How To Create A Grungy, Rusty Background

I love all things rusty and corroded. There is just such history there. Thankfully you can speed up the age of time with some great mixed media products. I have provided links to some of the things I have used and by clicking on them, I do get a small commission, but that helps me to bring you new ideas and how-to posts!

Watercolor paper is pretty important here because we are going to get things wet, multiple times, so a good, sturdy base is a must. Plain card stock just will not hold up very well. I began by adding Distress Ink colors Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo and Ground Espresso, working from lightest to darkest as I moved out from the center.

Next, spritz it with a spray bottle. I really love the spray drops that the Tim Holtz Sprayer makes. From a fine mist to larger drops. This step really starts adding that time worn feel to your background.

Dry thoroughly with a heat tool to set the colors and keep them from running together to make ink mud and get ready for some smooshing!

Now comes the really fun part! I used a variety of Distress Oxide inks to really add that aged look. For this project I used Fossilized Amber, Wild Honey, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain, and Black Soot, again using the lighter colors mostly in the middle and keeping the darker colors out to the edges. To smoosh the ink, stamp the pad on a silicone mat, spritz with water, dab a plastic baggie or sheet into the ink, smoosh onto background.

I dried with my heat tool, then added drops with the spray bottle, gives it a nice soft, worn look, plus adds fun oxidized areas.

To add an even more aged look, I used the Finnabair Rusting Paste. There are two sets. This basic set and the corrosion set.

I stamped this Angie's Guy stamp, from Unity Stamp Co, and used my watercolors to paint him in. I then used Gathered Twigs to ink the edges and finally added more of the rusting paste, to age the paper.

Next I added the rusting effect to some metal gears I have stashed away.

A bit of burlap and a sentiment, from the Angie's Guy kit finished off my card. I am all ready for a dude's birthday! 

You can use these same techniques to make other projects that aren't old and grungy looking. I made a set of wall decor using the same techniques, but with bright colors.