Handy Tip for Decorative Paper

This one's for all of you who like to make your own, unique papers.
Beg or buy an expired and textured wallpaper book. The pages can
be very nice as they are, but make them even more interesting with a
wash of acrylic paint. Customize a page to fit a particular color scheme!

Fabric Resist Medium on Paper

There are many types of fabric resist products on the market. Some wash out and others are quite permanent. This example was done with the former type, and I must add that washable school glue,

 the clear blue type, works too! I guess the white school glue would do as well, right?  

After the fabric resist design sat on the paper overnight, I washed over it gently with fluid acrylics.

After THEY were dry, I washed out the tacky resist material.

No Need to Buy Crackle Paints!

Okay, I AM an animal lover, so please do not be offended by this post.
I am also an eco lover, and want to use it up, wear it out, recycle, etc. etc.
So here's the story: I had an ancient can of hide glue (remember LePage's?)
It's also called mucilage, animal glue, or rabbit-skin glue.

Here's how to do crackles like the ones above:

Paint a base coat in acrylics...I went light, but you could reverse the contrast if you wish. When dry, cover with a layer of animal glue. While that is still slightly tacky, gently apply a coat of contrasting acrylic paint. I used dark green, lightly stroking it over the entire surface. That is all there is to it! The crackles will appear later.

                     

How to Make Your Own Cellophane Paper

In the paper here, I collaged on some birdlike tissue shapes, but you can make yours with or without any shapes you like! Begin with white or any other very light-colored tissue paper, the cheaper the better. With added shapes or not, place the sheet on waxed paper or freezer paper, and brush the up-side with fluid acrylic medium (I like gloss best for this).
When that's dry, peel up the sheet, flip it over, and apply a coat of the fluid medium on that side, too. When dry--and if you haven't used dark tissue colors--the page should be quite translucent.

Tutorial on Dorland's Wax

Did you know that you can add acrylic paint to Dorland's Wax Medium? OR oil paint, powdered pigments, dyes, even sand!                                   

 If you wish to thin it, one way is to use mineral spirits.

I applied a mixture thinly to sturdy paper, and then used a bamboo skewer to scratch into it.