Tuesday Tips and Techniques

Playing with Paper - Scribbles Paint, Glue and Craft Acrylics

Is there anything more fun than just letting creativity flow without concern for the outcome?  I think not!  And that's exactly what happens when you play with paper, fabric paint, glue and craft acrylics.   You're going to need a few hours for this activity - that's just how much fun you're going to have!

This is the first technique that Barb Owen and I played with on my play date with her in her Missouri home studio.  If you didn't get to see the UStream of Barb and me in action, here it is!

First batch of completed papers, dried.

The materials you're going to need are simple - paper (I used pastel paper today since my cardstock is traveling in circles via UPS), scribbles paint or other dimensional paint, cheapo school glue (white and/or gel), and craft acrylics.  I had a full sheet of pastel paper that I tore down into 6 sections (approx 9" x 11")

The dimensional paint and glues act as a resist. The first step is to create a design of your choosing with the resist of your choice.  I've used iridescent blue Polymark paint on this page.  (I've had this paint for years, and I'm not sure it will even work.

The next step is to lay a bead of paint along the left edge of the paper (if you're right handed - if you're left handed you'll probably want to place the paint on the right side of the paper).  Choose two or three colors that won't make "mud" when you drag them across the page.  I've used purple and black craft acrylic here.

Next, take an old credit card or one of the "fake" cards that show up in your mailbox, and drag the paint across your page.  I used both a fake card and an old credit card and I preferred the stiffer credit card.  

Places where you didn't have quite enough paint or use just enough pressure may leave white marks.  The temptation is to go back over it again.  Don't do it!  You'll make a muddy mess!  I think the white adds a little "something" to them anyway.  There was quite a bit of paint I missed on the left side, so I took it off to the left of the paper.  Be sure to work with blotter paper beneath.  This is great, messy fun!  (And don't throw that luscious blotter paper into the trash!  It can also be used for backgrounds or collage)

For my next sheet I used Polymark iridescent chartreuse as my resist...

and again tried the purple and black paint.  

I used Elmer's white school glue this time, and I made a pattern of flowers.

I used yellow and bright green craft acrylic this time.  It's still applied to the left edge of my paper ( I just forgot to flip this image)

Oooooo.....I rather like this one!  It reminds me of batik.

I have quite a gluey, painty mess left over.  I take my card and spread the extra around on my blotter paper. I'm working outside on my metal deck table....

Look at this lovely bonus!  I have to switch blotter paper now as I have quite a mess on my hands.  As I spread my paint around on the blotter paper (cheap newsprint), the pattern of the table comes through.  Gee, I really like how that looks!  Don't you love surprises?  

That gets the wheels churning in my brain.  I remember this piece of fencing that Barb gave me for printing.  I'm wondering if I lay it beneath my paper, will the grid show through as a secondary design element?

I take gold glitter glue and apply a random pattern.  Next, I apply a secondary pattern with the Elmer's.

I place the paper on top of the fencing, apply hot pink and black acrylic along the left edge, scrape it across.....

...but no grid pattern shows through.  Oh, well.  On to the next experiment!

I go back to the iridescent blue Polymark.  I wonder if I can actually write with this little tube without my hand cramping up, and I wonder if I'll like the results?  I use hot pink and yellow craft acrylic this time...

...and I'm happily surprised.  Scraping the paint across has picked up some of the shimmery, blue iridescent paint and made the paper green in spots.  The camera (or my photography) just don't do justice to the way the paper shimmers.

Next I try dark purple glitter glue and the iridescent blue Polymark as the resists and I drag purple and black craft acrylic across.  The purple glitter paint is old, and most of it mixes with the paint leaving white beneath.

At this point, I call it quits as I'm running out of clear blotter space and they're laying in the sun to dry.  The blotter paper is more spectacular than the paper I've been playing with!

THE FLIP SIDE

 I let my papers dry overnight although they dried within a half hour or so in the outdoors.  I decided that I'll use these pages in a handmade journal so I need to compete the backside of yesterday's creations.  If I had decided to use them in collage, I would have left them as is.

I went on the hunt to see what other paints I have tucked away.  I found an unopened tube of this Tulip paint.  It has a tiny point for the paint to come through - just about pencil thin. I decided to try writing again.  I've had this paint for years, so I'm not even sure it's still fluid.  To my surprise it's like brand new!

It was grueling to use!  I had to press rather firmly to get the paint out - not because the paint was drying but because it's a tough bottle to squeeze. (For me, anyway.)  I used black craft acrylic and when I was digging around my paints, I found a tube of Liquitex iridescent copper.

Oh, my!  I think I'm in love.  Why haven't I been using this luscious paint before?  It's buttery and shimmery and worked just as well as the craft acrylic!

I had an almost empty gold glitter glue.  It was beginning to dry so I smeared it around the page and used Elmer's a design resit.  I used two shades of blue craft acrylic to drag across the design.

You know me and color - it wasn't long before I decided to paint the background first!  I dropped some red and yellow craft paint unto the paper and scraped it across with my card.  I didn't even let it dry before I added the Elmer's design.

I used black craft acrylic to drag across the paper.  WOW!  This one turned out really cool!

There was quite a lot of black paint/glue mixture scraped across the page, so I flipped over one of the pages and smeared it randomly on the page.  Even though I was still working on the blotter paper, the table pattern showed though.  Yippie!  Another happy surprise!

I dribbled Elmer's across the page Jackson Pollack style....

...and used iridescent copper and raw sienna tube paints to drag across the page.  It looks a lot like snake skin!

These pages are all luscious and shimmery - especially the ones with glitter glue.  Oh, what fun!

The competed and dried flip sides.

How many ideas did you come up with looking at these images?  Give this a try - I guarantee you're going to have a great time!  Just keep asking yourself, "what if....".  I'm thinking, "What if I add mica powder to my craft paint?"  "What if I gesso cardboard as my support?"  "What if I use oil pastel as a resist?"  

As you can see, the "what ifs" are many.  If you give this a try, be sure to let me know how it works out for your and what other techniques you come up with.  Don't be afraid to experiment - it's only paper!

CELEBRATE * LOVE * CREATE

Monday's Musings

I was thinking...........

This technique used by Amy Shackleton might be fun to use in the journal.........

Little squeeze bottles filled with watered down acrylics.........  Hmmmmmmmm........

Tuesday Tips and Techniques

Formula Two

Here's another step-by-step on creating a journal page.  I hope you find it helpful as a way to break out of your usual methods.

First of all, concentrate on just one page (assuming you typically work across two pages as a spread).  This allows you to both work faster, and work in a vertical format instead of horizontally.

Write your thoughts.  Don't think about what you're writing.  Just let the words flow.  Don't worry about spelling or punctuation.  This is about spewing whatever's on your mind in the moment.  Write in multiple directions.  Overlap your words.  Just GET IT OUT!

Now take out your favorite watersoluble pastels and scribble to your heart's content.  Pretend it's kindergarten.  Use ALL the crayons in your box if you want.  Just enjoy the pleasure of applying color to paper.

Tone all that scribbling down with gesso or white acrylic and a little water.  I use my fingers for this.  Leave some areas more white than others.  

Add more texture with random scribbles and words or phrases that come to mind.  Here, I've used a charcoal pencil, but I typically use a black brush pen (which I couldn't find and didn't want to look for).

Add more color and brighten some of the areas.  You might see the beginnings of something unidentifiable taking shape.

Add some contrasting colors with acrylic paint.  Use your fingers.  Use a paintbrush.  Use an old credit card.  PLAY!  Hold your journal upright.  What images do you see taking shape?

Sketch around some of the basic shapes that you see.  Here, I could see a figure with a headdress.  I added the heart and wings - Voila!  I think I've found an angel.

Add gesso or white acrylic around the image and concentrate on that.  You can add more color to the background later.  Add details and shading to your figure, Then you can concentrate on the background.

Add little details to both your image and background.  Use symbols and doodles.  As a final touch, journal a few last thoughts that come to you as you're working.  Most of all - have FUN.  This isn't about quality, gallery art - it's about YOU, expressing yourself creatively.

CELEBRATE * LOVE * CREATE

Weekend Journal

ON THE WEB

I spent some time visiting both old and new blog friends this week.  I still have some catching up to do, but I've already come across some fun things to share with you.

I stopped by my friend, Connie's blog, Dirty Footprints, to see how her pregnancy is going, and I found wonderful photos of her as well as this wonderful free workshop that she put together.  I watched the first video and bits of a couple others.  They are WONDERFUL!  If you haven't been to Connie's blog, I highly recommend doing so.

I also stopped by new friend, Kristen's blog, Art Play Today, where she was requesting title ideas for her Jesse Reno inspired painting.  I really like the style of her painting and I had never heard of Jesse Reno, so it was time to do some investigating!

I found some great Jesse Reno videos on YouTube - both his own channel and videos by other artists who are inspired by his work and have taken workshops with him.   (I bet you know where all of this is leading!)  Here's a video of Jesse in action.  

IN MY JOURNAL

Well, of course, I had to try his technique!  I've been feeling in a bit of a rut lately, so I was really pumped to try something new after visiting the blogs and this video.  Here are my first experiments. 

Here's my first attempt at Jesse's technique.  I wish I had documented how many different layers are on these pages.  At first, it looked like a Latin village.  There are at least six other layers beneath this.

These pages only have two or three layers.  "Seeing things" in the initial paint layers or background, is very familiar to me (it's what I call intuitive painting).  I saw these two figures right away and did very little to change and enhance them.  It could use some doodles or something, but I've moved on.

A cow?  Really?  I was quite amused to see this little guy pop up.  As a general rule, I "don't do animals".  (Not because I don't absolutely love them, I just never felt I do them justice.)

These are so far removed from my usual work that I can't even really form an opinion on them.  I can say with absolute certainty that this technique is FUN, FUN, FUN!!!

Here's my WIP (Work In Progress).  It's a real mess right now, but I'm really liking this little frog-like creature.  I can't wait to see where this one goes.  

TAG- I'M IT! (And So Are You :o)

One of the things I really enjoy about blogging is the social aspect.  I love having the interaction with other creatives, and this week, one of my newest blogging friends, Stephanie, tagged me in this game of tag.  It's a great way to learn more about the the people in your blogging network.  Here's my contribution:

THE RULES: 

1.  You must post the rules.

2.  Answer 11 questions the tagger posted for you.

3.  Create 11 questions to ask the people you tag.

4.  Tag 11 people.

5.  Let them know you've tagged them.

MY ANSWERS

1.  What are 2 names you are called that are not your real name?  "Seeeester" (by my sis) and "Kizzy" (by my brother)

2.  What was the last thing you thought about before you fell asleep last night?  I don't really remember but I'm sure it was either art related or the fact that my CA son  & his girlfriend are coming home for a visit this week!  YAY ME!!!!

3.  What is your biggest pet peeve?  People who are late.  Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!! Makes me CRAZY! Seriously.

4.  Would you rather have the power to be invisible or read minds?  Without a second thought, the power to be invisible.  (I don't want to be in my own mind half the time!)  I could pull off some wonderfully wicked pranks if I were invisible!  Bwaaahahahahaha!

5.  Are you a leftie or a rightie?  Rightie

6.  Do you ever dance, even when there's no music playing?  Absolutely - YES!

7.  What would you choose to eat for your last meal?  A big, bar style burger - well done with a side of mayo, fried potatoes and onions, and southern style sweet tea.  For dessert - the family size bag of Lays chips and a large container of Helluva Good French Onion Dip.  I kid you not!  LOL

8.  Do you collect anything?  If so, what?  I've been on a beach glass collecting kick for a couple years.  This year, I've also been collecting little girls' plastic barrettes, (you wouldn't believe how many I've found since January), stones and pieces of metal.  Yes - there's assemblage in my very near future!

9.  What is the worse ....and I mean absolute worse present you've ever received?  I'm afraid I have to plead the 5th on this one because it makes me feel sad.  (It has a happy ending though)  Let me state for the record that it was not from my hubby - he gives the BEST gifts!

10.  Are you a Night Owl or Early Bird?  Night Owl by nature, but I've become a bit of an early bird by adjusting to my hubby's schedule.  I'm enjoying it now that the nice weather is here.

11.  Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?  Are you kidding me!  Who could stand to sleep with the closet doors open?  Ghosts, goblins and all things evil live in there!

MY QUESTIONS FOR THE PEOPLE I'VE TAGGED

1.  Which do you prefer - a stroll on the beach or a stroll through the woods?

2.  Which of the four seasons makes you feel most "alive"?

3.  What song makes you cry?

4.  What art supply could you absolutely not live without?

5.  If you could spend one day studying with any artist (dead or alive) who would it be?

6.  Chocolate cake or strawberry cheesecake?

7.  What is your typical daily breakfast?

8.  If you could spend a week free of charge, anywhere in the world, where would that be?

9.  What kind of music is your car radio tuned to?  

10. What is your favorite flower?

11.  Are you annoyed that I tagged you? :oD

PEOPLE I TAGGED  (Sorry if you've been tagged previously - I didn't check!)

1.  Stephanie at Dragonfly Design Studios (Since turnabout is fair play!)

2.  Geri at My Heart Art

3.  Jennibellie at Jenniebellie Studio

4.  Rosemari at What I Made Today

5.  Jenni at A Simpler Life

6.  Tracey Fletcher King (Who created this monster! :oD )

7.  Tee Thompson at Green Isle Crafts

8.  Phoenix Peacock

9.  Kelly at Kelly's Art Journaling

10.  Hanna at iHanna

11.  Lee at Artfully Designed

OK..........that's all she wrote!  Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and as always -

CELEBRATE * LOVE * CREATE