Sunday, March 21, 2010

Secret Sunday 18

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! If you have missed any, no worries. You can find links to all the secrets on the sidebar of my blog.

Today's secret.......Supply & Demand!
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Dina Wakley
Blog: Ponderings

http://dinastamps.typepad.com

My latest secret is Global Art Handmade Watercolor books....they're fantastic to journal in and they're worth every single penny you pay for them.

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Kerin Gale
Website: Remnants of Olde
Blog: Remnants of Olde
NING: Mixed Media Art
Etsy: Remnants of Olde

I use a lot of pigments - metallic and otherwise. My absolute favorite is Doc O'Brien's Weathering Powders - I mix these with paints, inks, acrylic matte glaze and even water. Because it is self adhering, I also use it all by itself with a paint brush (on non-wearable pieces only). It comes in so many colors and the only place that sells it is Micro Mark.


Here is a photo of "Charley's Claw" which is just made of polymer clay and an old camera flash bulb. I think it looks so much better because of the Weathering Powders.
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Becky New
Website: BeXarts
Blog: Windows Wide Open
Etsy: BeXarts Art at Etsy

Ooooo…. I like art secrets! Mine… hmmmm….. I would say finding the *right* pen is BIG on my list. I think I’ve tried every pen under the sun… and always come back to using the Uniball Vision Elite in black. LOVE. THIS. PEN. It writes over paint, pastels, etc. without issue! Also, Elmer’s Painters! They are THE. BEST. PAINT. PEN. EVER! I know that many folks swore by the now nearing extinction Sharpie Paint Pen, but this one is SUPERB! There are different tips available, and depending what I am doing depends on my choice. For my art journaling I use the ultra fine points, but for my handwriting over acrylics I almost always go for the bigger tips. These things rock!


Here is an example of writing onto images in an art journal.
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Kristy Christopherson
Blog: Kristy's Musing

Baby wipes - use them a lot in my artwork and cannot live without them :) Do lots of scrubbing and distressing with them.

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Robert Stockton
Artist Portfolio: Robert Stockton

A recently discovered art “secret” is the use of a product called NEVR-DULL Magic Wadding Polish. It is made for polishing automobile chrome, or silverware, and you buy it at a hardware store. The product is cotton wadding impregnated with a metal polishing agent, and comes in a dark blue can which costs about five dollars.


This is how I use it: Take any printed image from a magazine or other source (incidentally, black and white or color copy machine images do NOT work), such as National Geographic, old postcards, pictures from books, etc. Over areas that you wish to preserve in their original color and brightness, brush on two (or more) layers of acrylic (polymer or matte) medium, allowing the first coat to dry before applying the second. When the acrylic medium is completely dry take a small wad of the Nevr-Dull material out of the can, and rub it on to the surface of the image. You will notice that the polish in the wadding material soon begins to make the unprotected portions of the image (those not covered with acrylic medium), fade and begin to disappear. You can easily control how much the image “fades” by how much pressure you apply, and the length of time that you apply it. If you want a slightly more textured image, you can squeeze Elmer’s glue directly on the image, in place of the acrylic medium. It works equally well, and gives a different look to the image. The only negative in using Elmer’s glue is that since the glue is much thicker than acrylic medium, it takes considerably longer to dry, before you can rub the image with the Nevr-Dull wadding material.


This is an ATC I created using it. The white areas, both inside and outside the figure, and around the camera and tripod, are the areas that were unprotected, where the impregnated cotton wadding was used. The remaining black, white, and gray image (man and camera), were protected from fading/disappearing with (in this case), Elmer's glue. The elements with color, were attached, later.

It's a fun product to use, however it has a very strong odor, and needs to be used in a room with very good ventilation. Also, used cotton wadding material can be kept from drying out (and from being an odor problem), by placing it in a small ziplock bag for reuse, later.
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Michele Jackson
Blog: Digital Dissonance
Etsy: Digital Dissonance

My only art secret is Perfect Paper Adhesive. It does everything Mod-Podge does, but does not feel tacky when dry. It comes in flat and gloss.
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Frances Pullara aka Redondowriter
Blog: Sacred Ordinary

I'm kind of a novice, but I learned two things from Teesha Moore this summer when I took her Play workshop in Pt. Townsend. She recommends Tombo Mono adhesive runners for art journals and I have grown to love them. I've tried other brands, but this one is the best. Also, she recommended Portfolio oil pastels which have become a mainstay in my own art projects
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Regina Dwarkasing
Blog: Mostly Turquoise

Photography: Whenever I visit a Starbucks, I take pictures of the art and wallpaper, that is always there. I like to use these pictures and combine them with my own ones for digital collages.

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Today is the last day of Secret Sunday. A big thank you to each and every one of you for spending the last 18 Sundays with me.

And Sundays at The Altered Page continues uninterrupted next week. Stop by and join The Book Guild, premiering here next Sunday March 28th!

19 comments:

Jacky said...

I cant believe its the last Secret Sunday...they have been fantastic!!! Enjoyed all of the wonderful tips/secrets and have many new products on my list to buy and many new projects for the future.
Thanks so much for collating all of this arty information for us Seth.

Jacky xox

ArtPropelled said...

Oh noooooo! This has been a wonderful way to start my Sunday, however The Book Guild sounds like a good replacement.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Even more wonderful secrets this week. All of the secrets were awesome this week. What a way to end on a high note.

Since I have a lot of copper, I have a big supply of Nevr-dull. I know it works great on National Geographic images, but never realized I could use it like Robert Stockton uses it on postcards. What a great secret!

And like Kristy, I could not live without baby or wet wipes. I have found some brands work better than others for moving inks and paints around.

Although I will miss these wonderful posts, I look forward to the Book Guild next week. And thanks again for making every Sunday so special for these past 18 weeks.

Healing Woman said...

This is the best Secret Sunday yet. I really love the ideas all the artists gave this week. I look forward to next Sunday's book guild. Wish I had more time to experiment with all that you have presented here.

Gillian McMurray said...

What a fabulous collection of secrets. I have learned lots and found some new blogs and even a new thechnique or two that I will be trying. Thank you to everyone for sharing their secrets with the rest of us.

sf said...

Robert Stockton's advice/technique rocks my world.

sf said...

PS - This edition's zine? Still being considered?

Mary Helen-Art Saves Lives said...

I have been so engaged with such wonderful art spirits during this last 18 weeks but look forward anxiously to the book guild. I have played with the weathering powders but not too seriously...they will deserve another experimental process.
having the right pen to write or draw is a tool we often take for granted...for me feeling the pencil touch the papers in my journal is cathartic since my brain procedure... I seem to respond to this almost primitive economic tool. Typing is difficult and reaching the correct words and spellings will take time once again. I have the Global handmade watercolor journal but have made it too precious to use...what is that about not using precious fibers and materials??? I am going out tomorrow to try to find the Never Dull Wadding Polish... we have a small hardware store downtown that is an adventure all by itself. Thank you for all you have given to me and the thousands of other on this journey we share when we create our sacred marks. You bless me Seth and so do all your followers. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Robert said...

Wonderful supplies ON demand, this Sunday! I already love, and use, Uniball Vision Elite pens, recommended by Becky. The Global Art Handmade Watercolor Book, mentioned by Dina, sounds fantastic. And, I was delighted to find out about Tanbo Mono Adhesive Runners, in Frances' post. The 18 Secret Sundays have been the BEST, Seth! Arranging this myriad of secrets, as you did, by theme, every Sunday has made them more accessable, and great fun to read! Thank you! Thanks, also, to everyone for the wonderful inspiration provided by the sharing of your "secret" and for the great sense of community that Seth has created for all of us, through these posts. Looking forward, with great anticipation, to The Book Guild!

Patti Sandham said...

Seth,

The Secret Sundays is such a great concept. I have really enjoyed all the takes on "a secret" that everyone has had. Such diverse and wonderful ideas. Thanks so much for hosting this.

Cheers

Martha Marshall said...

All I can say is that this has been inspiration overload!! Love. It.

Thank you, Seth, for making this forum possible.

jIll Zaheer said...

This has been the best super sunday ever! So glad they will all still be available on your sidebar so I can continue to reread all of the wonderful "prized" pieces of info from everyone! This has been an amazing series - painstakingly put together by you with submissions so generously offered by everyone who participated! Special thanks to all! And now- can't wait for your Book Guild to begin!

Marit said...

Thank you so much Seth - and all the other artists - for reveiling secrets the last 18 Sundays (were there really 18 weeks? Wowzah!) I enjoyed it very much every week!!! I'll be back next week to see what you come up with this time... curioussssss....!!!

Rebeca Trevino said...

I only found Secret Sunday around the 10th or 11th week. So this has been a short, albeit, inspirational ride for me.
I am grateful for all the tips, techniques, secrets, and ideas everyone has shared so freely. I have tried many of them and learned so much.
Additonally finding other people's fabulous blogs showing their awesome work has kept me looking forward to Sunday week to week. Thanks you Seth, and everyone - it has been a terrific ride.
rebeca

Unknown said...

This has been an amazing wealth of inspiration! Thank Seth for your pioneering efforts!!

linda said...

Wow, so much to explore - so much great art there... thanks for providing all the links!

Artsnark said...

excellent tips - this has been a wonderful series

Anonymous said...

Ordered the Global Handmade book - it arrived today and I am thrilled!!!

~*~Patty Szymkowicz said...

Oh what a wonderful run of Secret Sundays .... I really will miss it, even if I hardly got to read it on Sundays...I never let a week go by without catching up!
Many Many Thanks to all for sharing so much wonderful creativity and information!
Looking forward to the Book Guild!
oxo