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Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Acrylic Varnish and Mica Powder Background Tutorial

PREVIEW:
This finished piece uses: Brown Paper Bag with Brick Ink--HEAVY Varnish Mixture coverage)

Acrylic Varnish and Mica Powder Backgrounds

Supplies:
Brown Paper Bag (I used a grocery bag) or Light weight cardstock
(crumpled and unfolded several times)

Acrylic Varnish
(I used
Delta Ceramcoat Varnish-Glossy)
This should also work well:
http://www.liquitex.com/Products/varglossmedvarflex.cfm
(you can try watered down Acrylic Medium, but I suggest a soft gel and a glossy finish. You want the consistency of white craft glue (Elmer’s))

PearlEx or any other Mica Powders*
Sponge Paintbrush
Dye Reinker or Color Wash Spray or Fluid Watercolors or Calligraphy Ink
Disposable Bowl
Newspapers or plastic sheeting to protect your workspace.






1) Squirt out a general portion of Acrylic Varnish into your bowl. (Almost cover the bottom of the bowl) Sprinkle one or more colors of Mica Powder onto the varnish. Using your sponge paintbrush, gently mix the powder into the varnish. (You can mix completely together OR keep the colors separate. I liked to keep the colors separate… just mixing at the “seams” where the colors met in the varnish.)

2) Lay a few papers down onto your protected workspace. Pick up the varnish/mica powder mixture and quickly and sloppily brush over your papers. Pick up different colors and cover the entire piece of paper.
---There are 2 ways to approach this---
** DO NOT PRESS DOWN OR FORCE THE MIXTURE INTO THE CREVICES OF YOUR PAPER!! KEEP IT ON TOP OF THE “HILLS” OF YOUR PAPER**
OR
** COVER ALMOST ALL OF THE PAPER WITH THE VARNISH MIXTURE. LEAVE A FEW VALLEYS FREE OF VARNISH**




3) Once the papers have dried, repeat step 2 up to 4 times until you have the coloring you like on your papers. Allow papers to dry completely.



4) Take your dye reinker (or other item from supply list) and pour into a disposable bowl. (experiment with both light and dark colors…see what you like best!) Make sure your ink solution is very intense and rich.

5) Take your varnished papers and crumple and uncrumple several more times. Squeeze the papers tightly when crumpling. Flatten papers as best you can on your protected work surface.

6) Using your foam paintbrush fill your brush with your ink solution. Saturate your entire paper with the ink. (I poured the excess ink back into my bowl) Set paper aside to dry completely.

Use as backgrounds or any other way your heart desires! As with all techniques, experiment and HAVE FUN!!


*Some sites to purchase other Mica Powders (other than PearlEx):
http://www.tkbtrading.com/
(type “mica powder” in the keyword search box)

http://www.coastalscents.com/cfwebstore/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=11&CFID=416781&CFTOKEN=92083521

More Finished Sample Backgrounds:



Brown Paper Bag with Black Ink:
(Very Light Varnish Mixture coverage)


Brown Paper Bag with Purple Ink:
(Very Light Varnish mixture coverage)

Brown Paper Bag with Brick Ink
(Heavy Varnish mixture coverage)

11 comments:

  1. Wow those are AWESOME Techinques! I can't wait to give this a try!
    -Cyndi W. in Alabama
    cyndi_weinbaum@yahoo.com

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  2. Absolutely beautiful. Imagine ~ a paper bag turning in to such vibrant background paper. Sounds extremely messing so I'll have to wait until it's nice enough outside so I can do it in the screen porch.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Alyce in Wisconsin
    snowyowl@wi.rr.com

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  3. This is AWESOME! Thanks for sharing!

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  4. Who'd have thought a paper bag could be transformed into something so beautiful! I knew those brown paper bags I have been hoarding would come in useful one day! Thank you for sharing, I will have to go and have a play :)

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  5. Great technique..... very vibrant... thanks for sharing with us.

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  6. Wonderful backgrounds - great texture and colors!
    Susan
    http://susan-artfulmusings.blogspot.com

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  7. HOW FUN!! These are gorgeous - you've given me ideas of stuff to play with this weekend. You're always coming up with inventive ways to make the COOLEST things!! Thanks for doing something else that's inspiring!

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  8. Hi, These turned out beautifully. I'm wondering how you're going to use them. Can you collage stuff on top of it?

    Thanks for sharing.

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  9. thank you! you are putting the web to good use!

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  10. Beautiful! I need to try this ASAP!

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  11. Colored Mica Powder U-Makeitup is specialist retail and wholesale supplier of all the ingredients needed to make your own natural mineral cosmetic and the largest supplier of cosmetic colored mica in Europe. Our cosmetic grade pigments, colored mica and micro fine glitters are also ideal of use in sops, balms, skincare lotions, creams, bath bombs etc.

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