Part Two of CHEAP CHIC!

(the following work is a copyright of Anne M. Huskey-Lockard, 2009)

Now comes the fun part, continuing from yesterdays frame dissection! Gather together a lot of different types of papers; old books, text books, phone books, etc. I love a selection of whites, taupes and beiges. These will be a bit more toned down later, but for the moment, you want some contrast both in paper color and text.
A bristle brush for scrubbing and Golden Regular Matte Gel Medium are what puts this all together. I like a lot of gel for texture and the bristle brush helps with that; this is something you will have to experiment with to find what you like and how much. The matte gel leaves a finish that accepts other media after the paper is on.

If you click on this photo you'll be able to see the different types of paper I have collected. One note: on any texts that are considered a religious text by any belief group, I only use from books that are falling apart or have sections missing. It is something that I personally feel is the right thing to do as far as having reverence for all beliefs. That's just me........

Here is the work in progress. Whenever you begin working with gel medium, ALWAYS wet your brush and then squeeze out the water. It will leave the bristles damp but not wet. What it does is help protect the brush from the medium, and keep it flexible. This stuff can dry QUICK.
Put a good coat on part of the panel, then lay the piece of paper on (this has to wrap to the back) and smooth it out with the brush. Turn the panel over, add gel to the edge and back and smooth the paper tight. Use gel to help in the smoothing. Sometimes the paper tears, and that's okay because you just put the next piece over the top.

This is a close up of the panel in progress, building torn piece by torn piece. There is medical dictionary text, shorthand, Hispanic text and I believe a page from an old book on the temperance movement in Indiana! (that's not applicable today, eh?)
Keep building, and if you have an idea of what you are going to use this for, you might decide on certain pieces in certain places. Keep an open mind.......these are things with lives of their own.

The finished panel with LOTS of gel medium over the top after everything has been put on, smoothed, wrapped and allowed to wrinkle from the dampness of the gel. Those types of wrinkles are good--don't fight them. Just get the paper on as flat as possible to start. All ages and types of paper handle differently, so be prepared for surprises. Some of the oldest paper I have used, from the 1600's, handled absolutely brilliantly with a little care!
I chose Hebrew text at the top and the dark page is from a very old and incomplete bible. I felt they complimented each other well and will work with what I *think* I will do with the piece later.
At this point (read my lips!!!!) LET THIS DRY WELL!!!!! Overnight usually is not enough. Sometimes a day or two, depending on humidity. I set the panel on top of a jar of gel with the lid on, or any other jar for the most air circulation. There is a lot of wet that needs to be DRY. It should have no tack what so ever when you hold it in your hand.

And, after drying, a test fit into the inner plastic piece. I like the papers better than the print it had, and we're not even close to done!
Okay, get a cool drink, process this, try it if you want and tomorrow we'll start doing some work on the papered panel.
One note: If you think this is something you could use, then do several panels at the same time. Then they are papered and ready to go. You can go with standard sizes that can be framed later, or if you have oddball frames at hand, cut the panels and go for it.
Now off to your creative day, and I'm off to work some more!

Pax!

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAN!!!!!! :-)