Using Tags as Masks for Art Journaling by Laura Dame

Join Laura Dame in this exciting art journal tutorial where she demonstrates how to use a Dina Wakley Media tag as a mask! Explore the creative possibilities of layers, textures, and focal points with this technique.

Instructions 

Step 1: Add some washi or masking tape to the back of a #8 tag and place the tag in your journal. The tape shouldn’t be too sticky as we’re going to pull the tag off after we paint. 

 

Step 2: With Gel Medium, add some collage tissue in various places around the page. 

 

Step 3: Pick your favorite colors and paint the page! Make sure to go over the tag completely so that you have a nice masked area underneath. 

 

Step 4: With the tag still in place, scribble through the wet paint with a scribble stick, then add some stenciling over the top. 

 

Step 5: Once everything is dry, carefully remove the tag from the page. Now let’s decorate the empty space and create a focal point! Add some stenciling in a contrasting color. Then, using the Old School Silhouettes stencil, add a figure that overlaps the tag area and the painted parts of the page. 

 

Step 6:  Stamp some botanical shapes onto pieces of Typed Ledger paper and cut out. 

 

Step 7: Using Heavy Matte Gel Medium, adhere the botanicals and a phrase to your page. Add some splatters using White Gloss. 

 

Something about using a tag as a mask to create a focal point gives the page a lot of depth, I think. I hope you have fun experimenting!

 

Laura Dame Profile Image Hello! My name is Laura Dame, and I have been a mixed media artist for 9 years now. I love to play and experiment in my art journals, and also enjoy dabbling in abstract, collage, and floral artworks. My family and I currently live in Austin, TX, and you can often find us out camping or enjoying nature. You can find me on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram at @lauramixedmedia. Check out my website for more information and artwork. 

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