Wavy Acrylic Textures

macros ~ watercolor moleskine

Experimenting with a tool I got last year; it creates the most wicked textures. My daughters were painting wooden birdhouses, one of their favorite activities, and I hung out and painted in the moleskine.

Ingredients:

• Golden tube acrylics
• Golden matte medium
• Paint brush
• Color Shaper Tool (info below)
• Watercolor paper or very heavy cardstock

Play-by-play

1. Squeeze a variety of colors of tube acrylics into a palette
2. Paint random colors with a paint brush (I used a size 8 flat), leaving some parts unpainted
3. With a color shaper (I used a flat chisel tip), move the paint around in horizontal and vertical strokes, still leaving some parts unpainted
4. Combine a drop of paint with about a tablespoon of matte medium to thin the color and make it translucent
5. Use the color shaper tool to paint randomly, especially the unpainted areas
6. Let the paint dry a bit further, then place parchment paper in between the pages and press under some heavy books overnight to prevent warping. If the paper is too thin, it won't be able to take the weight of the paint.

Here are some pages from my 5x8" watercolor moleskine journal. This abstract art could be a background for art journaling, collage or a stamped quote. The rough and irregular texture would provide a journaling challenge - but you could adhere a printed journaling block with mod podge perhaps. Or cut the art into artist trading cards (ATCs), inchies, gift cards or thank you notes... see How to Make ATCs from Abstract Art.

This would be a great project with kids of any age, perhaps using Speedball water-soluble block printing ink for easier clean-up. My daughters were intrigued by the colour shaper tools. See the "how to" section on the manufacturer website. They can be used to mix, make textures, scrape off and smooth paint. Here's a link to Colour Shapers Tools at Dick Blick. They also have a kid-sized set available.

Comments

[Barb]

Cool!! I love what you created with the color shaper, too. You are evil for giving me yet another tool I need! LOL
Peace & Love,
♥ Barb ♥

[leah]

Beautiful. I love the color!

[Rachel]

Your projects are always SO beautiful!

[print labels]

Very attractive textures, they express the thoughts and colors scheme is also very nice, Thanks for sharing.