Tutorial: Mixed-Media Magazine Holders

We’re having a fantastic Memorial Day sale on some of our favorite back issues of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine, and to make these deals even sweeter, I’ve created some fun tutorials for making decorative mixed-media magazine holders! Using techniques found in some of these magazines, you can have one-of-a-kind holders to store Cloth Paper Scissors.

Long before I became the Editorial Director of Cloth Paper Scissors, I was an avid reader of the magazine. And, like many of you, I kept all of my back issues. But they’d eventually get stored in boxes, and finding an issue to make a project became a chore. That’s why magazine holders are such a great idea, and these are inexpensive and quick to make. If you’re missing some issues, now is the perfect time to get them—they’re a steal!

Plain cardboard magazine holders can be turned into stunning décor pieces with easy mixed-media techniques.
Plain cardboard magazine holders can be turned into stunning décor pieces with easy mixed-media techniques.

I used these plain white cardboard magazine holders from Ikea, which are super easy to work with and easily hold two year’s worth (12 issues) of Cloth Paper Scissors.

These white magazine holders are the perfect substrates for painting, collage, doodling, and more.
These white magazine holders are the perfect substrates for painting, collage, doodling, and more.

Foam Stamped Tiles

In the November/December 2015 issue, Tracy Verdugo’s Art Mojo column “Collecting Impressions” is all about using Scratch-Art Scratch Foam Soft Surface Printing Boards to create unique stamps. By drawing on the lightweight foam sheets you can make beautiful designs that look great when stamped with acrylic paint.

I painted the outside of a holder with bright yellow acrylic tube paint, using just one coat. I then cut square pieces of foam the width of the holder, which is 2 ¾”. I wanted the tiles to fit exactly along the longest side. I freehanded the designs, but you can research tile designs and use those for inspiration. Tracy used tile designs she found while in Spain and Portugal as the base for her patterns.

Creating stamps from foam sheets is so fun and easy, and they’re reusable.
Creating stamps from foam sheets is so fun and easy, and they’re reusable.

Using a wide paintbrush and turquoise tube acrylic paint, I brushed an even coat of paint over one foam piece, pressed it onto the holder, and brayered it. You can just press the foam with your fingers, but I found I got a better impression with the brayer. Bonus tip: Remove the foam piece immediately after stamping. If you leave it on too long, it may stick to the holder.

It’s easy to create a repeat design using these stamps. Pressing the stamps with a brayer guarantees a nice impression.
It’s easy to create a repeat design using these stamps. Pressing the stamps with a brayer guarantees a nice impression.

Here’s the first of three magazine holders—I love how this turned out, and it took no time at all to do. Make sure you get this issue to see Tracy’s artwork and discover her other great techniques for creating the stamps, adding color, and using glazes.

Making a set of these magazine holders in different colors would make a great gift.
Making a set of these magazine holders in different colors would make a great gift.

By the way, you can clean off the stamps with a baby wipe and use them again, or use them as embellishments on another project. Use them to create cards, gift wrap, or make a background for an art journal page.

Don’t throw away your stamps after you use them—reuse them in another project, or make more magazine holders in different colors and pattern arrangements.
Don’t throw away your stamps after you use them—reuse them in another project, or make more magazine holders in different colors and pattern arrangements.

Text Collage

The March/April 2015 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors features the article Love (of) Type by Dorit Elisha, who is a fantastic collage artist. The article includes three different techniques for creating collages with text and type, which is right up my alley—I love using text in my artwork, and these projects are spectacular. I was inspired by the Text Collage Postcards to create a stunning type collage for the second of the three magazine holders. I rifled through my collection of found papers and chose ones with various kinds of text and type. I cut and/or tore them into different sized pieces, then adhered them to an 11″ x 17″ piece of copy paper with glue stick. Don’t worry about choosing a certain color palette; the collage itself will look cohesive.

Magazine Holders
Various types of text and fonts make for a eye-catching collage.

After trimming the overhanging papers I brushed on a little bit of white paint for a distressed look, then adhered thin strips of decorative paper. A single coat of gel medium helped hold everything together. I cut the page into 4″ x 4″ squares and used glue stick to attach them to the magazine holder. Long pieces of washi tape were used on the edges to prevent the corners from coming up.

Collage can take plain magazine holders from blah to spectacular.
Collage can take plain magazine holders from blah to spectacular.

Here is the second holder, and now I can’t decide which one I like better! Dorit’s article includes so many fun and simple ideas for using text and fonts for collage, and you’ll incorporate her techniques in a slew of projects. I had enough of the collage I made left over to create a couple of postcards, and make a border for a page in my sketchbook.

Make a collage out of any found papers and use them to decorate magazine holders.
Make a collage out of any found papers and use them to decorate magazine holders.

Paper Clay

The third of the three magazine holders incorporates paper clay. If you’ve never used paper clay, you really have to try it—it’s so easy, doesn’t require an oven or kiln, and produces great results. In the November/December 2015 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors, Rogene Mañas shows wonderful techniques for creating and painting original paper clay designs and using them in different ways. Definitely add this issue to your library!

For this magazine holder, I used two coats of Paynes’ Gray tube acrylic paint to cover the entire outside. When it was dry, I painted bright pink polka dots all over, and when that dried, I dry-brushed titanium white over all sides for a distressed look. Paper clay was pressed into a Prima Marketing Inc. IOD Vintage Art Decor Mould, removed, and allowed to dry. Acrylic gel medium was brushed over the front of the clay piece and allowed to dry. I made a 50:50 mix of Payne’s Gray and acrylic glazing medium and brushed it over the paper clay piece, then wiped it back with a paper towel.

Paper clay can be molded and sculpted into almost any shape, then colored with paint, glaze, and accented with metallic wax.
Paper clay can be molded and sculpted into almost any shape, then colored with paint, glaze, and accented with metallic wax.

When dry, the piece was attached with thick quick-dry glue. I love this vintage-meets modern look. Now all three magazine holders are happily sitting on my bookshelf, where I can look at them every day—and get more ideas!

What mixed-media techniques will you use for your magazine holders?
What mixed-media techniques will you use for your magazine holders?

If you’re missing any of these back issues of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine, now is the time to get countless fantastic projects, ideas, inspiration, and more, for less than you probably pay for a latte. So indulge, have some fun, and create something fantastic!

—Jeannine

In the March/April 2015 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine, discover how to create text and type collages, plus a handmade book and a mixed-media self-portrait.

In the <a href="http://www.northlightshop.com/cloth-paper-scissors-march-april-2015" target="_blank">March/April 2015</a> issue of <em>Cloth Paper Scissors</em> magazine, discover how to create text and type collages, plus a handmade book and a mixed-media self-portrait.
March/April 2015 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors

Learn great techniques with paper clay, and find out how to make stamps from foam sheets in the November/December 2015 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors.

Learn great techniques with paper clay
November/December 2015 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors

Find great projects to create mixed-media wearable art in the May/June 2015 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors.

Find great  projects to create mixed-media wearable art
May/June 2015 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors

Discover tons of techniques for carving stamps, faux etching and more and more in the May/June 2014 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors.

Discover tons of techniques for carving stamps,
May/June 2014 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors.

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