Flower art

Stephanie's Flowers
49" x 49"

Stephanie showed me art she likes; a collaboration in the spirit of designer Diane von Furstenburg and artist Andy Warhol. Spontaneously -- which means I wasn't really thinking -- I said, "I think I could make that into a quilt for you."  She wanted a lap quilt more than wall art. It took about 40 hours, including planning time. OK, OK, I'm slow -- but I do love the piece, and it was fun checking with Stephanie as I went along, to see what colors she preferred, and to get her general approval. I'm not sure what Warhol would say, though.

detail

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Tape and glue: image transfer with artist Julie Guyot

Applying packing tape to an image

Here's what I learned at Tuesday's Visual Journaling class with artist Julie Guyot at the Thomasville Center for the Arts in Georgia.
There are many ways to transfer an image -- make it go from a picture on paper to some other medium, such as paper ... or wood ... or fabric... Here are two methods Julie demonstrated. When I got home I tried them, and you can see my results at the bottom.

Tape transfer method

Julie recommends 3M brand packing tape. Lower-quality tape makes the image transfer  less detailed, less complete. Julie says clear contact paper also works. 

Here are her steps: Saturate the picture in water and then gently scrape the paper off. You should end up with a picture on your tape.

Glue it to your base.

Simple! I think I get it:
1. Put tape on top of your picture.
2. Soak it in water so the picture paper kind of disintegrates.
3. Rub the paper off the tape: voilá! The ink sticks to the tape.

Right now I am having lunch and when I finish I'm going to try this. Of course, I have to stifle the obvious: Why am I doing this, anyway?

To make layers. If it works (really, I'm wondering ... ) If it works, I can put this picture on top of another image, and parts of that picture will show through the empty parts.

Soaking tape-covered picture in water

Acrylic medium method

 Use gel medium. Julie used Golden brand heavy gel. Brush it on all one way.

Brushing medium onto the image

Dry until all the tacky feeling is gone (as little as 15 minutes, but preferably overnight). 

Brush another layer of sticky stuff, going in the other direction..

Dry.

Soak. Rub it gently so the paper comes off. Again, the ink is supposed to stick to the top. You have in effect made your own packing tape with a picture on it. There are various types of medium. You can choose shiny or matte surface. 

Rubbing the paper off

In her fourth class Julie also discussed adding text to your art. Basically, write with whatever you want, whatever you can; in choosing text, consider its scale, size, style.  Options include pen and ink, paint, printing. You can use maps, letters, recipes, songs, music, poetry ... 

OK, now here's my first attempt. What didn't work for me may very well be a triumph for you.

3M tape ended up blank. That's the nearly-clear tape, and below it a mess of paper I rubbed off.
I was impatient.

 Great oak tree soaking
I brushed on two layers Mod Podge, because I read in the website below that it works like the Golden medium But it didn't
This tree turned into paper scraps

I kind of like these trees
I used Golden medium

See that texture at top right?
It's the paper I was rolling off the hardened medium

Here are two that "worked"
The little one is a sunset

Here's a website I consulted on how to make photo transfer with gel medium: 

http://stacyalexander.blogspot.com/2008/02/how-to-make-photo-transfer-for-collage.html

  

Thomasville Art

I missed the first couple of classes because I was in the snowy north, so last night was my first session of Visual Journaling, with artist Julie Guyot at the Thomasville Center for the Arts in Georgia. Sounds far away, but it's just 40 minutes north of here, past plantations and pecan groves, intersected by red dirt roads. Yes, the dirt really is red in South Georgia.

My friend Cindy raved about this class; she said I'd love it even though I don't want to make a journal  and really prefer to work alone, thank you. (I sound like a snob determined to learn as little as possible.) I do love books, and have stacks of filled journals and notebooks already. When I teach writing -- whether little children or adults -- we always make our own books and I love the whole process.

But now I crave printing, painting, collage, and (most of all) quilts. My notebooks are for art inspiration, plans and progress. So I don't care if I make a journal. What I want from this class is to have some fun with other artists, snoop into the Thomasville art scene, and learn a couple of new techniques.

Last night was a good start. The art center is in an old building with rough brick interior walls and high ceilings. They are generous with supplies, and Julie orchestrated a balanced, relaxed mix of procedure and practice. Here's what I learned:

1. Make a 1" spine for your journal cover.

Julie used her quilter's ruler to measure 1", then scored the cover, and bent it back and forth.

2. Because pages have two sides, mark an X on the front so you don't get confused.

3. Punch two holes through the covers. This is where you will bind the book.

4. When gluing paper onto pages of your book, work on a big piece of cheap paper to catch the mess. Julie also had plastic spread on our work tables.

5. In placing papers, consider color, contrast, value, and size -- those elements are everywhere, and of course design principles determine how wonderful your piece will be. Last night, though, I was kind of slap-dash. Wish I could say it was a Picasso-like trance, but it wasn't.

6. Start gluing in the middle and brush outward. Then press or use a brayer.

7. Paper has a kind of grain. Tear paper one way to have white interior show and the other so it doesn't.

8. Ways to incorporate text: Paint it. Cut it out and glue it down. Stencil. Print.

9. JG tip: Julie said she heard this over and over in art school: 

"The eye needs a place to rest."

OK, she also hears design friends repeat my least favorite phrase, "pop of color".  She says those in the know say simply POC.

Green circles provide POC

10. Try using water-soluble oil pastels. Crayon-like, they offer more control than watercolor but still mix with water for that thinning-out effect. Julie uses them to outline elements, then dilutes them so they wander a bit.

Caran d'Ache Classic Neocolor II Water-Soluble Pastels, 15 Colors 

Julie is using water on a brush to enhance outline made with water-soluble oil pastels.
They came in that red and blue box in the front.