Backgrounds for Art Projects

These backgrounds for art work were created in different ways. One was rolling stamps and paint then enhanced digitally, one was from a photo [ a pavement]. For the top one I used a vintage letter then used my tablet to add the spots. The others were art work then they were digitally altered.

I don't mind if you use these in your art work, let me know what you create.

Please don't copy the backgrounds to sell.

More Purple Papers

I used rolling stamps, gel printing plate, texture plates, stamps etc and lots of purple paints

Textures and Colours

I got my old rolling stamps out to make some new backgrounds for the purple book I am now working on. The colours on the rollers looked really nice so I thought I would take some photos of them [they don't look quite as good in the photos - click on image to enlarge]

I have a separate page on this blog showing how to make rolling stamps [right hand column].

These are some of the papers I created, I used other mark making materials too such as a gel printing plate, flat stamps, stencils, texture plate etc

Gel Printing Plate

Remember last month I said I'd won a prize on the Sketchbook Challenge, well it came a couple of days ago. It is a 'Gelli Arts' gel printing plate - basically you put paint onto the jellylike surface and then create patterns by pressing objects into the paint or drawing on it with a stick or something. You then put the paper on the top, gently rub and pull the paper off. I thought I would have a quick play with it but ended up doing 35 pages, just with items I'd found to hand such as bubble wrap. The green paper was made with a hand whisk which is one of my favourites I use in batik. I like the plate and will find it a very useful tool and it will be excellent for making background papers or papers for collage. Since doing the above I wondered whether it would also be useful for fabric - I've had a quick try and I'm impressed with my first efforts. I've not taken photos of those yet but will soon.

Doorways and Rolling Stamps 53-55

This is to take part in the Three Muses challenge which this week is 'Doorways'.

I photographed this wonderful doorway at Belsay Hall, Northumberland way back in 2003 and it was an entrance to a room full to bursting of linen.  The nurse wasn't there. Some more photos of the room and another doorway into it shown below.

More rolling stamps - the first & third are made from fun foam, the second from wallpaper

Another Tortoise & Rolling Stamps 9-12

I've done a few watercolour & pen paintings of tortoises/turtles

Below - more rolling stamps

above - fun foam wrapped around a plastic cork

fun foam [leaf shapes] wrapped around 2 corks stuck together

scored polystyrene

fun foam with holes to make a lace like pattern wrapped around a plastic/rubbery cork. I used a hole punch, the type you would use to make a hole in a belt.

Background Paper

I used two rolling stamps to decorate this paper. One was made from spongy pipe insulation [the stuff to keep your pipes from freezing - don't take it off your pipes at this time of year tho!] It's really easy to cut with a craft knife and the other was made from lace wrapped round a bottle. The background was painted with a multi coloured wash of thin paint - if you want thicker paint do the background first.

Full details of my rolling stamps can be read in the Sept/Oct 2009 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors