LAYERED ACETATE

This is a technique I've been wanting to do for a while as it allows your background to have some texture to it while floating a piece of acetate above it, which also has some additional elements to create depth.  Not a technique that can be appreciated fully unless you are holding it in your hand though I'm hoping by including the picture of the side-view of "Anemones", it will give you some idea.  I used die-cut shapes cut from JAC (double-sided adhesive paper) to create the layers on top of the acetate and then used foil on those.  Though I also added some normal coloured die-cut shapes on a couple of them as well for extra interest.  For this technique, Couture Creations skinny foam tape and squares are your friend (I just about exclusively use the black as it gets lost in the shadows underneath).

"Succs to be you"

"Anemones"

Side view of Anemones, showing the raised areas
of the seaweed on front of the acetate, then the 
fish is raised on top of the acetate as well.

"Dark and gloomy"
This one is actually a shaker!  The little crystal and 
metal skulls and little skeleton inside the coffin
all move about along with some Distress Glitter.

"Dead of Night"
The bat is once again raised on top of the acetate.

"Wander"

"Find Joy"

 

ACRYLIC INK SPIN BACKGROUNDS

 This is a class I've been wanting to do for a long time.  I did get some strange looks at IKEA purchasing 17 salad spinners for the girls that didn't have them!  The IKEA salad spinners work great for this technique.  I know some have used alcohol inks with this technique but I found the fumes from the alcohol inks and the isopropyl alcohol (or blending solution) when you opened the spinner to check your work just about knocked me out.  So acrylic inks to the rescue!  They are fluid like alcohol inks, lots of colours to choose from like alcohol inks, and they work with just a spritz of water to get the movement so no smell.  I found it worked best with a blob of blu-tack pressed into the basket to hold the piece of card in place (about half a walnut-size will do) and depending on how fast or slow you spin, your design is different every time!  The metallic acrylic inks are thicker so may need a little more water to help disburse them.  I worked on the dull side of photo paper for this technique as if you use an absorbent card like watercolour or other normal cardstock, the inks just absorb straight away and don't spin.  Try it out, it's such a fun technique and not too messy as the excess ink is contained in the spinner (just remember to empty it out when you've finished, then it will have to live in your craft space).

"See the World"

"Perspective"

"Fly"

"Never leave you"

"Simplicity

"Bugs"

ALCOHOL INK MARKERS ON GELLI PLATE

 For the new cover class of Technique Book #26, we'll be using Alcohol Ink Markers (like Copics or similar) straight onto a Gelli Plate, then pulled off with the usual thin layer of paint.  This gives a very naive style of print that can be further enhanced by loosely drawing over the design with a fine black permanent marker, stamping or even stitching.  Before I started these samples, I sketched a few ideas onto a scrap of paper so I had an idea of what I'd like to do.  This takes some of the angst away that generally strikes when you have to hand-draw something.  I know some people are quite comfortable with drawing, I'm not, and I know that some of my girls freak out about it too so I wanted to keep the designs nice and easy.  I love the simplicity of the leaf drawings and my other favourite is the Faraway Places atc as it reminds me of a vintage travel poster, as it just came together so easily and I love the colours in it. Hope you give it a try if you have alcohol markers and a Gelli Plate.

Cover of Technique Book #26
(The size of this book cover is 20cm x 15cm, or 8" x 6".
I bind my book at the top with 3 holes so I can fit 3 atc 
samples on each subsequent page.)


"No. 1120"

"3043"


"No. 74"

"Specimen"

"Faraway Places"

"Imperfections"


"Poppies"

"never stop exploring"

"Just one life"