PaperArtsy: 2023 Topic 8 : Master Colour Wheel - Triadic Colours {by Autumn Clark} with Sara Naumann stamps

Hi everyone it's Autumn Clark from SewPaperPaint with you today and I'm totally delighted to share a really fun upcycling project with you. When thinking of how to highlight the Tetrads topic and incorporate Transparent elements, my immediate thought was to create a painty junk journal with fun window elements. I really enjoyed this creative time and exploration into the topics and hope you will follow along and get inspired to create a flip flop folio of your own, using the humble file folder as a substrate.

I truly adore Sara Naumann's gorgeous newest stamps and how they softly stepped out of the busy, yet mild backgrounds of this album.

When I sat down to create I realized I did not order PaperArtsy Fresco Chalk Acrylic in Aqua Duck Egg, which was the basis for the entire topic of this color theory post. I had no choice but to swap in a new paint color and chose Lake Wanaka to compliment the other two colors, Butter and Candy Floss. I kind of freaked my freak, so to say, but had to breathe and just let it go. I'm so happy I pressed forward because I truly loved the palette created and was so pleased with the truer blue of Lake Wanaka versus the greener variation in Aqua Duck Egg...

I chose a beautiful pair of PaperArtsy stamps by Sara Naumann, {ESN66 and ESN64} and a few background stamps by Tracy Scott {TSM08 (formerly EM64), TSM05 (formerly EM61) and TSM02 (formerly EM58)}.

Because I went with a bluer primary color, using Lake Wanaka, I ended up with a more blue green version of of color 10 and a less pinky purple of color 8. It's not a very dramatic change, but it just goes to show how easily you can make variations in color using whatever Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics you have on hand. I painted out my color wheel using the free template you can find HERE in the PaperArtsy People Facebook Group.

Here you can see my actual mixed paints. I was just so pleased and welcomed by the beautiful pastels.

I decided to go for a Triad scheme with three spaces apart, the most equidistance achievable. Here were my four choices for that route and the one I chose is highlighted. I picked the three colors because they are out of my normal "go to" scheme and I thought it would be a fun experiment.

Now it was time to get my file folder folio base cut and folded. I cut away the portion nearest to the file label to square the folder, then folded it into 8 equal sections, using the center fold as a guide. I cut away portions of the file folder, indicated by the slashed lines and used those to assemble the flaps and pockets, as demonstrated in the video tutorial at the bottom of the post. Next, I printed the front and back of all the file folder pieces, starting with gesso and continuing with my mixed colors.

I lifted my chosen tetrads with a palette knife onto my 12x14" Gel Press printing plate and then brayered them loosely with a small brayer, taking care not to over mix the colors and let them touch but not blend.

Here you can see one of my layers of the printing process. I repeated with printing until I was pleased.

As I show in the video, I incorporated PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic in Cloud 9 by brayering some paint onto the side of my gel plate and using it as an "ink pad" for stamping using a beautiful combination of dotty stamps from PaperArtsy Eclectica Mini Stamps by Tracy Scott {TSM08 (formerly EM64), TSM05 (formerly EM61) and TSM02 (formerly EM58)}.

I used more Cloud 9 to lift the layers of paint remaining on my gel plate onto Tracy Scott Lace Booklet 4 (TSLB04). I tore pieces of my printed Lace Booklet and layered over my printed file folder for a subtle texture and contrast.

Once I had my folder painted completely, it was time to dive into the stamping! I had a blast incorporating PaperArtsy stamp set by Sara Naumann (ESN66) as the focus of my folio. Here is the left notebook flap. I adhered the two-panel cut off section of my file folder to the left after stapling a bundle of tea-dyed notebook paper inside to make a little book.

The panel opens to stamping from PaperArtsy stamp set by Sara Naumann (ESN64). I used a white Uniball pen to add highlighting and journaling.

Our theme this quarter on the PaperArtsy blog is Transparency, so I thought it would be a great accent to the overall book to had a flap/window and cut out a circle and glued in a larger vellum circle for my transparent contribution. I was really drawn in by the subtle nature of these colors and thought the vellum gave an angelic halo to the stamped bird. I adhered the focal circle from my Lace Booklet over this tag to further frame the bird image.

Here is the front of the notebook that folds out on the right side of the folio. I just love the contrast and texture created from adding in small bits of music sheet and the printed Lace Booklet.

Last of all, I worked on a tag for the pocket for the front cover of my folio. I decided to use Distress Oxide in Dusty Concord with Distress Ink in Tea Dye and Evergreen Bough to color the tag. These colors are very close to my mixed palette, but were a little more vibrant and I thought it was nice for the pull out to have a punch.

I layered with my final remnant of the printed Lace Booklet for the two-sided tag.

Here is the back cover of my book. You can see I used my paint cloth, which I wiped my palette knife upon repeatedly throughout the process and then stamped with more Dusty Concord Oxide using TSM02 (formerly EM58) to create a closure for the book.

And here is the whole folio folded out. It's just so much fun to flip through! And it will be a great journaling space for me.

I always love getting paints smooshed on my gel plate and had a blast working in these muted tones. Creating books from file folders has become somewhat of a fetish for me in recent years and this one is one of my favorites yet! There is just something about using non-precious things to create art that is both liberating and joyful. And it always makes me super happy to dip my stamps into paint. Is that something common in your art practice? I'd love to know! I truly hope this little flip flop folio has inspired you to get creative today!

xx, Autumn

To find out how to create the folio, please visit my video HERE. I do go into detail on the printing process and finish with a flip through of the folio. I hope you'll enjoy it!