate piece of paper and cut out those sections and stick them down with MONO Adhesive Permanent. If you’d like an uneven edge, just tear them by hand instead of cutting them. You could also add a little piece of washi tape to the tops of the papers as decoration or just color the sticky side of some tape with your ABT PRO Markers (that’s what I did). Once you’ve added in your text, you can fill in any empty spaces with more leaves and flowers if you’d like.

Step 4: Decorative Elements

To add an additional layer of decoration, you can draw flowers, leaves, butterflies or moths onto a separate piece of paper and cut or tear them out and stick them on with your MONO Adhesive Permanent. Sometimes these are just the final touches you need to bring a page together. I also added some dots of ABT PRO Marker ink around the page to add some texture to blank areas.

I can’t wait to see your journal pages! Share them with me by tagging @BrownpPaperBunny on social media!

If you’re looking for more art journaling ideas, check out Art Journaling With Markers.

Make a Collage Keepsake

June 28, 2020

I’ve been dreaming of Palm Springs, and wondering if I’ll be able to get back there any time soon. I just love the architecture, blue skies, flora and fauna that I wanted to make my own collaged keepsake. If you’d like to make one of your own, here’s what you’ll need.

Supplies:

Step 1: Make Your Collage Papers

You can always use bought papers, or found papers from your trip, but I like to make mine in just the colors I want. My favorite way to do this is to scribble some Dual Brush Pen ink onto watercolor paper, then blend it all together using a wet paintbrush. That way you can mix colors and get exactly what you want, and also get a fun watercolor effect. Mix up a few in different shades.

Step 2: Cut Out Your Shapes

No need for drawing in this project, just loosely cut shapes that represent the objects you’re trying to depict. Sometimes it helps to squint at your reference image to see general shapes.

Step 3: Glue Everything Down

Once you’ve got all your shapes cut out, start sticking them onto a clean piece of paper or card using your MONO XL Multi Liquid Glue. This glue is strong but flexible, so even when it dries your thicker pieces of collage paper won’t fall off.

Jessica-Mack-Collage-Keepsake-3c.jpgMake a Collage Keepsake by Jessica Mack on BrownPaperBunny

Here’s a little video of a collage keepsake coming together.

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Please note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which help pay for the upkeep of this site. That being said, I will never, ever promote anything I am not 100% in love with!

Fashion From Found Objects

May 8, 2020

I thought we could make some fashion from found objects together today. This is also a really fun activity for kids.

Step 1: Download the Template

Either download the template below, or draw your own face, hands, and feet onto a sheet of paper. To download this template, right-click (desktop) or long-press (phone or tablet) and save the image below. Then print it out and you’re ready to go!

Step 2: Gather Objects

Look around your house or garden for things you could use to create the clothes in your picture. Try leaves, pebbles, bottle-caps, pieces of scrap paper, flower petals etc. You can either just lay them on the paper, or use glue to stick them into place.

Step 3: Take a Photo

Snap a photo of your creation and share it on social media. Tag @BrownPaperBunny and #BrownPaperBunny so I can see too.

Example:

Here’s one I created, using scraps of ribbon I had left over from wrapping presents, and a handful of sequins. I can’t wait to see how you finish yours!

Paint a Two-Tone Portrait

May 8, 2020

I'm going to show you how to paint a two-tone portrait today.

This is a re-do of an old portrait I created back in 2018. I thought it would be fun to see if I could improve on it given the practice I've had since then.

Here's the original. You can see I was a bit heavy-handed with the water, and I blended most of the shadow areas together into one dark mess. Let's see if we can improve on that!

Follow along with me and let's make a two-tone portrait together! Here's what you'll need to get started.

Supplies:

Step 1: Sketch Out Your Face

Find a good reference photo that has clearly defined shadow and light areas. If it's black and white, that's even better because we're going to be sticking to two main colors anyway. Pay particular attention to where the main light source or sun appears to be coming from. You'll find the shadows get darker in the areas that are furthest from that source.

Stick your watercolor paper onto your table to keep it from warping once you add water. Then sketch your face using your MONO Graph Mechanical Pencil. If you're not confident with your people-drawing skills, you can use tracing paper to transfer the basic shapes and location of the features onto your paper.

Step 2: Find the Shadows

Choose the two main colors that you want to use for your portrait. I've chosen blues and teals, but you could choose any colors that blend nicely together. For example, blue and purple, orange and pink, yellow and green etc.

Locate the darkest areas of shadow on your reference photo. Then, scribble some dark ink onto the Blending Palette and use your Water Brush to transfer the ink and map out those darkest areas on your watercolor paper.

Step 3: Layer Colors

Once your first layer is dry you can add additional colors or tones over the top. Work your way around the portrait, making sure to let the areas you've just painted dry before you paint the areas next to them, otherwise, the ink will bleed together (like in my original portrait). Use your darkest shades for shadows and your lightest colored Dual Brush Pens on the lightest parts of your portrait. Try to leave some of the paper free of color in the absolute lightest areas to provide more contrast.

Step 4: Add Details

Once you've added the bigger areas of color you can use the brush tip or the bullet tip on your Dual Brush Markers to add some smaller details like eyelashes, lip creases etc. You can also go over your darker areas of shadow with Dual Brush Pen directly for added impact and depth.

Step 5: Add a Background to Your Two-Tone Portrait

This step is optional, but you can add a soft wash to the background if you don't want to leave it white. For mine, I kept the right half lighter because that is where my light source was coming from, and gradually got darker as I moved to the right of the portrait.

Once everything is dry you're ready to snap a photo and share it with me on social media! Tag @BrownPaperBunny so I can see!

And if you're looking for more tutorials on portraits, or drawing people, check out my tutorial on How to Draw Lips.

Make a Carrot Banner for Easter

March 30, 2020

Today I’m going to you how to make a cute carrot banner for Easter. This is a great project to get the kids involved in, and looks super cute strung across a mantle or above a window or door. Here's what you'll need to get started.

Supplies:

Step 1: Draw and Color Your Carrots

The first step is to use your MONO Graph Mechanical Pencil to draw some carrot shapes onto your watercolor paper. Then, using your pastel Dual Brush Pens, color in each carrot. I made the tops of each one green, but you can go crazy with the colors however you'd like!

Next, blend the Dual Brush Pen ink using your Water Brush, to get a watercolor-look.

Step 2: Add Details

Once the first layer of ink is dry, use the bullet tip end of your Dual Brush Pens to add some details to each carrot.

Then use your MONO Drawing Pens to draw cute little faces onto each carrot. I like to add freckles to mine. ;)

Step 3: Cut Them Out

Using your scissors, carefully cut around each of your carrots, to get them ready for the final step.

Step 4: Glue Them Onto Ribbon

Using your MONO XL Multi Liquid Glue, glue each carrot onto ribbon or string. I like to put a little piece of scrap paper on the table when I'm gluing, just to keep my work surface clean. Also, it's best to let the carrot banner dry with the carrots facing down onto the table (the glue side facing up) to prevent them sticking to the table.

Once it's dry, you're ready to hang up your carrot banner for Easter!

I’d love to see how yours come out. Tag @BrownPaperBunny on social media so I can check it out!

If you’re looking for more Easter ideas, check out this tutorial on making watercolor Easter cards.

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Please note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which help pay for the upkeep of this site. That being said, I will never, ever promote anything I am not 100% in love with!

Make a Mail Art Envelope with Stamps

March 12, 2020

Today I’m going to show you how to make easy, gorgeous mail art with markers and stamps! Mail art is a guaranteed way to put a smile on someone's face and provide a lovely break from bills and junk mail! Plus, it will only take you a few minutes to create. Here's what you'll need to get started.

Supplies:

Tombow ABT PRO Alcohol-Based Markers
A thick envelope
Waffle Flower Stamps (I used Enveloper Me Stamp Set)
Black Stamp Pad
Waffle Flower Mini Media Mat
A small piece of cardboard

Step 1: Stamp on Your Design

Get out the stamps you want to use to decorate your envelopes. I'm using the Enveloper Me Stamp Set which was designed by Helen Dardik, one of my favorite artists. Next, we're going to cover the stamps in an even layer of ink. The best way to keep from getting ink everywhere is to lay your stamp (with the raised surface facing up) on your Mini Media Mat which is non-slip, waterproof and heat-resistant. Then dab ink all over the raised areas with your stamp pad. Next, line up your envelope with the stamp and gently press it down, making sure to apply even pressure all over. Repeat this step until you've stamped on all the designs you want to use to decorate your envelopes. Leave them somewhere out of the way until they have dried fully.

Step 2: Color Your Design

Next, we're going to color in our stamped designs using the Tombow ABT PRO Alcohol-Based markers. I love these markers because the color is so vibrant, and with the brush tip on one end and the chisel tip on the other you can color both tiny details or large areas easily. They also dry quickly which helps prevent you from smudging your work. I recommend placing a small piece of cardboard inside your envelope to stop any bleed-through from the markers as you color. Choose just a few colors that will work nicely together and complement your stamp design. I've chosen colors that felt like spring to me.

Step 3: Address the Envelope

Once your design is colored in, you're ready to address your envelope. You can use the ABT PRO markers for this part, or switch to the smaller brush of the Tombow Fudenosuke pen. Just make sure it is legible enough for the post office to deliver! There you have it, you've created some gorgeous mail art with Tombow and Waffle Flower. All that's left is to add a stamp, write a letter or card and you're ready to send your mail art!

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Please note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which help pay for the upkeep of this site. That being said, I will never, ever promote anything I am not 100% in love with!