'You can never have too much happy' by Elisa Ablett - Monoprinting to make a mixed media background!

Hi everyone, 

Elisa here from the design team with my latest layout based on the new challenge for Scrap Matrix , 'to use all things RANGER' on your layout' 

Now this is a fabulous challenge as there are heaps of lovely Ranger products at Scrap Matrix, from all the Distress Ink range, Dylusions, Dina Wakely and Tim Holtz. 

Click on this link to have a look at all the lovely Ranger goodies that Vicki from Scrap Matrix has in store - http://scrapmatrix.com/brands/

Here is the link to the challenge group - Scrap Matrix Shares

Here is my layout for the challenge :-) 

I wanted to incorporate gelli plate printing which is my new 'love' in the background and as much Ranger as possible, so I pulled out my trusty Dylusions paints in bright colours - London Blue, Lemon Zest, Polished Jade, Squeezed Orange and Fresh Lime with a variety of Dina Wakely stamps and Ranger stencils.

TUTORIAL TIME!!

This is how I made the background with my Gel Press Gel Petites.

 Firstly ! gather you supplies, brayer 4 inch hard rubber speedball, your gel press plates, and your chosen colours of paint from Dylusions and definitely a craft messy mat underneath!

Next using your brayer (i smooth a teaspoon amount of paint onto my mat then run the brayer over it til it is covered- you only need a tiny tiny bit of this paint) run your paint filled brayer over your gel plate shapes until the paint is smooth and even.

Next step - you can do it two ways. Firstly you can tip your piece of paper over the top of your shapes and smooth the back with your hand OR you can pick up your gel plate with paint on it and tip gently onto your paper and press gently like a stamp.

Next! this is one of my favourite techniques -  before you load your paint onto your gel shape place a stencil over the top of the gel shape and then brayer your paint over the top, once you have even coverage then gently lift your stencil off and press your paper onto your gel shape.

Another technique is to spray Dylusions sprays over your stencils onto a piece of mixed media cardstock as per the photo above then use your painted gel shapes loaded with paint over the dried sprayed paper as per the photo below.

Gather together your favourite Ranger Dina Wakely stamps!

Load up your stamps with black versafine ink and stamp over the top of your dry monoprints and then fussy cut your shapes out.

Here are all my examples of my stamped monoprints with my gel plate shapes!

Next step - creating your background on your page and putting it all together!

Using your black Dylusions spray and a water spray bottle, take the lid off your black spray. Spray water down the middle of the page and then add drops of the black spray to the water pooled on your page. Then tip your page from side to side gently. Add more black liquid and more water if necessary. Using a heatgun dry your background, add splatters of black dylusions spray by tapping the lid and inner tube of the lid from the spray onto your page.

Layer your fussy cut mixed media shapes until you are happy with the design and stick down.

Add punchinella, a die cut black square and some black cotton. I used 3d foam mounting tape to mount my photo over the frame. Ink your chipboard pieces, I used Scrap Matrix wood cogs and 13 arts Chipboard title.

I also splattered silver watered down mica powder on the layout and painted on my inked title and cogs to give it a little grungy sparkle!  you could try Primary Elements or Opal Magic Mica Powder from Scrap Matrix.

Here are some close ups of final layout.

Thats it from me today!

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial, make sure you leave me some love :-) 

Hugs 

Elisa Xx