Stamped Tissue Paper....Second Life!

Disclaimer: no tissue paper was hurt in this tutorial, even though they were flattened, ironed, cut, and stamped into submission!

Well, I had to start with a little humor; I'm a bit punch~drunk from all the different papers I've dealt with lately!

First off, all the tissue used here is recycled. The wrapping from a pair of Doc Martens, package wrap, fancy napkins with the other three plies removed~~you name it, I save it. So gather some different types, read a bit and kick back; this is all as easy as....

 

ONE, TWO, THREE!!!

Stamps consist of three types:

Text

Semi-Solid

Linear

Those are pretty loose descriptions as you can see above. I want text you cannot read for a texture layer, a semi-solid stamp for some punch and then something linear to tie it all together.

Lets see what the text looks like as we begin randomly....

I start on the non-printed side; the ink will be visible on the front, although front and back are relative terms here. Which ever you like best is the front. Two sheets with the first stage of text on them. They will be mostly covered before moving to the next set of stamps.

One note before I go on. Usually I stick with Timber Brown and Black Staz-On ink due to the fact the neutrals blend with any color, but this paper with the bright red dots HAD to to have some red.....those dots needed a little competition. (well, a LOT really!)

So after the initial layer of red, I started working in black, adding depth to the stamped layers. (these are the semi-solid stamps helping to break up the red)

And then I add the linear elements to completely tie it together.
The final sheet~~pretty, different, still dotty but not to make your eyes cross. This was the paper I considered the biggest challenge to transform to *good* so that is why I picked it to do the step out pics with.
Also, I chose to stamp on both sides of the paper. Staz-On will be quite visible on the back/front and it helps to give everything a bit more oomph by doing both sides.
Next is the simplest; 1 ply of a printed napkin, 1 stamp, 1 color.

Timber Brown on the reverse and if I had thought, I would have added a butterfly stamp, but I didn't think. So we have spider webs.
It's okay.....just think how they'd look covered with dew!

This is the Doc Marten paper, finished with brown and black. Somehow, these stamps all seem to work with the Doc's image! I was just grabbing things to fill the space and seemed to luck out.

Don't over think most of these. They will be better just randomly picking and stamping.

Of course, there are exceptions....

Like this.
The bold stripes needed something totally different, and though it does not show there is a slight pink cast to the paper, so I went for feminine lines and shapes and brown ink to tone it down a bit. It transformed the very formal paper into something you might find in a frilly boudoir.
And then this one needed THOUGHT and special placement of stamps.....

The very strong pattern of the rose stripe made me feel that laying out the text background more carefully was essential, or there would be so much going on visually that it would be bedlam. And brown again seemed the logical choice to soften the edges.
So the two text stamps alternate, then I added linear and finally semi-solid. This was the exception on the order, but then that's the whole thing, isn't it? To take what you have on hand and make it work.
And what do you use these for?
Journals, collage, ATCs, envelope liners, part of the front of a greeting card.....anything you can think of where you want a translucent paper.
Remember when collaging that these are delicate and will tear easily. Use the driest medium you have to adhere them, pat them in place and expect a few wrinkles.
And all the ink you applied will show through amazingly!
I suppose I should have called them "Tattooed Tissue" but I figured I would run you off....  ;-)
Now, have fun and I am off here for a few days with some other work I must finish up!




Pax....