2018 #5 Nautical Colours: Layered Composition with ESA {by Autumn Clark}

Topic 5:  Nautical Colours

I have noticed so many people online following Birgit Koopsen's 31 days of gel-printing. If you need to learn more, go and check it out! She has a wealth of experience and ideas to share and gel prints are a joy once you get the hang of it! In this post Autumn gives her take on how you might incorporate stamped, gel-printed layers into a notebook cover.  ~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Autumn Clark with you today to share my grungy, Seth Apter inspired altered composition notebook.  

I was in the mood to experiment with the beautiful range of Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics I've collected and make a paper collection inspired by coastal colors.  For me, it is a treasure hunt to sort through my gel-printed pages for just the right portion to stamp onto or die cut.  

I truly had no particular project in mind, and just wanted to experiment with  stamping PaperArtsy  Eclectica³ {Seth Apter} Collection (ESA08) for the first time.  

I decided to try spray a bit of water to my plate with each small squirt of Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics.  I alternated between Inky Pool, Glass Blue, Chalk, Slate, China, Jade, Blue Oyster and Smurf.  I used a tiny brayer and blended my paint with the water carefully to avoid streaks.  I was so happy that some of my former layers lifted into the prints, especially the metallics from THIS post.

I chose my lightest page for stamping my focal elements and the darker pages for die cutting and more stamping.  I was considering using old book covers as my substrate, when out fell this old invitation.  I thought it ironic to be so very specific with the time and longed to set aside that very hour and a half of each day to dabble in this finished journal!  

I focused on creating depth in color and variation of pattern.  For my base layer, I chose PaperArtsy: Ink & The Dog (Mini Stamp 23).  I love how this stamp compliments the detailed designs in Seth's set.  

In the end my collage was so large and the old beloved composition book yielded the perfect substrate.  With so much texture and pattern, this book begs to be opened, but happily lies pretty flat to work inside.  

So how are you printing and what colors would be in your nautical palette?  I love letting my plate do the work of painting my pages, and my stamps doing the work of building my patterns and truly enjoyed doing so in this color palette.  I hope you're inspired to have a go yourself!  Cheers, Autumn

Website: SewPaperPaint
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