This is the link to the full you tube tutorial Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle | Fabric Painting Tutorials https://youtu.be/mwECqs3e8Z0
Cassie Cartmell – Faodail Creation
Table of Contents
Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting is a fun and creative way to add colour, shading and personality to fabric. In this tutorial, I’m going to show you how I used Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle water-soluble wax pastels to turn a simple hand-drawn underwater design into a colourful piece of fabric.
If you enjoy sewing, quilting, fabric art and experimenting with different ways to decorate fabric, Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting is definitely worth trying. The process is surprisingly simple. You apply the colour to dry fabric and then use a small amount of water to activate the pigment.
One of the things I particularly like about Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting is the amount of control you have over the finished colour. You can apply a lot of pigment for a stronger colour or use a small amount for a softer, more subtle effect.
The finished fabric can then be used for all sorts of sewing and quilting projects. You could turn your painted fabric into a pouch, quilt block, wall hanging, cushion or another creative project.
What Is Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting?
Exploring the Benefits of Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
Fabric Painting uses Caran D’Ache Neocolor II Aquarelle water-soluble wax pastels to create colour on fabric.
The pastels are activated with water. When you apply the water with a paintbrush or sponge, the pigment begins to spread and blend, creating an effect that is similar to watercolour painting.
Unlike ordinary colouring pencils or crayons, these water-soluble pastels allow you to manipulate the colour after it has been applied.
For Caran D’Ache Neocolor Aquarelle Fabric Painting, I found that working on dry fabric gave me better control. You can also wet the fabric before applying the colour, but I prefer to add the water afterwards because I can control exactly where the colour moves.
Why Try Caran D’Ache Neocolor Aquarelle Fabric Painting?
There are several reasons why this technique is so much fun.
First, it is very easy to experiment with. You don’t need to be an experienced artist to create something interesting.
Second, you can blend different colours together. You can put a darker colour on one side of an area and a lighter colour on the other side, then use water to blend the two colours together.
Third, you don’t necessarily have to colour every part of your design completely. Leaving areas of fabric showing through can create a lovely textured effect.
Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting also gives you the opportunity to create something completely personal.
You could draw your own design, use a child’s drawing, create a seasonal design or trace a design that you have created digitally.
Materials for Caran D’Ache Neocolor Aquarelle Fabric Painting
Before beginning your Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting, gather everything you need.
Supplies – Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
Below I have included links to my Amazon Affiliate links, if you purchase from any of these links I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
This is my Amazon Store : https://www.amazon.com/shop/faodailcreation
- Caran D’Ache Neocolor II Aquarelle water-soluble wax pastels – https://link.amazon/B08d3pKM2
- Muslin fabric – https://link.amazon/B0iYOETql
- Light box https://link.amazon/B0dCCGfwd
- Friction pen https://link.amazon/B0dsXYjZA
- Masking tape https://link.amazon/B06T0Fjx6
- Several paintbrushes – https://link.amazon/B0fr82kGO
- A container of clean water – https://link.amazon/B00qI96sc
- Paper towel – https://link.amazon/B07PhWWot
- Small sponge https://link.amazon/B07xoZtxx
- Your chosen design or drawing
I recommend having several different-sized paintbrushes available. A smaller brush is useful for tiny details, while a larger brush or sponge makes it much quicker to cover larger sections.
A piece of kitchen towel is also very useful. You can use it to wipe your brush between colours so you don’t accidentally mix colours together.
Choosing Fabric for Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
For this Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting project, I used muslin.
Muslin is commonly used for garment-making and other sewing projects. The fabric I used has a slightly canvas-like appearance with small black dots running through it.
I particularly liked working on this fabric because the water and pigment didn’t spread in the same way that they can on ordinary cotton.
When using water-based colour on regular cotton, you may find that the colour spreads more than you want. Depending on the fabric, you may need to experiment with a fabric medium or another preparation method.
The muslin gave me much more control during my Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting.
Preparing Your Design – Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
Before beginning the actual Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting, prepare the design you want to transfer onto the fabric.
For my project, I used a simple underwater scene that I had drawn myself.
It included fish, seaweed, sand, bubbles and water.
Create Your Own Design – Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
You don’t need to use an underwater design.
You could create:
- Flowers
- Animals
- Christmas designs
- Leaves
- Children’s drawings
- Seasonal illustrations
- Quilt blocks
- Simple landscapes
- Abstract designs
One idea I particularly like is asking children or grandchildren to create a drawing. You can then transfer their artwork onto fabric and turn it into a quilt block or another keepsake.
That makes Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting more than just a colouring technique. It can become a way of preserving someone’s artwork in a handmade project.
Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting: Step-by-Step Tutorial
Now let’s get into the Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting process.
Step 1: Prepare Your Light Pad – Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
Place your drawing onto your light box or light pad and secure it with masking tape.
I like to tape everything down because the last thing you want is for your design to move while you are tracing it.
For Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting, having a stable surface makes the preparation stage much easier.
Place the muslin fabric over the design.
I recommend cutting your fabric slightly larger than the finished area you want to paint. This gives you some extra fabric around the design, which means you can later cut it down and turn it into whatever sewing project you choose.
Step 2: Trace the Design – Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
Use a friction pen or other heat-erasable pen to trace the design onto the fabric.
For this Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting project, I used a Friction pen.
You don’t need to worry about making every single line absolutely perfect. The lines are simply there to give you a guide for where your colours need to go.
Trace around all the different sections of your design, including the fish, seaweed, sand, bubbles and other details.
Keep the Sections Simple – Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
Try to think of your design as a collection of separate areas.
For example, with my underwater scene, I could treat the fish as one area, the seaweed as another and the sand as another.
This makes Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting much less intimidating.
Step 3: Choose Your Colours
Before adding water, decide which colours you want to use.
One advantage of Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting is that the colour you see on the fabric is a good indication of the colour you will get after activation.
This differs from some other water-soluble products where the pigment can become significantly more intense after water is added.
For my fish, I used colours similar to the ones I had used in a previous fabric-marker project.
For the seaweed, I chose several shades of green.
For the water, I used blue.
Step 4: Apply the Dry Colour – Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
Start applying the Neocolor II pastels directly to the dry fabric.
For larger areas, you can apply colour fairly quickly.
You don’t need to fill every section perfectly because the water will help distribute the pigment.
For the fish scales, for example, I used a loose, squiggly application rather than carefully colouring every individual section.
This is one of the reasons I enjoy Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting. You don’t have to be incredibly precise for the finished result to look effective.
Don’t Overwork the Fabric – Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
Start with a relatively small amount of pigment.
You can always add more colour later, but it is more difficult to remove colour once you have applied it.
Step 5: Activate the Colour With Water
Once you have applied your dry pigment, dip your paintbrush into clean water.
Use the damp brush to activate the colour.
As soon as the water touches the pigment, you will see the colour begin to spread and blend.
This is the fun part of Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting.
You can control how much the colour moves by controlling how much water you use.
A small amount of water will give you more control, while more water can create a softer and more blended appearance.
Step 6: Create Shading With Different Colours – Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
To create shading, apply a darker colour to one side of an area and a lighter colour to another.
Then use your damp brush to activate and blend them together.
For example, when painting the seaweed, I applied a darker green to one side and a lighter green to the opposite side.
Once the water was added, the two colours blended beautifully.
This simple technique can make Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting look much more complicated than it actually is.
You can also leave some areas with very little colour. You don’t need to cover every part of the fabric.
Step 7: Use a Sponge for Larger Areas – Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
When you reach a larger section, such as the sand or the background water, a sponge can be much quicker than a small paintbrush.
Apply your pigment first and then use the damp sponge to activate the colour.
I found this particularly useful for the sand because I didn’t need the same level of precision as I did with the smaller fish details.
A sponge also gives the Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting a slightly different texture.
Experiment With Your Application – Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
Don’t be afraid to try different tools.
You could experiment with:
- Small paintbrushes
- Large paintbrushes
- Stiff brushes
- Sponges
- Different amounts of water
- Different amounts of pigment
Experimenting is part of the fun.
Step 8: Allow the Fabric to Dry – Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
This step is important when working with multiple colours.
Allow one section to dry before adding colour directly beside it.
If the fabric is still very wet, the colours may spread into each other.
For Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting, patience can give you much better control.
I like to work on one section at a time and allow areas to dry before adding small details such as the fish’s eye.
You can also leave the whole piece to dry before continuing.
Step 9: Add the Small Details – Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
Once the main sections are dry, you can go back and add the smaller details.
For the fish’s eye, I used a little grey followed by black in the centre.
Because the surrounding fabric was dry, I had much more control over where the darker colour went.
This is another advantage of Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting. You can build up your design gradually rather than trying to complete everything at once.
You can also add more pigment to areas that need additional depth.
Step 10: Let the Finished Piece Dry and Turn It Into a Sewing Project
Once your Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting is complete, allow the fabric to dry thoroughly.
You can then decide what you want to do with your finished piece.
For my project, I plan to turn the painted fabric into a pouch, but you could use it for many different sewing projects.
Some ideas include:
- A zipper pouch
- A quilt block
- A wall hanging
- A cushion
- A fabric panel
- A bag
- A decorative sewing project
- A handmade gift
The possibilities are really up to you.
Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting Tips
Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting is quite forgiving, but there are a few things I recommend remembering.
Start With Dry Fabric – Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
I personally prefer applying the pigment to dry fabric and activating it afterwards.
This gives me more control over where the colour goes.
Use Less Water
You don’t need to completely soak the fabric.
Start with a damp brush and add more water only if necessary.
Let Sections Dry – Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
If you are working with several colours next to each other, allowing the fabric to dry can prevent unwanted bleeding.
Use Different Brush Sizes
A tiny brush is perfect for details, while a larger brush or sponge is much more efficient for backgrounds and larger areas.
Test First – Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
Before starting your main project, test Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting on a scrap of the same fabric.
This lets you see how the pigment behaves and how much water you need.
Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting vs Fabric Markers
I had previously created a similar project using fabric markers.
The difference with Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting is that you can blend colours together using water.
With fabric markers, you generally have a more defined application. With the Neocolor II pastels, you can manipulate the pigment and create different shades and levels of intensity.
This makes the technique particularly useful when you want your fabric artwork to have more depth.
Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting vs Derwent Inktense
If you are familiar with Derwent Inktense products, you may notice similarities.
I have used Inktense products before, and they can produce very vibrant results.
For this particular project, however, I enjoyed using the Caran D’Ache Neocolor II Aquarelle pastels because they went onto the fabric smoothly.
The finished colours were also more predictable for this project because what I applied to the fabric was very close to what I saw after activating it with water.
Both products can have a place in your sewing room, and experimenting with different water-soluble products can be a great way to discover which one works best for your particular project.
What Can You Make With Painted Fabric?
Once you have completed your Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting, don’t feel that you have to leave the fabric as artwork.
One of my favourite things about combining fabric painting with sewing is that the painted fabric can become part of another project.
You could make a small pouch from your finished design.
You could also incorporate the painted section into a quilt.
A child’s drawing could become a special quilt block.
You could create several painted panels and combine them into a larger wall hanging.
Make Your Sewing Projects Personal
This technique is especially useful if you want to create handmade gifts.
Instead of buying a piece of printed fabric, you can create your own design and turn it into something completely unique.
That is what makes Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting such an enjoyable technique for sewing and quilting enthusiasts.
Final Thoughts on Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting
I really enjoyed experimenting with Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting for this underwater design.
The process is simple: draw your design, apply the dry pigment, activate it with water and allow the fabric to dry.
What makes the technique particularly interesting is how much you can achieve with very little effort.
You can create shading by combining light and dark colours, blend colours together, leave some areas of fabric uncoloured and use a sponge to create different textures.
I also love the idea of using this technique with children’s drawings. Imagine taking a drawing from a child or grandchild and turning it into a quilt block or handmade keepsake.
For me, that is where Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting becomes especially exciting. It isn’t simply about colouring fabric. It gives you another creative way to combine art, sewing and quilting.
If you enjoy experimenting with your sewing machine and trying new creative techniques, I definitely recommend giving water-soluble fabric painting a try.
And remember, you don’t have to create a perfect piece of artwork. Sometimes the most interesting fabric designs come from simply experimenting and seeing what happens.
I hope this Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting tutorial has inspired you to get out your fabric, pastels and paintbrushes and create something of your own.
If you enjoyed this tutorial, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel, where I share sewing, quilting and creative tutorials every Wednesday.
In my next tutorial, I’ll show you how I use thread painting to add even more detail to this underwater design before turning the finished fabric into a pouch or another sewing project.
Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting FAQ
Can you use Caran D’Ache Neocolor II Aquarelle on fabric?
Yes, they can be used to experiment with colouring fabric using water activation. Always test your particular fabric first because different fabrics can behave differently.
Do you need to wet the fabric first?
No. For this Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting project, I preferred working on dry fabric and activating the pigment afterwards. This gave me more control.
Does Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting bleed?
The amount of spreading will depend on the fabric and how much water you use. I found that the muslin fabric I used gave me good control and didn’t bleed as much as I expected.
Can you blend colours?
Yes. One of the most enjoyable parts of Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 Aquarelle Fabric Painting is blending different colours with water.
What can you make with painted fabric?
You can use your finished fabric for pouches, quilt blocks, wall hangings, cushions, bags and many other sewing and quilting projects.
Read this next : Fabric Painting with Pebeo Fabric Markers – Incredible Beginner Techniques for Stunning Fabric Art https://faodailcreation.ca/2026/05/28/fabric-painting-with-pebeo-fabric-markers/
