Mixed Media Tutorial: How to make a textured background using tissue paper

Hi all

I am back with a mixed media tutorial and I am going to show you how to create the background from my Paradise layout.  Here is a link to the layout http://whatkatiedid2.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/mixed-media-layout-paradise-using.html

I started my page off by choosing the photo first as it gives you an idea of what colours to work with. I chose this beautiful water scene and began choosing all my blue toned papers and inks.

  Take a couple of sheets of tissue paper and cut them into strips, Don't worry about being neat as it adds texture to the final page. For adhering the strips to the page i used watered down pva glue and then build up the layers as you would with paper mache. I added around three layers but it depends on the thickness of the material.

I then used a mixture of white paint with water for a primer and then give the whole thing two coats and left it to dry. You could also use a heat tool but i would recommend spritzing the back of the page with water as you dry it to keep the page from curling up and then repeat on the front of the page.

       Here is a close up of of the first layer and as you can see it is primed and ready to cover in ink.

I used a honeycomb die cut from the Xcut Beekeeping set to make a stencil mask which i cut out of using thick kraft card. I then applied my texture paste randomly over the die-cut shape and dried it off with a heat gun. 

I have also found that with sturdy steel dies you can apply texture paste directly over the die itself using a spatular.

 I then cut up the mask as being made of card it soon goes limp but it makes an excellent background texture.

 I used the punch outs from the die to add another layer of texture and then cut up cream coloured lace and stuck that to the background as well. 

I chose Three mist sprays and covered the whole page before lifting it up and letting the ink run. I then sprayed it again and used a paint brush to paint over the whole page mixing the colours and covering the textures.

I then took a few texture stamps and stamped them on the background at random. I use border stamps in between layers to add texture.

Here are some detail shots so you can get an idea of how the layers build up. I added my pattern paper layers after this and began turning it into a layout but you could also use this tutorial to create a canvas or art journal.

                            Thank you for looking and let me know how you get on xx