Layers Upon Layers: Mixed Media Art

Multi-stamped background papers

by Cyndi on November 28th, 2006

Technique Tuesday!

When I’ve got a few hours and no particular agenda, I like to create a whole bunch of background papers. After all, if I’m going to drag out the paints and other materials to make one, I might as well make more than one…a lot more than one.

I used this paper in last week’s Make Art Monday project:

It has a lot of layers, but it’s really simple to build them up. Here’s how I did it, but feel free to vary the order and colors, to repeat whatever layer you like, etc.

1. Paint the background a solid light color (I used citrine). Let it dry.
2. Use a foam stamp with two dark colors and stamp all over the sheet (I used burgundy and indigo, with a stamp that I previously cut from foam). Stamp multiple times each time you load up with paint, so that some impressions are dark and some are light. Let it dry.
3. Use another foam stamp to add a few bigger shapes in the original light color. Let it dry.
4. 

   Use a crackle shaped stamp or crumpled plastic wrap to add crackling in black solvent or pigment ink.

5. Brush on a thin layer of Quinocridone Gold acrylic with a foam brush. This makes the colors deeper and richer, and unifies the piece.

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POSTED IN: Collage, Paper, Technique Tuesday, Tutorials & Techniques