It worked! Xylene Transfer!

Well, just when you think that you will never ever create anything again (the new Somerset Studio had a name for it) Creative Deficit or something. That is what I have been feeling lately. I don't know why, but I still say that it might be a wind down to get back to my roots with the conference next week....but here is something that makes me so excited that I am about to do the happy dance. I decided to try a Xylene transfer. I thought I had thrown out my Xylene in the move several years ago but I came across it and decided to just go for it and see if it would transfer. I used to do it all the time. The lettering is a font from my computer but I turned it backwards and printed it on my laser printer. You have to have a laser print--at least I think you do.

The top one is on painted muslin and the second one is on watercolor paper from a previous background. I thought it turned out pretty good. And the xylene is kinda like smelling gas--either you love it or hate it. Here below are a few more backgrounds that were passable but have potential.

Things that work together

I was just playing around with some of Pat Dews techniques where she puts things that will make patterns and textures into the wet paint and lets it dry. This is punchanella (lower right) and molding paste over punchanella (top) and waxed paper on the blue and green. I wrote the letterforms in a Neuland type hand with a black calligraphy marker in my practice pad and decided that I would try and use it some how--- so this is how it all came together. I changed the letterforms to off -white and stuck it in! Works for me and made me happy!

One more background...

I must say that I am very thrilled with how the Parallel pens work on this rough watercolor paper and I dipped it in two colors of Hydros watercolor. I did lay down a thin coat of clear gesso because calligraphy over watercolor washes have a tendency to bleed so maybe I have solved that with the clear gesso. I have been doing pretty good at filling up this journal and as you see I seem to be using the same colors. Note to self: Jump out of this color box you are in! Maybe use some lavender!

A few nighttime backgrounds

Sometimes I just have to put some color on paper and create---something---and who knows what it will turn out to be. I love to try to do no-think intuitive painting because sometimes you get and gem and sometimes you don't. The ones that don't can be torn up and sometimes then the torn pieces turn into gems. The urge to do this usually hits me about 10:30 pm and I go into my "Closet of Creation" where everything is right at my finger tips but not much room at all. But I do create some fun things in this small space here at home.  This is a big closet for a closet but a small space for a studio. Our next door neighbors have installed a wine cellar in their closet area. We live in a condo and our neighbors have the same layout except opposite. His wine cellar is fantastic and it's mind boggling how he has figures out how to catalogue all the wines and go right to it. I should let him come over and catalogue my art supplies!  I'm sure I'd never find a thing ever again.

Let your life lightly dance...

I have been putting pieces together for The Chunky Artsy Book ll that I will vlog on Thursday. Here is another snippet bit of calligraphy combined with a  stray watercolor background and sewn on that I put into the Chunky Artsy Book.  I am loving the stitching and really enjoyed my first sewing class which really was just the first class to get to know your Bernina. Well, Bernie and I were fairly well acquainted but I learned lots of new things about Bernie that I certainly didn't know. Actually, I better go over all those new things before I forget them--and one thing I need to learn---the sewing and quilting lingo!

Acrylic on Watercolor Wash

I love to disperse colorwashes on watercolor paper--I guess you could say it calls to me---"Martha, Martha, come disperse us---we're waiting for you!"... and I have to jump up at that moment and go disperse!!  Yes, my paints call to me and talk to me. Sometimes they say, "no, no don't put us here in the mud--we don't want to get dirty," and sometimes they say, "ahhhh...that's better..."

I could never be lonely--if I have my paints--and I always encourage people to start to paint even if it is just putting some color on paper--it doesn't have t0 be anything--just color...any color. It's therapeutic.

I had dispersed some watercolors on paper last night and decided to try some acrylic "dry-ish" brush and see what happened. I probably should have added mat medium first so the paint would go on better. Actually the second image of the Tulips is not dry brush only the first image. I like the top one better. The orange and the pink don't go that well together but all in all it was fun and I do like the combination of soft watercolors in the background and harder images in the front.  

Calligra-FUN--student update!  Check out Debbie Goering. Scroll on down and you will see some great practice pages.

Great job, Debbie!  All my students are doing so well and having fun and... oh, how happy that makes me!!

More Layers in the "Special Journal"

Rather than using acrylic for the layering I decided to just use two shades of watercolor, Andeth blue and Violet.  It was just a wash and when it dried I added some punchanella. Then I wrote a little quote.  I didn't have any clear gesso to put under the writing area so I wasn't able to get crisp letterforms.  I have discovered clear gesso as a base for calligraphy on mixed media pieces. This is a journal that when I tell you about it you will want one because it is fabulous. It is about 6x6 (I love square) and has Strathmore 140lb 400 series watercolor paper in it which I really like because it takes watercolor, calligraphy and acrylic layering just fine. I will tell you more about and show you some ways I have filled it up in a few days.