Masterboards

A Masterboard is paper or card that you embellish yourself. It has many uses such as matting and layering, as the focal point on a design and to make die cuts and punched elements or wherever your imagination takes you.

I first became aware of these in 2004 when reading an article in a Somerset Studio magazine (examples can still be seen regularly in their magazines).
I wondered why I hadn't thought of this before as I was already making my own background papers.
At this stage I was not blogging as I was working full time teaching Textiles and Art which took up most of my time as you can imagine. 
When I researched Masterboards on-line I couldn't find anyone that was making these but the term seemed a good one so I used it.
Gradually the name seemed to become more generally used and now you can find examples and the variety of techniques used to make these background papers or Masterboards.

I enjoy making them because they are more personal than the background papers you can buy and no-one else will have the same design.
Sometimes if I make one that I would like to use for several projects, I scan it and keep the original (Master Copy) so that I can use it again.
I have found that if you have a laser printer you can get very good copies to save as inspiration or to use on another project.

I will be uploading some of my favourite Masterboards here with ideas of how to use them and info on how they were created.

I normally use A3 paper or card because it gives me more to work with but it could be any size.

Here are a few more ideas I've used recently:

 A Year in Review of 2024

January

Not strictly speaking masterboards but Collage Fodder.

I joined in with Collage Kickstart which was so much fun.

Details here: 

I used these to create Masterboard Grid Journal pages like the one below:

But it didn't end there and I have cut some of them out of the journal and made them into card.

details here:

Ineeded to use up some old paint so had fun covering these A4 cards ready to have fun with them.

Details here:

A Year in Review of 2023

December.

Last minute Christmas cards as usual!

Details here: and here:

November.

Some left-over Masterboards.

                               details here:

October.

Details here: here: here: and here:

Details here:

September.

                              Details here:

August.

                          Details here: and here:

Details here:

July.

I loved the masterboard made earlier so I decided to have another go with it but finished the cards in a different way.

Details here:

Details here:

Always on the look out for a new way to make the Masterboards and use up the stuff that's been sitting around wasted, Washi tape this time.

Washi Tape first on A3 card.

Lots of fun happened before I got to this and the details can be found here:

And more card samples here:

Gelli print Masterboards.

Details and more card samples here:

April.

 

March.

Easter cards.

Details here:

February.

 Details here:

 

Here:
 

A Year in review of 2022

 

December

 

 

Left over bits and pieces.

 

 

Details are here:

 

 

More Christmas card ideas here:

 

 November

 

Details here:
 

October

 

This month was full of Tracy Evans Mini Journal using this Masdterboard as the base for the pages: and here:

September

More Tracy pages here, here and here too.

August

Tracy's here and here too.

July

Was left-overs

 

 

 

This masterboard is a combination of stencils and stamping and the details can be found here:

 

 

June

Stencilling and Stamping details are found here:

Retiform Masterboard and cards.

May

Stamps by AALL and Create.

Details:

More here for May.

April

I've used Lavinia stamps for this Retiform Masterboard and details can be found here:

The next Masterboard uses stamps by Tracy Eason.

Lots of details here:

March

Sorry but more Retiform. 

I am still enjoying this technique and I'm sure there is more to come. 

These were from a class I did at the Craft Club.

If you would like to see more they can be found here.

Instructions for making can be found here.

Masculine cards are a problem for me but not with this technique.

Just a little extra.

February

If you want a different way to use your Masterboards you might like this and there are details here.

Sorry about the shine as the star was glazed.

January

Retiform

Instructions for making.

Details can be found here.

Lots of details here.

A Year in Review of 2021

January

Masterboards can be found:

Here:

February

Masterboards can be found:

Here:

here:

Here:

Here: and here:

March

Masterboards can be found:

Here:

Here. and Here.

April 

Masterboards can be found:

Here.

here.

here.

May.

Here:

May

Here:

Here:

July.

More ideas for this Masterboard.

and

this one.

Find the details here:

Not all Masterboards have to be stamped.

Find the details here:

August.

You are going to love this one!

Details here:

Retro.

More samples here:

September.

Left-over Masterboard. 

Find the details here:

October.

Halloween

November

Altenew Stamps

Left-over Masterboard again.

Details here:

December

Retiform.

Technical Details:

2020

August Masterboards can be found :

here.

here.

here.

here.

September Masterboard can be found here.

October Masterboard can be found here.

These stamps and stencils are by Altenew and the details can be found here.

Don't waste those postage stamps just use them to make your Masterboard and the details are here. and here.

Guest designer at The Artistic Stamper and the details are here.

Concertina Book.

Weddings need something special and you can find the details here.

Some Steampunk for a change and the details can be found here.

A little bit of fun with the Gelli Plate.

Which you can find here.

Triple Embossing

I've called this triple embossing because it's built up three times by embossing and colouring. If you would like the full details you can find them here.

Altenew have such interesting stamps which make great backgrounds so of course more fun to be had with those and you can find more details and card samples here.

The next project uses AALL and Create stamps, dies and stencils. I loved the design so much that I made it in several colours and if you like it you can find more details here,

I certainly had fun with this technique. Washing up liquid and ink, great fun.

More details for making here.

Samples here.

And here.

 Here.

2019

Faux Bleaching details can be found here:

Small left-overs are good too with this technique.

 

ATCs! 
You've got to love them.

And a sweet little wallet to keep them in.

More Left-overs!

You might even remember these from earlier  projects.

Stencils and Gilding Flakes.

 Going green.

Gilding the Lily!



Die cut jigsaw pieces with Distress Oxides, finished with Gold gilding leaf and splattered with white paint.





oo0oo

Bleeding Art Tissue.











Mother's Day card.
oo0oo



Paper Artsy stencils, Distress Oxides and sentiment stamps.
More info can be found here:
And examples of the cards made with this Masterboard:

Find details for this card here:

oo0oo

Use up those Left-overs.

You may recognise some of these and we don't want to waste them so here goes:

2018

Never too early to start:
Christmas ideas.
You will find them 
here:
here:
here: 
and here:
Paper Artsy stamps.



Lots of Colour.

Using Brushos and Pixie Powders.








Autumn Style.

Stencil and stamping.



Cards.

No 1.



No. 2.



Distress Oxides and heat embossing.



More info here.







Distress Oxides and Texture Paste.








Kraft Card.





Stencilled Masterboard.

Fancy fold Card.

Paper Artsy Stamps.

Left over Masterboard from an earlier project.

Bokeh style.

Waste not, want not!

Bokeh.

Distress Oxides.

ATC folder made with left-over Masterboard.

Tutorial.

Embossed butterflies with homemade embossing folder.

Distress Oxides.

Fancy fold card.

Embossed flowers.

Easter Masterboard.

Kim Dellow stencils.

Distress Oxides.

Tim Holtz Butterflies.

 Sizzix Sentiment Die.

Kim Dellow stamps.

2017

3D Gel with stencils and Distress Oxide inks.

Card ideas.

Distress Oxide Inks and Seth Apter stamps and stencils.

Paper Artsy Elenazinski stamps.

Grunge paste, distress inks and Seth Apter stamps and stencils.

Paper Artsy Fresco paints and Tracy Scott stamps.

Tim Holtz stencils and Distress Oxide Inks.

 

 Seth Apter stamps and dies.

Indigo Blu stamps and Distress Oxide Inks.

Paper Artsy fresco paints applied with a brayer.

  

Tracy Scott stamps.

Prima stamps and Distress Oxide inks.

Stencils and Distress Oxide Inks.

Kim Dellow stamps.

Old tax discs and stencils.

Tim Holtz stamps.

Masterboard Techniques I've found on YouTube:

Eileen Godwin

Part One

Part Two

2016

March 2016

February 2016

A card I made from the Masterboard above.

Fun With Masterboards and Picasa 3.

This is the original using distress inks through a stencil.

And playtime with Picasa to alter the colours.

Alice Masterboards.

Card sample.

Changing colours with Picasa .

Christmas is coming so here are some festive Masterboards:

Masterboards made using tissue paper placed onto damp paper or card so that the colour bleeds into it.

I then stamped onto this one using Paper Artsy stamps.

And here is what I made with them:



Masterboard from my friend Gloria.

Here's what I made.

Chocolate Baroque.

More Boards.

Artist Trading Cards

Sent a similar Masterboard to my friend Gloria.

Here is what she made.

Mini Book

Gloria sent me this Masterboard.

And I made this.



Graphic 45 stamps.

                 Card Samples                              

• Distress Ink and text stamp.

Card samples.

• Gelli Print.

Card sample.

• Butterfly Masterboard.

Card Sample.

• Indigo Blu stamps.

Card sample.

• Bird design.

Sample.

• Steampunk stamps by Sam Poole

Card Sample.

• Gothic Style.

Sample using Stampotique stamps.

• Steampunk Masterboard.

Sample.

• Chocolate Baroque stamps.
• 
  



ATC sample.

Back soon with more ideas,

Angela x