An Owl Bookmark and Paper Artsy Fresco Paints

So, my friend and "boss", Susana, told me about Paper Artsy's Fresco Paint. She's an evil, evil enabling woman.

First I had to do my requisite amount of research and watched myriad U-Tube videos, read reviews of the paints asked friends their opinions, blah, blah, blah. Then I agonized a while because after all, I do not have much luck with acrylic paints or rather, didn't until I tried the Distress Paints. Being me, I agonized a bit more, then found a sale and bought a few opaques and a few translucents in my usual favorite color palette.

Then they sat for a spell while I watched even more videos, several times. Finally today, I got them out and gave them a go.

Here's what happened.

I started out by grabbing a leftover scrap of 140 lb. Strathmore water color paper, figuring that I'd be abusing the heck out of it, plus I wanted it to stand up to the rigors required of being a bookmark, which is hard work.

Three opaque Fresco paints were put onto my craft sheet, then sponged onto the paper using Cut N Dry Foam. I blended the colors, experimented with the coverage, and generally played around. When I was happy with the result, I heat set the paints. Then I repeated the process adding a few of the translucent paints into the mix. I added a bit of water spritzes, and did some blending and "knocking back" using a baby wipe. When I was happy with that layer, I heat set it. I did this several more times, building up layers of color, then set the paper aside to dry completely.

I cut a piece from the Study Hall patterned paper from the Oxford Collection by Basic Grey. I rarely buy 12x12 paper these days, but AC Moore had a sale and had this sheet, which I figured (correctly) would be useful. I "fussy cut" the top of the paper between the books and used a black Big Brush pen to change the color between the books, though I should have done this step when I was feeling a bit steadier-handed. This patterned paper was adhered to the dried painted watercolor paper.

I wanted to use the owl from the Birdy Up stamp by Stampotique, so I placed a Post-It note over the other birdies, inked the stamp with Jet Black StazOn ink (and yes, I sniffed the pad), removed the Post-It note, and used a Stamp-a-ma-jig stamp positioner to position and stamp the owl.

The next step was to color it, which I did using Distress markers. I ended up having to add shading with a Prismacolor pencil because the ink from the Distress markers didn't work for layering. Go know. I also used the colored pencils to deepen the eye and talon color. Then I coated the eyes, beak, and talon with my ever-so-useful-almost-a-necessity Clear Gelly Roll Glaze pen!

The quote is from a set that I've had forever by Paper Trey Ink, but never used. Bad, bad me!

The flourishes at top and side were created by sponging Frayed Burlap Distress ink over a stencil by Andy Skinner/Tando (which was also purchased due to that evil temptress mentioned above).

The bookmark was mounted on brown cardstock and I called it "Done!"

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall be entering this bookmark into the following challenge:
• Stampotique Designer's Challenge #105: Anything But a Card
• 613 Avenue Create #25: Anything Goes 
• Challenges for Everybody: Anything Goes!