Happy Earth Day! Today’s cards include some beautiful birds and flowers in honor of Earth Day! During social distancing, I’ve been able to spend more time on my mixed media journals. Today’s cards are a great combination of mixed media and general handmade card techniques.
Supplies
Neenah Classic Crest Solar White Cardstock: 110lb for card base, 80lb for mixed media
Standard Copy paper (I used Up & Up Letter Printer Paper)
Dina Wakley Media Gloss Sprays in Eggplant, Marine, Night and Olive
The Stamp Market Just Wonderful stamp set
Dina Wakley Scribbly Bird Cousins stamp set
Tim Holtz Stamp Platform
Archival Ink in Jet Black
Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks, set 1
Dylusions Paint Pen in Black Marble
Dina Wakley Media acrylic paints in Eggplant, Marine, Night and Olive
Ranger Gel Printing Plate and Brayer
Distress Collage Medium
Washi Tape
Gloss Sprays
This year, the Dina Wakley Media line from Ranger released Gloss Sprays. These are acrylic sprays that are unique because the acrylic paint resists in lieu of blending like traditional die based sprays. The results of using these sprays is absolutely gorgeous! You will definitely be seeing more projects using these products in the near future!
To create a gloss spray panel, spray the inks on a sheet of cardstock, tissue paper, rice paper, or another media type. I was spraying on Dina Wakley Collage sheets (for use in an art journal at another time).
When the ink is saturated on your surface, place card panels atop the paint and transfer excess paint. Continue lifting card panels and pressing into new spots until you are happy with the coverage, or have soaked up the excess paint.
Repeat as wanted, then set aside card panels to dry.
Stamping
Using black, waterproof ink, stamp over gloss spray panels. Use a stamping tool to repeat stamp to obtain a good image.
On white cardstock, stamp sentiments in same waterproof ink. For a true art journal type sentiment, select a stamp image that can be easily cut into portions.
Let panels dry completely.
Scribble Sticks
Another great Dina Wakley Media product from Ranger is Scribble Sticks. These water-soluble pigments can be used like a pencil, but react with water like watercolors. Depending on usage, you can obtain bright and vibrant color, or transparent washes of color. There are currently three sets, each with 12 colors, which coordinates with Dina Wakley Media’s full line of acrylic paints.
Scribble sticks can be used by coloring in your stamped images, then following with a water brush (or plain paintbrush dipped in water). However, for today’s project and the most vibrant color over the gloss sprays, dip the sticks in water as you color in your images. This immediately activates the pigment allowing a higher concentration color.
Let images dry completely before drawing over sketch lines of stamp using a black paint pen. This small step really helps the image and colors to pop. Next, trim panels to frame stamped image. Set aside.
Gel Plate
Gel printing is a fun mixed media technique that allows the user to create layers of textures and patterns. Great to use with paint, ink, mixed media, stencils and various other tools, the plates are easy and fun to use.
Today’s project uses gel printing in a fairly basic manner. Pour a little paint (one color at a time) onto the plate, then spread paint using a brayer. Next, press copy paper onto plate (or turn plate onto a sheet of paper) to print. For additional paint markings, clean your brayer on copy paper as well.
Layer different paint colors in irregular printings and brayer markings. Let paper dry completely before trimming into A2 size card panels.
Card Assembly
First, adhere gel print background onto card panel base. Distress Collage Medium is a great liquid adhesive that gives you a few seconds to adjust your panel before adhering permanently.
Next, glue stamped and colored image atop card base.
Finish by adhering sentiment, strip by strip.
Allow project to dry completely.
Finishing
After ensuring all adhesives have cured, use a paint pen to outline panels and sentiment strips. Depending on your preference, you may wish add lines to the insides of your sentiment strips as well.
Add small bits of washi tape around image, using collage medium if needed to permanently attach.
Using a gloss spray (Night), flick paint from the paint tube onto cards for an easy speckle. That completes your mixed media cards!
I love how these cards turned out. Such fun textures and colors, they really encapsulate the art journal look in a compact package that is perfect for handmade cards. If you enjoy this type of project, stay tuned as I will have more projects like this coming soon!
Are there any mixed media or art journal type techniques you are interested in? Let me know in the comments! Until then, check out another colorful card project, Rainbow Copic Coloring Card Variations.