Experimenting with Crackle Medium

I’ve spent a lot of time recently making journal covers using a variety of supplies. I decided to try experimenting with some distressing techniques. I purchased this Folk Art Crackle Medium on Amazon and after it sat on my desk collecting dust for a few weeks, I decided to give it a whirl. After the gel is applied, it’s supposed to create a very crackled, distressed look with tiny splits, or crackles revealing the base paint color through the top paint color.

The directions said to prepare the surface with a base coat of paint; however, the book I was using already had a nice color fabric on it, so I decided to skip this step and apply it directly to fabric to see if it would crackle. After I applied the top coat of paint, I felt overall it did not crackle as much I as I thought it should. The spine, though, had the most crackling.

Here is a close-up of the spine had the most crackle.

After the top coat dried, I went over the cover with some sand paper and also some gold guild. Even though it did not achieve the ultimate level of crackle, I still am quite pleased with outcome.

I decided to test the base coat theory on some chipboard and on the inside of the cover itself and it definitely crackled way more with a base coat of paint. I made a YouTube video of this process, if interested:

I used this gorgeous image from the Graphic Fairy for the front. (I am a member of their premium site, so I’m not sure if this image is available to non-members.) I picked this image because I loved the colors. At the time, I had no idea what I would use the journal for, but now I think it may serve as my next journal because the colors scream end of summer and beginning of fall to me. I may be slightly in love with it. 😍

I printed the image on some coffee-dyed stock and glued it on the chipboard I experimented with. I glued the chipboard on top of some distressed muslin from my stash.