Moon Rock Backgrounds Tips and Techniques

1. A vareity of paints can be used including dye reinkers, pigment reinkers, watercolor and acrylic paints. Try using Dr. Ph Marins watercolors, Pearlescent liquid arcylics, Luminere, Jacquard Star Bright paints and Mixed Pearl Ex powders. Paints need not be expensive or highly pigmented to work. I add lots of water to watercolors to make them go father. Folkart acrylic paints also offer a vast array of color and are inexpensive.

2. For a more subtle effects use add more water to paint or brush off paint till brush is almost dry, then apply lightly to paper. Try using sponges, stipple brushes, rags, sponge dubbers, and foam brushes to apply the paint for differnt effects.

3. Because they are transparent watercolors work best with lighter color moon rocks such as white and yellow. The thicker the watercolor is the less this is true. Tube watercolors, without water added, will be darker than pan or liquid watercolors.

4. When watercolors are applied to darker papers they either don't show up well or give a "muddy" color when applied to darker papers. Sometimes this muddy color can be a plus. For instance by appling to liquid yellow watercolor to eggplant paper the paper is turned an orange-brown color and gives a almost antiqued look. Click here to see a sample.

5. By soaking the paper with water first colors will blend more melting into one another.
Click here to see a sample.