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Simple Watercolor Backgrounds with Tombow Dual Brush Pens

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Make these beautiful and simple watercolor backgrounds with Tombow dual brush pens featuring watercolor smooshing and wet-on-wet watercolor techniques.

Skill level: Beginner

Time to Learn: 30 minutes

Watercolor backgrounds flat lay image with Tombow markers

Did you know that you can create watercolor backgrounds using Tombow markers? I like to use these watercolor backgrounds for lettering on or even adding some line art on top of. They add a great little pop of color to artwork, but they are super easy to make! There is no right or wrong way to use these watercolor background techniques because each background is totally unique!

The watercolor smoosh and wet-on-wet watercolor techniques are two methods featured in this tutorial. You can watch the 6-minute video below or see the step by steps in text and photos.

Tombow Watercolor Backgrounds

Supplies Needed:

Tombow Watercolor Background Smooshing Technique

Start with a piece of watercolor paper cut down to your desired size. I’m using a piece cut to 5″ x 4″ in my example.

Next, using a plastic bag or plastic wrap, take the Tombow markers and color on the plastic. Be sure not to color on more plastic than your paper is wide.

Tombow markers colored on top of a plastic bag

Next, add some drops of water to the plastic on top of the marker. You can also use a fine mist spray bottle to we the plastic as well.

Flip the plastic bag over and place it on top of the watercolor paper. Then take your finger and “smoosh” the colors around.

Watercolor smooshing technique

Keep rubbing your finger around to transfer all of the marker and water onto the watercolor paper. When finished, slowly peel up the plastic.

Peeling up the plastic bag from paper after watercolor smoosh.

Sometimes excess water may pool in one area. If this happens use the corner of a clean paper towel to gently blot up the excess. Otherwise, leave the new watercolor smoosh background to dry before adding any lettering or line art on top.

Looking for Supplies?

Check out my Amazon Storefront where I’ve saved all of the products I use in my projects. These are all supplies that I use and would recommend!

Tombow Wet on Wet Watercolor Background Technique

The next method involves using the plastic paint palette to create watercolors with Tombow markers.

Gently color in one well of the paint palette with the Tombow marker, and repeat for each color you will be using.

Tombow markers being colored on a plastic paint palette.

Add a drop of water to each paint well you just filled with marker, and mix up to create a watercolor paint.

Next on a new sheet of watercolor paper, add a light wash of clean water. You don’t need to oversaturate the paper, just a light gentle wash of water will do the trick.

Using the watercolor paint you created, “blob” it on the watercolor paper where you’ve added the wash. The wet watercolor paint will create a nice feathered effect when it hits the water.

Wet on wet watercolor technique

Continue painting and blobbing until you achieve your desired look and effect. I love using this method to create galaxy look backgrounds.

The wet on wet watercolor method will produce a less saturated and softer look than the watercolor smoosh method. Remember that neither of these methods is an exact science and that is the beauty of it. You cannot “mess up” because no two watercolor backgrounds will ever look the same!

Watercolor backgrounds flat lay image with Tombow markers

Watch the step by step tutorial video below to see both Tombow Watercolor Background methods!

More watercolor tutorials:

Watercolor backgrounds pin image

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