Background Paper Tutorial

From Turp Paper to Graffiti Paper

I'm adding this comment from Bea,

because it says it all. 

Thanks Bea!

Excellent! If people knew how much FUN it is to make these background sheets. There are so many uses for them besides graffiti walls, too.

I take all my finished background sheets to the printers and make color copies of them. I rip them up and use them in other project, journals, make envelopes, etc. out of them. SO MUCH FUN! :)Bea

Remember the turp (turpentine) paper I made awhile back?

Click here to see all my examples

and the process I used.

Also there is an article in the Jan/Feb issue

of Cloth, Paper, Scissors

about this kind of paper making,

except they use Citra Solv.

I could not find this product so

that is why I used the turpentine

to get the same results.

The turp paper does not have a smell any longer.

Some said it would have the turpentine smell forever,

but I have had these papers in a ziplock bag all this time

and when I opened it, the smell was gone.

NOTE:

One thing the article did not specify was,

you have to use the older National Geo mags

because their pages are clay based. 
I have read that others use newer mag pages

and it is not working the same.

I have made quite a few graffiti background papers for myself

and also for the Graffiti Project I'm in with

Bea at Dog in the Hole Studio.

 Today, I will be showing three of the papers I am keeping,

and telling you how I made them.

Later I will show you the papers I receive from Bea

and from Kris (erosion bundle project) Henderson.

I will also show you the papers I will send out to them.

PROCESS:

I started with 140 lb. weight cold press watercolor paper,

size 12 in by 18 in.

I took my turp paper

and glued them to the watercolor paper with

a glue stick and pressed it down well.

I didn't worry if there were bubbles or wrinkles,

as this just adds to the look.

Next, I added a thin coat of gesso

all the way out to the edges,

but not covering every square inch.

I wiped some of this off with a paper towel.

Next, I began to add watered down acrylic paints

covering mainly the edges. 

I let this dry and then picked up some of the paint

with a paper towel.

I also used some masking tape

 (which I may save and add to the final piece)

to pick up some areas,

to make it look like it had peeled off.

I kept wiping with a paper towel.

Stencils were added here and there,

but not much because these are

background papers,

not the finished piece where

most of the graffiti words etc. will be added.

On some of the sheets I dripped paint from the top,

 so it would run down the paper.

Then let it all dry.

For some of the papers I tore up old paper

 and put on the watercolor paper

 before adding the turp sheets in the beginning.

This way there are multiple layers of paper on the page.

I mainly wanted the look of a wall

that had been papered and painted on

for quite a few years.

Things look like they had faded in the sun,

been ripped off and

some old graffiti was still showing through.

That's it!

If you create some turp paper or

graffiti background papers

let me know and I will put your link up.

Go see graffiti background papers here:

Dog in the Hole Studio

 Brain Bubbles

January Full Wolf Moon Doll

Full Wolf Moon Doll

Native Americans have names for each full moon of the year.

Bea at Dog in the Hole Studio decided to present a challenge

for anyone who wanted to try something different.

Each month we are to create our version

of a doll or quilt block etc. to represent

that month's full moon name.

Each month has several names.

One name for January is

Full Wolf Moon,

and I chose to do a doll

with that name.

I used polymer clay to create this 10 inch doll.

The full moon

and a wolf paw print

decorate her clothing.

Her necklace is part of an old earring I had.

Real feathers adorn her hair.

I added feathers and Juniper berries

at the base she is standing on.

She is holding a basket

(an old tea strainer without the handle)

full of mountain laurel seed pods.

Click on

http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/ethnobot/images/mountain-laurel.html

to read some info

on how the Indians

used the mountain laurel

in their daily lives.

Juniper berries were very important to

the Native Americans.

They can be used to make vibrant purple dyes.
Black beads can be made

from juniper berries.

After collecting a fair quantity of berries,

string them on a small sliver of wood

and let them dry.

After they have dried,

pour grease on the fire

and smoke the dried berries

in the thick smoke,

turning the berries black.

Polish and string the beads

interspersing with wolf willow beads.

Blue Chair

This photo of the blue chair was taken by Bea at Dog in the Hole Studio.

I knew right away that I had to make

an art quilt from this photo.

This was back in August '09 I believe.

Bea and I said

we would both make an art quilt

from this picture.

I think she is about finished with hers.

I just finished mine today.

It measures 17 by 18 inches for the entire piece.

Right click to enlarge in order to see the detail.

I made it from fabric, polymer clay and paper fabric.

The chair is polymer clay

which is attached using E6000 glue.

The door is some of my hand dyed shibori.

My batik is used for the window glass.

There are a few black beads on the side of the door.

I did some free motion stitching on it and

added some color and texture with oil paint sticks and also acrylics.

The edging is fabric paper that I painted turquoise,

but let the paper underneath show through a little bit.

I then sewed the fabric piece to the fabric paper.

The writing on the bottom says

"Down in the Blue chair...we can watch our troubles rise!"

That is part of a song titled

Blue Chair

sung by

Elvis Costello.

Kenny Chesney does one too called

Blue Chair.

There are a few Blue Chair songs out there,

all different from each other.

Well Bea, what do you think!!!!