By: Mai Lagdameo of @mai.notebook
Hello! Mai here, from @mai.notebook on Instagram. I’m here to do a quick and easy tutorial on how to make a fun Father’s Day card. This is something you can work on by yourself, or with kids! The first step to getting started is to gather your tools and materials.
First, I used my STEEL M-701 Mechanical Pencil to lightly sketch my drawing. I love using this pencil because it’s durable and heavy, and I feel it gives me a steadier hand when sketching or writing. For this Father’s Day card, I wanted to use a popsicle pun-inspired theme, so I drew a popsicle with a bite bitten from the top.
Step 3: Add Color to Your Drawing
Next, I opted to use my Zensations Mechanical Colored Pencils to color my popsicle drawing in. I love the texture that these pencils create on watercolor paper, which is what I used here. You do not have to use watercolor paper if you don’t have it on hand; I would recommend cardstock or any heavy weight paper.
Step 4: Blend the Colors Together
After coloring the drawing in, I like to blend the colored pencil colors together with a small piece of paper towel. You can use more professional tools, like an actual blender, if you have it—but this trick will deliver the same results. Can you see the difference?
Step 5: Outline Your Drawing
The next step is to outline the edges to really make the drawing pop (get it?) more. For this, I used my favorite Zebra Zensations Technical Drawing Pen. It comes in an assorted tip sizes so you can find the perfect thinness or thickness for your project.
Step 6: Cut Out Your Drawing
Now that the popsicle drawing is finished, I cut it out using scissors. We will then use double-sided tape to stick it onto the actual card. This step is optional—you can most certainly draw your design directly onto the card itself if you’d like to—but I think this step is fun and whimsical, while also adding more dimension.
Once you’ve stuck your popsicle on the card, you can go ahead and take your favorite Zebra brush pen and write, “Stay cool, Dad” wherever you like. I used my own personal brush pen of choice, the Zensations Super Fine Brush Pen. This is my go-to brush pen because I love the stiffness of the brush. It also has a nice rich, black color, and is archival quality. If you’re looking to incorporate more color, I would suggest you try using the Funwari Brush Pens. They are great as well and come in six colorful hues.
Step 7: Write a Message Inside the Card
For the inside of the card, I wanted to collaborate with my daughter and include her in this activity. So, I went ahead and let her write the greeting using the new ClickArt Retractable Marker Pens. These are AMAZING for kids because not only are they so vibrant, but they never dry out! I know, right? You need a set if you have kids, or if you’re just forgetful like me!
I had the chance to sneak in one more pun in there, so I did. All dads love dad jokes anyway, right? This time I used my Mildliner Brush Pens to letter. I love these pens too because they come in such beautiful colors. Another quality I like about them is that they are double-ended—meaning they have a brush and a bullet tip at either end. You can get as creative as you like with your composition.
And, there you have it! A super easy and fun activity you can do even with kids. Wishing all the dads a very Happy Father’s Day! For more DIY projects, learn How to Start a Gratitude Journal.
