Paint To Paper To Fabric

In the process of painting this piece, I used very simple "masks"-  a few pieces of white copy paper and one piece of 18" x 18" deli paper that created an "open windows" effect. (Lay the paper down, brayer paint over the edges, you've just used a "mask".)

By the time I was finished layering all those paint colors onto just a few pieces of paper, their surfaces were rich and vibrant with a complex blending of shades and colors. They were irresistible to me!

I monoprinted a little Stacked Journaling on some, left the rest alone, and when they were dry, I tore them up into random shapes and sizes. Using transparent fluid medium, I began collaging them back together into four distinct but obviously related art pieces

(18" x 18")

The multiple layers of paint and medium began to give the surfaces of the papers a glossy sheen, like they'd been polished.

(8.5" x 11)

I finally gave up trying to layer more matte medium on top of them to knock back the shine and just embraced the leathery quality that was emerging.

(11" x 14")

Deciding to mount the pieces for display, and still wanting to test the limits of  multi-purpose fabric, I cut 4 pieces of the fabric large enough to accommodate each collage, and using a 50/50 mixture of soft gel medium and fluid matte medium, I laminated the collages to the fabric.

 (8.5" x 11")

I sandwiched all of them between two weighted-down plywood boards until they dried, and then trimmed away the excess fabric from around the edges.

I'm really finding this fabric to be very versatile and I can see myself ordering more of it when this roll is gone.

Happy creating!

"Stained Glass" Reindeer Tutorial

Again, my apologies for having no new photos of this technique to share, but here are the steps for making it!

What you'll need:

~ Paper mache forms in any shape, including boxes, purses, hanging ornaments, spheres, etc. This technique can be used on any item- including wood and some metals- that will take glue and paper well.

~ Paper napkins in bright, saturated colors. Patterning or design really don't matter. Obviously for these, I chose Christmas napkins, but any bright napkin will do as long as it doesn't have a lot of white space showing. The size of your project will determine the number of napkins you use. You'll almost always use more than you think you will, but one package is usually enough.

~ White primer spray paint and mask/gloves/goggles for safety.

~ White school glue, thinned with a little water.

~ Disposable foam brush.

~ Gold foil pen or metallic paint pen.

~ Embellishments (optional... in the case of the reindeer, I used ribbon and some stems of silk evergreen sprigs and berries. You can find these in the floral department of your local craft store).

What you'll do:

~ Wearing goggles, mask and gloves, spray paper mache form with white primer. Coat evenly and allow to dry completely.

~ Paper napkins are usually between two and three ply and only the top ply is printed with enough pigment to make this technique work. Separate ALL plys and only use the top (printed) ply for this project (don't discard the other plys... they can be used in other projects, or for clean-up).

~ Tear napkins into irregular pieces and strips. The size of the pieces doesn't really matter.

~ Using a foam brush, paint the primed paper mache with a little of the glue mixture, press a piece of torn napkin into the glue and smooth out any air bubbles by painting a little more glue on top. Work in small areas so the glue doesn't dry before you can cover it with paper. Continue layering the napkin pieces and glue until the entire surface is covered.

~ Allow to dry fully... could take a couple of days.

~ At this point, run your hands over the piece and check for any edges of napkin that might be trying to lift. If you find any, you can usually smooth them out by applying more of the glue mixture and letting it soak in. Then smooth with your fingers. You can also coat the entire thing with a couple of layers of thinned glue for protection, if you choose. I didn't bother with this step and my deer have remained in excellent shape for years, but it's up to you.

~ Once the piece is fully dried again, use the gold foil or paint pen marker to trace along the torn edges of the glued napkins. Allow your lines to intersect and break into as many pieces as you want. This is what creates the stained glass effect.

~ Embellish with any ephemera you like.

Happy holidays!

- Judi

Glass Ornament Tutorial

(Sorry there are no new photos to accompany this tutorial... I was out of the raw materials!)

What you'll need:

~ Clear glass ornaments, any size, with light-weight, removable metal hanger. Most craft or hobby stores carry these, and they're very inexpensive. Just ask for the ornaments that you can decorate yourself.
~ Alcohol-based re-inkers (I used Adirondack brand, but Jaquard makes nice inks, too). Choose as many color as you want and at least one metallic additive (copper, silver or gold).
~ White (or black) liquid acrylic paint, or craft paint thinned with a little water.
~ Dixie cups, one for each ornament.

What to do:

~ Remove the metal hangers from the ornaments and set aside- do not discard!
~ Rinse the inside of the ornaments with hot water and allow to fully dry on a dish towel, or a paper towel.
~ Choose one color of ink (I like to start with the lighter colors, first) and drip (don't squeeze!!) a few drops inside the ornament. Turn the ornament so that the ink moves around, coating some of the inside but not the whole surface (otherwise, your ornament will only be one color). The ink will dry very quickly.
~ Choose another color and drip a couple more drops into the ornament. Turn to coat. You can do this with as many colors as you like, but I've found that more than three colors tends to muddy the pigments too much. Finally, choose one of the metallic inks and drop not more than one or two scant drips into the ornament- the metallic inks seem to spread more aggressively than the colored inks, so you only need the smallest bit of it! Allow to FULLY dry.
~ Once the alcohol inks are fully dry, squirt about one teaspoon to one tablespoon of white acrylic paint into the ornament and turn to completely coat the inside. (This is what will cause the colors of the ink to "pop". You can also use black for this step, as well.) Be careful not to get paint on the outside of the ornament and wipe up any that does.
~ When the inside of the ornament is coated with paint, upend the ornament into a Dixie cup and allow it to remain resting inside the top of the cup, hole pointed down into the cup, until dry. This could take several days to a week.
~ Once fully dry, replace metal hangers. The ornaments are now ready to hang. They can be stored easily in the box they are sold in.