Shaving cream background paper

I was asked in the comments to explain how to make shaving cream paper. I've added it below.



Materials:

Shaving cream, cheap and not gel

Paper: various weights and colors, book pages, photographs, most papers will work

Shallow pan (I used a cookie sheet)

Reinkers (I used both dye and pigment inks, but the pigments gave me problems)

Tool such as a pick, comb, faux credit card cut with decorative scissors, or knitting needle

Faux credit card

Something to cover your work surface

Place for papers to dry



Instructions:1. Shake shaving cream can before beginning, then squirt shaving cream onto cookie sheet.






2. Using a credit card, spread shaving cream onto cookie sheet.

Continue spreading until the shaving cream covers an area larger than your largest sheet of paper. Make sure shaving cream is relatively level.


3. Place a few drops of one reinker color randomly on the shaving cream. Add a second color, and a third if you wish.

Don't use more than three colors at a time or your shaving cream will get muddy.

4. Drag your favorite tool (I used the hair pick), through the shaving cream and reinkers. Don't press too deeply, just skim the surface. Continue doing this until you have a pattern you are happy with.

5. Lay a sheet of paper over the shaving cream and GENTLY press into the mixture. Carefully lift the paper from the shaving cream.

6. Scrape off excess shaving cream with a credit card and set aside. Allow to dry.

ALTERNATIVELY, lay another sheet of paper on top and press gently, being careful to not rotate or move the bottom paper.

7. At some point you're going to have to add more reinker ink to the shaving cream. This is the time to change colors if you wish. You will not have to add any more shaving cream.

8. Clean up is easy: just use warm water to remove any excess shaving cream, then follow with soap and hot water.

I had a lot of fun with this project, but I have to admit I had a problem stopping. Being the Queen of FREE, I didn't want to throw any of the shaving cream mix away. As you can see from the finished stack, I have many, many pages of shaving cream papers.

I like how my studio smelled so clean and fresh after I finished the paper. The shaving cream has a definite appealing scent, unless you are allergic to, or affected by, any scent. I also like how soft and pliable the paper is when finished. Since the shaving cream has very little liquid and no water, the pages don't curl or warp like they do with many other background techniques.