Another grunge background

I thought since I was on the subject of grunge yesterday, I would bring this second grunge background back. I copied it in its entirety from January 29, 2008. I hope you like it, and find a way to use this fun background technique in your art. Again, note how clean and pristine my workspace was back then.

A few days ago (January 24), I showed how to take an ugly scrapbook paper and turn it into an altered grunge piece. I did another, using a piece of white scrapbook paper that I accidentally got paint on.


Supplies are simple:
12 X 12 sheet of scrapbook paper, or any substrate of your choosing
Various paints and glazes of your choice
Gift, old credit, or hotel key cards (be sure they are plastic because the paper ones don't work well)


Begin by spreading two complimentary colors of acrylic paint on the page using a credit card. Note that I used inexpensive acrylic. You don't need the good stuff here, because much of it will be covered anyway. I chose red and yellow because I love that combination.

To that, I added lime green, covering some of both the red and the yellow. This helped to create even more color.

Next, I dipped another credit card in dark green glaze and using only the edge, swiped lines into the center. I then filled in the remaining empty spots on the page using the same glaze.

I repeated the above step using dark blue glaze.

Then I swiped orange glaze in select areas using a clean credit card.

Here is the completed piece. If someone had told me that red, yellow, and lime green paint, and green, blue, and orange glazes went well together from a color standpoint, I would have shaken my head in disbelief. But, since I tried them all together, I really like the results. Hope this inspires you to create your own grunge background.

You really should go to today's blog. I first learned about this from Mar (Mary Hunt) at Working Projects. I just have to pass on a blog I read about on hers. Mar has been a dear cyber friend, leaving supportive comments on my blog for a long time and including me in her blogroll. It wasn't hard to offer to pass the word about Ophelia who is trying to raise money for a family in her North Carolina town. We often send money to those in need in other places when disaster strikes, but seldom reach out the way Ophelia has right in her back yard. In her quest to help this family, she is selling many of her supplies, including paper, fabric, and her really expensive Bernina sewing machine. I was so impressed, I just had to shout out for her. If you need a package of paper or fabric and can afford it, consider buying one or more from her in order to help her raise this money.