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Imagination Stamp Watercolour Ink Project

Capture a nostalgic moment with the Imagination stamp by Andy Skinner from the Imagination series. This amazingly detailed stamp preserves every fine line of Andy’s illustration – from the little cowboy’s hat, boots and dungarees to the fairy girl’s wings, and tutu, and includes the handwritten sentiment “Imagination takes us everywhere”.

Combined with soft, watercolour-style colouring using Cosmic Shimmer water-based inks , the stamp becomes the focal point of a clean, elegant card. Transparent layers of ink gently tint the image without hiding the detail, while a few simple colour mixes create warm golden wings, denim blues and pretty pastels. The result is a charming keepsake that looks hand-painted, yet is easy to achieve with just basic brushwork.

Watch the full tutorial

Stamp the Imagination Image
Position the Imagination stamp on a stamping platform with the ready to stamp cardstock in place. Ink the stamp with Versafine Clair Nocturne . This is a sponge-style pad, so a light tapping motion is enough – there’s no need to press hard. Close the lid of the platform onto the card and press evenly across the image. Lift the platform and check the impression. If any area looks light, stamp again – the platform keeps everything perfectly aligned. Dry the stamped image completely before adding colour. The fine lines and shading in this stamp are a big part of the finished look, so a crisp, well-inked impression is essential.

Paint Using Water-based Inks
Decant a small amount of Buff water-based ink onto parchment paper or palette using the pipette. A little goes a long way. Dampen a small round brush, then blot off the excess water so the brush is just slightly moist. Pick up the Buff ink and paint all the skin areas. This creates a gentle skin tone while allowing the stamped shading to show through. Dry before moving on. You should test all inks on a scrap piece of card before painting your stamped image to make sure the colour is not too overpowering.

Paint other sections of the design in colours of your choice in the same way. Andy used Dark Walnut ink for the hair, hat and boots. A mix of French Mustard , Mushroom and Buff inks was used for the fairy wings, tutu and ballet shoes. Mix Cobalt Blue Hue and Mushroom inks for a suitable denim colour of the shorts. To complement the wings and tutu, the boy’s hair was given a warm golden tone with French Mustard ink. Hot Magenta ink was softened by mixing with Buff for a the girls top and the boys was painted with a mix of Cold Stee l, Cobalt Blue Hue and Hot Magenta.

Finishing Touches & Mounting
Check for any small areas that need tidying or strengthening – additional layers of ink can be added for deeper colour where desired. Trim the panel neatly, leaving space for the sentiment “Imagination takes us everywhere” beneath the image if it hasn’t already been stamped as part of the original impression. Adhere to a card blank, or place the finished piece into a simple frame for a keepsake.