Book Study - Skins

On NGS group, we're doing a study of Darlene Olivia McElroy & Sandra Duran Wilson's book "Surface Treatment workshop " This week we're looking at the section "skins". The authors state that skins are a sheet of paint or gel. 

The basic technique is to pour and spread out a layer of acrylic paint, gel or fiber paste on to a clean glass, plastic wrap or polypropylene surface. And then let the medium dry completely, this may take more than a day, depending on the thickness of your medium. I decided to try three types of paint: Lumiere, Distress Crackle Paint and acrylic paint.  The authors also mention that if your paint is thin you may need to add a layer of soft gel or clear leveling gel to provide added thickness so the paint won't tear when you lift it off the surface (I skipped this step).

 The authors say if you want to embed objects in the paint, do it while the paint is still very wet. I placed white beads in the white acrylic paint.

 After a day, you can see the Lumiere and acrylic paint lifted without tearing. The Distress Crackle Paint crumbled. I think it is made to be applied to a surface directly and not be lifted off. I thought I had a thick layer of the crackle paint.

 For fun, I tried running the Lumiere paint through an embossing folder. I needed to add a shim as this skin is very thin. It barely took the embossing.

 The skins can be cut if you so desire. I made leaf shapes along with some sprayed dictionary pages and added them to a stamping with objects background made earlier.

The authors also state that you can apply soft gel to a rusty surface and as it will pick up some of the rust as it is drying. Read the book to see how you can run a skin through an ink jet printer, create designs in the skin with paint and more.