Tutorial - Create A Mixed Media Background For A Layout

Hello friends! Today I am sharing a tutorial on how I created the mixed media background that I created on white cardstock for this layout. This was one of my July layouts with the My Creative Scrapbook's July Creative Kit. This kit is so colorful. I love the summery colors of these papers that are from the Summer Dreams Collection by Echo Park and so I wanted to create a background that would coordinate with these papers.

It is fun to sometimes play and get messy with paints and sprays and create something a little more artsy for a background.  For many of my layouts, I tend to use white cardstock for my background and add the patterned papers on top of it. I love the clean look but I occasionally like to get creative and create a one of a kind artsy background. Here are some more closeups of the layout:

To create the background for this layout, you will need:

Supplies

• 1 sheet of 12 X 12 white textured cardstock
• Craft mat
• Clear gesso (I use Liquitex)
• Heat gun or hair dryer
• White gesso (I use Liquitex but white acrylic paint will also work)
• White modeling paste (I use Liquitex)
• An old or expired credit card or gift card (to spread the modeling paste)
• Heidi Swapp Colorshine Sprays in gold, navy, primrose and teal
• Ranger Distress Stain in Picket Fence
• Wide bristle artist paint brush or sponge brush
• Palet knife
• Paper towel 
• Paper trimmer
• A piece of packaging (cellophane)

Instructions

With a paper trimmer, trim the white cardstock to measure 11 1/2 inches on all four sides.

With a paint brush or sponge brush apply clear gesso to the white cardstock. Dry with a heat gun.

Scoop approximately one tablespoon of modeling paste onto a craft mat with the palet knife

Spray the modeling paste generously with the Heidi Swapp Colorshine Spray to the desired shade and stir with the palet knife to combine it well with the modeling paste

Add some colored modeling paste to the bottom edge of the plastic card and apply to the white cardstock as shown by sort of scraping the modeling paste on the page

With the same shade of modeling paste, apply to several areas of the white cardstock.

Dry with a heat gun well before adding other colors of modeling paste. 

Continue applying each color of modeling paste and drying in between each color change with a heat gun.

I wanted to tone the colors down because I thought it was too busy so I applied some white gesso onto my craft mat and with my finger spread it around the page in a circular motion and let it dry

 After the white gesso was applied and dry, I applied some Ranger Distress Stain in Picket Fence by dabbing it onto a piece of clear cellophane and "stamping" it randomly around the page

Once I was happy with it, I splatted some Heidi Swapp Colorshine Spray in navy and primrose around the page and let it dry well

Finally I added some machine stitching around the edge of the cardstock. Stitching is totally optional. I prefer to add stitching to many of my layouts because I love the homespun feeling and texture it gives to my pages.

Adhere it to the navy plus sign patterned paper from the July Creative Kit. The background is now complete. 

Mixed media is all about layering colors and textures and just having fun. 

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and give mixed media a try. I find it is so much fun to let loose and get messy. It really is freeing.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!