Here are two samples of red one inch square backgrounds. The top sample is more "red", the bottom sample has more pink showing. Both are from the same piece of watercolor paper.How I made them: I began with an inexpensive piece of 140 # watercolor paper. I then did watercolor washes using Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson and Permanent Rose. After drying, I spritzed the paper with water and applied Dr. Ph. Martin's Concentrated Watercolor in Crimson. Again I let the paper dry. I then used a stick covered with an assortment of rubber bands and a spiral stamp to stamp with acrylic paint in Alizarin crimson. I used the rubber stuff used to put under area rugs as a stamp with Cadmium Red Medium acrylic paint. Next step was to dampen a sea sponge and add some dye inks in places I thought needed a boost. I then used a red Sharpie and drew some tiny hearts on some of the pink areas thinking I could use some of the squares on this year's Valentine cards. I added oil pastels and regular pastels in different shades of red and a Red Krylon leafing pen for additional interest. After cutting the paper into squares I scraped the edges against a Nick Bantock dye ink pad in Rose Madder. Whew! I think that was all of the steps. I am planning on sending some of the squares into the Altere Art Obsession group for a Red Squares Mosaic swap.
