Blog Exclusive: Brenda Brown

Good Morning!
In the December issue of Craft Stamper, Brenda Brown shared stunning projects with the readers, gorgeous examples of a faux encaustic technique!

The step by step tutorial in the magazine showed us how to create the faux encaustic layers on the tag, but as you can see, that isn't the whole project! Brenda has very kindly shared a step by step tutorial for the background art board, and also the easel that enables the whole thing to stand up! Over to Brenda..............

If you have seen my mixed media Easel Art Board in this month’s issue of the Craft Stamper I thought you 

might like to see how I made the background for the tag, and the easel to make it stand. I love using easels on 

my small pieces of art work so they can stand on a shelf and be moved around easily.

Easel Board Background 

Remember the edges are the most important part of this, as the middle will be covered by the tag. I used a 

7” x 5” canvas board from The Works, but you should be able to pick them up in some art shops as well. 

Definitely look online for some good deals.

STEP ONE: Add some acrylic colours using a water spritzer and a wet wipe. Start with the sap green at the 

bottom, the cerulean blue at the top and blend them together in the middle using the 2 lightest colours. Keep 

them watery and translucent.

STEP TWO: Use a brayer and layer over some white gesso just hitting the top of the canvas.

STEP THREE: Scrape decoupage randomly over with plastic card, not too thickly and put one side to dry.

STEP FOUR: Take a babywipe and blend the green and blue colours over again and slightly darker, keep 

wiping back and adding more until you are happy with the darker contrast over the light. You will see the 

contrast of the areas with the decoupage resist too.

STEP FIVE: When dry splatter with some vintage mixed red (cadmium red hue, titanium white and burnt 

umber) and almost immediately lightly lay a dry piece of kitchen roll over the top to take out some of the colour.

STEP SIX: Stamp second generation text with watering can archival ink and splatter with white paint.

STEP SEVEN: Distress the edges with sand paper and blend with Ground Espresso distress ink. If you want to 

seal it use a mat spray otherwise the distress ink will move around with a sealer or varnish using a paint brush.

Make your own Easel Back.  

(These dimensions specifically fit the 7x5 inch canvas board)

Here’s the simple easel I made for the back of my Easel Art project this month.

Rymans do packs of A4 card at 480 gms for just a few pounds which is perfect for this project.

STEP ONE: - Cut a piece of strong card 21 x 8 cms.

Score and fold at 13 cms.

Punch a hole through the two layers in the middle of the smaller piece. I used a Japanese Hole Punch.

STEP TWO: - Cut a piece of ribbon about 10 cms long and 

thread it through the holes from front to back and glue it down on the front and back pieces leaving about 2 cms 

in the middle. When that’s dry cover both pieces of glued down ribbon with some masking tape to help secure 

it further.

STEP THREE: - Cut another piece of card 8 x 13 cms and adhere it to the front of the easel (the long side) 

leaving it under something heavy for a little while for the glue to dry thoroughly and promote a strong bond. 

This gives a very sturdy easel to support the board.

STEP FOUR: - If you have a particular colour or pattern back to the canvas board you can add a piece of 

patterned paper (again 8 x 13 cms) to the previous piece.

STEP FIVE: - Now adhere the smaller side to the back of the canvas board so that the easel will lay flat. 

Again leave it under something heavy to dry. It is easier to do this before adding all your embellishments on the 

front of the board.

Thank you so much Brenda!

We have a special giveaway to share on our Facebook page on Monday 5th November, a nice big bundle of 

the paints and modeling paste Brenda used in her article! Don't forget to check it out!