3 Mixed Media Background Tutorials / Artist Trading Card

Artist Trading Card 2.5" x 3.5"

I have to tell you that the best part of these 3 ATC's for me was creating the backgrounds!  Back in Oct, my friend Deb and I got together for a mixed media day and experimented with some different techniques.  I have a really great book, "Surface Treatment Workshop" and it has some fun techniques in it.  Most of the technique's I have either tried or seen before, but all the projects using the techniques in the book were very inspiring.  In addition, it's nice to have 1 book with so many techniques.  I tend to forget things, so even though I've done something before, looking through the book reminds me / inspires me to do it again.  Artist Trading Cards are great size for just practicing since they are only 2.5" x 3.5" and fast to create.  If you are new to Artist Trading Cards, then you can take a look at a basic article I wrote way back in 2010 HERE.  And view all of my other ATC's HERE.

The first one was a "rinse aid resist" technique.  It's the rinse aid that is found on the dish washing liquid aisle at the grocery store.  Mine doesn't look as good as the projects in the book, but I still like how it turned out.  I used 3 different color acrylic paints and 140lb water color paper.  hmmmm .... I knew you were going to ask me what colors, teehee.  I only wrote I used 3 colors, but not the colors, teehee.  Well obviously pink and yellow. 
1.  Apply coat of paint and while it is still wet, let the rinse aid drip down the card from top to bottom. 
2. Let the paint dry and then wipe off the rinse aid.  Mine didn't resist so well, so I definitely want to try this one again.  So I added more paint and rinse aid, dried and wiped again.  I can only assume at this point I did the process again with a 3rd color since I wrote I used three colors, but I can't remember.  My background is the result of a technique gone bad, teehee.  So I just kept trying it with a different color and this is what I ended up with.
3. Stamp it with a script image and with orange ink.  My girl with wings and the words are from Lisa's Altered Arts.  The image is kinda fuzzy, if that makes sense.  I don't know if they are intended to look that way or if it's my printer.  My printer doesn't work that well at times.  I guess I"m just used to clean crisp images.

4.  Trim words (Lisa's Altered Arts).  You can create your own with your computer.

5.  Doodle around work blocks and edges.

6.  Add button.

Artist Trading Card 2.5" x 3.5"

I have been using paste for a couple of years. After seeing a project in the book that had raised circles using the paste and the colors aqua / red, I was inspired to create this background.  Paste are found in the artist section at your local craft stores.  I've used Aquitex and Golden and both work fine for me.  It comes in white.  You can add acrylic paint to it.  Or spread it on and after it dry's add paint over it.  It's fun to use with stencils.  I punched circles in heavy cardstock to use as a stencil.  You can get lots of fun stencils from Layer's of Color and from Crafter's Workshop. 

1. Spread modeling paste over the entire background with a palette knife (also found in the artist section of local craft store).  

2.  After dried I used my self-made circle stencil and applied more paste. 

3.  Apply paint (red, aqua, and a dab of white) until you get the distressed look you want.  I often use fan brush to add little wisp of color here and there. 

4. Distress using a script stamp.  The one I used was already distressed (Prima).  It's a 2 1/4" x 2 3/4" clear stamp.  I swiped ink over parts of the stamp and added small parts of the image hear and there.  see below.

5.  Hand cut grass, flower, and banner from patterned paper, then doodle around the edges.

Another great book with fun background idea's and great ATC inspiration is "Artist Trading Cards Workshop" .

Artist Trading Card 2.5" x 3.5"

The above background was created using a paper towel.  I've read can also use a baby wipe, I've just never done it.  Paper towels are more readily available at my house, thank goodness, teehee.

1. Wet  paper towel and lay over some watercolor paper.

2.  Add watered down acrylic paint.  Just enough so it is thin enough to be absorbed easily.  The paint bleeds together a little. 

3. Pick up your paper towel and lay it down somewhere to dry.  I use wax paper.

The paint will bleed through on to the watercolor paper and you can use this for the base of backgrounds as well.

 4.  Lightly swipe more paint here and there if needed to get the distressed look you want.  Whenever I do this, I use a fan brush. 

5. Trim down to slightly smaller than ATC.  Stamp randomly with a script image and black ink.  Adhere to black cardstock.

6.  Tear and add a patterned paper. 

7.  Add cut-out butterfly's and words.

8.  Doodle around the edges of word blocks and patterned paper.  I just realized I forgot to doodle around the sides, so I will be going back and adding that.

I hope you are inspired to experiment with some new background techniques!

I would love to see ATC's you create using these techniques.  Email my a link when you have posted yours.

hugs,

Melisa

You can view more of my Artist Trading Cards HERE.

You can view more of my Mixed Media projects HERE.

You can view more of my projects using Modeling Paste HERE.

You can view more of my tutorials HERE.

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Modeling paste

Palette Knife

This is a fancy set.  I just own one ... the first one on the left.  You can buy just the one at local craft store