No watercolor paints? No problem! Learn how to make gorgeous watercolor marker art using washable markers, water, and a plastic bag. This easy watercolor technique is perfect for kids, classrooms, homeschool, camps, and beginner artists!

If you’ve ever wanted to create beautiful watercolor art but didn’t want to invest in expensive paints and supplies, you’re going to love this easy trick!

This watercolor marker art technique creates soft, colorful watercolor backgrounds using nothing more than washable markers, a plastic bag, and a little water. It’s inexpensive, incredibly easy, and every single design comes out completely unique.

Fair warning–this craft is so darn easy and cheap and you will create way more watercolor things than you even know what to do with!!!

Right before we went on our camping trip–I stumbled upon this watercolor hack video from It’s Always Autumn. So I threw in the supplies before we left because I already had all of them around the house. When we had some down time to craft, I pulled out the supplies, gave a brief tutorial and let everyone create! They ended up creating for hours! It’s so fun and easy and can make such different results each time!

Whether you’re making homemade cards, bookmarks, printable wall art, or simply looking for a fun afternoon craft, this watercolor marker technique is one you’ll want to try again and again.

Why You’ll Love This Watercolor Marker Art

• No watercolor paints required
• Perfect for kids and adults
• Uses inexpensive supplies
• Every artwork turns out differently
• Great for classrooms, camps, homeschool, and rainy days
• Makes beautiful cards, bookmarks, gift tags, and wall art

---

Supplies You’ll Need

• Washable Crayola markers
• Plastic zipper bag or gallon-sized storage bag
• Spray bottle filled with water
• White cardstock or watercolor paper
• Paper towels
• Printable designs, bookmarks, or cards (optional)

Pro Tip: While watercolor paper creates beautiful results, regular white cardstock works wonderfully and is much more budget-friendly.

Prepping for Painting

I decided to make my own inspirational printables–cause you know how I love creating cut files! You can find them in my shop here! I also just added some NOTECARDS that work great with this! 

I printed my pages from my printer on regular cardstock. I did have some watercolor paper but my printer doesn’t handle thick paper really well and watercolor can get really pricey. I also purchased some blank notecards and bookmarks so the girls could have a variety of things to make!

You can just do blank paper and people can add in their own quotes or drawings with pen after the watercolor dries.

How to Make Watercolor Marker Art

Step 1: Color the Plastic Bag

Lay your plastic bag flat on the table.

Using washable markers, color directly onto the bag. There aren’t any rules here! Draw stripes, swirls, dots, scribbles, or random shapes using one color or several colors together.

Tip: You can also use a piece of aluminum foil instead of a plastic bag like we did here for our fun Turkey Craft. Both create beautiful watercolor effects!

Step 2: Spray with Water

Using a spray bottle, lightly mist the marker ink.

You’re looking for just enough water to activate the marker without washing everything away.

Too much water creates muddy colors.

Too little water won’t allow the colors to blend together.

Don’t worry if it takes a few tries—every experiment creates a different (and usually beautiful) result!

This one didn’t have enough water- but look how cool!

Step 3: Press the Paper onto the Ink

Lay your cardstock or watercolor paper directly onto the wet marker design.

Instead of placing the plastic bag on top of the paper, place the paper onto the bag. This helps prevent water from dripping everywhere.

Flip the bag and paper over if you’d like to see where the colors are transferring. You can gently rub the back with your fingers to blend the colors and help them spread.

Step 4: Peel Away the Plastic

Now for the best part!

Carefully lift the paper away from the plastic to reveal your colorful watercolor masterpiece.

Every single print comes out differently, making this one of the most exciting parts of the project.

You’ll never know exactly what you’re going to get—and that’s what makes it so much fun!

Step 5: Let Your Artwork Dry

Lay your artwork flat or clip it to a drying line until completely dry.

Once dry, you can:

• Add hand lettering
• Write inspirational quotes
• Turn it into greeting cards
• Make bookmarks
• Frame your artwork
• Create gift tags

We had everyone write their names on the back before hanging them to dry.

Then we clipped it up to let dry.

Step 6: Clean Up and Create Again

Simply wipe off the plastic bag with a paper towel and you’re ready to make another design.

That’s one of the best parts about this project—you can make dozens of watercolor backgrounds using the exact same supplies.

Try experimenting with:

• One color only
• Rainbow stripes
• Dots
• Swirls
• Crinkling the plastic bag
• Using very little water
• Using lots of blended colors

Each technique creates a completely different look.

Creative Ways to Use Your Watercolor Marker Art

Once your watercolor backgrounds have dried, turn them into all kinds of fun projects!

Ideas include:

• Homemade greeting cards
• Bookmarks
• Bible journaling pages
• Printable wall art
• Inspirational quotes
• Scrapbook embellishments
• Gift tags
• Teacher appreciation gifts
• Handmade birthday cards
• Kids’ bedroom decorations

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make watercolor art with markers?

Yes! Washable markers react with water to create beautiful watercolor effects that look surprisingly similar to traditional watercolor paint.

Do washable markers work best?

Absolutely. Washable Crayola markers consistently produce the brightest colors and blend the easiest.

What paper works best?

Watercolor paper gives the richest colors, but white cardstock works extremely well and is much less expensive.

Is this a good craft for kids?

Definitely! This is one of our favorite art projects for kids because it’s easy, inexpensive, and there isn’t a “wrong” way to do it. Every child creates something unique.

---

Tips for the Best Results

• Don’t oversaturate the plastic with water.
• Try blending complementary colors together.
• Use heavier cardstock if you don’t have watercolor paper.
• Let artwork dry completely before writing on it.
• Experiment with different marker patterns for endless designs.

Save This Watercolor Marker Art Tutorial for Later!

Too busy to get crafting today? No problem! Pin this post to remind yourself about this project later! Sharing my projects helps me reach more people, allowing me to continue sharing free content!

The BEST kid crafts and activities

and when I say kids, I mean kids of all ages!

• black glue art
• salt art
• hot rocks
• Yarn bracelets
• DIY window clings with puff paint
• Play dough activity mats
• Melted crayon art
• magic wallet
• Learn to make black scratch paper
• Melted Crayon Suncatcher
• Pressed Flowers Jar
• Bleeding Tissue craft

If you are looking for more fun kids’ crafts- my craft camp has two weeks full of fun projects that you will love to do as well!

Okay! go create!

Final Thoughts

Sometimes the simplest crafts become our favorites, and this watercolor marker art project is proof of that! With just a few everyday supplies, you can create beautiful watercolor backgrounds that look like they were painted by hand.

Whether you’re crafting with your kids on a rainy afternoon, planning an art activity for your classroom, or looking for a relaxing creative project for yourself, this easy watercolor technique is one you’ll find yourself making again and again.

If you give this project a try, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and let me know what colors or designs you created—and don’t forget to share a photo of your finished masterpiece!