Easy backgrounds

[stampin stacy]

With all the new stampers and some that have taken the hobby up again here at RSC, I thought we could share some easy basic background making techniques.

Leaf/Flower Pounding

Take a leaf or flower, place between 2 pieces of paper and then pound with a hammer. The natural pigment transfers to the paper and you get an image of what you were pounding. The object you pound needs to be somewhat flat though for this to work, and not to wet/juicy either. Pansies work really well and so do rose petals but not the whole rose since it's too thick. The flowers need to be fresh also, dried out and there's not enough moisture to transfer the color.

Kids old enough to use a hammer even love to do this one. Boy can you work out frustrations with this one.

[Audreyrose]

Thaks Staqcy,
I have never heard of that one, I know that I have been stamping for a while but there is still so much I don't know, even simple things like the backgrounds. I will definatey try this one!:p

[TimeforT]

Another background... pull cardboard box paper apart. Use the ridged side to paint on and then press on your paper. gives a rippled effect. Use a second piece of cardboard painted a different color for a 2-toned look!:clap:

[Audreyrose]

You guys keep posting these things I have not tried and I will have to copy them all and give them a try. Actually I think that is a great idea. So glad I thought of that!!:laugh:
When you use the paint is it acrylic? I found a store here in Chapala that sells the small craft bottles of acrylic paint I have never tried to do anything with it. Anymore suggestions? I'll take all I can get! No that I have a clean studio I am more than ready to create!<3

[alsmouse]

Cover work surface with a decent layer of protective covering (newspaper works well). Using 2 sheets of glossy paper, lay down bands or drops of acrylic paints on a random pattern on one sheet. place the 2ed sheet of glossy paper on top & pat down a bit, grab the corners of the sheets & pull apart. let dry on a flat surface. This is rather messy but gives some fun backgrounds. Also try this using black glossy paper & metallic paints. The cheap paints are great for this technique.
You can also use regular card stock, fold in half, reopen & place a selection of paints on the one side & fold the other side over. reopen quickly as this has a tendency to get sticky fast & you have a colorful version of the Rorschach ink blots.
Have fun with these two backgrounds. ~C8>

[1hand1heart]

here's a couple more easy backgrounds....
1. take a piece of text paper, (cheap dictionaries are good for this!) and put a small glob of paint on the upper left corner, then using an old credit card, pull the paint down rapidly, it should thin out enough so can see the text underneath. then do this 2 more times with 2 more colors, in the center, and on the upper right corner. The colors blend and the results are very pretty. experiment with different different colors etc. I made really cool bkgrds with gold and tan paint, and when it was dry, I stamped silver paint using a foam flourish stamp. the results were stunning!
2. use cheap dollar store masking tape (the stuff that doesn't stick well) and lay strips of it on music paper or text paper. don't press on it heavily and leave a tail up. grab the tail, and quickly but carefully pull it off the paper. you should be able to see faint print on the top of the tape. tape these strips on white cs. do one strip of tape on the book page at a time, and place it in different directions. then you dab on ink with a make up sponge and heat set it. I used this technique the atc with the woman on a green bkgrnd that is in my gallery you have to play around with it a bit, but it fun and interesting to see the results you come up with. you can also use clear packing tape, and color with alcohol inks, but I've tried that... I have done picture transfers with packing tape though.
3. faux paste paper - paint cs with one color of paint. drag a fork acroos and up and down while the paint is still wet, making a cross hatch pattern, and let dry.

I could go on and on, but I have a better idea.... google trish bee, and go to her website... she loves making atcs and backgrounds and has tons of ideas! you see where I got some of the idea for some of my atcs there!
Have fun with trying these out, and even more fun on trish's site!

audrey, I use the cheap acrylic paint that you are talking about.

[stampin stacy]

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/5096/vegetablebagbackgroundsvd6.jpg
I used ink, chalk pastels and the bags that veggies (top left) like tomatoes and potatoes come in to make the background paper (bottom left). I then used them to make the all the stuff on the right side. You can either dab the bags into the ink and then onto the paper or lay the bag down onto the paper and then apply the ink directly onto the paper over the bag and then lift up the bag to see what you get.

BTW, the Hummingbird image top is stamped first and then the bottom one was done by stamping again without re-inking.

Stamp credits: Hummingbird - Rubber Stampede, Sunflower - PSX, Live Love Laugh - Stamp Camp, small flowers on oval - Rubber Stamp Tapestry

[Audreyrose]

You guys are great!! I am printing the directions and cannot wait to try. I found some acrylic paints in my drawer when I cleaned them out! This afternoon hubbie is fixing supper and i will be creating until I go take care of my lady! Thanks and keep the ideas coming
Love ya,
Audrey

[TimeforT]

When you use the paint is it acrylic?<3
YES! that is what I use. I try to dry brush it so that the paper doesn't curl as much! Thin coats of paint work best. Thanks for asking.
:wave:

[marstamper]

You can also use acrylic webbing paint. Just put your cs outside on the grass or hang on clothesline, and spray. The webs go in random patterns. Let dry, and wella!! Nice background.

[alcesalces]

Backgrounds are my all time favorite thing to create!

This background has been a favorite since I read about it back in the late 1990's! Easy, quick and doesn't require any special tools.

Plastic Wrap Background:
1) Wad a small piece of clean plastic wrap.
2) Dab it on an inkpad.
3) Dab it on paper.

You can do the same thing with tinfoil, which results in more white space and less ink on the paper. Wadded waxed paper results in longer patterns.

Heather the MooseLover

[alsmouse]

Heather, Thank you for the background. And Welcome to RSC, It's nice to see a new name chatting. Tell us a little more about your self, like the moose lover part...~C8>

[1hand1heart]

I was just going thru some ATCs backgrounds that I had made a while ago, and came across another easy technique!
All you need is a fork, ink pads, and cs. Rock the tines of the forks on an ink pad, then use the inked forked to make prints on the cs! Go in different directions, and you'll make a nice stripey pattern.

[stampin stacy]

Place several rubber bands on a rubber brayer and then ink it up and run it across card stock. One direction only creates stripes and going across and then down creates checks or plaid depending how close the rubber bands are and if they are all the same with or different. IE... wide rubber band, then a couple of skinny ones then another wide one etc. You can also use one color going one direction and another going the other way or try a rainbow pad for a really different look.

[Spideycindy]

Ink up some plastic bubble wrap and press the inked bubble wrap down on the paper and either press with hands or brayer over the top of the wrap and the impressions are really fun too. clean off and can be used again...want more texture smash the air pockets first and try again!

[paperprincess]

Those are GREAT ideas!! Now I know what to do with my flowers in my garden :)

[stampin stacy]

If any of our newer members have any bacground ideas they would like to share we would love to see them posted here.

[tmurph36]

Thanks for all the great ideas.... gotta get stampin!

[Theresagram]

Two techniques that I really like are...

Easy Batik - wad up some wax paper then flatten it out and sandwich between two sheets of paper. Then iron. It's a good idea to put chipboard on either side of the cs as well. Then take a make up sponge and dab/wipe on color.

Watercolor Plasticwrap - using watercolor paper and watercolor paints...paint your paper in however many colors you want...then before it dries wad up some plastic wrap and cover the paper...you might want to weight it down a little so it doesn't move around. Set it someplace to dry. The moisture will pool and make really neat variations in the colors!

[stamplajolla]

My friend Awna posted a great tutorial on Faux Leather Background on her blog at http://allinkdup.blogspot.com/

I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but it looks great.

MaryAnn

[Jamie1]

I really like the webbing paint too and it comes in different colors :)