More background papers

If the muse is not with you then I have discovered that the best thing to do is just create materials that you might use in later projects. Background papers are always useful to have in stock so that if you are on a roll you can just reach out for something.

So some more background papers, all using the pages of an out of date road atlas (which can create interest in its own right.)

First of all, gesso and a stencil. Simply apply the gesso with a brush. I am using a commercial stencil here. I have a small selection of useful shapes. This one is 'leaf' shapes.

You do not have to be too precious. If the gesso gets under the stencil it is fine. It is not about detail, just texture.

Then I apply paint using a brayer. This is three colours from the Fresco Finish paints by Paper Artsy. They are fluid and apply nicely with a brayer. 

The colours are:- cheesecake, beach hut and inky pool. The latter are more translucent. I apply the opaque colours first and the translucent over them. If I did it the other way, the opaque would block out rather than layer over the colour beneath. 

This is a brilliant technique I find I am using a lot.  

Same idea, but this time I have added ink in the form of Inktense pencils.  On the left hand side, literally a wash over the paint and on the right a bit more carefully placed, working with the texture on the paper. 

And finally, just adding paint with a credit card, scraping it onto the paper.  These are just for stock.  I have no idea how or where I will use them yet.