Hot Air Balloon Birthday Card + Matching Envelope Tutorial

Creating a handmade birthday card shows a level of thoughtfulness and effort that makes your recipient feel extra special. It’s a win-win, because the creation process provides a fun way to practice your art and lettering skills. In today’s tutorial, I’ll show you how to make a delightful hot air balloon-themed birthday card and a corresponding envelope.

1. Gather Your Supplies

You’ll need the following supplies to make this card and envelope pair:

• Pre-folded blank watercolor cards – or you can cut watercolor paper to 10″ x 7″ and fold in half
• High-quality white envelope – for best results, buy from one of these sources
• Pencil + eraser
• Parallel glider or ruler
• Watercolor palette
• Paintbrush (size 2-ish)
• Pilot G2 Extra Fine black gel pen
• Circus Lettering Exemplar
• Postage stamps
• MicroGlaze (optional)

2. Draw an Outline and Lettering

Start by making the birthday card. First, use a pencil to trace around a circular object in the upper part of your blank watercolor card to create a large circle that will fit the “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” message.

Next, use your pencil to freehand draw two curved sets of guidelines. Within each set, the guidelines should be ~5/8″ (16 mm) apart. Leave a space of 1/8″ (3 mm) between the two sets. Once you draw the guidelines, use a ruler to mark the middle of the card. This will help you to center the lettering that you’ll use these guidelines to make.

Now, observe the Circus Lettering Exemplar and use it to help you write “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” on the curved lines. For a project like this, I usually start from the middle and write outward to ensure proper centering. So, for the word “HAPPY”, I wrote the first “P” first, then the “A” and the second “P”, then “H” and “Y”. You don’t have to do this, but it can really help to keep your words centered.

3. Add Embellishments to the Circle

Next, use your pencil to add embellishments to the circle, ensuring that horizontal embellishments follow the contour of the lettering guidelines. Add vertical stitches at the top, following the contours of a ball to create dimension.

Finish up by drawing a simple basket at the bottom. Make sure the bottom of the basket is the same distance from the bottom edge of the card as the top of the balloon is from the top edge of the card.

4. Add “Strings” to Transform Your Circle into a Hot Air Balloon

Now, draw a squished halo shape about 1/2″-3/4″ (13 mm – 19 mm) above the basket.

Use a parallel glider or a ruler to make several lines that connect the lower part of the halo shape to the bottom horizontal embellishment in your circle. The top part of the halo shape should connect to the bottom of the circle.

Finish up by using several vertical lines to attach the halo shape to the basket. Then, add a few crisscrosses and some weight bags to the basket. If you want to, you can embellish the balloon further at this step. (For example, I added some additional embellishments just below the line of circles under “BIRTHDAY”).

Once you complete this step, try to erase all of the guidelines around “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” the best that you can. Otherwise, the guidelines will show up through the watercolor that we’ll apply in the next step.

5. Add Watercolor

Get out your favorite watercolor palette, and add a little bit of water to a yellow value and a red value. Let the water soak for a minute or two to moisten the pans.

Use a size 2-ish paintbrush to add some yellow to the balloon. Then, before the yellow dries, put some red on top of it. The red will spread out and blend a bit with the yellow, giving the illustration a bright, artistic effect.

Continue to paint until you’ve added color to the entire ballon except for the lettering.

6. Go Over Pencil Lines with Ink

Once your watercolor completely dries, use a black gel pen to trace over any pencil lines with ink. I find that a Pilot G2 Extra Fine works well.

Continue to trace until no pencil lines remain. Once you’ve done that, you’re finished with the birthday card!

7. Make the Envelope

Write the Recipient’s Name

To make a coordinating envelope, begin by using your black gel pen to write the recipient’s first name using Circus lettering on the right side of the card. Then, use faux calligraphy to write their last name underneath. Finish up by writing the address under both names in a Sans Serif lettering style.

Draw Balloons

Next, use the skills that you learned while making the birthday card to draw pencil drafts of three simple hot air balloons.

Now, add some watercolor to the hot air balloons.

Again, wait for your watercolor to dry (~2 minutes). Then, use your pen to trace over the pencil lines and add embellishments to the balloons.

Add Postage

Add a postage stamp collage, preferably in colors that correspond with your balloons. Then, the birthday card and envelope pair is ready to send!

To prevent the watercolor or the ink on your envelope running, consider waterproofing the envelope. It’s an extra step, yes, but doing so will ensure that your envelope arrives in mint condition.

I sincerely hope you enjoyed this tutorial! It might not be a quick project, but it offers a relaxing artistic retreat. If you have time this weekend, you’ll enjoy creating both the birthday card and the envelope!

Thanks very much for reading TPK, and happy creating.

Warmly,

This tutorial originally appeared on the TPK Blog in July 2018. It has been rewritten for clarity.

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