Things that matter

It's my turn to make something for the blog today and I have been asked show how to do a simple, step by step painty something so I chose a tag - and so this is just for you Anne! Hopefully this should show you just how to add layers of paint.

Start with a tag and I stuck mine down with washi tape (though I do use tissue tape sometimes which works brilliantly!) I adhered the tape to my craft mat using a thin edge of the tag all the way round - this acts as a lovely border when you add Distress Ink at the end - you can, of course, leave this border with out ink which gives a really crisp edge (1). Then I added a little white paint with a palette knife and covered the tag (this doesn't show up in photos) and then red paint over the top. These layers need only be really thin - as you add more layers the colour will intensify (2).

The red (well, now pink!) was a little too bright so I rubbed the whole tag with a baby wipe. You can see where the white paint becomes exposed - I leave some areas with thicker pink layers and some back to the white paint to add a little interest (3). With my finger I added a little blue paint to the edges and then took some of it off with a baby wipe (4). This is the background complete and took about four minutes! The next bit takes a little longer!

I stamped the image onto tissue paper (5) and then turned it over. On the reverse (6) I painted, with a fine paintbrush, the image with the same colours I used on the tag so it all ties in. I only added a yellow for contrast.

When it's all dry cut it out and adhere it to the tag using Matte Medium. The areas that have not been painted become transparent and the background shows through - clever 'eh?! The final flourishes included adding a sentiment, some Distress Ink to the edges, stamping a few lines randomly and drawing a rough border with pen. Hope that helps demystify using paint as a background!

Gabrielle x

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