Transparency Art
Imaginative ways to enhance papercraft projects with transparencies to add unique shimmer & depth & create an additional layer to your art.

To attach transparencies see the options in 'Working with Vellum'

Transparencies can cause the entire mood of a piece to change when placed over different background papers.  Vintage images printed on transparencies appear soft & rather ethereal  & when the image is placed over decorative papers, such as text, music or script handwriting the effect is just wonderful.

Keep in mind that all colours & designs of the selected background papers will show through the transparency. Lay the transparency over the top of the papers until you find one that appeals to you.

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Ladies with Flowers Tr006
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Artist: Charlotte Barratt

Anchored at the top left corner with a brad through a paper flower & on the right bottom corner with a corner charm.

This vintage beauty transparency has a music background

Artist: Charlotte Barratt

Ladies with Flowers Tr006
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Artist: Charlotte Barratt

An image from the same transparency sheet is attached at the top corners with brads & at the bottom is tied with lace.

The background paper is a striped floral

Artist: Charlotte Barratt

Layers of Colour & Imagery
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tr1

You will find that extremely busy papers do not look good under the transparency papers. Neither do papers with extremely large print or line art, as they are often too big to be able to distinguish it as anything other than a blob of colour.

Select small text or script, perhaps a map if it is not too busy or a small tone-on-tone print. Move the transparency around until you are happy with the pattern that shows through.

If you find a paper that you truly love, but it is still too busy, there are a couple of tricks you can use.  Tear a small piece or two of light coloured tissue papers or mulberry paper & lay this under the areas of the transparency that need lightening up; perhaps behing the face & hands, for example.

You might also try a small amount of acrylic paint or glaze in some of the open areas.

Artist: Cheryl Husmann