Text Collage Explorations with Mather for Seniors

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Text Collage Explorations with Mather for Seniors

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The prompt for my Mather Paper Explorations class was to use Text as the theme for your Collage. I frantically ripped papers...far faster than cutting. I had chosen a bunch of pages to use, almost the only thing I cut was the focal point boat "Blue Bayou" from keyboard tinted music sheet.

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 Starting with black cardstock paper...for a background...moody and a great base for collage. Again we were working so fast, I just have photos of the finished product. I love the time limit... which makes me flow with gut instincts instead of over-thinking everything.

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Here is the entire piece after completing. I tinted blued music with a tan alcohol, and also used some tan on white music sheet ripped for tree trunks and roots. 

Accents were added with blue metallic pens...and gold/copper pens. Also using bits and pieces of foliage from oodles of garden pages.

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A log cabin porch inserted as a houseboat in the bayou, with a dock. adding all the bits of leaves and folliage was fun and interesting. I would have loved more hanging moss, but used blurred photos of greens for that.

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I did color many of the torn edges with pens to let the foliages blend..and accented others for shadows. Water shows here and there.

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The left side of the page has some added streaks of light creeping through the trees.

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In another class we worked with printed TEXT torn into shapes and doodled on. Again, dark paper was suggested for the background. 

 I had an old craft magazine from the 60's that I tore the advertising pages out from....classifieds...this was craft shopping in the 60s-70s...no online businesses at all. Craft stores were few and far between except in larger cities.

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Some of the classifieds, had photos or accent stripes/frames or photos of products. Photos, which I used very few. I tore shapes mostly diagonally across the classified pages. Fitting the shapes on the black page, and gluind down, but leaving lots of black card-stock base showing as was suggested.

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Composition was basically to fill the paper. The marking and doodles were all done with alcohol markers on the text. The markers have varying strengths and opacities. I liked how the text still showed through and the ad dividers became part of the designs.

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I sort of like this alignment...giving this a landscape feel.

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Fun play exercise. I also used some colored pencils subtly on the black areas. Colored pencils didn't work very well on the vintage glossy classifieds,  but the markers were splendid in color and intensity.

Fun class with Mather Paper Explorations on Zoom.

More Mather free online classes for seniors can be found HERE

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All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own unless identified, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown.  

 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission.  

Thank you for your cooperation, 
Sandi 

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Free Online Class with Instructor Joy Ting.

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I'm wishing to loosen up a bit in my approach to Water Colors or mixed media. 

 I did a class with Joy Ting. Seems she runs a freebie class every month or so. I was interested in the floral prompt photo, not able to share which was just a huge smattering of flowers, layers and layers of fresh flowers. So many, you couldn't possibly paint them all on a small 11 x 14.  I used a heavy multi-media paper, because I knew we were going to be doing a lot of different things.

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Stage 1

I should have taken photos as we went along, but working live so fast it is impossible...basically I got the floral shapes done in class and no background or leaves. 

The flower shapes were very loose with sloppy wet water colors. Then we scribbled/marked up the flower shapes (I used some water-based Gelato sticks in bright colors.) You can see the blotchy colors on the rough texture of the paper. 

It was so loose, it literally looked like blotches. 

After class I added watercolor greens in the background. I personally am not fond of white paper, unless the subject matter (snow, clouds, houses, flowers, etc.) are white. This was the first day.

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Stage 2

Okay, I wasn't happy with the definition of Day 1. So I dragged out my colored pencils, alcohol markers and went to work. 

First thing I did was take the Gelato marks with water, and then alcohol to marry the markers and the Gelato marks. I tried to blend them into their surroundings, and then I began darkening the background and shadows with markers and ordinary colored pencils.

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Stage 2

I just didn't want blotch flowers, but blotches then began to be Marigolds, Zinnia Stock, Canterbury Bells, leaves of Coleus, Bachelor buttons, Morning Glories, and a few I'm not sure what they are. 

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Stage 3

Slowly the jumble of shapes began to blossom and the background retreated back. I softened lots of edges with alcohol on a brush, but still leaving some grainy bits of the Gelato sticks (the flowers on the bottom) for texture.

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Stage 3

I chose to not have access to the prompt photo after class, so I let the shapes take me to flowers I knew. 

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Stage 3

Even a stem of Lupine grew from some blue blotches.  The pink/blue flower to the right was layered with mauve marker over the scattering of blue water color and Turquoise Gelato stick-nummy subdued lavenders.

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Stage 3

Morning Glories are beautiful and easy to spot, but the gold cluster on the left which was in the photo, I can't seem to identify the flower (with tube bells with speckles.)  

Backgrounds: I didn't use any black, it just seems so. Layers of green water colors with added dark browns and dark green markers deepened the background.

Light and dark shadings on flowers/foliage were usually done with colored pencils or thin marker tips. 

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I'm not totally pleased with the result, but I learned so much from this process.

Conclusion: Try as I might, I'm not a super free painter...I like some reality added to blotches. I will try to  continue and loosen up. I'm also thinking I'm trending toward multi-media. And, really liking the alcohol markers for their control and intensity. I really enjoy the transparent layering of the markers over the water colors or other media...intensifying here and there, subduing and defining elsewhere.

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PS my Faber Castell Water-based Gelatos sticks  also break down with alcohol on a brush, making them very versatile. I had picked up this set on deep discount. And I'm considering watching for a deal on another set. I had considered oil pastels, but now I think the water/alcohol dissolvable will be better for me.

Any questions, I will try and answer!

What's on your Art Desk 

or in your Sketchbook, 

this week?

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question. 

Join me at these fine blog parties:

Tuesday Turn About

Vintage Charm

Farmhouse Friday

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own unless identified, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown.  

 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission.  

Thank you for your cooperation, 
Sandi 

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Paper Explorations: Natural Resists on paper.

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Like any art project some things that are 'pro' level are expensive. One of those items is watercolor resists. $15.00+ per small bottle. Since this is OLD NEW GREEN REDO...how about using some household items for resists.

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The Mather handout for this week's Paper Explorations was interesting.

Materials:

• Acrylic paints, (I used craft and tube)
• Thick paper such as mixed media or watercolor paper ( I used rough finish watercolor paper, I used FineArt (Walmart) 140# pad bought on clearnace)
• Paintbrush or sponge
• Pencils

 

All of these are inexpensive resists

For soap resist:

• Liquid dish soap (Dawn)
• I wondered about drawing with bar soap????
• 
  

For glue resists:

• Washable glue stick 
• Washable liquid washable glue (I used Elmer's Clear)

 OTHER OPTIONS for resists.

     Wax crayons, oil crayons/pastels, grease pencil for black lines (These will all repel the acrylic or watercolor on top of them)

Optional materials:

• Stencils or paper cuttings to use with glue
• Hair dryer (to speed up drying)
• Spray bottle (for rinsing)
• Alcohol markers (for background colors accents)
• Paper toweling or soft towel

. 

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First my supplies...trusty alcohol markers, some luminescent acrylic craft paint, my clear washable glue, FineART (Walmart on clearance)140 Water Color paper, (rough side, if I do this again, I'll try the smooth (tight) side.)

PLAN B. I left the bulk of the washable glue partially on the paper as it was let it dry spread out and some spots bare. 

I had a night-time painting idea with Fireflies on Zinnias with a dark background and the highlights of the glue to be the lightning bugs and moonlight on the Zinnias...well.... I scribbled some rough outlines in green Prismacolor pencil (also a bit resistant) for guides and then the glue as lines.

Original Directions:

Apply glue/soap resists and sketches on paper, let dry. Paint Acrylic over, let dry

Then wash by spritzing with water, or wet cloth/paper towel, or under the faucet. 

Wash the acrylic off the top of the glue and then wash or rub the glue off to expose the light areas paper. 

Treat the open areas with more paint, markers or leave exposed. SOUNDS SIMPLE.

After the sketching, glue and drying.  I painted my first washes of Acrylics I left them to dry.

To remove the paint on the glue, I carefully tested my paper first with paper towel and spritzing to lightly rub off most of the paint, then the glue and found very quickly the paper began to peel a bit, while the glue broke down and just thinned out covering larger areas  still on the paper. A mess of sorts and blotchy.

PLAN B. I decided to leave the bulk of the washable glue partially on the paper as it was and let dry spread out and some spots bare. Results Below

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Okay, I used the resist for stems, sticks, bug outlines flower edges(lined), but the glue wouldn't dry so I tried to wipe some off or make petals, to get it to dry within the class time. 

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The rocks on the bottom of the painting were scribbled with White Oil Crayon that melted with the hairdryer, so I scratched on that  surface to remove some for texture. I may try an entire piece with this crayon and see what happens. The brown marker filled in the lines I scratched out. 

I used the acrylics thinned out a bit...letting these dry again and then began working on the background in Dk Green and Dk Brown alcohol pens. It's really not night-time at all by this point.

PLAN B. I left the bulk of the washable glue partially on the paper as it was let it dry spread out and some spots bare. 

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It's hard to see the glue textures, but you can see some of my green sketch lines underneath that I used and then added the glue.

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Quite the mess? Now what?

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I was afraid to try and scrub all the glue further than this. Well, instead of working with more Acrylics, I grabbed my alcohol markers in lighter shades first, then darker colors which worked right on top of the glue residues transparently. HMmmm, VERY interesting.

If you haven't tried inexpensive alcohol markers from 5-Below...do....these types of markers in name brands cost 3-5$ each and a whole set is $5.00. I have had to add alcohol to a few drying ones after having them for 7 months. Easy peasy and cheap. I have papers and papers covered in these markers and the tips have held up well. I seldom make recommendations but this is a must have.

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With light marker colors I went over lots of the whites, then accented with darker pens on top of that...still leaving bits of white here and there. We do have Peppermint Zinnias coming up here.

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Before working over

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These are the same areas, after adding some yellows to brighten it up to match the flowers...now Day light and the bugs will become Bees... I just need to add some black stripes.

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Yikes scribbled ZINNIAS...missed an N.?

Same areas after applying the alcohol markers and details.

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Both photos the same areas. Since this wasn't the plan, I don't consider it a failure, but a learning experiment with unexpected results, lol.

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I will definitely play with these homemade resists and applications. And, I didn't have to go to the store and spend $15.00. Upside of the glue, it could be brushed on with a bit of water easier than actual masking fluids, which are instantly gummy and sometimes difficult.

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My favorite bit from this exercise.  You can see my expensive watercolor tape, actually lifted the paper surface after two hours.???

 I will be using this paper I think for Sketchbook bits or quick watercolors. Or I will try the backsides and see if it holds up better on the smoother side.

Next art post will be all the other resist techniques in a more clinical way with examples. Finding out what a specific product does or doesn't do, 

 is worth the effort!

WHAT NEW IDEA-TECHNIQUE 

HAVE YOU TRIED LATELY?

Thanks to Free Mather Senior Online Classes 

HERE.

Thanks always for visiting, 

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question. 

Join me at these fine blog parties:

Love Your Creativity

Handmade Monday

You're the Star

Craftastic Monday

Really Crafty Linky

Senior Salon Pit stop

Metamorphosis Monday

Tuesday Turn About

Talking About it Tuesday

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own unless identified, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown.  

 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission.  

Thank you for your cooperation, 
Sandi