Creating a Swatch Book – Video
Posted: October 18, 2021 Filed under: Alcohol Ink, grafix, mixed media journal | Tags: grafix, grafix craft plastic, Ranger Alcohol Ink 7 Comments
Recently I received a 6″x9″ Mixed Media Journal from Grafix and decided to turn it into a swatch book. It’s maybe not the most artistic use for the new mixed media journals but I am hoping it will be useful for me as I create projects and teach classes using alcohol inks and non-permeable surfaces.
As you can see from the top photo the journal is disc bound which means I can add new pages as I buy more products! I filmed my swatching process so you can see how I am using my mixed media journal.
So far I have swatched alcohol inks, including mixatives and alloys. In doing so I realised how many were almost empty, which means of course I can get a few new ones!
I’ve also swatched alcohol markers and paint markers. I’m not swatching all my markers on the craft plastics and dura-lar pages as many of my markers are made for paper. (that’s another swatch book waiting to happen)
I work with the paint markers on craft plastic and glass so I swatched on black craft plastic and clear dura-lar.
The mixed media journals also come in 6″x6″ and are a new product so I can’t tell you exactly where to find them right now but I do know DeSerres, Crop A While and Foiled Fox all carry Grafix products as do most art stores so you could ask them to get one in for you.
I am excited to keep adding to mine and to use it when ever I’m working on plastic surfaces.
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Heather Telford 
Hi Heather, thanks for showing the swatch book video. I can see how this will be a very useful tool for you in your work.It was interesting to watch the process. I never knew there were so many different kinds of paint pens etc.
A great way to keep track of all the colours Heather and the varied surfaces in the Grafix Mixed Media Journal give lots of scope to test everything out thoroughly. x
What a great idea. It will help me be productive in my studio, and I would have all my swatces in one place (rather than on 2″×2″ pieces of substrate held together by a single ring!).
Thank you also for reminding me that there are so many delivery methods for our mediums and each one has a different effect. I had never thought to swatch my Zig or my Arteza brush tip pens.
You make our lives so much better in so many ways!💓
I’ve been wanting to have a swatching system for years but haven’t done it. For me it wasn’t 2″x2″ it was 2″x10″ strips not held together by anything and not stored in a central place. So far I have only done the alcohol inks and markers but my plan is to swatch my other paints and markers also. Perhaps we need a swatch party!
This is fabulous Heather! What a great way to keep track of all your different colours and mediums. xx
Awesome ideas for swatching!
[…] A couple of weeks back I shared my process for creating a mixed media swatch book. I used the new mixed media journal from Grafix and swatched alcohol inks as well as metallic and paint markers. You can see the blog post and video here. […]