neon and primordial

started with this napkin. local grocery stores have been stocking new william morris designs for a couple of years now, and they continue to be a goldmine of patterns.

this method only works on a white/light background because the paper is very thin and not super pigmented. i have used a similar technique with thin satin fabric when i've wanted to put patterns on dark backgrounds. this spider has a satin-ed butt:

separate the top layer. a cool thing is that if you need symmetrical patterns, you can use either side of the paper -> just flip it over for symmetry.

i prefer cutting things out with small scissors. if the background of the napkin is white, you can get away with rougher cuts, but a dark background is a bit of a pain in that you need exact precision. i cut loosely at first so i can try the designs on the body.

to place a design, put down a layer of decoupage varnish -> align the piece and press in place -> smooth into the surface with a brush and add a top coat of varnish. use thin layers and work quickly so the paper doesn't get soaked to the point where it's easy to fuck up with the brush.

you can also do this with just white glue or something like mod podge.

if you need to remove something after it has dried, the humble toothpick has got you. wet it a little & rub away the paper/varnish.

here's the dragon after applying most of the paper pieces. i did end up adding some flowers while detail painting.

finally, unify & clarify & embellish the napkin designs by painting over and around them by hand. let dry, and apply several layers of gloss varnish for the porcelain effect. i use thick layers, just thin enough to not start dripping, and apply 3-5 depending on when the vibe is correct.

all of this is way would be way easier to do on unassembled doll pieces, but i need to see the whole thing at all times to make any design decisions.

all done!