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....

Papers, Papers, Papers.......

I'm really hoping Blogger plays nice today~~loading photos has been a challenge to say the least.
Anyway, the long promised paper tutorial. I decided to just do a highlight page first.I often do these and let them sit when I am brain addled on other work. They are pretty easy~~some are a bit more involved. The nice thing is if you have a day or two to mess with this, you can have some good papers for collage, ATC's, mixed media, etc. I even suppose you could scan some if you do digital work. Since I am still a ninny in that respect, I'm not sure!

Well, so Blogger is NOT playing nice. I didn't want the photos stacked, but hey...it's only MY BLOG...why should *I* be able to make decisions! grrrr....

Anyway, the tute will cover three types of paper; a printed scrapbook paper (or really any paper with a patterned background), a text background from vintage paper, and finally, my favorite~~using stamps and ink to make papers from left over tissue sheets.

I save all the tissue paper I get in boxes, on packages, etc---if you have sent me something of late, your paper may be here awaiting a make-over! (Jan, the piece above was from something you sent me as I found your address label on it...)

So stay tuned.....I'll be back with details.

In the meantime, here is what I gathered:

Liquitex Clear Gesso (a must)

Patterned paper

Old book pages

Assorted colors/prints of tissue papers

Assorted stamps

Staz-On Ink--two colors (I prefer brown and black simply because they work with everything)

Golden Fluid Acrylics (you might be able to use craft acrylics as long as they are transparent,  don't know)

Brushes (for gesso and for slathering on washes of paint)

A large palette

Something to smooth out gesso, such as a piece of plastic, etc (don't use your brayer)

Okay, I'll start writing, thinking and trying to insert photos~~and hopefully by the end of the week everything will be up.

If it's not, blame Blogger! ;-D

Not ME!!!!

Pax....

Back to the box canvas and texture....

I know, I know....I bounce from one thing to another. Sorry--that's sort of the only way I get things done here. I don't have a lot of specific time for only one thing, and when I do, boy, is it wonderful! So before I lost my train of thought on this project, I got back to it today.

Some of the work was done previously, but needed retouching.

The small pieces of stamped tissue were applied with gel medium, but it dulled the inteference color, so I had to wait until it was completely dry and then reapply some of the paint with the starry stamp. It came up nicely; actually, it shows more here than when you are looking straight on at it.
The next issue was the back of the canvas, and granted, I am asking you to with hold judgement until I can get a few more steps along.......

.....it does have the look of something Chinese with the choice of colors but trust me, not even close! The inner part was what I was happy with; one coat of acrylic in a rough wash style, and then two coats of two different fluid acrylics to give it a depth and glow. The heavy coats of gesso let me paint and rub and lift, getting a very aged look.
The odd thing was I had a difficult time getting this red to photograph. I tinkered with it in my photo program, and it still is not the exact color. It really is a burn-your-eyes-out red orange, more on the red end of things.
Anyway, just like a soap opera, stay tuned for more!
Today is PT and the check up with the surgeon, so it definitely is a *No Art* day, unless it becomes an *Art Supply* day!
Hmmmmmmm......... ;)
Now go do something creative!

P.S. As an idea of what visual texture alone can do with the eye/mind connection, go visit Linda at Marbled Musings for her textile work........it is all a matter of fooling the eye, to some extent, and processes we employ to do it.

Waxworks

(Photo By Anne M Huskey-Lockard, copyright 2009, all rights reserved.)

As long as I am dealing with different types of collage I do, I thought I would post one of my favorites. It is a very small piece, 4"x5" and is put together with beeswax. There is no paint in this piece; the color is built up through layers of wax, paper and sheer nonwoven fabric. The pink and cream floral is the same as is used in some of the box canvas pieces.

I had put this together from remnants from a trip to New Orleans, thus the scrap of House of Blues tissue paper and the little label. On the streets of the Quarter, if you're brave enough to pick things up, you may find an interesting bottle cap. (usually though, all alcohol is put into plastic *Go-Cups*, which do little harm in spur of the moment disagreements....) I had some quality printed tissue left from tags I had made for work that was in a small folk art gallery there, so that went in, a lovely bleached leaf skeleton, along with a silver plated sacred heart milagro, and of course pattern tissue, due to the amount I sew---or used to sew for myself.

This is a warm, friendly little piece and taught me a lot about texture, as the wax cools quickly, and the canvas soon builds up a nice surface, though you have to tilt it to the side to really appreciate it. That textural aspect is put in the box canvas pieces through the use of gesso.

Hot beeswax is not for everyone. While it smells pleasant, it does SMELL after a while and really should be worked with in a well ventilated area with a fire extinguisher close at hand. Things can flash quickly if you lose your train of thought.

I sealed this with a floor varnish and it has held up quite well, considering it hangs right by the sidelight of my front door.

There is a part of me that would like to try a larger piece in this technique but still......I hesitate.

Small can say so much, and sometimes much more.

So what have you created of late??? Your turn!

P.S. If you look at the three-quarter shot in the second "Hand of Glory " post, you will see the texture that is approximately like what the beeswax leaves. This project was what gave me the idea for using the gesso as a texturing tool, to gently build a similar base to work on. Of course, with the wax, the texture is really the LAST thing and with the gesso it is the FIRST thing. Each yields interesting results and are both are worth trying to see what works for YOU.