Secret Sunday 14

Do you want to know a secret?


Welcome to the fourth edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals.


Over 150 (!) artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented as a series of online and print projects. And the first continues right now!

Join the The Altered Page every Sunday for "Secret Sunday." Here the secrets of all your favorite artists will be revealed. It could be a technique, a product, a secret source, a little-known website, a hidden shop, an inspiration, just about anything! If you missed any, no worries. You can find links to all the secrets on the sidebar of my blog.

Today's secret.......Surprise Supplies!
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Amy Grennell
Blog: Amy Grennell

I like to use baby wipes and the hand sanitizer! I use the baby wipes to wipe things off but also dab the paintbrush on it. After you are done using it you can sew them together or adhere them onto your work. They also come in handy if you are washing off your palette in the sink because they don’t disolve in water.

The sanitizer has alcohol in it of course and so if you use it with paint it has a weird effect. Also, if you are using inks it takes it off your hands if you can’t get to the sink and soap right away.
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Sharmon Davidson
Website: Sharmon Davidson Original Mixed Media Artwork
Blog: True adventures of an Art Addict
Artslant: Sharmon Davidson
Art Scuttlebutt: sjennings

I don’t know if this is really a secret or not, but it’s my favorite recent discovery, and is the best substrate I’ve found for collage work. It’s called Multimedia Artboard, and the only place I’ve been able to find it is Dick Blick.

Here’s what Dick Blick says about it:

“Multimedia Artboard accepts both oil and water-based paints without buckling or warping. A new formulation of artboard, it is made with paper and thermal-set epoxy resin, allowing media to adhere to the surface without penetration. Whatever media you are using holds a definite edge, with no bleed. The surface can be erased, scraped, and sanded, and both front and back are usable surfaces (one side is smoother than the other). Multimedia Artboard is laboratory-tested and is rated archival quality, with a neutral pH factor of 6.5. Boards are 1/32" (approximately 0.8 mm) thick.”

I love it because you can glue anything onto it, and it doesn’t get soggy or warp- an issue I’ve had with everything else I’ve tried!
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Donna Joy
Blog: World of Joy

I use clear caulk for glue-wood to wood, metal to wood-you name it. You can also use it to texture metal, paper and wood. It's paintable.

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Don Madden
Blog: Fully Flummoxed

Old-fashioned shoe polish comes in colors. It puts a waxy, waterproof protective surface on both clay and paper. It's easily applied with either a cloth or cosmetic sponges. The clay should be bisque fired first and I'm referring only to ceramic clay. I'm not familiar with polymer or paper clays, it might work with them. It definitely won't work on glazed clay as the receiving surface must be able to absorb the shoe polish into its surface. Be sure you buff it with a soft cloth or brush.

P.S. Might be interesting to see how these react with encaustics.

For gluing stuff in your journal or sketch book use ModPodge (matte) Regular glue (NOT the pathetic kind designed for paper), apply it with a cheap foam brush and rub it down/burnish it with a piece of wax paper. This will give you a pretty smooth surface with no bubbles or ripples, even with newspaper pictures. Store the brush in an empty Starbucks Frappacino bottle (put the cap back on tight), it will stay glue-y for days.

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Angela Cartwright
Website: Angela Cartwright Studio
Blog: Said & Done
Art Wear: ac studio 9
Zine: Pasticcio Quartz
Books: Angela Cartwright Studio

The notch tool…I love it. It’s used to layer cement onto tiles..but I use it to pull through gesso or molding paste to create design and texture.

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Carol Leslie
Blog: ZenDotStudio

Golden's Tar Gel - I used this for softening and adhering a brittle and cracking but treasured Bodhi leaf to a canvas as part of a commissioned mixed media piece. It worked to almost plasticize the leaf, strengthening it, preserving it and holding it in place. Then I started mixing paint with tar gel for an effect a lot like a resin.

Also something I learned from a fabric artist is that if you use a photo copy from an older copier and a non solvent based cleaner called "orange ultimate" rubbed on to the back of the image you get these fabulous image transfers. Works best on silk. New photo copiers don't seem to work for this process, has something to do with the toner used.

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Debbie Price-Ewen
Blog: Debrina's Diary

I’m a big fan of fibre dyes. I use them on virtually anything that is porous. Favourite ingredients: Procion powdered dye, different types of paper (printed or plain), water, vinegar and salt. Final results are always a surprise!

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