How to create a “mosaic” background with cardstock strips

Looking for a fun new way to create an artistic look? Design Ambassador Ardyth Percy-Robb puts a twist on the trendy (and easy!) technique of using cardstock strips to build a background!

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Good morning! Ardyth here with a quick photo tutorial showing how I used the Rainbow Slider die in a very unexpected way!

I wanted to create a background of tiny squares of randomly-placed colour. I figured I could easily adapt the technique of using cardstock strips to create a background to get a mosaic or tile look!

Step 1: I started by choosing my colours. I used Copic markers, but any markers (any colouring medium, really, even ink pads!) would work.

Step 2: I trimmed some white cardstock to be 1.5 inches wide – just wider than the Rainbow Slider Die that I used to create the strips.

Step 3: I used the chisel tip end of my markers to put stripes of colour along the strips of carsdtock. I went in random order and oriented the stripes of colour so that they are perpendicular to the way the Rainbow Slider die will cut them. (make sure you have something absorbent under your Copic colouring – I use a pad of recycled newsprint).

Step 4: I did the same method of colouring to all my strips. I did one strip with just the pink and yellow, and one with just the blues and greens, to add some interest.

Step 5: I ran the cardstock pieces through my die-cutting machine with the Rainbow Slider die to create lots of happy, multi-coloured strips.

Step 6: I coated a piece of computer paper with adhesive to form a backer. This thin backer will make it easy to trim your panel with a die later (see Step 8).

Step 7: I simply laid the strips of cardstock onto the backer, watching the colour mix to ensure that there wasn’t too much of one colour in an area. If there was, I turned the strip the other way, or chose a different strip, so that I could get a good mix of colour.

Step 8: I used an Essential Squares die to trim the panel to fit my 4.25 x 4.25 inch square card front.

Step 9: Last year, I really enjoyed creating plaid backgrounds with my Copic markers. It’s quick and easy to customize to whatever project you’re working on. I used several pink-reds to create a small panel of plaid cardstock to stamp my Backyard Bird Friends cardinal on. Then I trimmed him with the co-ordinating die.

Step 10: For the branch, I used shades of brown Copics. I cut it out with the co-ordinating die.

Step 11: By this point, I was gasping for some white space on this busy card! So I cut 3 clouds with the EBE Clouds dies to help break up all the busy-ness!

Step 12: I stamped a sentiment from L’il Squatch onto one of the clouds with Versafine Onyx ink.

To finish the cardinal, I paper-pieced a yellow beak onto him. I added his ‘mask’ with a cool gray Copic marker and gave him a twinkle in his eye with a white gel pen.

I adhered two of the clouds and the branch directly to the mosaic background and then popped up the cardinal. I love how the plaid on the cardinal fits so well with the mosaic background! I added some Stardust Stickles to the edge of the cloud for some sparkle and popped it up as well.

So what do you think of this easy background technique? I hope you’re inspired to give it a try!

How about some variations?

• choose different colours
• start with coloured cardstock and choose similar colours for a tone-on-tone look
• do the stripes on a diagonal, to create diamonds instead of squares
• make an A2 size panel (you may need to create more strips than I did)
• trim the mosaic panel with a different shape – circle, heart, star
• use striped patterned paper if you’re running short of colouring time!

Supplies: