ATC Background Technique: Tissue Overlay on Chalk Pastel

I came up with this technique while working on a Sentence-A-Day Art Journal, and have started using it as an ATC background as well. I wanted to be able to write on top of chalk pastel without having it smear.

Finished Page

Materials & Tools:

Paper (this is a medium weight watercolor paper), Gesso, Chalk Pastels, Tissue, Mod Podge

Steps:
1. Apply gesso unevenly to paper with palette knife or gift card, leaving ridges. Let gesso dry completely.

2. Color randomly over the gessoed surface. It's a messy, chalky process.

3. Add a second color of chalk pastel, being mindful that it's easy to smudge what you're working on.

4. Cut tissue a bit larger than the paper. Carefully apply Mod Podge (matte used here) to one side of tissue, bieng very gentle as tissue tears easily. Carefully lay tissue onto paper. If you move it around as you lay it down it will smudge the pastel. Rub over the tissue to make sure it's completely attached. Apply a coat of Mod Podge over the whole surface. I rubbed a bit in some areas to tear away the tissue and reveal the pastel layers below. The Mod Podge will seal these spots.