Last Updated on October 16, 2024 by Dee
Looking for a printable whale template? Check out these 20+ traceable whales for watercolor painting! Featuring a variety of whale designs, these templates are perfect for anyone looking to add some creativity and flair to their next whale artwork or whale craft. Grab the FREE Whale Templates at the end of this post!
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20+ Free Traceable Whale Templates
What can you do with your printable free template?
These whale outlines and template printables can be used to create whimsical art in your art journal, creative journal, junk journal, or bullet journal (I use them all :)).
Use them for beautifying your whale crafts, school projects, posters, bulletin boards, invitations, home decor
How to Transfer the Printable Whale Template to Watercolor Paper (Method One)
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- Print out your whale template on standard printer paper.
- Tape your printed template to a window with light behind it so that you can see the outline of the whale coming through.
- Using a soft lead pencil (2B, 4B, 6B, or 8B), trace over the printed outline of the whale template so that you can see through the paper. Do this quite firmly so that you have left enough lead on the surface to be transferred easily onto the watercolor paper.
- Place your printed whale template with the traced pencil outline face-down on your watercolor paper.
- Using your pencil once again, trace the printed whale outline so that the pencil line gets transferred to your watercolor paper.
- Voila! You have your transferred shape, and you don’t need to draw it freehand by yourself!
- Now you can use your watercolor or watercolor brush pens and start your painting 🙂
How to Transfer the Whale Template to Watercolor Paper (Method Two)
Here are some quick steps to get your template ready to use for easy whale craft.
- Open your Whale Printable Template PDF and select print.
- Choose the size you want to print to.
- Print the stencil onto a mylar transparency sheet. (Alternatively, you can print the whale template onto a standard piece of paper and then trace it onto a piece of plastic mylar after)
- On a cutting mat, use a craft knife to carefully cut out the shapes of your whale shape.
- Your stencil is now ready to use.
- Place your whale stencil on watercolor paper.
- Tape down your sheet of watercolor paper using artist masking tape.
- If you want to, you can start your watercolor painting by first applying a light wash of color before you begin with your top layer. This can create a lovely layered effect!
- Spray the back of your whale stencil using spray adhesive and stick it on your watercolor paper.
- Start applying washes of watercolor over the paper and the stencil. You will find that to paint into the crevices, and small spaces of the stencil you need to manipulate your paintbrush. It is important that the watercolor paint doesn’t bleed underneath the stencil, so always work with a light touch.
- Allow the paint to dry fully before removing the stencil.
- Use warm water and soap to gently wash the stencil (if using a plastic watercolor stencil) so that it can be reused and is ready for the next time!
Essential Watercolor Painting Supplies List
This is our go-to list of recommended watercolor painting supplies that we use for all our watercolor art, junk journaling, and art journaling!
Board: If you’re using watercolor paper from a pad or sheets, you might want to tape your paper down to a board to prevent warping.Other Ways Use Your Free Printable Whale Template…
Watercolors: Windsor & Newton is a reputable brand that offers high-quality watercolor paints. You can choose from their range of professional-grade watercolor tubes or pans, depending on your preference.
Watercolor Paper: Look for cold-pressed, 140lb (300gsm) watercolor paper for the best results. This type of paper is durable and has a nice texture that’s ideal for watercolor painting.
Brushes: A selection of round and flat brushes in various sizes will give you the versatility you need for different strokes and details. Sable or synthetic brushes designed for watercolor will give you the best performance.
Palette: A mixing palette with wells for both mixing and holding your paints is essential. It can be a simple plastic one or a porcelain palette for a more luxurious feel.
Water Container: Any clean jar or container will do, but having two for clean and dirty water can help keep your colors pure.
Masking Fluid: This is used to cover areas of your painting that you want to keep white. Make sure to apply it with an old brush or a dedicated masking fluid brush, as it can ruin fine bristles.
Pencils: A soft pencil, like a 2B, is great for sketching your design before painting.
Eraser: A kneaded eraser is gentle on watercolor paper and can lift pencil lines without damaging the surface.
Paper Towels or a Rag: These are useful for blotting your brush to control the amount of water and paint.
7 Fun and Creative Ways to Use the Whale Templates
Here’s a list format of 7 Fun and Creative Ways to Use the Whale Templates:
- Educational Activities: Use the templates for learning activities such as labeling whale anatomy or creating an ocean diorama for kids.
- Watercolor Painting: Use the whale outlines as guides for creating beautiful ocean-themed watercolor art.
- Kids’ Coloring Pages: Print the templates and let kids have fun coloring them with markers, crayons, or paints.
- Craft Projects: Incorporate the whale templates into junk journals, scrapbooks, or DIY home decor.
- Paper Collage Art: Cut out the templates and use them in layered paper collages for a textured, creative project.
- Party Decorations: Create fun, ocean-themed party decor like banners, cupcake toppers, or table centerpieces using the whale designs.
- Gift Wrapping: Print smaller versions of the whale templates to make unique gift tags or decorative wrapping accents.
Grab the Free Printable Whale Templates HERE (below)!
To access the free in-post printables for this post, you’ll just need to create a free account or login with the Grow.me tool. Then, confirm by email and refresh the page and ALL my free printables will automatically unlock in every post!
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