Embossed Black Cat Collage Tutorial

This Halloween, we invite you to bend the rules by experimenting with non-traditional colors.  While black, orange, and purple are widely recognized as the official colors of this scary holiday, our Embossed Black Cat Project plays with an unexpected shade of light blue and gold glitter. These colors, paired with Tim Holtz’s new stamp collection of Halloween Blueprints, create a stunning collage that’s more mixed-media masterpiece than simple Halloween decoration. This black cat collage includes layers of paper and paint, plus an added touch of embossing and stenciling.

Gather all your supplies — your acrylic paints, embossing ink, and heat tool — we’re giving you a step-by-step tutorial on how to create your own embossed black cat collage!

 

Embossed Black Cat Collage Materials List:

–Matte Gel Medium
–White Gesso
–Hard Rubber 4” Pop In Brayer
–Distress Embossing Powder – Black Soot
–Distress Embossing Ink
–Ranger Ink Heat-It Craft Tool
–Sticky Back Canvas
–Light Blue Acrylic Paint
–Black Acrylic Paint
–Gold Glitter Paint
–Tim Holtz Collection Halloween Blueprint 3
–Tim Holtz Collection – Halloween Layering Stencil
–Cardstock
–Patterned Papers

 

Embossed Black Cat Collage Tutorial:

Step 1 – To start, trim a thin scrap of cardboard and cardstock into a square shape that’s approximately five by five inches. Create a sturdy background by gluing the two surfaces together using matte gel medium.

Step 2 – Next, prime the surface with a layer of white gesso and let it dry. Once the surface is dry, begin to collage the background with a variety of patterned papers. Use matte gel medium to adhere the papers to the surface.

Step 3 – When your background is complete and the gel medium is dry, add a layer of light blue acrylic paint using a brayer. Make sure you wipe away any excess paint.

Step 4 – Add some interest by applying stripes of gold glitter paint. You can use the edge of an old credit card to get the stripes just right. Also, use your fingers and randomly highlight other areas with the glitter paint.

Step 5 – Cut out and adhere a scalloped border using some Sticky Back Canvas. Paint the canvas black and add dots with your gold glitter paint.

Step 6 – Let everything dry, and then add another layer of gel medium to seal your surface.

Step 7 – Stamp a black cat onto your surface with embossing ink. To ensure a clear image, make sure you carefully lift your stamp straight up. Use a damp cloth to wipe away any leftover embossing ink from your stamp.

Step 8 – Sprinkle your cat stamp with black embossing powder; make sure the ink is completely covered. Lift up your card and remove any excess embossing powder. Save the extra powder by pouring it back into its container.

Step 9 – Carefully use a heat gun to set the embossing powder.

Step 10 – To finish, stencil on some Halloween-themed words with black acrylic paint.

There you have it — a unique and stunning Halloween collage that’s sure to delight everyone in your home. Create your own collage and put it on display or replicate the look on some blank cards and send them out to family and friends. There are lots of creative possibilities with this Black Cat Collage project.

 

The Halloween and Autumn Collection

There’s still time to order some frightful October essentials from our Halloween and Autumn Collection.

 

Click here to browse and start working on your own spooky projects.