This background was created by dabbing three colors of acrylics on with toilet paper. As the toilet paper is used, it begins to disintigrate, leaving small pieces behind with the paint. The technique is a little disgusting, but if you’re looking for an inexpensive textured background, this is the way to get it.
As you can see in my sample on black paper, my first layer was done with orange acrylics. I usually just squirt a little paint onto a styrofoam plate, and dab my toilet paper applicator into that to load it up. My wad of toilet paper is usually about the size of a golf ball—just roll it up randomly, without being too neat about it. Crinkles and ripples are good. Smoosh your paper into the paint, dab it a couple of times to be sure it’s wet, and then apply the paint to the paper randomly. Don’t be too neat and even with this—let some background paper show through here and there.
If you want to do several colors of paint, you have two options. If they’re complimentary colors, go ahead and add them while the first coat is still wet. If they’re contrasting, like my orange and turquoise, let the first coat dry, and then apply the second color—otherwise, they’ll mush together and create a sort of nasty grey. I applied orange, then turquoise, then a gold Lumiere to my book pages.
