Mystery Masterboard Card Series

• Michaela Butterworth
Hero image showing a detailed close up of one of the six cards. A stag stands centerr in the image. The colors on the card front are cool colors in blues, greens, and yellow green. Circles of black gesso and white gesso are scattered randomly around the bottom left and top right corners. Texture can be seen from the collage elements and wax pastels.
One of the Mystery Masterboard Card Series 6″ x 4″ cardstock

I recently took a free online course that taught us how to work in a series. This is an easy way to create multiple cards all at the same time!

The Crafter’s Workshop provided me with some product to create this project. The opinions I share are solely my own.

This project is a simple step-by-step process that teaches you how to use gel plate printed papers (or any other colored or patterned papers you may have), a stencil, gesso, acrylic paint and any other art supplies you have to create a series of cards using a similar color theme.

CHALLENGE: If you are an experienced mixed-media creator and really want to challenge yourself, then do what I did and set yourself a 30 minute time limit from start to finish for the entire project (assemble your supplies before you start). Setting a time limit forces you to work quickly and not overthink the process of creation.

Follow along with these simple steps to create multiple cards all at the same time using the same set of supplies:

Image showing the recycled packaging cards taped to my work surface using blue painters tape. Art supplies are scattered to the right of the cards.
Recycled packaging was used as the substrate for the card series.

Step One: As shown in the image above, I started my project using six recycled packaging materials from some recent purchases. I taped them down to my worktable surface using blue painter’s tape. I then randomly applied TCW9001 White Gesso in a thin layer using a silicone spatula. It’s my favorite and fastest way to add gesso!

Black gesso has been applied and dried.
The acrylic paints have been applied and dried.
TCW9002 Black Gesso (left) and acrylic paints (right) were applied using a silicone spatula.

Step Two: As shown in the two gallery images above, I applied TCW9002 Black Gesso (left image) and dried it. I then applied three colors of acrylic paint (right image) and dried them. The colors I used in this project were yellow green, olive, and cerulean blue.
CHALLENGE: To make this a ‘mystery’ project and to challenge myself, I chose the paint colors with my eyes closed and without looking!

White gesso was applied and sgraffito (scribbled) into with a pencil.
TCW9001 White Gesso was applied using sgraffito.

Step Three: I applied TCW9001 White Gesso using the silicone spatula. Using a pencil, I scribbled into the white gesso ‘sgraffito’ style to give it texture, then dried it with my heat gun.

Collage has been added to the cards and dried.
Using TCW9011 Matte Gel Medium I collaged random pieces of paper in matching colors

Step Four: As shown in the image above, I tore up small pieces of previously gel plate printed papers in similar colors to the acrylic paints and applied them to the cards using TCW9011 Matte Gel Medium and the silicone spatula.

HOT TIPS: When using a silicone or scraper tool, work your way from the center of the collage piece out to the edges, this helps eliminate air bubbles and ensure excess medium is removed. Work with a light pressure when using thin papers such as deli or tissue paper as they rip or tear easily when wet, and ensure you have enough matte gel medium on the scraper tool when scraping across thin papers.

Stencil TCW153 Cosmic Bubbles was used to apply black and white gesso with a cosmetic sponge. The sponge and stencil are laying to the right of the cards on my messy work table.
TCW9002 Black Gesso and TCW9001 White Gesso were applied through stencil TCW153 Cosmic Bubbles.

Step Five: I used stencil TCW153 Cosmic Bubbles to apply TCW9001 White Gesso and TCW9002 Black Gesso using a lightly loaded cosmetic sponge to gently pounce the gesso through the cut outs.

Step Six: Using my art supplies (Stabilo All pencils in black and white, and several colored Neo-Color II water soluble wax pastels), I added and finger blended some finishing colors onto the cards.

A combination of art supplies lay to the right of the cards that have now had the additional supplies added.
Stabilo All and Neo-Color II watersoluble wax pastels were used to apply finishing details.
The finished cards have now had the tape removed and lay on my messy desk. Stencil TCW153 Cosmic Bubbles lays to the right of the cards.
The finished cards after the tape reveal (removal).

And here are the completed cards for you to enjoy! You could also add a sentiment stamp or separate focal image if you like.

Composite image showing all six finished cards.
Detailed images showing the completed cards

Want to see a brief step-by-step process video for this project? Hop on over to my YouTube Channel to view the video (41 sec). I really hope you found these step-by-step instructions and photos to be helpful and that you feel confident enough to try this on your own. If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to post them below.

I’d really love to hear which part of this process is your favorite and why, please leave me a comment, below! Have a great day and happy making, we *LOVE* to see your projects, so please be sure to tag us using our hash tag of #ilovestencils !

Michaela Butterworth
The Crafter’s Workshop Design Team Member

PS: I’m really trying to build my following. Will you please hop on over and follow me on my blog and social media accounts, and please ask your friends to follow me too? Thank you so much!
My Website and Blog Teal Hare Creations
My YouTube Channel
My Instagram
My Pinterest

We love to hear from our fans, so please leave a comment here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.