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Showing posts with label stencils. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stencils. Show all posts

Sunday, July 26, 2015

ARTFUL JOURNEYS: Week #30 - A multi-step challenge

Hey, y'all!!!  It's Melody again this week bringing you a new and interesting multi-step challenge!

This week we're going to start by painting in our 3 favorite colors...then grab a stencil and stamp thru the openings!  The idea initially was to use an "image" stamp of some sort, leaving spaces where you stamp through a stencil. Some of us went with this process, others not so much.

Let's start with our newest team member, SHANA!  Her background just wowed me!  Pop on over to her blog HERE to see her process.




Next up is LYNN'S spread - and here's what she had to say about it:   "The 3 colors I chose for this week's prompt were Apple Barrel Lime Green, Folk Art Light Blue and Americana Razzleberry. Then I grabbed a little face stencil I made using my Cricut machine (this machine can make a BUNCH of different stencils, FYI).  Then I came back with a circle stencil and some Tim Holtz Distress paints and made some circles then stamped my words into the openings of the circle stencil. This prompt was a LOT of fun and so easy, you've gotta give it a try!"



Next up is Miss Betty, and her colorful spread does NOT disappoint!  Betty said she was hurrying to get this prompt done this weekend, after a week of traveling, and her great niece was getting married Saturday evening out of town.   She says:  "Created in my large Dylusions journal using Dylusions and craft acrylic paint in lime green, turquoise and lemon yellow. Some of the paint was applied with a brayer and some with a palette knife. I used the Stampenous "Glance" stamp through a wide feather stencil, revealing only a portion of the image. I added some white slashes with the edge of my palette knife and a few dots around with some TH Distress Ink in Mustard. Assorted ephemera laying on my desk added, and the words hand painted with a #2 round brush and black acrylic paint.  This was an interesting way to use an image stamp, something I only have two of. I think it would be very interesting to use a more detailed stamp, leaving the spaces that happen when stamping through a large stencil. This one I used was not very detailed, but more so than the other one I have.  Thanks for stopping by and having a look. I can't wait to see what you all create."






Miss TAMIE had some fun with hers this week, and as usual, it's so bright and colorful and there's LOTS to look at!  Be sure to stop by her blog, HERE to see what she did!




And finally there's my (MELODY) spread for the week!  Hop over to my blog, HERE,  where I made sure to post plenty of pictures of my process.



Well, there you have it!  I hope you will be sure to visit everyone's blogs and leave us all a little love!  We love having y'all stop by and we'll see you next week!!!!!

Have an artful week!

ARTFUL CHICKS
~~Melody, Betty, Tamie, Lynn & Shana

Sunday, March 8, 2015

ARTFUL JOURNEYS - WEEK #10



Time is the most undefinable yet paradoxical of things; the past is gone, the future is not come, and the present becomes the past even while we attempt to define it, and, like the flash of lightning, at once exists and expires. ~Charles Caleb Colton






This week, we're thinking about clocks and time.  Time is a commodity that seems to be fleeting in many of our lives. We over-commit and run from dawn to dusk and well past that daily.  Electronics eat up our time these days it seems -- hours online chatting, trolling the feeds, dreaming the dreams of the perfect art studio we found on Pinterest, lusting after the newest, latest & greatest art supplies.  We're inundated with texts, phone calls, television.  We cannot escape it......but we can do our best to manage it.  And once we use up that precious commodity of time, we cannot get it back.  So we have to learn to use our time wisely.  Set strict family time, art time, computer time, and of course, rest and ME time -- whether you use it to take a long, luxurious bath with the door locked, or a quiet solitary walk where you can center and collect your thoughts.

Since Daylight Savings Time returns to most of the northern hemisphere today (2:00 am), let's focus on CLOCKS & TIME in our journals.  And remember to "SPRING FORWARD"!  Express the theme any way you want.  I think this week your Artful Chicks went in all sorts of directions, given the "time" we had to create! (ha).  Have a look at our interpretations of this week's prompt, and see where you go from here.  Have fun with it and let those creative juices shine this week!




LYNN JACKSON -- Clocks! For this weeks prompt I used two colors for the background..lime green with diva pink made by Apple Barrel. The clocks are a stencil I have and the fingers pointing towards the clocks are washi tape. I look forward to the time change with more light in the evening.  This was a fun page to create. I think I'm getting my mixed media mojo going! Thanks for looking!




MELODY ELZY - Melody is wowing us again this week with another of her bright and colorful spreads.   Melody is just teasing you with this pic! Go check it out on her blog here,  to see the finished spread in all its luscious glory and be sure and leave her some blog love!  She will appreciate it!  We always like to know you are actually visiting us and seeing what we're up to!






BETTY RICHARDSONI'm still a little into grunge mode with this week's prompt, hot off our "grunge" pop-up challenge.  And besides all that, all this paint was still sitting on my dining room table!

I created this as a tip-in for my journal as a 'trifold."  I upcycled a K-cups coffee box and made use of all the box folds.  Base was coated with a thin layer of gesso, applied with  a ratty acrylic flat brush I use just for this purpose. Then I began slapping on different shades of red acrylic:  Liquitex Heavy Body in Alizarin Crimson, Liquitex Basics in Napthol Crimson, Aquatec in Cadmium Red Light, and Daler Rowney in Brilliant Red. Some of the paint was scraped on, others brushed, and in some places smoothed and thinned with a baby wipe and my fingers.  I wanted to let some of the wording off the box peek through.

Once  that was all dry, I made some random marks with some generic black acrylic, and a splash or two of some permanent drawing ink.  I had gathered up several different clock faces and images, and the ones I had previously printed out on white cardstock, I covered in Cadmium red.  I wasn't very happy with that decision, but I had no TIME to do it all over.  I am embracing the Tim Holtz philosophy of embracing imperfection!  The silhouette was in my stash of happy mail goodies and she is holding a cup of coffee.... my favorite.  Really, that silhouette was the decision maker for the lettering. Had to do it.  And in my world, any time is truly coffee time.  I finished off the lettering, edging and marks and called it good.  It was TIME for me to move on to the next thing on my never-ending to-do list.

So here's what I learned:  Recycling is always good; coffee is always good, any time day or night;  I still love red and black together; I'm liking grunge more and more; and time is something I never have enough of.  I'm fixin' a fresh cup.  Care to join me?





TAMIE RODRIGUEZ WILSON - Another beautiful and very creative spread from Tamie with glorious use of color, texture and a little of her "madness" thrown in. See the full details on her blog, here








We hope that we have inspired you in some way this week.  Be sure and show us what you create and how you're thinking about TIME and CLOCKS this week over at Artful Journeys.  We'll get Tamie's interpretation posted sometime later today.  There was a little glitch over there in the big Detroit. But fear not, we know there is something masterful coming!  We'll get the blog updated for you as soon as we get the finished images.

We appreciate you stopping in, and if you'd care to leave us some blog love, that would be fantastic. We read all your comments and love knowing that you're here, reading, watching and playing.

Keep it artful!

Betty, Melody, Tamie & Lynn
ARTFUL CHICKS



Saturday, February 28, 2015

ARTFUL JOURNEYS - WEEK #9

Time is flying.  February is over!  This heralds a change in the seasons very soon (and we know not soon enough for those of you still buried in snow).  Someone up there in the north must have left the freezer door open, because you sent cold, snow and ice to north Texas. Who did that?  Ours was short-lived, though and was gone the next day.  (Aren't WE lucky?)  We know you want to SHARE all that white beauty, but  remember turn about is fair play. We'll be sure and thank you and share with you when it is 107 in the shade here in July and August!  hehehe.

Today (I am writing this on Saturday 2/28) would have been my mother's 90th birthday. She was very important in MY life, and not a day goes by that I don't miss her.  She was a lover of life, of people, and of beautiful and creative things. I think I got my creative bent from her, or at least I like to think so.  Mother was an amazing influence on my life, teaching me many things and helping to mold me into a strong, independent woman.  Our lives have many positive influences, and my mother was just one of those beacons of light. ~~ hugs, Betty.

This week at Artful Journeys, we want you to think about something (or someone) that is important in your life and reflect that on your journal page, BY INCORPORATING YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE.


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BETTY RICHARDSON - As stated above, Saturday, February 28th would have been my mother's birthday, so my spread is really about remembering her. Come check it out on my blog here to see the full spread, my processes and materials.




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LYNN JACKSON -  "Go your own way"
This one was pretty simple. Took a art journal page and added under paper to it layered with different stencils and stamps along with my quote in the middle. I do believe in the quote. I go my own way and pretty much have my whole life. Thanks for looking.




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MELODY ELZY - Come check out this luscious page that Melody created. You can see the full spread, and read all about it on her blog here



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TAMIE RODRIGUEZ WILSON -  Come check out how the "madness" in Tamie's head gets translated to the page to make this beauty!  On her blog, here




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We always appreciate you visiting us and seeing what we're up to, and we certainly appreciate it any time you leave us some blog love in comments.  We do read your comments and appreciate your support.

Be sure and show us what you're creating in response to this week's prompt over at Artful Journeys.  A new photo album for March will appear shortly for you to post your images!

Stay artful!
ARTFUL CHICKS
~~Betty, Melody, Tamie & Lynn

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

MARCH IS LOOMING OH SO CLOSE!

It's that time of the month, folks, that we need to be looking forward to a new month, new opportunities for creativity, new things to try and more fun to be had.

Before we post our weekly prompt for this coming Sunday, we wanted to remind you to get your MARCH CALENDARS made and into your journals!

If you are arting like crazy, you might want to skip a couple pages in your journal (if you like things in order) or create as a stand-alone and tip it in when you get to March!

Anway, here's what we did for our March calendars!

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MELODY ELZY - Here is my calendar for March. I love how this turned out. The tag, papers and sticker came to me in a private swap, the paints are the new Dylusions Blendable Acrylics by Dyan Reaveley and the stamps are a set by Graphic 45. Colors used in the background are Fresh Lime and Cut Grass. I TOTALLY misjudged the size of my circles in proportion to how much space I had after I laid down the tag, but I still like how it came out. It's just a little off. Just like me!









                                            


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TAMIE RODRIGUEZ WILSON - Tamie is celebrating her birthday this month -- can you tell?  More lovely madness from the creative mind of Ms. Wilson. Tamie doesn't like calendars, and doesn't particularly "like" to make them, but she is humoring us. LOL  A great page using acrylics, stencils, mono-printing, stamps, collage elements & washi tape.







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BETTY RICHARDSON - Created in my large Dylusions journal this month, with my fantastic new Dylusions Blendable Acrylics that I purchased at Scrapbook Expo in Grapevine. These paints are fantastic -- soft, buttery, & a super smooth finish. They dry quickly, and have a transparent quality to them, unlike other acrylic paints.  I first stamped a script background stamp on the page and I too used Fresh Lime and Cut Grass applied with a paper towel.   I also used some Dylusions spray ink in Cut Grass as well. See that stamp peeking through??  That is UNDER the paint.  Yee haw!  And, just a little bit really goes a long way!  I cut up some "inchies" out of a fabric catalog using all shades of green and all different textures, then added the dates with a white Signo Uniball, then outlined each square with a gold Signo Uniball.  On the sides, I added a place for notes, and made a little flap out of a card I got with an Artsyville order, hiding the journaling lines on the right side.  Some washi tape was added for interest and a little embellishing, and I called it finished.





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LYNN JACKSON -  March is a month where winter is almost over... maybe.. and daylight savings time begins which I love and my husband’s birthday! I painted the background neon green with some grass green and added the month of March out of a pocket calendar with some punch out flowers and a heart doily that I put a stencil on. Bring on the new month! I'm ready.




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So get busy, make up your March calendars and show us your creations at Artful Journeys.  We are always interested in your art, and love for you to share with us.

Keep it artful!

ARTFUL CHICKS
~Betty, Melody, Tamie & Lynn

















Sunday, February 15, 2015

ARTFUL JOURNEYS - WEEK # 7

MARDI GRAS, FAT TUESDAY, CARNIVALE -- the final last big hurrah before Lent for many people.  Another reason to party and celebrate for others.  A time when many cities come alive with people, events, parties, parades and debauchery.


Mardi Gras begins on or after the Epiphany or King's Day and culminating on the day before Ash WednesdayMardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday", reflecting the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season.
Related popular practices are associated with celebrations before the fasting and religious obligations associated with the penitential season of Lent. The date of Fat Tuesday coincides with that of celebrations of Shrove Tuesday, from the word shrive, meaning "confess".  (courtesy of Wikipedia)

You guessed it.  This is our prompt for this week.  Mardi Gras.  We want you to express Mardi Gras in your journal.  Make it bright. Make it bold. Make it colorful.  Use all the greens, golds & purples you want since these ARE the colors of Mardi Gras.  The gaudier it is, the more it becomes about this event.  Collage some costumes.  Make a mask. Represent this huge international event however you please.  Many people, in many cultures celebrate the last day before the Lenten season.  Maybe your celebrations are quiet and reserved, feasting, sharing time with friends and family and not filled with quite so much of the rituals that have become these wild Mardi Gras celebrations.  However you choose to intepret it is strictly up to you.  After all, it is your journal.

Please take a moment to visit the blogs of Betty & Melody to see their creations and processes, and leave some blog love while you're there.  Tamie's blog is still down and of course, Lynn says she is not blogging. Ever.

Enjoy our creations.  We had fun making them for this week's prompt.

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LYNN JACKSON - I can't lie. When I first heard of this prompt from the other members of this jolly band of chicks, my first thought was that nothing was going to come to my mind with this one but, as it turned out,  I really enjoyed doing it. 

I used Blue Bird acrylic paint for the background, and created some fluffy white clouds.  The south is always clear and sunny, right??   The letters were brown that I used my glaze pens on and found some New Orleans stickers at the local hobby store that represented New Orleans.  I just kinda tried to make a cute page out of it.  Remember, I'm still learning, like some of you, and I am sure having fun experimenting and playing!






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TAMIE RODRIGUEZ WILSON - Well, my blog is still down, and I am really missing it (um, did I say that? hehe).  Bless Betty for doing these posts for all of us. She does her darndest to keep us all in line (most of the time).  Anywho...  for this week's prompt I first started with a gessoed page and used some round homemade stencils for the effects.  I used all Gelatos for background. I also used a new circle stencil with greenish ink and placed red dots with a marker. Then, I glued down some gold confetti I just happened to have. Used apple green acrylic and an end of a pencil to make some more circles.

The dolls are from Xquizart Designs (http://www.mischiefcircus.com/shop/manufacturers.php) I printed out my word art,  drew around them with a black marker and added white dots. Glued some on some neon color butterflies and here you have it!





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MELODY ELZY -
Melody's spread this week leaves lots of room for her to write and journal, as is her style and preference.    Visit her blog here,  to read about her processes and materials. Remember to leave her some blog love while you're there!




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BETTY RICHARDSON - This week was a lot of fun and I think I went a little bit crazy with this thing.  I'm only giving you a little sneak peek here, so hop on over to my blog here to see BOTH things I created for you this week.  And a little blog love would be especially  nice, too.

If you want, you can follow my blog either by email, on Bloglovin or recommend it to your friends on G+1.  If you follow, you will likely see these posts before they are posted to the group, giving you a bit of a head start.  Jus' sayin' .... 




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We hope you all enjoy our interpretations of this week's prompts.  We're getting back on track (with the conclusion of 14 Days of Love yesterday) with all our weekly prompts, pop-up art challenges and our Artful Tactics.  So stay tuned, and keep it artful!

ARTFUL CHICKS
~Betty, Melody, Tamie & Lynn






































Friday, February 13, 2015

14 DAYS OF LOVE - DAY #13

DIFFERENT.  We like that -- being different.  Artists are different. Our ideas are different on how we interpret things, represent them and our approaches to creativity. Differences in who we are as human beings, our backgrounds, our relationships and our life experiences all affect how we create and what we create.  Our differences make us unique. Our differences can bind us together through our love of art and creativity, and loving one another.

Today, we want to be different.

Our prompt today is to create with METALLIC HEARTS

Maybe your hearts are created with metallic paints, or metallic embossed papers.  Maybe you use something really metallic -- tin foil, aluminum cans, copper sheeting, sheet metal, silver wire, jewelry wire.  If you can dream it, you can do it.  So be different today and think outside the box.

Here's what we prepared in response to this prompt.  We hope you enjoy what we created and perhaps take some level of inspiration from our different approaches.  Enjoy!

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LYNN JACKSON 

This time I selected a tag for use in my journal or maybe to include on another piece of artwork. I used Tim Holtz distress ink in Raspberry then stamped some dots on it and stamped baby hearts and colored them in with Sakura glaze pen in 6 different colors. It's hard to see all the shiny but it turned out really bright metallic looking.









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TAMIE RODRIGUEZ WILSON - You know, I don't have much of a selection of metallics of any kind.  But the one thing I do have is some blue metallic paint.  I created this on a 4x6 index card with blue metallic craft paint, that I stamped some light ink hearts on and applied some yellow-gold hearts that were generously shared with me by Lynn Jackson.  Embellished with some dots around the hearts and some simple journaling with a marker.



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MELODY ELZY -


Amsterdam turquoise blue and Liquitex Basics Titanium White applied in wide brushstrokes on the background in my small Dylusions journal. Gold Uniball Signo pen for the hearts.  You know, I don't create all that many busy pages because I actually use my journal for journaling.  By creating background pages, I have plenty of room to journal about my day or events or whatever I am in the mood to write about.



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BETTY RICHARDSON - I had fun with this page, created on 9x12" 140 lb cold press watercolor paper by Artist Loft.  Back during Christmas, I saved a bunch of foil wrappers off some Cherry Cordial Hershey Kisses (and boy they are good!).  I knew those wrappers would be good for something, and you know how we are about saving stuff for journal fodder, right??

The entire background was created with Dylusions spray inks in Bubblegum Pink, Pure Sunshine, Squeezed Orange, Cherry Pie, After Midnight and White Linen.  I used a laser cut stencil I got from free from some wedding invitation samples I wrote away for and cut off a card.  I also used a small heart stencil I got from Rose Cafe Art.  Inks were blotted with a paper towel between each layer, tamped with a stencil brush and then blasted with a heat gun.

The 'central' heart heart was "carved" on a sheet of copper salvaged from my glass art supplies.  I made the swirls with the end of a #4 paint brush and a dental pick. (ha).

I covered assorted sized punch cut hearts (some of which were sent to me by Lynn Jackson), some with the outside of the Kisses wrapper, some with the shiny outside.
I 'aged" one of the silver hearts with black acrylic, and wiped most of it off with a baby wipe, leaving bits in the foil creases.  One silver heart was "colored" with Copic marker, and the 3rd silver one was colored, repeatedly, with Cherry Pie Dylusions and dried between each layer with a heat gun. (not that happy with this, but I had to experiment, right?)

The cherry cordial papers have kind of a zebra stripe in them that I think adds a lot of interest to the hearts.  Basically, I just used some Elmers glue and glued them down, wrapping thinly cut edges over the sides of each heart, and trimming.

Lettering done with some nifty alpha stamps and Adirondack stamp ink in Stained Glass, applied to 1/2" strips of watercolor paper that I colored with Deep Red Copic marker and edged with Special Black.

And here's the finished piece that will be going in the mail to a special friend.  Hope you like it and thanks for looking!



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Thanks for visiting our blog and looking at our interpretations of today's prompt.  Be sure and share your creations with us on the group feed at Artful Journeys!


We're keeping it artful!
~~Betty, Melody, Tamie & Lynn

"your" ARTFUL CHICKS




























Monday, February 2, 2015

14 DAYS OF LOVE - Day #3




Zipping right along, today we present you with the challenge to incorporate your favorite "love quote" into a journal page.

Quotes are wonderful to work with in your journals.  They can help express your mood, your emotions, evoke memories.  You can create your journal page around the thought expressed in the quote, and often-times a specific quote will lead us in a specific artistic direction.  Let your heart help you create this page of love then show us your creations over on the group feed at Artful Journeys.  And don't be shy about showing us your work.  We are not here to judge you.  We want to always encourage you and cheer you on, no matter your skill level.  We're all about showing you some love.


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LYNN JACKSON  For today's prompt, Lynn is having some fun with her quote!




Materials used are yellow card stock, Washi tape, and cut out hearts and letters and a stencil.
I just took a piece of card stock and cut letters to make my quote and added washi on the top and bottom of page. Stenciled some hearts and it was pretty easy peasy! Hope you like.

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TAMIE WILSON -- Tamie has been in a doodling mode this week.  She used Gel pens and Joy Ink pens on a lined 4x6" index card. Quick and easy, fun and please-y.






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BETTY RICHARDSON -- I took a different route this week to express one of my favorite "love" quotes from Voltaire...... done in scrapbooking style in my 9x12 Canson Mixed Media journal.  I used assorted scrapbooking papers, a die cut scroll plate for the quote, a Martha Stewart die cut edger for the tulip punch out, ribbon, yarn, flat-backed jewels,  black Micron and white Signo Uniball pen.  "LOVE IS A CANVAS FORMED BY NATURE AND EMBROIDERED BY IMAGINATION" ~~ Voltaire







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MELODY ELZY
Incorporate your favorite "love" quote: So I took my index card from yesterday and used it to lay out my quote...."The sun loved the moon so much he died every night to let her breathe."

The first time I read this quote, my heart clenched a little, and so I knew, when I saw today's prompt, THIS was the quote I was going to use. This is what Valentine's day is all about...a love that transcends all logic, and makes us dream of that kind of love for ourselves...






Be sure and post your images to the February Photo Album on Artful Journeys along with a brief description and they will show up on the group feed.  We can't wait to see what you create!

We're keeping it artful!

ARTFUL CHICKS
~~Betty, Melody, Tamie & Lynn


















Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Tactic Tuesday - Let's play with the Brayer!!!!

Hey, y'all...it's Melody, and I'm here to bring you our first Tactic Tuesday post!!!!  (this post is very photo intensive, so consider yourself warned...lol)

I have to tell y'all...I LOVE my brayer!!!  When I bought my first one, I used it to smooth down stuff I'd glued into my journal...that was it...it never occurred to me to use it for something else, until I saw somebody use it in a tutorial video, and I almost died!!!!  Well, with MUCH trial and error, and I'm pretty sure an entire 50 count package of cardstock, I got the hang of it and actually created some pretty damn amazing backgrounds for my journals!  Let me show you!!!!!


This one was created mainly with a brayer, but I used a makeup sponge to do a  little blending 





"Oh, Mel, those are pretty cool!  Can you show me how to do that?"
"Why yes, my dear friend, I can and will!!"

So, let's start by gathering our supplies....

  • Brayer - it doesn't matter what size it is, but if you're going to be working IN a journal, I highly recommend getting a smaller one...2"...but you can do it with a 4"...soft is better, but hard will work.
  • Craft mat (if you're going to do the 2nd way I show you) or any slick, easy to clean surface
  • Paper/journal - if you use the first way, you'll want a thicker, sturdier paper to handle the wet, the 2nd way will let you use any kind of paper you'd like, including deli, printer, or even heavier weights of paper!
  • Paint!!!!  Now, I'll tell you this straight up, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT KIND!!!!  Craft acrylic in the bottle, tube acrylics (I love Liquitex Basics), fluid acrylics, too!
  • Baby wipes (for cleaning your mat and brayer).

Ok....let's start with the first way you can do this!  Now I'm sure the 2 I'm showing you today aren't the ONLY ways, but they ARE my faves!  So let's do this!

First we start by squeezing out SMALL dots of paint onto our paper...if you go bigger, you're gonna have a hard time spreading it out the way you need to for a quick drying background, not to mention you will lose your individual colors in the mix....

Here are some of the spots of paint...always be sure to use colors that work together and are touching on your color wheel...we don't want mud.

Added a few more spots here, and got really excited about the whole thing...lol
So, now you grab that brayer and start spreading out your paint...yes, the colors will meld, spill and blend...and you never know what you're gonna get...probably why I like it so much, lol...

DO NOT PRESS TOO HARD...on this way of using the brayer, a little pressure is good, to help move the paint around, but you don't want to press too hard, yet!

Be sure to always start at an outside edge of the paper, and again, don't use too much pressure yet.


and be sure to take your brayer to the opposite edge of the paper as well.



The paint that you push off onto your underpaper can be pulled back onto your paper, or spread out (with your brayer) after you're done...Remember, that underpaper is GOLD, y'all!!!

When you're done, it should look  a little like this...



Don't get discouraged if it's a mess...it's fodder for later pages...just keep going...getting enough paint to cover the page, without turning it into a sodden pool of wet paint takes time and practice...if you come up with something like THIS...


That's ok...you just need more paint!  Just a little at a time when adding, tho...

NOW...for the 2nd way you can go to town with your brayer, and this one is my personal fave....

Here is where you're going to use the craft mat/sheet/slick surface ...and not to catch paint!  Get your paper and your brayer ready, then put some (NOT A LOT) paint onto the craft mat....


Now use your brayer to spread the paint into a very thin layer on your mat



Again...do NOT apply pressure while spreading the apint around....let the weight of the brayer do the work for you, or you won't spread, you'll slide and smear.....

Now move your paper over, and using the brayer start at the edge of the page and move up in a straight line




Turn your paper, and run your brayer back thru the paint on your mat, and do the same thing again




Keep going like this until you run out of paint on your mat...


And your paper should look a little like this....


But wait!  We're not done yet!...Let's do another color!





Now, if you want, add another color....here's the thing...you can layer colors on top of each other with this and without a lengthy drying time!  Because if you feel your page, after that first layer, you'll find it dry...if you didn't use too much paint....less really is more here, because you can layer and add, and layer some more, and even put together colors you normally couldn't blend together....


There are just so many options available with both of these techniques...and the possibilities are truly endless!  

Here is a page I made from one of the backgrounds I did for this tute...

This was actually created using some dolls from Deviant Scrap and PicMonkey (<my new bestest buddy)...lol.

So, I hope I helped you more than I confused y'all...and if you have any questions, y'all can find me over at Artful Journeys on Facebook!!!!!  Thanks for stopping by and happy arting!