Watercolor is my very favorite medium for painting ketubahs – and everything else I paint too. Whether you are ordering a ketubah from my collection or commissioning a hand-painted ketubah, watercolor is my medium of choice.
Back in art school and then my gallery days, I painted primarily in oils, but to be honest, watercolor has always been my favorite medium for many colorful reasons. Unlike opaque mediums such as oils or acrylics, watercolor is completely transparent. That means that I layer color over color to get the desired effect, creating that gorgeous organic flow of pigment that we all expect and love in watercolor paintings. I am also totally addicted to the thick, rough and absorbent texture of watercolor paper. It is absolutely my favorite surface to work on. All the ketubahs in my collections, whether printed or hand painted, come on that gorgeous textured paper.
Peonies ketubah
My watercolor ketubahs offer a range of themes. A fan favorite is the mountain landscape ketubah, from my nature themed ketubah collection. Another beloved design that really leans into the transparency and layering of watercolors is the Intertwined Peonies ketubah design. The Banyan tree ketubah also mixes a sophisticated combination of watercolor colors to make a powerful visual statement.
For couples who are drawn to a more figurative design, the Colorful Mystical Forest ketubah is a watercolor favorite.
As is the original Love Tree ketubah – the first ketubah design I ever made that wasn’t for myself or a specific couple!
Watercolor looks great with papercut ketubah designs!
If you are drawn to papercut ketubahs, watercolor is also a wonderful addition to the layers. My most popular papercut ketubah is the Paper Cut Love Tree, highlighted by a whimsical watercolor background.
Check out this custom hand painted paper cut layered ketubah I created for Dani and Ziv based on the layout of their neighborhood:
Add gold to your watercolor ketubah
I love the combination of transparent, whimsical watercolor ketubah art with the sparkling highlight of gold leaf. If you add gold leaf to your watercolor ketubah, whether you are ordering a print or an original, I will hand paint the gold leaf onto your design. Adding yellow or white gold to your ketubah watercolors really elevates the art and makes it more luxurious.
I love the combination of transparent, whimsical watercolor ketubah art with the sparkling highlight of gold leaf. If you add gold leaf to your watercolor ketubah, whether you are ordering a print or an original, I will hand paint the gold leaf onto your design. Adding yellow or white gold to your ketubah watercolors really elevates the art and makes it more luxurious.
Watercolor ketubah paper is great for signing
There is another reason that watercolor ketubahs are the way to go. You will want to sign your ketubah! Traditionally a ketubah is signed by a minimum of two witnesses, and modern day ketubahs are also signed by the bride, groom and rabbi or officiant. Signing canvas can only work with a permanent marker or Sharpie, but a watercolor ketubah is easy to sign with a pen. I personally love these. In my opinion, signatures look much nicer thin and on paper than on canvas.
