Fairy Tales

Techniques for creating woodland backgrounds

Hi Messians!

As we are in the season of fairy tales, I thought a cool idea for my tutorial this week would be to explore that woodland, forest look that is synonymous with so many of our favourite tales.

In this video are 5 different techniques for you to try, using simple materials and household objects. I have then detailed them one by one in the images.

Technique 1: Twigs + Skinny Felt Tips

Supply list: A variety (3-5) of twigs, a selection of thin nibbed felt tips in your chosen forest colours

Technique 2. Twigs + Chunky Felt Tips

Supply list: A variety (3-5) of twigs, a selection of thick nibbed felt tips in your chosen forest colours

The combination of techniques 1 +2

Technique 3. Twigs, Felt Tips + Water

Supply list: A variety (3-5) of twigs, a selection of thick and thin nibbed felt tips in your chosen forest colours, a pot of water and paintbrush

Technique 3 is adding water to your felt tip trees from the first two techniques

Technique 4. Wild Inky Woods

Supply list: A selection of ink colours, a pot of water, paintbrush and hairdryer

Embrace the random marks you get from technique 4!

 Technique 5. Ink Trees

Supply list: A selection of ink colours, a pot of water, paintbrush and plastic straw

Beautiful spindly trees

Technique 6. Bleach + Ink

Supply list: A selection of ink colours, a pot of water, a pot of mixed bleach and water, paint brush and hairdryer

The inclusion of bleach adds another dimension to your woods

Action Step

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Try layering at least two of these techniques for a dense woodland scene in your journal!

Julia

Julia is a British designer and creative enthusiast. She loves to express herself through shape, colour and pattern – living by the ethos of more is more!

Learn more about Julia

20 Comments

  1. Courtney Meissner
    Courtney Meissner on Aug 29, 2017 at 19:47

    I love your tutorials, Julia! The effects are soo pretty!

  2. Eleanor McComb
    Eleanor McComb on Aug 30, 2017 at 07:11

    Julia with the ink genius!

    • Julia Cusworth
      Julia Cusworth on Sep 24, 2017 at 18:21

      Stop making me blush Elly!! <3

  3. Clare Davis Etheridge
    Clare Davis Etheridge on Aug 30, 2017 at 14:10

    Love it! I am going to give this a go this week. Thanks Jules x

    • Julia Cusworth
      Julia Cusworth on Sep 24, 2017 at 18:21

      Your versions of this blew me away! 🙂

  5. Katie Smith
    Katie Smith on Aug 31, 2017 at 14:51

    These are so spooky and good!

  6. Sasha Zinevych
    Sasha Zinevych on Sep 2, 2017 at 08:32

    You are always so creative with your tools!

  7. Ashley Rodgers
    Ashley Rodgers on Sep 5, 2017 at 18:57

    So creative! I can’t wait to give it a go.

  8. Misty Granade
    Misty Granade on Sep 7, 2017 at 21:57

    LOVE

  9. CIndy Jacobs
    CIndy Jacobs on Sep 8, 2017 at 00:57

    Wow! So simple and yet it is SO beautiful!!! I can’t wait to get to it!

  10. Elizabeth D.
    Elizabeth D. on Sep 16, 2017 at 19:50

    These turned out lovely, Julia! Love the colors you used as well. xx