Canvases

By rowarrior

Lets face it, one of the main reasons we scrap is to show off our work and how pretty we can make those annual holiday snaps. We can haul our books out and show people, but have you ever thought a layout so good it was a shame to hide it away where no-one else will get to see it on a regular basis? Framing could be the way to go, but unless you invest in a shadow-box frame, your layout will have to be fairly 2-dimensional to fit behind the glass. Now, though, there is a way to create great 3-D, tactile masterpieces – use an artist's canvas.

Whilst there are a couple of scrapbook companies that have started producing their own canvasses, this is another example of trying to re-invent the wheel, and if you shop in the right place, you can pay a lot less than they're demanding. Yes, it's time to abandon your lss for a while and head over to the art store to find all its treasures!

Canvasses come in a number of styles – you'll probably want ones that are designed for use with acrylic paint, and can be a number of different depths. For larger pieces, it's probably better to invest in a deeper canvas, as this will add to the 3-D feel of the finished product, but for smaller ones you could get away with the thinner offerings.

As you've bought canvas, there's not a lot of point in covering the whole thing in cardstock (apart from anything else, it'll look weird!) so it's time to break out the acrylic paint again – have I mentioned recently how much cheaper this is to buy from an art suppliers than from the ‘colour range that will only match our products' versions from the scrapbook companies? It might also be time to have a look at some of the other things that lurk around the acrylic paint section in art stores – acrylic texture mediums. Using these you can create a number of different looks, from sand, to waves, to snow, to brick depending on what you choose to mix your paint with, and how thickly you apply it to the canvas. There's usually a sample sheet beside the display to show you what can be achieved with each medium, however be aware that the binding agent in the mediums is usually clear to allow it to be mixed with any shade of paint without affecting the colour, while the display will usually show the medium already coloured in some way to bring out the best each one.

Once you've finished painting, start looking around for other things you want to add. As well as the obvious photos, and perhaps journaling, remember that as long as you have some way of securing it, you can stick a number of items on that are connected to your subject – eg shells and netting for a beach layout, stationery for a back to school layout. You can also try fabrics instead of cardstock to use as photo mats, just remember that the easiest and most permanent way of adhering paper, photos and large pieces of fabric is to use photo spray mount.