I used paper blending to create the artsy background for the page. The bottom layer is a blue solid paper. The layer above that is a green artsy paper with the blend mode set to Lighter Color. Above that is a multicolor paper with the blend mode set to Darker Color.
The layer above the background is my gesso layer. I used the underlying layer slider to get the coverage I wanted and then added a slight bevel to make it look a bit more realistic.
I also used the underlying layer slider on all my paint layers to give the paint a more realistic affect.