A SHAPED ALTERED BOOK

I made this little altered book from a children's board book, first cutting each page into a curvelinear, each different from the others. Of course I sanded and gessoed the pages before painting and collaging them.

The hole was already in the cover, so I just used it!

E-Z EMBOSSING

Ordinary household aluminum foil can be impressed very easily. Find texture plates, stencils, die-cut shapes, pierced papers, and other flat, textured items. Hold the foil in place as you press it down over the texture. Use a thin, soft rag instead of your fingers, if you like.
Later, you can gesso and paint the foil if desired, or use it as is in the manner of your choice.



DRAWING GUM MAKES A GORGEOUS PATTERN!

This design on paper was SO000 easy to do, and it looks rather striking, yes? I used plain old manila paper (sort of yellow-tan).
Drawing gum is a masking fluid. I put a blob of it on the paper and blew it around through a drinking straw. Thus the branching lines.
When a few moments had passed, I gently washed with blue watercolor (dye would work, too), over the entire page. It turned greenish on the yellowish paper.
After that was dry, I rubbed the drawing gum off with my thumb. 

DECORATIVE PAPER MADE WITH INK AND TURPENTINE

I put down a layer of dye-based ink on a non-absorbent white sheet of paper. While the ink was still damp, I ran a brush through it, here and there, that I had soaked in turpentine.

This is the effect I achieved!