Sunday, February 21, 2010

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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23 comments:

ArtPropelled said...

I've just enjoyed the first coffee of the day while reading today's great secrets. There are a lot of tips I'll be writing down in my idea book. Thanks for sharing everyone!

Mary Helen-Art Saves Lives said...

I have to skip the coffee or I will never get to sleep tonight. I love the simple gift of saving the foam brush in a Starbucks jar...I am lazy in the middle of the night and hate to wash out my nickel investments. Fiber reactive dyes are another shared joy to work with any fiber materials that you want to enhance the colors in the work. Have you made collagraphs to print with? I am working with vintage fibers and they have personal narratives all by themselves. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart
Good Morning Sunshine!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

It's SUNDAY. And it's filled with secrets. I have used each of the materials mentioned by the artists except the Multimedia Artboard shared by Sharmon Davidson. What a great find and she's done all the work in testing it, too.

I save my paint brushes, too. If I don't wash them out, I wrap them tightly in a plastic bag, which is wasteful. Now I have an excuse to buy coffee and save the planet. Thanks to Don Madden for that tip.

nancy neva gagliano said...

wow. wow. many great tips to use here. the PULSE!

Numinosity said...

That's so funny, I just bought a shoe shine kit at the thrift store yesterday and was wondering if anyone used the shoe polish in their artwork. I was going to start experimenting. The smell alone will transport me back to childhood.

Jill Zaheer said...

This is another great selection - super secret sunday supplies! Actually, not only is it a posting of supplies, but techniques that go along with them. Thanks again for putting these amazing "reveals" together for us!

Anonymous said...

Woo Wee!!!
What a spectacular SS!!!
Every single one loaded with precious jewels to be tried with great excitement.
Just meeting Angela Cartwright for the first time and spending the rest of the day with her is making this a truly great day! Thanks to all!
John255

Lisa said...

another great way to spend my sunday morning. lots of great tips and techniques to be tried here. I am a fan of mod podge too..it's the best for getting paper to adhere with a smooth surface.

Unknown said...

Always something new to inspire! Love the Pulse. Now I'm off to Dick Blick to see about this multimedia artboard!

Artsnark said...

fantastic tips! Will have to test some out this week. Thanks for sharing

rivergardenstudio said...

Thank you for these wonderful secrets, very intriguing ideas... especially the shoe polish. roxanne

Daniella said...

Hand sanitizer and a notch tool!! I love it!! Nothing better, I think, than great ideas that you already have in your home.

Great Secret Sunday!

Karin Bartimole said...

Another fascinating selection of great ideas and artists. One note - Procion powdered dyes are highly toxic and should only be used with masks in well ventilated studios and no where near one's kitchen. They are known to cause lung cancer when mishandled.

Erika C. said...

These are great! Thanks. And I like someone else's idea of taking notes on them in their art journal. I will do that too!

Anonymous said...

These are all great tips! I want to try the brush in a jar tip.
Mary

deb said...

I love the brush in a bottle, how clever, and useful, adding it to my box o'tricks and sharingit with my students too! Thanks!!

Lisa Hoffman said...

Do you feel like an air traffic controller?

debi lynn mattingly said...

Hey buddy!

Just wanted to check in and see how you are doing! Looks like you are doing some really great things here---wish I had time to join you, but the shop and my design line appears to have a life of its own. ;)

Drop by the Yaya....because I am having a HUGE TEXAN style VINTAGE give-a-way this Sunday. And I KNOW how much you love vintage! :)

Take care...xo....deb

~*~Patty Szymkowicz said...

WOW lots of great tips and ideas ... again!!!
Thanks for this treat again this week Seth!
oxo

layers said...

some great tips here-- tar gel and Multimedia art board are ones I will try for sure-- thanks once again for all the tips!

Debrina said...

Fantastic Seth! So many excellent ideas here! Love the idea of using shoe-polish! What a genius of an idea! I am amdly scribbling down all tips and tricks from everyone here, bar myself of course!

Renee Howell said...

I simply had NO IDEA there were so many secrets out there! And these are the share-able secrets! I've been reading, but have been too overwhelmed to record anything. So glad "ArtPropelled" mentioned writing it in an idea book. DUH! Sometimes the obvious is so well hidden....why is that?

Kathy McCreedy said...

Hi Seth,
LOVED reading this post... I really enjoy what you're doing with other artists... the collaboration benefits us all. Many thanks!
xoxo
K.