In this Journal With Me, I’m playing with one of my favorite little “happy accidents” in illustrated journaling: diluted fountain pen inks that behave like watercolor. I mix the same ink at a few different values—full strength down to super pale—and then build soft, watercolor-style florals right in my journal. If you’ve ever wanted that dreamy, washed look without pulling out a whole paint palette, this is such a cozy way to get there. I also talk through a negative painting approach for adding definition: instead of outlining every petal, I let the lighter wash be the “shape,” and then I paint around it (or deepen the shadows) to make details pop. Along the way I share practical tips for keeping things under control—how I avoid feathering, how I watch for pooling, and how I choose paper/amount of water so the ink stays pretty instead of turning into a fuzzy mess. If you like line-based floral doodles too, I link a companion video where I do florals in a more line-focused style.