Experiments with Watercolor & Acrylics

I tried some experimental background techniques using watercolor paper...I wet the paper and then I used sponges to apply different colors of acrylic paint. Starting with the lightest (yellow) color, layering on med colors (orange & turquoise) and then the darkest color (purple). As the paper and the paint dried it became more intense...then I used a smaller sponge and applied more purple.

I had carved some geometric stamps on linoleum blocks, I stamped the background with these stamps using black (permanent) ink...then I applied orange and turquoise dimensional paint to accentuate the design of the stamp.

This is another lino carved stamp that I carved (inspired by Sherrill Kahn). I stamped it in black and use the same process of embellishing the design using dimensional paint.
This a free hand "Angel" drawn with dimensional paint...these paints are really made for writing on fabric (like T-shirts)....I like the small pointed tip, because you can get some great detail with it....the other stamps are mine...and embellished with the dimensional paint also.

After the purple sponge printing..I used some watercolor daubers to make poka dots...the part I really liked about this section is the white of the paper showing through the paint...just like in a watercolor painting the white of the paper gives a "sparkle" to everything.
I think these will make a great start for a collage. I could add some layers of paper and dry brush gesso, then some images and 3-D stuff...that might be cool..I think the possibilities are endless now that I have the backgrounds done...
These backgrounds were done on some 100% cotton fabric that I had washed and dried in the dryer...it came out all "crinklie" and I kinda liked that...I wet the fabric (just like the watercolor paper) and spread it out on my work surface...then I applied acrylics and watercolor to the fabric just like I did to the paper...the color seemed to be a little more intense than on the paper...but that could have been because the fabric was not as wet as the paper...after all this was just an experiment...lol.

I cut off a piece of the paper with the intentions of embossing...but the paper was too thick to emboss...so I just stenciled the embossing design using my gel pens...you can't tell in the pics but there is a lot of glistening parts because some of the gel pens were metallic.

Some more sections of the fabric background...
After the fabric dried...I ironed the back side...to heat set the paint.
This is a close up of the middle of a doll that I free handed on a section of the pre-painted fabric...another idea from Sherrill Kahn...After I drew the doll on the fabric I embellished it with dimensional paint and stamps.

This is a close up of the top of the doll...I applied beads to the design (which is not finished...I always forget to photograph my work in progress)
This is a view of the entire doll...the face will be made from polymer clay...I really love the colors of the back ground fabric...once I have finished the embellishments, I will stuff the doll and take some more pics (she is 22" tall)...You know I always like to include the size of my projects, because it is really hard to tell how big or small something is in pics. Check back soon for the finished product.