Waves of the Sea Trifold Book

One of my favorite things about Color Burst watercolors is how vibrant they are! The rich, saturated pigments are perfect for tinting a variety of materials. Recently I experimented with a few different types of papers and even some cheesecloth to create a trifold book and a large layered flower. I made quite mess in the process, but I was so pleased with the results!

To create the book I started with a piece of 400 lb. watercolor paper folded into thirds to make an 8 x 8 square trifold book. I tinted several different types of papers including pages from a vintage dictionary, sewing pattern tissue, deli paper, sheet music, as well as some cheesecloth with Turquoise, Ultramarine Blue, and Yellow Ochre Color Burst, and Iron Oxide Liquid Metals. I found the sailboat image in a magazine and lightly sanded it with an emery board to add a bit of character. I adhered all the papers and a vintage cabinet card frame with a glue stick and the cheesecloth with gel medium. 

The large bloom was created with flowers made with the Poppy Mandala Cut "n Color dies and coordinating stamp and water media paper. I simply spritzed each flower with water and sprinkled on the same hues of Color Burst listed above. I spritzed the flowers with more water to spread the color and gently scrunched them to add texture and dimension. The stamped image was colored with Ultramarine Blue Color Burst and Iron Oxide Liquid Metals. I stitched the blooms together and topped with a rhinestone button adhered with double-sided tape. So cute for a gift topper or even to wear as a brooch!

I love to add a vintage, distressed vibe to my artwork, so the new Burnt Umber Color Burst quickly became my favorite hue! I sprinkled some into a palette, added water, and used a water brush to tint my dictionary pages, the vintage cabinet card, and the edges of the book. Such a deep rich color! A white Posca Paint Pen and a circles stencil finished off the collaged pages. Some of the products I used for these projects were just recently released, so be sure to ask your local store to get them in stock! For more ideas and inspiration using these products be sure check out Ken Oliver's blog here.