Art Portfolio pt2.

The Covers...

So you have your magazine images chosen, cut around them, but not too close. You need to leave a bit of a margin around each image. you also need to choose some patterned paper, either scrapbook paper...OMG tearing up scrapbook paper...no,no,no, I just can't do it LOL So I used these papers. Every few months I paint up a whole load of paper with different colours,patterns and textures, and these get used for all sorts of projects.

Tear your patterned paper, don't cut it. for this project you want the rough edges. Play with strips of paper and the images, shuffle them around till you have an even balance across the cover. you don't want to completely fill the space, leave some of the background showing. When you are happy with the placement, glue the all down with matte medium or white glue. flatten the images into the glue, and spread a little glue over the top of them too.

On this cover I added the text early, on the other pieces I added it last. Remember that the fabric for the spine will wrap around to the front and back by about 2.5cm...so don't glue your images right up to the inside edge or they will get covered up.

Next scribble around each image and bit of torn paper with your crayon, if you are using water soluble ones, then dab a little water over them to blend them. next mix up a little acrylic in your chosen colours and while the previous layer of watercolour crayon is still wet, add the acrylic around the images and blend it all together.
At this point the raw edges are covered, but the colour is harsh. Let this layer dry and then add ore water soluble crayon, then a little white acrylic..then more crayon...blend and smudge. Add as any layers of colour as you need to bring the piece together, if you go over any of the images too much quickly wipe them with a baby wipe.

The second cover is done in the same way, first arrange your papers and images, glue then colour and blend.

Add some darker colouring under the images to provide shadow, and add a dark colour all around the outside edge. Add a little stamping in a contrast colour that will stand out. Finally outline your text with a little white acrylic, dabbed on using the side of a credit card.

This photo shows the front totally finished with the back just at the gluing stage. See how the colouring and blending totally transform it.

Take care to keep the black ouline clean all around the edge, if you get any paint on there wipe it off while still wet.

Here is the back cover finished. The text was stamped onto printer paper using stazon, glued on and then coloured and blended to match the background. Then each word was outlined first with colour and then with white acrylic. Finally the white circles were dabbed on, using white acrylic and a bottle top.



Check back tomorrow to see the flaps being decorated.