Triple Layered Textures with TS {by Keren Baker}

Hello everyone, Keren here with you today for a textural piece using the gorgeous new sets from Tracy Scott. It turned out to be one of those projects where you plan the first step but see where the mood takes you afterwards!

My main idea was using the beautiful PS520 stencil, which I wanted to cut in half and have as a 'gate'way to the rest of the project. I also wanted to use lots of the new images, so needed my outer layer to be as bold as possible so it hid the subsequent layers. Instead of the background I began with my foreground!

As I wanted the 'gate' to be split into two and knew that once I'd used Grunge Paste, it would be hard to cut precisely, I trimmed the acetate in two, then attached the pieces back together with washi tape.

I separated the pieces shortly after stencilling and used my finger to soften the Grunge Paste edges, left to dry and then painted in Mustard Pickle. I also used PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic in White Fire over the top to give a metallic lustre.

I knew there'd be a lot of painting. As Tracy's stamp are so detailed and artistic, I used a stamp positioning tool so I could over-stamp and neaten any lines that I'd overpainted.

When it came to the main focus, I used this face image. I didn't want it to be exactly as the image so decided to change it. I meant no disrespect to the original image and inspired origins.

You can see some of the many layers that I put on. It felt like I was trying to do contouring on a face at one point! I won't show all of the layers, but you can see how I was building them.

I had more painting to do, but next decided to create the base layer that the face was going to go upon.

For the background, I wanted to use my brayer. Truth be told, I used to find brayering pretty scary and I have to admit I don't always feel like I know what I'm doing! I'd recommend just having a go, as it's so satisfying adding layers of paints. Start off with a couple of colours and just lightly brayer over your substrate.

Use different directions and add in an extra colour. If it feels too bright, just go back in with a lighter colour (I used Eggshell) which will knock the colour back. Being 'light-handed' with the paint will reap real rewards. You can see below how once I was happy with the background, I traced around the image which would help the face to 'pop' away from the brayering.

For extra texture, I used the circles stamp from TS109 which I brayered paint onto the stamp and then just stamped randomly onto the substrate. I sneaked in the text from the Ink and the Dog Xmas Plate 1.

The layers just needed bringing together and so I needed to get painting again. The large florals really are so stunning.

After trimming them all out, I just needed to arrange them and decide how I was going to attach the layers to the base. I still can't resist transparency, so used acetate.

I added the florals in the correct position onto a plain layer of acetate and lined up the front layer on top.

So I didn't have any elements moving, I secured the layers with washi tape and then punched holes through them. I added some eyelets and tied the layers together.

I loved the stencils, in fact PS518 would make a beautiful 'gate' too. You could make a long tall book using halves of the stencilled images. You can see the acetate wings that I stamped with Stazon, but these would look beautiful with transparent glitter added

I did want to add metallic flakes on top of the Grunge Paste, and will have a go at that next time. 

I hope you love playing with Tracy's stamps- they're so inspiring.

See you again,

Keren x

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Secret Garden Spool with HP {by Jenny Marples}

Hello everyone, Jenny Marples here with you today to show how I transformed a long strip of paper into a mixed media adventure through a secret garden, all securely attached to a spool for easy storage. I'll be sharing how I build the collage 'vignettes' along the way, a process that can be applied to journal pages, tags, books, boxes and more.

We are delving into the vaults of PaperArtsy's Hot Picks range to play with stamp sets HP1005 and HP1006, combining them with a more recent stencil PS021, Fresco Chalk Acrylics, Grunge Paste and Printed Tissue.

Start by gluing torn pieces of book page/manuscript, brown wrapping paper, gel printing cast offs and stained paper onto your strip of backing paper. If you need to recreate these, apply Fresco Chalk Acrylic Sorbet (FF169) and Koala (FF141) to plain (or even better tea stained) paper and add a thin layer of Mattint Ladybug (MT12) to graph paper or similar.

These scraps need blending together with the background - I find scraping a fine layer of  Grunge Paste over the edges and toning down the colours/text with Fresco Chalk Acrylic Chalk (FF83) works well for this.

Finish your base layer by lightly tea staining it all, adding extra depth in areas if needed with dry used teabag papers and highlights with more Chalk paint.

Now to start adding the details.

 

I adore the process of combining translucent layers, stamping and stencilling to create collages but it can feel overwhelming when looking at the finished pieces. Start with thinking about where you want your stamped image to go a try applying a layer of sewing pattern tissue below it. This helps to draw the eye to the image. Make use of any text on the pattern piece to help you line up your stamp. You can even use a fine permanent pen to extend the manuscript lines.

Try re-stamping some of the images within the larger stamp to make those details pop. Then extend the design further by using the text stamp either side of the main image. And to finish for now help to blend the edges between your stamping and the background by adding Grunge Paste through the stencil.

Let's repeat this process in another section, beginning again by deciding where your stamping should go. There's a straight edge to this border so I added some Printed Tissue Postcards (PT13) on one side, adding the stamped butterfly to enhance the design.

Repeat stamping a border can be very effective when you are looking to fill an area. Try adding another of those translucent layers below the stamping (in this case some 'mop up' paper towel covered unevenly with Infusions Golden Sands (CS05). If you don't want extra stamping like the swirls to compete with the border design try using a coloured permanent ink, and then add more stencilling to blend it all together. You'll spot that I added an extra butterfly and used some paper coloured with Fresco Chalk Acrylic Pumpkin Soup (FF33) to make them more impactful.

Here's one final example of this process in action, starting with the Printed Tissue and stamping with different coloured inks.

More layers are added by stamping the images onto card which can then be cut out and place where you need them to be. The repeat stencilling and some tea stained lace help to create a natural flow along the whole design. The scrap of woven fabric beneath the lace was coloured with Fresco Chalk Acrylic London Bus (FF37) which I then rinsed and dried for a more faded appearance.

Just a few more elements to go now.

Work along your paper adding more stamping to extend your designs further. Don't be afraid to leave some areas blank - this provides a visual break and makes those focal points stand out even more. I love to add stitching using different threads. Follow the lines of your stamped images to give them more textural impact.

Cut out stamped images to add over previous stamping and stencilling to help finish your panel.

 

I often strengthen the back of my panels/pages by adhering a layer of calico but in this case that went 'wrong' as the paper buckled when the fabric dried out. The only way to make the paper lay flat was to cut into the fabric.

Rather than give up I remembered how Shelley Rhodes deliberately adds flaws to her paper and fabric. And so I visibly stitched through the two layers to secure the fabric and create 'rivers' of thread throughout the paper.

All that remains is to attach your paper to a spool or similar so that it can be rolled up for storage purposes.

Here's the end of finished spool...

... and here's the beginning, inviting you into the Secret Garden Spool.

Let's take a walk through the whole of the design.

All of this has been created using just two stamp sets and a stencil - so the question is which of your stamp sets would you use to create a spool of your own?

Thank you for joining me today.

Jenny

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