Fall Watercolor Banner DIY

The leaves are starting to change and pumpkins are popping up everywhere, that means it is time for Fall and all the festivities that come along with this amber filled season. When a hint of cool air hits our cheeks we all know summer is passing and our home decor is shifting.

In this tutorial I will show you how to create a fall banner using the Handmade Modern Watercolor Set. You can get festive and hang it on your door or if you want to see it all day, display it on your wall. It only requires the Watercolor Set and a handful of supplies that you may already have laying around the house.

Supplies Needed: 

• Handmade Modern Watercolor Set
• One piece of 300lb Cold Press Watercolor Paper, I used a 12x16 sheet (cut down from a 12x18” sheet) but if you want a smaller banner you can use an 11x14” or 8x10” sheet.
• 15” wood dowel ( if you do you use a smaller sheet of watercolor paper, use a shorter dowel to accommodate the smaller sized banner. For example, for an 8x10” sheet I suggest a 10-11” dowel.)
• Ribbon or jute for hanging
• Hot Glue Gun
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Water cup and paper towel for painting

Instructions:  

Step 1

Grab your ruler and place it at the bottom of your paper. Measure to the center of your paper and mark it with a dot.

Step 2

Starting from the bottom. measure 4 inches up the side of your paper and make a mark on the edge. Do this for both sides. If you did choose to use an 8x10” sheet of paper, measure 2 inches up the side instead of 4 inches.

Step 3

Then using the ruler, line it up with the dot on the bottom to the dot along the edge of the paper, creating an angle. Then draw a line across to mark the paper. Do this for both sides.

Step 4

Once your paper is marked, use your scissors to cut along each line. You will end up with a banner shape.

Step 5

While your glue gun is heating up, center the wooden dowel along the top edge of the paper. Use your pencil to mark the two places where the dowel meets the edge of the paper (right and left side). Doing this will help you place the dowel center to the paper quickly after you apply the glue. Once the dowel is marked and the glue is hot, apply the glue in a thin line in between the two marks made on the dowel. Then place it on the top edge of the paper and press down.

Step 6

Once the glue is dry, it is time to start outlining the design. Using your pencil lightly, create a large open oval, leaving space along the edges. On the inside of the oval write “ Happy Fallidays.”

Step 7

It is painting time! Grab your Handmade Modern Watercolor Set and use the one round brush in the set to paint the whole banner. Start by using one of the reds to paint in the word “Happy” and then use orange to paint in “Fallidays.”

Step 8

Using a mix of reds and yellows, paint mini apples, using the oval line as a guide for placement. You want them spaced out so you can later paint leaves around them.

Step 9

Start adding some fall colored flowers towards the top half of the banner, spacing them out along the oval line. Explore the idea of mixing colors to get deeper fall hues. Mix a little bit of blue into the red to get a dark red. If you want more of a purple blue, mix more blue with a bit of red. If you want a chocolate red, mix red and a bit of brown together.

Step 10

Start painting leaves and berries into the empty spaces around the apples and flowers, using orange, yellow and red.

Step 11

Take a look at the full painting and make sure it looks nice and full. If you see any spaces, fill them to complete the painting of the banner.

Step 12

Once the painting is dry, cut some ribbon to the length that you want for hanging the banner. Tie a knot around both ends of the dowel to attach the ribbon.

The project is complete. Now you have a new beautiful fall decoration to add some festivity to your home!

Rachel is the artist and founder of Pink Puddle Studio LLC. Her mural work has been televised on CNBC’s Cash Pad. Her work has been featured in HGTV Magazine, Phoenix New Times, Phoenix Home & Garden, Arizona Highways Magazine and College Times.

Connect with Rachel on instagram @pinkpuddlestudio and www.pinkpuddlestudio.com