Making Backgrounds

I love making backgrounds for my artist trading cards. I use a gel plate and acrylic paint, along with various mark making tools like bubble wrap. I recently watched a video on YouTube where an artist suggested thinking outside of the box when it comes to mark making tools. He told us to look at things you would normally throw out or put in your recycling bin that could make interesting designs on your backgrounds.

So that is exactly what I did today. I found a plastic tray the came with hamburger in it, another plastic tray that my gluten free bread is sold in and a couple of handles cut off of reusable shopping bags. Never before would it have occurred to me to use these items as mark making tools. And I wasn’t really looking that hard. I now have a new way of looking at things that would otherwise be discarded without a second thought.

Let’s be honest here, I don’t really ‘need’ any more backgrounds right now. There are about 100 in my binder all ready to go. I may, in fact, have to give away some of the backgrounds I have made to other artists to use. Mostly because I’m anxious to see how these new tools work but also so that I have a new selection to choose from when I am making my ATCs.

I only ended up using the bottom of the two plastic trays this time and I really did get some interesting results. As always, some turned out better than others. Some I don’t like at all but a friend reminded me that sometimes the backgrounds I think are ‘ugly’ turn out to be the best once die cuts and other embellishments are added. For better or worse, here they are…