Resources- Artful Card Making

WEBSITES & WEBPAGES FOR
ARTISTIC TECHNIQUES DISCUSSED:

 

GOLDEN MEDIUM:

Webpage explains different gels and mediums. I use the OPEN Acrylic Medium in Matte to cover cards without any residue of stickiness:

http://www.goldenpaints.com/products/color/open/medsadd.php

 

WASHI TAPE:

Basically, washi tape is decorative masking tape. There are tapes produced even inexpensively you can get at Target and Martha Stewart has gotten into the craze, as well. Some of the brands of tape are decorative tape with more plastics in them versus true masking tape properties. I have actually found the Martha Stewart brand to have poor adhesive unless used directly on paper, paper board or cardboard. Any kind of finish or paint on a paper makes the tape easy to peel off in her brand. So, unless you keep your cards in protective sleeves, you can have trouble with some decorative tapes peeling off.

Good source for Washi Tape: http://www.cutetape.com/shop/japanese-washi-masking-tape.html

 

ZENTANGLES/PATTERNS:

Zentangle® is a process that is trademarked, much like SoulCollage®! As a result, practices around it are guarded and it can be problematic calling a workshop a “Zentangle” workshop if you are not somehow officially connected and/or don’t request permission, etc. For a nice, simple tutorial of the process with an invitation to try it yourself, see the link herein: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Zentangle These can be used to create actual images and elements for SoulCollage® cards, or as backgrounds or to indicate suits on the backs of cards if you created designs in particular colors and/or patterns. If you want to create a description of what you’re doing, another art group I’m involved with calls this work “doodle patterns” to avoid any legal troubles when listing online.

 

INSTRUCTIONS/TIPS FOR SOME TECHNIQUES DISCUSSED

 

TAPE TRANSFERS:

Tape transfers are made when you adhere clear packing tape to an image and press to ensure full adhesion. Then, the paper with the tape on it is immersed in water. As the paper dissolves, it can be rubbed off and sometimes slides off depending on the paper’s qualities and finish. This creates a see-through/sheer image you can place over another image or paper for a neat effect! Experiment with a variety of papers, images, etc. If you print from a computer, you need a high quality printer, as basic, less expensive printers and inks do not adhere the same and will fade or not work at all. Keep copies if you try this to avoid losing an image. Here is a step-by-step view of the process and how it works: http://mollylikestodraw.blogspot.com/2009/02/packing-tape-transfer.html

 

PAINTED PAPER “ERIC CARLE” STYLE:

Eric Carle is a relatively famous children’s book illustrator whose “paintings” are actually collages. His technique involves painting large sheets of artistic quality tissue paper (not the kind found in the wrapping paper section of the store) in a variety of patterns and colors very abstractly. He then cuts shapes FROM those sheets to create his animals and images. The process is quite complex, yet fun. Try it when you have lots of time. Create at least ten sheets of paper (tissue or otherwise) in one sitting and then let them dry sufficiently. Using acrylic paint works best for this process. The ten sheets should be different colors and you can plan out what ones to create based on a sketch you create ahead of time and figuring out what colors you might need. Then, have at it! Blotches, stripes, slashes, kind of like Jackson Pollack-style paintings, just more uniform in color. Slap on the paint, swirl it around. Blend shades and even add subtle hints of other colors. Let this all dry. Then, you can either just cut away or create a pattern from the sketch you created and use that to cut pieces. There are samples on the website of this technique that my daughter and I created. My daughter’s is an Octopus and mine is a caterpillar on a mushroom. Look up Eric Carle and be enthralled!

 

NAPKIN HOW-TO

Using decorative napkins is fun as the technique allows for infinite variety. They’re also not expensive and you could use a lot of them for a variety of backgrounds or to designate suits. What you do is separate the plys of the napkin. Its layers need to be separated so that the thinnest decorative layer is all that is left. Be patient and use careful, slow movements to separate the napkin layers. You can use the other layers for other purposes or for clean up, so no need to toss them. I like gluing the napkins over dictionary, encyclopedia or book pages that are upside down (so not easy to read) and using these as backgrounds for ATCs and also for SoulCollage® cards. You can also just use white paper to have it less busy looking. And, I know Seena advises against words on SoulCollage® cards…yet I tend to break that “rule” she has all the time.

Use Golden Medium or Modge Podge or a glue stick to cover the entire surface of whatever you want to cover with the napkin. The glue has to go on the surface as the napkin layer is too delicate to add glue to directly—it just tears into a mess! Once the glue is over the whole area you wish to cover, gently press the napkin into the surface. It may buckle a little and this is considered a cool part of the process, not a mistake! Let it dry. If there are bubbles because some did not adhere, then just use a brush with liquid glue or Golden Medium to gently wipe over and “finish” the piece which also protects the napkin. These should be placed in protective sleeves unless finished with acrylic finish that further protects them.

 

3D IMAGE – DOUBLE-SIDED TAPE

Unless the image or element is on thick paper or card stock, you will need to cut it out and glue it to card stock to make it strong enough to avoid tearing or wrinkling. Once this is done, and the image or element is hardy, use double-sided tape to adhere it to the SoulCollage® card. This creates a 3D look that makes certain elements or images “stand-out” and brings greater emphasis to them.

 

PETROLEUM JELLY/VASELINE® & PAINT TECHNIQUE

I love this fun technique! It works best with images that are on semi-glossy paper—perfect for SoulCollage® using magazines! There is a sample of this on the website, and so I will describe the process for creating “eyes” since that is what is shown. You can highlight any aspect of a picture/image, so get creative with what you do with this! The basic technique is that you cover the image you want to have show through the paint with Vaseline® (petroleum jelly). Use this sparingly so it is not clumpy. You can wipe it on with a finger or cotton swab a little at a time. Once the image you want to highlight is covered, you will then use slightly watered down acrylic paint to paint over the entire page. (This is why the petroleum jelly has to be a light layer, or it will mix with the paint and create a mess.) Let the paint dry. Then, use a baby wipe to gently “tug” and wipe at the area with the petroleum jelly. You can easily see where this is as the paint typically resists a bit in that area. As you wipe away, you will reveal the image beneath. If you want to use multiple colors of paint, swirl them on before the wipe step or re-apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly. Experiment with this and enjoy the process. It does work best with semi-glass versus really glossy images as those tend to resist the acrylic paint even.

 

PAINT, SPRAY INK & STAMP COLLAGE

It is best to begin with watercolor paint or spray ink to cover the surface. You then layer by spraying ink over stencils and/or using slightly watered down acrylic paint with stencils. Use stuff you have lying around as stencils. No need to buy expensive ones. Plastic netting bags work well and come in a variety of sizes and patterns when you bring home fruits and veggies! This is one of those processes that is messy, takes time as you want each “layer” to dry before adding another, and goes through a time of looking great and then possibly terrible and then you like it again. You can also add collage elements to this and patterned papers, etc. It’s all about the layers! Play with this! (See example from a booklet created using this process pictured on the website.)