Tissue Technique Tutorial by Lucy Edmondson

Hello again,

I hope you will find today's tutorial helpful. I use the tissue paper technique a lot in my crafting as it is a good way of working with awkward shaped or difficult to stamp on items. I use it mainly with canvas as it gives crisp images whilst still allowing the natural weave of the fabric to show through, but it is also great with papier mache items. You can use a variety of 'gluey' mediums: Claudine Hellmuth Studio Multi Medium, spray adhesive, decoupage glue, Mod Podge, gel medium, or even Klear floor polish! My favourite, which I will use here, is gel matte medium, as I like the matte finish. The main tip, and I will labour the point a bit in my step photos (!) is to use plenty, and spread it evenly, as this is what your tissue will sink into in order to become transparent. The other important point is to use StazOn to stamp on your tissue paper as the wetness of the 'glue' may cause some ink pads to run. However, you can use any colouring medium you wish for the canvas itself - inks, paints, sprays, etc. The colour needs to be vibrant at this stage, as the tissue will mute it a little.

If you haven't used tissue before, do persevere, as it is a great thing to have in your technique arsenal. For this particular project I have decorated a canvas covered sketch book, which would make a great gift as a crafting journal. These are the ingredients that I used:-

Birds of a Feather and Free as a Bird Stamps
Bird Song Elements Stamps
Music Script Stamp
Black StazOn Ink Pad and Colours
Gel Matte Medium by Claudine Hellmuth
Distress Inks or Other Colouring Medium
Tim Holtz Tissue Tape Symphony
Fibres
Cut N Dry Foam and Nibs
Metal Corners

A5 Canvas Sketch book - I get mine from Tesco Extra for about £4.50. Any cheap white tissue paper.

1. Assemble everything you will need.

2. Cut a rectangle of tissue paper to fit the front of your book.

3. Open out the book so you don't get ink on the pages, ink up the canvas cover, using the Cut N Dry nibs to get behind the spiral binding.

4. It will look something like this, with quite strong colours.

5. Start to build up your design on the tissue paper, with the music script top left and bottom right, in Cactus Green StazOn, then the Bird Cages in Jet Black in opposing corners.Work with a piece of white scrap paper underneath to pick up any ink that soaks through so it doesn't transfer, and to make it easier to see your design.

6. Now add the small detailed bird to the large bird cage, the wording, and the larger bird as shown.

7. Fill in any gaps with sequin waste and StazOn in Teal Blue, dabbing lightly as it is a strong colour.

8. Apply plenty of Gel Matte Medium to the book cover.

9. Spread it evenly.

10. Place your tissue paper in position and pat down, pressing any wrinkles with your fingertips then use your heat gun briefly to further iron out wrinkles.

11. Add the music script tissue tape to the bottom.

12. Touch up any areas of white tissue paper (which is where there wasn't quite enough gel medium) using residual ink from your foam, in the relevant colour. Use this to blend the Tissue Tape in as well.

13. Dab a little Teal StazOn onto the metal corners, add these with strong glue, and to finish off, tie some co-ordinating fibres to the spiral rings.

Thanks for looking and I hope you enjoyed my first tutorial here, there are plenty more to come, so please do call back again soon.

Lucy