Paint Wax-Resist Watermelon Place Cards
A white crayon keeps watercolor from covering the seed shapes on these watermelon place cards. Paint the fruit along the bottom and leave the top plain for a guest’s name. The cards stand on their own on a dry picnic table or buffet.
Cut and plan six cards
- Two 9-by-12-inch sheets of cold-pressed watercolor paper, around 140 lb, plus a scrap for practice
- A white wax crayon, pink and green watercolors, and a small round brush
- A ruler, pencil, scissors, a blunt creasing tool, a cup of water, a cloth, and a dark fine-tip pen
Cut six rectangles, each 4 by 6 inches. Mark the halfway point along both 6-inch edges and crease between the marks without cutting the paper. Keep each rectangle open and flat for painting. On the panel that will face forward, lightly sketch a watermelon wedge about 2 inches wide, with its curved edge near the bottom of the card.
Let the wax do the drawing
- Rub the crayon firmly over five or six small teardrop shapes inside the wedge. Draw a narrow wax line just inside the curved edge to separate the pink flesh from the green rind.
- Brush a light pink wash over the flesh. Blot any puddles with the corner of a cloth instead of scrubbing at the wax. Let the pink dry before painting a thin green band beneath the wax line.
- Let the paper dry completely. Write the name above the wedge, fold on the crease, and spread the bottom edges until the card stands. Use the blank back for a table number or leave it plain.
Check the resist on scrap paper
If the seeds disappear under the wash, the wax may be too light or the brush too dry. Press harder with the crayon and use a more fluid wash on the next card. If the green runs into the pink, leave a slightly wider wax gap and wait until the flesh no longer looks glossy before adding the rind.
