INKWASH BOOK COVERINGS
Great fun to make, these colourful abstract papers are perfect for covering notebooks or making pretty cards and wrapping paper.
YOU WILL NEED
Newspaper (lay on worksurface before starting) A wide-area paintbrush Heavy-duty lining paper or cartridge paper, cut into rectangles and flattened Acrylic waterproof coloured inks or watered-down acrylic paints (to the consistency of milk) White poster paint Medium round paintbrush Pencil Ruler Scalpel and cutting mat PVA glue Old plate Jam jars 1 Apply a thin layer of water with a wide brush to a piece of lining or cartridge paper and drip ink or watereddown paint onto the surface. The drips will bleed slightly as they hit the paper to make the centre of each flower. Create a random pattern or arrange in consecutive or staggered rows. Repeat, using different colours on several pieces of paper and leave to dry. 2 Once dry, use thick layers of white poster paint to mask out the centre of each flower and to paint on different shapes, including petals, leaves, lines and dots, experimenting with a different design on each paper, and leave to dry. 3 Apply a thin layer of one colour (ink or watereddown paint) over the whole surface of each paper and allow to dry. 4 Place one sheet of paper at a time in a sink or bath and carefully wash away the white poster paint. You might need to gently agitate it with a soft brush to remove fully. Allow to dry. 5 To create a cover, draw around an open notebook in the centre of the back of one of the sheets, adding a 3cm border and then trim the paper. Cut the four corners leaving 0.2cm from the corners of the notebook. 6 Pour PVA glue onto an old plate or into a jam jar, add a little water and spread a thin layer onto the back of the paper. Stick onto the notebook, smoothing out any creases or bubbles. Fold the top edge of the paper over the inside, tucking it behind the book’s spine. Smooth down and do the same with the bottom edge. Fold over the corners and the sides, again smoothing out any creases. Allow to dry and repeat for each notebook.