Brayer Acrylic Paint Technique

full sheet

full sheet

full sheet

full sheet

full sheet

I am just finishing up a 4x4 technique fat book swap. This is my contribution. I have not been working a lot with paper as much as I have been since discovering the wonders of fabric and my sewing machine. It is like it is new again. This is a simple technique that makes a great background. You can choose to embellish it a bit with embossing or some rubber stamping with paint or some text stamping. I like scribbling.

Here is the basic technique:

1. Use watercolor paper or card stock as substrate. Glue stick torn pieces of book text randomly to watercolor paper. Make sure you cover text paper with glue stick on top as well. Let dry.
2. Draw lines of acrylic paint or fluid acrylics in several colors on paper plate.
3. Use brayer to pick up a few colors of paint at a time. Brayer onto paper in different directions away from you picking up paint when needed. Don’t overload on paint. Don’t need to entirely cover surface. White space okay. Should see some of text.
4. Using a little bit of force – might want to stand for this. Press down on brayer (without paint) and push away from you. Brayer will pick up paint in spots where glue was on text. You will get a great distressed look. Go over entire page. Let dry when you are happy with look.

The most important thing is to make sure you go over the text page with glue stick so that later on the brayer will pick up some of the paint when you go over it again. Sometimes, if the text is not on the watercolor paper firmly enough, the brayer will pick up sections of the text paper. Just use a bit of glue stick and glue it down the best you can again. It is okay if it is not perfect. You won't be able to tell the difference anyway. Have fun.