Second Thursday Tutorial: Spray Starch Backgrounds

Happy Thursday everyone.  Are you ready for the monthly tutorial?  I've wanted to try this background technique for YEARS.  I finally decided it was time to bite the bullet and see if it would work.

The original concept of this background came from Jo at JoZart.  If you go there to see the link to her tutorial, you will be overwhelmed with all those Photobucket images.  It's such a shame.  The post you want is right above Blog Archives and is covered with the Photobucket "pay up or we hold your images hostage" emblem.  But, I'll share it with you, so you don't have to hunt for it: Spray Starch Backgrounds.

To be honest, I didn't follow her instructions at all, except I used spray starch, mica powders, and paper.  Other than that, nothing was the same.  However, I was still happy with my results.  Her technique is a lot different, and if you want to make spray starch backgrounds, you should at least compare her tutorial to mine.

Supplies from back left clockwise:
Spray Starch, any brand, any strength
Liquid Starch*
Plastic Spoon (hidden behind the liquid starch)
Mica Powders (your choice, ones that do NOT have binder)
Foam Brush
Black, White, and White Glossy Card Stock, 110 lb weight

*The liquid starch was there as back-up in case the spray starch I got several years ago at my local Household Hazardous Waste Swap and Shop didn't spray or was defective in some other way.

I have white and black card stock, and I firmly believe in using what I have.  I don't buy products to create these tutorials. 

Make sure your two papers are the same size and approximately the same weight.

I began with the white card stock.  Just my choice, but for no particular reason.

I sprayed the starch on the paper.  You need to be quick when you do this, so I wasn't sure this first batch would work well.  At least the spray starch worked fine.

I opened one of the mica powders and placed some on the tiny plastic spoon.

I tapped the mica powder on the page

then swirled the mica powder around using the foam brush.  Remember, you can use ANY mica powder you own, but if you have powders that DO NOT have binders, now is the time to use them.  The spray starch acts as a binder holding the mica powders on the page.

Lay another page on top of the first one.  I placed mine slightly off center so you could see I laid the black on top of the white page that had been sprayed and mica added.   Press the top page to the bottom.  I started in the center and pressed outward, but you could press top to bottom, or right to left.  It makes no difference, just whatever works best for you.

Remove the top paper and turn right side up.  Admire, then set aside to dry.  Return the lid to the mica powder and start again, using different colors.

For the next pages I created, I used more than one color.  I tried to be careful so I didn't create mud when I was making these.

I made a few of these, but none of them inspired me very much.  I think they will make decent backgrounds or they can be cut into smaller pieces, but they simply didn't enthuse me.

One thing I didn't like was how much mica powder I ended up using on each of these pages.  I can make my handmade shimmering mists using far less mica powder and get pretty stunning effects.  I just don't get the swirls I got with this technique.

However, the last one I made, which was the one on the right, gave me an idea.  I finally had one that inspired me.  Too bad my anti-static mats are so paint stained.

Since Bleubeard and I are hosting Art Journal Journey this month, I wanted to use one of these finished papers to make something that would go with our theme of Summertime Love.

Did you ever look at a finished entry and ask why you didn't quit sooner?  Well that's how I felt about this finished entry.

The lovely background lent itself well to these words, from what I could gather, was an old wives tale.

I was very happy with this background, and don't think it would have looked as great backed with white card stock as it did with black.

I live in a land locked state.  There are no navigable lakes, oceans, or rivers near me, but I seem have a "thing" for boats on the ocean.  They seem to say summertime to me.

Why I added this fabric printed light house is beyond me.  Somehow, I thought it would be a good addition to the page.  However, after I ironed it on, I wished I had left it off.  It simply didn't fit the style, size, or composition.  Live and learn, I always say.  And I can't rewind the day.

After all, the real star was supposed to be the spray starch background.

Materials used include one of my spray starch backgrounds, pink card stock, computer generated text, washi tape, sandpaper, and an iron on fabric lighthouse.  Have fun trying this technique, and if you like it, once this post goes live, you'll be able to access it any time on my tutorials page.

Bleubeard and I are thrilled you are joining us for this monthly tutorial, and glad you could brave the waves with us today at Art Journal Journey.  Hope you'll join us there, too.