{"id":2629,"date":"2023-05-12T18:38:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-12T16:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rubberdance.com\/blog\/?p=2629"},"modified":"2025-10-19T11:30:32","modified_gmt":"2025-10-19T09:30:32","slug":"mixed-media-journal-page-with-sketchy-flowers-and-watercolor-like-background","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rubberdance.com\/blog\/art-journal-inspiration\/mixed-media-journal-page-with-sketchy-flowers-and-watercolor-like-background\/","title":{"rendered":"Mixed Media Journal Page with Sketchy Flowers and Watercolor-Like background"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hey Isa here! I\u2019m super excited to share with you today how you can create a journal page with a watercolor-like background, giving your stamps that special depth and atmosphere you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am working with images from Sketchy Flowers<\/a> and Weed Love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s dive in!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first thing you need to do is to make your background papers. Spray the gel plate with water, then add a tiny drop of 3 acrylic paint colors. Here I chose Phtalo Blue, plus Gold, but you can use any color you want, preferably in the same palette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With your finger, spread the paint on the gel plate,  so that it mixes with the water and creates a bubbling effect on the plate. That\u2019s what we\u2019re after!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Now pull a first print with a watercolor or mixed media paper. You should see a watercolor-like effect, with areas not totally covered and areas with stains of paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If there\u2019s too much \u00ab white \u00bb space to your liking on the paper you just printed, use it again when you spread the paint a second time on the plate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Repeat this process as many times as you want (spoiler alert, it can become compulsive \ud83d\ude1c!), and try different color palettes so that you create a stash of various printed papers you\u2019ll dig in for our journal page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip: also vary the type of paper you use to print: bristol, copy paper, rice paper\u2026 They\u2019ll react very differently to the watery paint on the gel plate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Now, decide which one of your printed papers will become the background of your journal page and glue it down with a glue stick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then apply a contrasting color through a patterned stencil to create interest. Here I chose Magenta. Once the paint is dry, outline the pattern or shapes with a white pen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here comes the fun part: stamping!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Text is my go-to when it comes to adding texture. Here I picked \u00ab Art Defined \u00bb and stamped it loosely on the edges of the page in a triangular way. I chose to use inks that match the colors of the background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then I stamped the same way with the large stamp from the \u00ab Weed Love \u00bb set. It\u2019s so delicate that it arouses curiosity every time I use it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next step is splattering with diluted acrylic black paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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While waiting for the paint to dry, look for additional paper scraps you could use that will create interest on your page. I glued down a piece of black tissue paper I had painted with white marks a while ago, and I dug into my bin \ud83d\ude02 to get that page border with square holes and painted it in gold to repeat the shimmery look of my watercolor-like background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then I stamped \u00ab Sketchy Flowers 3 \u00bb on 2 of the papers I gel printed and on 1 book page. I love it when marks come by three !<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I fussy cut them, glue them down and added a piece of fabric to make them look as if they were tied together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If your stamped images are not contrasting enough against the background, you can always come with a marker and increase their value. That\u2019s what I did on the blue \u00ab Sketchy Flowers 3 \u00bb, before I drew dots with a gel pen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And there is your super fun journal page with a watercolor-like background!<\/p>\n\n\n

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I hope you enjoyed following along with me, and don’t forget to share your creations with your own favorite stamps on our Facebook page RubberDance Stamping Lounge<\/a> or on Instagram #rubberdancestamps! \ud83c\udfa8\ud83c\udf38<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s an Instagram reel to help you create a similar journal page:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A post shared by Isa Dor (@isador_artist)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>