I was on Hochanda this week demonstrating techniques for using the acrylic covers effectively, for the A4 and A6 journals from That’s Crafty!. As always, there is too little time on air to fit in all my ideas, and only just enough time to fit in all I had planned! What follows below are photos and quick explanations of how to do your own. I really need to remember to take step-by-step photos as I make so that I can do a proper tutorial post! First is an unbroadcast cover, then the mirrored cover that didn’t go so right when rushed, and last for this post is the bubbling water effect shown in my first hour.

• Peel off the protective film from the reverse of the cover
• Work on the reverse side for all the following steps
• Place the snowdrop stencil in position and fill in using Posca pens
• Dry, then place the TIME stencil upside down and sponge through ivory paint
• Dry, spritz with gold mister, dry
• Meanwhile, print texture stamps onto large Rizla papers using Chartreuse archival ink
• Heat set the ink, then using decoupage glue/multi medium glue overlapping layers of the printed papers
• Once dry, any paper over the edges of the cover can be sanded off

• Peel off the protective film from the reverse of the cover
• Working on the reverse, add alcohol inks until you are happy with the coloured layer
• Place the JOURNAL stencil upside down and sponge a layer of Jet Black archival ink through onto the alcohol ink
• Remove the stencil and then rub away the black in with a clean cloth/kitchen towel
• Repeat inking steps if you want to remove any more of the alcohol ink
• Now spritz with a water-based varnish (e.g. Pentart spray varnish) to seal the ink
• IMPORTANT: allow to fully air dry, do not heat. Repeat varnish layer
• Spritz with Pentart Mirror Mist and heat dry immediately to stop the mirror mist weakening the varnish beneath
• Seal the mirror mist with the same varnish and finally apply a layer of black acrylic paint
• Peel off front film to reveal your results

• Peel off the protective film from the reverse of the cover
• Working on the reverse, and using the word stencils the wrong way up, sponge your main colour onto the acrylic; heat dry and repeat directly over the top.
• Next, sponge your shadow colour through the same stencil, slightly offsetting from the first colour
• For the water effect, first dilute some white gesso/primer
• Working quickly, cover the whole sheet with a layer of watery paint and then dab isopropyl alcohol into the wet paint – it will push the paint away and start the effect
• When you are happy with the effect, heat dry in a well ventilated room
• Repeat with a light shade of blue, and then another darker shade of blue
• This technique will work over any sealed surface, but does rely on the paint being thinned and still wet
• Try adding text to the front of the cover as well, this time starting with the shadow colour and working over the top with the main colour

Bonus post

Later this week I will do a separate post explaining my ‘now-you-see-me-now-you-don’t’ technique that was a wee bit rushed at the end of the second show: