Welcome to the fun and fascinating world of National Geographic altered pages with Citra Solv! The process of creating Citra Solv paper is quite a messy process but a surprisingly simple art medium.
What is Citra Solv Paper?
Citra Solv paper is the result of applying the concentrate cleanser Citra Solv to National Geographic Magazine pages. The result is unexpected, unique papers that are organic and quite beautiful in terms of color and texture.
The pages can be used in a multitude of projects, including collages, junk journals, painting on them, Momigami, photographing and digitally modifying them for graphic backgrounds, etc.
What can I use instead of Citra Solv?
I have only used Citra Solv in concentrate form and have not experimented with other options.
I have heard that other products that claim to clean and cut through dirt and grease might work, such as Dawn dish soap and 409 cleaners. Again, I have not tested solvents other than Cirta Solv since it works great for me and is accessible.
Recommended Supply List and Work Area
Let’s gather our materials:
- Citra Solv Concentrated Cleaner – It must be concentrated.
- Of course, National Geographic magazines.
- Spray Bottle (No bottle? No problem. You can cover the bottle top with your fingers to drizzle Citra Solv.
- Small containers, such as margarine containers and foam brush (If you prefer to brush the Citra Solv onto the pages)
- Plastic to cover your tabletop as we embark on this messy project.
- Work in a well-ventilated area
- Baby wipes work wonders
Optional Materials:
- Rubber Gloves (Not necessary, but will protect you from getting black fingernails)
- If possible, have a drying area for your finished Citra Solv stack of papers.
- Paper Towels
How to make National Geographic pages altered with Citra Solv
1. Gather Your National Geographic Magazines:
2. Remove the cover/back cover and all ads within the National Geographic Magazine: The ink formats of the National Geographic Magazine articles and magazine ads seem to be different. The Citra Solv technique did not seem to work as well on ads as it did on the clay-coated pages of the articles. In addition, the National Geographic magazine articles are saturated with highly pigmented ink, lending it to much more distortion with the application of Citra Solv.
3. Start applying Citra Solv: I have used several techniques to apply my Citra Solv.
- Spray bottle
- Paintbrush
- Drizzle directly from the bottle
4. Let the Citra Solv-treated magazines sit: The process doesn’t take a long time. I checked mine after 30 minutes and found some of the pages were beautiful, and some were not quite ready. It’s based on your own preferences.
5. Continue to check your Citra Solv magazines: There’s no right or wrong way to do this. The goal is to create a texture or look that pleases you.
Personal Insights and Applications
I am a paper lover. I especially love to dye and alter pages of all types. I use decorative papers for:
- Backgrounds for my hand-drawn Mandalas
- Gift wrapping
- Gift bags
- Book covers
- Bookbinding
- Momigami
The Citra Solv techniques have opened a new opportunity for using my created papers. I photograph my Citra Solv paper and print it on my home printer. This has allowed me to use my sewing machine and create fun, small letter-size tote bags by printing the digital image on fabric. This digitizing allows me to keep the original design and create multiple projects with the same design.
The applications for these colorful pages are endless. I have created Citra Solv papers to add color to media projects, art journals, wrapping paper, and collages and sold them as digital downloads on my Etsy store.
Check out my Etsy store for digital paper examples: Carry Your Message: https://carryyourmessageart.etsy.com
Project Time
This is a very messy project. It is best to do this outside with plenty of room to spread out. I would give yourself ample time to apply Citra Solv to however many National Geographic magazines you have. The application is not time-consuming. However, the waiting period after the application is unpredictable.
Conclusion
Citra Solv treated National Geographic magazines as a unique way to alter pages into something special. I know for certain that at the end of your project, you will have a nice stack of unrecognizable National Geographic pages to create a family of products.
I hope you enjoy the process in your own creative endeavors.