journal art by suswan: Allywhitecat/suswan andrews texas mixed media artist ...textures in layers

Hi there. I wanted to share with you a simple technique for back grounds.
Distress inks by Tim Holts ..Ranger inks have always been my favorite inks.. so I usually begin with them.
If you are not happy with your background keep going!

for journal art I love manilla folders. I love the thickness and the texture of the paper.

right now I am working on a 50 page journal book 6 inches across 9 inches long

This is just rubbing the ink pad on the paper to begin getting the ink pigments on the paper

The little flower stamps are a gift from Heather with http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/
They are lovely. They are made by www.heroarts.com. I stamped all over with each of the beautiful flowers..so that they would give me this effect..

then lightly cover with a layer of gesso.

Now the grain of the paper or manilla folder is starting to show through and this begins the building for me of a nice texture.

Now I wanted a more dominate color and strength of ink ..using the same stamps I chose memento,this is Danube Blue a very beautiful color.

now I am adding water color around the borders

finger on ink where the water colored border is

at this point you can add water color and sponge or blend with fingers the ink and wal-la a background paper.
use any color any stamp sponge or fingers...they all work towards building a awesome back ground paper.

at this point my choice was old dictionary pages

I chose to use a NYMPH from http://smearedandsmudged.ning.com/group/smeared-ink-rubber-club
you can color to any degree..lightly ..perfectly I chose lightly and not perfect just waving in the blue to match the background I have created

gesso again to give your self room for words pictures out of magazines or your own journaling

I like to add shape using stencils or what I can find handy...using gesso first

I love Tim Holts acrylic dabbers I added victorian velvet over the gesso using the same tool for a pattern

I added the stamp which was a definition of a nymph above the dictionary pages

as the blue ink and water color became wet with the dabber acrylic I took the tool for patters I was using to my advantage and spread it over the paper