Molding Paste Magic

I recently bought some molding paste after watching a couple of artist demonstrations. After playing with it on my own, I couldn't wait to spring it my art class students! We had a blast making bookmarkers and creating design-work in our journals. If you've used this medium before, stop laughing - sometimes I'm the last to catch on to cool products. If you've not used this stuff before, hold on to your hats - it's going to be a bumpy ride, literally!

Molding paste comes in a variety of "styles", from light to heavy to coarse. It creates a white or clay-tone finish that adds texture to artwork. It can be manuevered around while wet leaving peaks and shapes or it can be smoothed onto a surface for a bit of height and interest to a project. Once dried, it remains flexible without cracking and can be sanded, carved, and painted.

I bought the Golden brand of regular molding paste found at most craft stores and online. It has the consistancy of cake icing and is applied to a project with a palette knife, old credit card, or similar tool.

Here's what I did:

Materials

• Molding paste
• Cardstock or journal
• Palette knife or old credit card
• Acrylic paints
• Stencils

How To Make This

• Put a dollop of molding paste on a separate work surface, like a piece of paper or non-stick vinyl mat

 

• Add a few drops of acrylic paint to the paste and stir it around to mix the two - instant colored paste!
• Lay a stencil on the cardstock or journal page
• Use the palette knife to smooth the paste over the top of the stencil. Using an old credit card to smooth the paste over the surface of the stencil is another handy trick

• Carefully lift the stencil from the paper

• Admire your work and move on to another page!

It takes about 15 minutes to dry depending on the thickness of the paste that you have applied.

TIP: while the paste is still wet, try making marks and impressions in it by using different tools like a fork, comb, or paper clip.
TIP: try smoothing a thicker layer of the paste on your page or card then gently pressing a rubber stamp onto the paste surface so that it will leave an interesting pattern.

You don't have to color it if you choose not to - it looks great in its original white form. In my journal, I applied the paste without color using large stencils, let them dry, then put the stencil back over the now slightly raised images, and colored them by spraying paint over one image and sponging rubber stamp ink over another. Very cool! 

You could try spraying ink or dabbing a rubber stamp pad onto your vinyl mat then swiping your dried white paste project through the ink for another colorizing affect.

Now I'm anxious to try it on canvas to create peaks and patterns. Stay tuned!

For more ideas on how to use the medium, here are some youtube links that may spark your creative powers...

marime's small art

one lucky day

nika in wonderland