Best Tulle Ever

I was so in awe of Wise Wanderer's Letterbox Trading Card-- Celestial Art: Moonlight Magic that I wanted to copy the technique. A picture does not do the card justice so I've included a ten second video that reveals the magic of this technique. (Posted with permission.)

Wise Wanderer explained that she used tulle to create the magical celestial sky, so I added that to my ''retail therapy" list. I found a variety of tulle colors at a Michaels store-- white, black, red, and others-- and chose black tulle with silver glitter.






One of the challenges of this card was reversing my thinking about the carving. I needed to carve away the positive space of the transfer so the dark sky would take on the starry effect created by the tulle. Typically I carve away the backgrounds leaving the main image.

Positive shapes occupy positive space. 

Negative space is the background area around the positive shapes.

In this black and white image of the three wisemen, the positive space is made up of the camels, the sand, and would also include the star. After the transfer, I had to carve away the black instead of the pink. A mind boggling experience.

Made me wish I had software to invert the image. After the fact, I did find online software that would do just that, such as: http://pinetools.com/invert-image-colors   Look at that. Doh!



I pre-cut 3.5 x 4.5 rectangles of tulle. I thought layering the tulle on the card would be easy, but it turned out to be tricky and messy because I was using glue. Once I found out Wise Wanderer used (double-sided) adhesive tape, the process was so much easier. Double Doh!

My favorite tool for double-sided tape is the Scotch Advanced Tape Glider (ATG gun.) Took awhile to get use to wielding the pink gun, but once used to it, the savings are worth it.


Buying the tape refills in bulk makes it SO MUCH cheaper. A good source for bulk tape purchase is: https://www.tapejungle.com/



Running strips of adhesive along the back edges of the card, made it easier to pull the tulle tightly across the card, but not so tight as to curl the card.  I could readjust the tulle as necessary and cut off any extra material.



A sidenote: if there are glitter restrictions, avoid using this tulle as the glitter will come off.


I loved how Wise Wanderer's card is framed with the black card stock and wished I had done that too. Instead, I used a slightly smaller size card attached to the back to hide all the adhesive and extra tulle. I chose a cream card stock for a desert look; although, I think a tan would have been an interesting choice to explore too. In the finished card, the reason for carving the star is more clear.  This is my final card-- Guiding Star.

A big thank you to Wise Wanderer for sharing her LTCs, her craft, and
the tulles behind them.

Testing inks on acrylic cards

While at the annual LTC retreat, I ran into stamping problems with my Color Field card (right). I created an acrylic base with a Gelli plate and then stamped the chimpanzee with my favorite black ink-- Versafine Pigment Ink. The ink would not dry completely and smeared. Also, the details were fuzzy. Eventually the problem was solved but not without frustration and accepting lower quality. Once home, I decided to test various stamp pads to determine which ink would be better for stamping on acrylics.


Using what I had available: 

• Memento (dye),
• StazOn (solvent), 
• Versafine (pigment), and 
• Speedball block printing ink (water soluble)

My goal was to determine which ink provided:

• full coverage
• details
• pure color

I tested:

• stamp and wait
• heat set
• Krylon matte finish
• workable fixative

Once I applied the stamp, I waited a few minutes then rubbed a q-tip cotton swap across the stamped image. 

Results:

My results pointed toward heat setting Versafine. 

With more practice inking the stamp, I suspect that Speedball block printing ink might become a viable ink.

In Addition:

Typically I sand the surface of an acrylic surface to remove any ridges or bumps left by the tools used to apply the paint. Allows the stamp to make better contact with the surface for full coverage and details.

After this test, I wondered if a gel medium such as acrylic glazing or self-leveling clear gel by Golden would fill in grooves on the surface that the sanding did not eliminate thus providing an even smoother surface for the stamp.

Love to hear what is working for you as I enjoy working with acrylics and I'm always looking for improved processes and better (economical) products.

Shaving Cream Experiments

Pushed myself to experiment today, and I'm loving the process and the results! I've done paper marbling using shaving cream in the past, and I love the results. My thinking was inspired by previous experiments with:

• 
  
• Gelli plate and acrylic paint mono-printing
• Ebru-- the art of creating colorful patterns by sprinkling and brushing color pigments on a pan of gelatin water, and 
• Color Burst-- concentrated micro-fine watercolor powders--by Ken Oliver

I decided to combine my experience. I also added Dylusions Ink Sprays to my resources which included food dye and shaving cream (cheapest available.) Note: I make Artists Trading Cards so I was working with 2.5 x 3.5 white cardstock.

These were my favorite tools including the damp cloth and somewhat difficult to see is the plastic (credit-like) card. The blue tipped stick is my DIY Ebru-ish brush.









First, inspired by Ebru, I experimented with painting food dye onto a plate of shaving cream. I used about 1/4 to 1/2 inch layer of cream which I leveled out with a ruler (spatula, cardboard, etc. would work too.) I squeezed a few drops of yellow dye onto the plate and then using a small pointer (back of my paintbrush) I pulled the color through the cream in a sunburst pattern. I added a drop of red in the center of the flower, giving it a little swirl then literally painted the green stem and leaves onto the shaving cream with a small-tipped paintbrush. Wha la! My favorite is the top right which was created last after the shaving cream had been squished a bit making the other cards.

I added more dye dots to the same plate of cream and pulled the color.

I didn't want to waste anything today and see where each step took me. So with my pointer, I swirled the the cream and gently pressed a few more cards into the cream, making sure the card is covered edge to edge. Loved the results again.

Next I used my spatula to stir up the cream and even out the color (Picture shown is from my third plate of cream.)










I added dye drops and zig zagged my way top to bottom then left to right and then again.  Ebru art has lots of marbing techniques to explore, not to say that this card represents them. Loving the results! Decided to wash the cream away and start with a fresh glob.

While I was rinsing one of my tools ,which I tend to rinse often and place on towel to be readily used again, I noticed I dripped water on the plate of cream. OMG! the water reacted with the cream removing the color! I contemplated...is this water resist, color resist or something else? I grabbed some pre-cut cards to press.

The result was fun! (Although these results are from another batch as you can see from the specks of color.)









Then I got intentional with my splattering using my DIY splatter brush made from an old paintbrush.

During another batch I experimented with water resist by dipping a medicine bottle into water and then into the cream.

Now I'm really enjoying experimentation day! Wish I would have made a full set (16-24 cards) of these.

 Stir it up...and now for Color Burst!

I had no idea what would happen. I assumed any water or liquid elements of the cream would react with the pigment powder. 

Dipping immediately only created a speckled look which were actually raised speckles.

...BUT  if I waited ooh la la, the Color Burst colors began separating. Probably not what Ken Oliver intended; although, he loves and promotes experimentation with his product. I certainly enjoyed the results. When I scraped off the excess cream from the paper with my plastic card, I pressed too hard and pulled the color too. Still loving the effect!

Since Color Burst is frequently spritzed with water to create effects, I decided to spritz the plate of cream and wondered how the water would effect the Color Burst especially since the water pushed the color away earlier in earlier plates of cream. The green dotted card is the actual result. Push Plus Pull equals...

What would happen if I sprinkled color burst and added drops of food dye to make my starbursts/flowers. I made a fresh plate, easily rinsing the last down the drain. 

I sprinkled and waited for the Color Burst to react to cream. Then I strategically placed food dye drops and  pulled my pointer through.











With much anticipation, I gently pressed my card, making sure every edge was covered, into the yummy concoction.

Gently scraped the extra cream from cards so as not to smudge the colors.

I love these! 

You'll notice the cards in middle have bolder color as they were the first pressed into the color. I like the ones around the edges more as the colors and shapes are softer. Easily made enough cards from one batch.

Some cards needed more color so I pressed just that part of the card into the color I wanted more of.

My experiments were coming to a close but not without a quick stir of the cream and a little more play with the medicine bottle dipped in water and even a lil water splattering.

These are more cards I made somewhere along the process.

Tinted background from a previous batch, sprinkled with Color Burst, and food dye flowers/swirls.






 Sometimes the 4th, 5th,...10th cards are my favorites.








Digging these beauties!

Yellow tinted cream with Color Burst sprinkled and then swirled with pointer. The possibilities are endless!






Clean up was easy. My kitchen smells delightful. Countertops are super clean from the shaving cream. Cards even smell nice. More later, maybe, on which inks work best stamping on these card surfaces.

My first official day of experimentation is a success, in my opinion, and I intend to plan a day of experimentation at least once a week and share my results.  :)