Background paper design, using rubber stamps and collage.

I started making a few handmade cards recently, and have been amazed at the cost of background papers, or cardstock as it is usually called. So I thought I would have a go myself!

This is my first attempt at this, so there will probably be some additional posts,  as I improve my technique!!

My favourite art style is mixed media. so I thought I would combine a selection of techniques just to see what happened. this was not really planned, it just grew!!

I started by painting a page in my sketchbook dark green. I wanted it uneven and patchy.

I then stuck on a few punched out shapes. Some had been rubber stamped with a floral pattern.

I then used a couple of rubber stamps and filled up the page a bit.

I then added a few more punched out shapes, in pink this time.

I did a bit more stamping and stuck on some smaller dark blue, and deep pink, punched shapes. plus a few green flower shapes.

Next I added some dots over the surface. Some of this was done with a rubber stamp, but most was dotted on with paint.

I then painted some contrasting areas on the larger flower shapes. I also stamped a few more white flower shapes in the gaps.

After this I stuck on some ivory coloured small flower shapes.

The next stage was to complete the pattern. I drew a bit into some of the flowers with a fineliner pen. I added extra bits of paint and stuck on flowers to fill up gaps and cover up bits I did not like!

Next I cropped the design in Photoshop and tried it in some different colourways. I can now print this on the scale I want to use as my own backing design paper/cardstock.

Here are some alternative colours....

My last experiment with this is to overlay other patterns in Photoshop and merge them both together. I can then change the colours, and the scale, as I wish. Here are a few examples.

So from some fairly basic techniques, I can make my own  background paper or cardstock.  I will have a go at making some greetings cards with these now, and show you the results in another post.