Monday, March 6, 2017

Acrylic Background Tutorial

Hello and welcome! This week at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge we have a Make Your Own Background theme. A favourite of mine since I really love to make my own backgrounds. Since this is the first Monday of a new month, the team is showcasing a specific company/designer, and its Dyan Reaveley's Dylusions range by Ranger.



Our guest designer for March is Linda Kunsman, don't forget to check out her stunning work.

I made an art journaling page this week, and took some step photos too.

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin

If you have never tried art journaling, I hope you will give it a go. I find that it is very freeing to work in my art journals, and I also love to look through them, remembering when I made certain pages. The techniques on this page can be used on any type of projects too of course. I used Dylusions paints and stencils to create the background for this bright and cheerful page. Anton's comment was 'wow, that's a lot of colour'. 

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin with Ranger Dylusions Flip Journal

For this page, I used my brand-new Large Creative Flip Journal. It is the same size as the original large Dylusions journal, but it is horizontal instead. You can of course also make vertical pages - hence the 'flip' name, and you can even make really tall vertical pages if you work across a spread. 

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin

Start out by applying gesso to the lower two-thirds of the page, using a palette knife and kind of creating waves. Anton helped me with this part and wanted a curved horizon line instead of a straight one (which is what I was planning). Then apply a thin layer of Ranger's new Opaque Crackle Paste at the top part. Leave to dry and cracks will appear.

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin with Ranger Dylusions paint

Using only a palette knife, I applied paints to the page. The paints were mixed right on the page and for the lighter blue areas towards the horizon, I painted some white on the page first and then added the blue on top mixing it with the white. Before the paint was dry, I used the Bubbles stencil to rub off paint from the sea part with a slightly moist cloth.

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin

I added some black around the top and bottom edges to darken them down, and splattered a whole lot of white paint on the sea area. I used the Distress Splatter Brush to splatter the paint.

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin

The idea behind the page came from these party hats from the Dylusions Doolally Dorris set. I thought they looked like paper boats. Stamp them once on mixed media cardstock.

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin

Stamp again on white paper.

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin

Cut out the boat part from the mixed media cardstock and glue to the white boats. I used Tim's new smaller scissors Mini Snips. Love them.

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin

When the paint was dry, I doodled a bit on the background, making the horizon line stand out stronger to separate the sea from the sky, adding waves to the water and a few circles here and there.

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin

When my boats were done, I got the idea of adding some additional words to them and used Tim's new Chatter Design Tape to cut out words, and a piece of deco tape.

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin

The boats look kind off small and alone on that rough sea, but very persistent and brave.

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin

I usually use Distress Paint when I splatter paint and it was fun seeing that the white Dylusions paint behaved a differently. I didn't water down the paint at all, and the paint formed this cool mix of lines and splatters, which I really liked.

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin

Keep smiling comes from the SSS Hand Lettered Encouragement set, and refers to the Finding Nemo and Finding Dory, 'Just keep swimming' mantra. Sometimes that is all you can do.

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin

Three more little boats. 

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin

This sentiment stamp comes from the SSS Sail Away set and I really like it.

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin

As you can see, the blue and yellow paint blended on the page to form a greenish turquoise.

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin

I love the look of crackles and I really liked these thin ones. If you apply the paste thicker, you get larger cracks. I washed in some black paint in the cracks, mixing it with water first.

Layers of ink - Acrylic Background Art Journaling Tutorial by Anna-Karin

You can also doodle on top of the cracks. I placed the title for the top of the page on a curve on my acrylic block and then cut it into a banner.

I really hope you will join us in our Make Your Own BackgroundAs every week, you have a chance to win a $50 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in.


Don't forget to follow Simon Says Stamp on Instagram, they post great stuff daily. 


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Do you use Instagram? If so please add #sssmchallenge so we can see your entries there too.






Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:




22 comments:

  1. LOVE,LOVE this page!! The layers of colors are super and what a clever use of the "hats" too!

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  2. Oh my - what a FABULOUSLY BRIGHT and HAPPY and FUN background Anna-Karin. I ADORE your creativity here - just WONDERFUL! Xj.

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  3. Love this Anna-Karin! the party hat boats are brilliant and I love the background, the colours and crackle are fabulous! Anton did a great job too, he created a perfect horizon!! ;-)

    luv
    Lols x x x

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  4. Wow... this art journal page is amazing, Anna-Karin. I love the beautiful bright color and great texture you created on the background. :)

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  5. Oh my goodness, Anna-Karin, this is fabulous!! Your background is awesome and those sailboats, well, all I can say is they're now on my wishlist. Love the sky and sea you created with all the texture. It's amazing!

    Cathie ♥

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  6. Super mooi!! Mooie kleuren en een mooie tutorial gemaakt. Dank je wel

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  7. Fabulous! Glorious background with the sunshine on the water - I love it.
    Alison x

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  8. Lovely background Anna-Karin. Love your boats . Such a cheerful page. Tracy x

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  9. Wow! What a bonus to be able to see some amazing detail pics of your process! I loved following along and I am totally impressed with your clever use of the hats! Who would've thought to turn them into sailboats? You are and continue to be a genius whose work I love!

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  10. I love your sea of boats with words. Colors are so brilliant. Did you use baby wipes to apply Dyan's paints? Great sense of movement in the water, too.

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  11. Sorry, I just re read your step by step and see that you used a palette knife.

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  12. I just love everything about this page! The bright colours, the cute sentiments, the doodling, all that texture, it's just fab! I've not used dyelusions paints paints before, is that vibrancy something that is typical of the whole range? Lou x

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    1. Thank you so much Lou! The Dylusions paint bright and vibrant colors and such fun to work with. / Anna-Karin

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  13. I really love this page Anna-Karin...so inspiring! ❤

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  14. This is gorgeous Anna-Karin! I LOVE your wonderful deep and rich colors!! Fantastic textures, and the stamped images on the words for the boats is super!! hugs, Maura

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  15. I could look at this for hours. Thanks for the details and step by step design process. Love it!!

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  16. LOVE the broad brushstrokes of yellow in the background, Anna-Karin! SO COOL!

    *mwah*
    Steph
    Simon Says Stamp!

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  17. A truly gorgeous journal page and I love the colours you've used, they are so rich and bright and just perfect for the theme you've chosen! Wonderful work, as always Anna-Karin! :)

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  18. your whimsical sea scene is adorable Anna-Karin...the bright colours are perfect and those paper hat boats are a genius touch...hugs kath xxx

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  19. You are fantastic to create wonderful art pages! This is so bold and bright! Your work makes me happy! Fabulous as always! barbara

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  20. Love the scene! The colors you mixed are o fresh and vibrant. Love the crackled surface too. Hugs, Marzena

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Thank you so much for leaving a comment! Happy Crafting!