Art in Stages

 
Okay, I'll admit it.....I get crabby when I can't squeeze art time into my day in some way. Do any of you share my pain? The solution for me has been art in stages. Often each stage only takes a half hour or less so it is reasonable to accomplish in a jam packed day. Let me demonstrate with the progression of a canvas.

First Stage: Prep the canvas. This involves sanding it, wiping it off, applying a layer of gesso and leaving it to dry.

Second stage: Choose your paint. I usually have the focal image in mind when doing this. The little guy with the jar and little net reminds me of the summer days of childhood, warm, bright and full of potential. The yellow background was selected to evoke sun-drenched days, the green was the lushness of trees and grass mid-summer and the red to me was the excitement of discovery. Paint the background colour on the canvas and leave to dry.
Third Stage: Dig through your scrap paper boxes or drawers for papers that capture the mood that you wish to create and that coordinate with your background colour. Cut them into pieces of various sizes. Using gel medium, glue them to your canvas. Don't overthink this just do it intuitively until you are satisfied with the look. Remember to also add a thin layer of gel medium on top of each piece as well. This will allow you to add additional layers of paint. Allow to dry.


Fourth Stage: I like to add a layer of light paint that has been watered down. It just calms the base colour and sinks the papers into the background. Allow to dry.

Fifth Stage: Add stamped script to the background using StazOn ink. As you can see, I've separated the rubber from the wooden mount. This allows me to get the best coverage. You don't want to fill the background with script. I usually ink the stamp only once then stamp it randomly.


Sixth Stage: Using a foam stamp, apply green paint and stamp randomly onto the background. Again, you only need to actually put paint on the stamp once or twice, not before every image. This way you'll get some darker and some lighter images. Allow to dry.


Seventh Stage: Using a stencil, in this case an alphabet stencil, and a stencil brush, stipple colour through the stencil holes onto the canvas randomly. Allow to dry.


Eighth stage: I like to reapply another layer of watered down light paint at this stage. I don't want the letters and stamped images to be as prominent as they are. After this layer dries (you can help it along with your heat gun, just be sure to keep the gun moving so it doesn't burn), I used the top of a jar, applied some white paint to the rim (not all the way around) and stamped it onto the canvas. Allow to dry.



I also use sequin waste and a stipple brush with light coloured paint on it to add texture and to blend elements together. Allow to dry.


Ninth and final stage (usually when I have a bit more time and am well rested):   This is when you use your focal image and other elements to create your collage.    Arrange and rearrange until you like the look then apply images with gel medium.   Don't forget to apply a layer on top of the images as well.    Do a little shading and outlining with charcoal pencils and a blender.   Add a border if you wish.   You might want to dig out that lid and light paint again and stamp over top of your images to sink them into the background.   Embellish as you wish and voila!   Your canvas is complete. 

Banish Store-Bought Card Guilt

OK, be honest, how many of you have ever made a handmade card for someone? Perhaps it was for their birthday or maybe you were ambitious and tackled Christmas cards for everyone on your list.
OK, now how many of you have then turned around and given a (gasp) store-purchased card to one of these same people and gotten "the look"?You know, the look that clearly demonstrates dismay at the fact that you, an artist, didn't use your talents to create a handmade card just for them. I've been there, my friends, and I have found a solution that will ease those feelings of guilt. I use store-purchased cards, but then add my own creative touches to them.
Before
After Of course, you can buy these cards or recycle ones that you've received. I don't know about you, but I always feel a deep pang of sorrow throwing out these beauties after enjoying them. I look for cards that are fairly plain but that have potential for the addition of images, background papers, embellishments, etc. Sometimes I work right on the front of the card and other times I cut up the card as I see fit.
Here are a couple of greeting cards that I've altered using those wonderful French Kissed images. Note that you can even cut up the message inside the card and reuse it in new and interesting ways. Challenge yourself -- it's fun and you'll find that those "looks" you get turn into squeals of delight. The one at the beginning of this post began its life as a sympathy card. Sorry, I forgot to scan it in its initial form. Yes, that's beeswax that you see on its surface!!
Before After

Beeswax Collage Tutorial

Ah beeswax!

If you haven't tried working with it when creating backgrounds and collage, you might reconsider.  It gives warmth to your work, does a wonderful job of melding elements together and the bonus is that it smells divine in your artroom/studio.


I like to  purchase my beeswax from local apiaries, not just one but several as the wax varies in colour from one to another.   I often give them a call in the Spring and ask them to save me a block of it.  Another option is to purchase wax pellets such as those sold by Ranger Melt Art.  They are more expensive but easier to handle.




Okay, let's set up our work area before we get to work creating.



I use a cutting board that is covered with a sheet of waxed paper.   This ensures that my art table is protected and the wax paper protects the cutting board.  Otherwise it gets drips of wax on it and become uneven.   Plug in your melting pot or small crockpot and insert in it a piece of wax or a few wax pellets.   Allow to melt.

Also plug in your iron or irons.   I use a quilting and an encaustic iron (one for small surfaces and one for larger) but a craft iron works as well.   Dig out foam brushes to spread the melted wax.


While everything is heating up, you can be thinking about your collage.   I like to start by creating a background of layered papers.  Very thin papers work best such as tissue paper, handmade papers, Japanese papers as well as vintage sheet music, ledger pages etc. 

I first  dig through my scrap box to find a piece of scrapbook paper that I like and it forms the base of the background.    Tear the papers to layer on top rather than cutting them.   They just blend better.   Using a foam brush, cover the scrapbook paper with wax and use your craft/encaustic iron to smooth and remove excess.   Arrange the thin papers and adhere them one by one using the beeswax until you are satisfied with the look.

At this point I like to add images from napkins.   Remember to separate the top layer from the other two and to tear the images. 




The other two napkin layers can also be separated from one another.  I like to stamp on them then tear them to use in my backgrounds.



Smooth the wax with your iron and let it cool.  It won't take very long!


Now that you've created your background, you can work on adding images and elements and building your collage.   True beeswax collage means adhering everything with the wax.  However, I generally clue everything down with crystal lacquer.   I've had the unfortunate experience of sending something through the mail especially in the summer months only to have it arrive rearranged and stuck to the envelope.  If you don't want your recipient to have to guess at your creative intentions, you too may want to use an adhesive.  Once all of your images and elements are adhered and you are satisfied with the effect, once again use a foam brush to carefully cover the surface with wax and an iron to smooth and remove excess wax.

If you work carefully, you can add pressed flowers and leaves and embed them in the wax.   I don't use adhesive when I do this but rather very gently add wax and touch the iron quickly to the surface.  The heat has the potential to scorch the flowers and plants.

I wanted to capture the feeling of France in the two collages below.   I have always loved seeing photographs of the fields of lavender so I used napkins that I happened to have in my supplies that featured sprigs and pots of lavender.  I then built up the collages using FrenchKissed images, French postage stamps, perfume labels and papers that somehow represented France to me.

Childhood "Instructions"

I am thrilled to be an aunt for the very first time.   My little nephew is about 21 months old and I must admit to missing him very much between visits.  I appreciate the way that he makes me see small things as though for the first time and to delight in them.   Our house fan fascinated him.   He sang and danced in front of it, giggling and reveling in the air being blown towards him.  I introduced him to water in our pool and he splashed and blew bubbles for over a half an hour.   I can't wait to introduce him to books and poems.

Speaking of poems,  I came across this one when someone on Facebook mentioned that they were using it at their wedding.  It is by a wonderful author named Neil Gaiman.  You may know him as the creator of "Coraline" but he has written many other books that are powerful and amazing.   Here is is poem entitled "Instructions" just in case you find yourself caught in a fairy tale:

Artist in Residence....What a Thrill

I was so excited to be asked to be artist-in-resident at French Kissed for the month of September. What that means is that I will provide a technique that will be posted on the French Kissed blog every Friday during the month.  Trishia's images are a delight to use and if you haven't had a chance to see what she has to offer in her Zibbet site, I've added a link on the right hand column of my blog.  This week I decided to begin with a technique for creating backgrounds for cards, assemblages, artist trading cards....anything really!

Okay, let's begin. You'll need to gather your supplies and let me warn you that it's a little messy! That's what makes it so enjoyable!! I actually worked outside. Gather a shallow dish with water, pieces of 90 lb. hot pressed watercolour paper, plastic wrap, food colouring, fine or coarse salt and gold or silver ink (optional).

You'll want to cover your surface with something to protect it and you may want to wear gloves to protect your hands unless you like the multicoloured look!! Ensure that your watercolour pieces of paper can be dipped thoroughly through the water. Once dipped, allow the excess water to drip off them then lay the paper down on a protected surface.

Drop food colouring on top of the paper, using as many colours as you wish. There's no need to cover all the white space at this point.

Cut off a piece of plastic wrap that is slightly larger than your paper. You will use the plastic wrap to gently spread the colour to get the coverage that you wish.

At this point, you can sprinkle fine or coarse salt on top for a tie-dye look or swirl in a bit of silver or gold ink...just a bit though. Finally, crinkle the plastic wrap on the top of the paper and leave to dry.

Once dry, remove the wrap and....voila!....you have a gorgeous background.

I've used the faux watercolour background in this assemblage.   I love the dreamy quality it gives to the piece.  

Okay, it's your turn!   Be sure to let me know if you try it....or if you have questions.