Adding More Texture to Mixed-Media Paintings with Tissue and Other ‘Fragile’ Papers

Examples of ‘fragile’ papers include tissue, rice paper and toilet paper/kleenex.

Tissue Paper

Relatively delicate papers tear easily when soaked in acrylic medium. To prevent this, a thicker acrylic gel is applied to the surface of the painting, the delicate tissue paper laid down and arranged, and then more gel brushed on top with a soft brush. I first tried this using the thinner medium but the paper quickly became soggy and tore.

Tissue added to my holyman painting.

Toilet Paper

This is something our instructor Jeanne discovered when she had ran out of  tissue paper in a class. Take toilet paper, making sure it is one ply by pulling apart the layers. Lay your painting flat and  position the toilet paper. In a spray bottle mix 50/50 acrylic medium with water and spray onto the paper. Clean your spray bottle afterward by spraying water through the sprayer port until it runs clear. (If you don’t do this the medium will dry and clog up the spray nozzle.)

The result is quite interesting and unexpected, as seen on the painted and dry-brushed toilet paper on the left below. (The paper applied on the painting to the right is a foil candy wrapper, an example of a ‘heavier’ paper.)

• One-a-Day Creative Project Part 1
• One-a-Day Creative Project Part 2
• One-a-Day Creative Project Part 3
• Mixed Media Class 1: All About Transferring Images
• Mixed Media Class 2: Using Spackle to Create Textures (Plus a Few Struggles)
• Mixed Media Class 3: Ways to Add Even More Texture

More of the Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Textures.

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