Art Journals: using acrylic covers – part 2

Posted on 2nd May 2017 by perfectly4med

I promised to share my ‘now you see me, now you don’t’ technique for acrylic covers that didn’t quite get finished on air during my last Hochanda shows for That’s Crafty!. Below are some instructions along side the pics I took prior to the shows, and below those is a short video I have done to try and explain it a little more clearly! Apologies for the outside noises on the video – they’re wind chimes and a radiator warming up, if you’re wondering.

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Art Journals: using acrylic covers

Posted on 28th April 2017 by perfectly4med

I was on Hochanda this week demonstrating techniques for using the acrylic covers effectively, for the A4 and A6 journals from That’s Crafty!. As always, there is too little time on air to fit in all my ideas, and only just enough time to fit in all I had planned! What follows below are photos and quick explanations of how to do your own. I really need to remember to take step-by-step photos as I make so that I can do a proper tutorial post! First is an unbroadcast cover, then the mirrored cover that didn’t go so right when rushed, and last for this post is the bubbling water effect shown in my first hour.

Peel off the protective film from the reverse of the cover
Work on the reverse side for all the following steps
Place the snowdrop stencil in position and fill in using Posca pens
Dry, then place the TIME stencil upside down and sponge through ivory paint
Dry, spritz with gold mister, dry
Meanwhile, print texture stamps onto large Rizla papers using Chartreuse archival ink
Heat set the ink, then using decoupage glue/multi medium glue overlapping layers of the printed papers
Once dry, any paper over the edges of the cover can be sanded off

Peel off the protective film from the reverse of the cover
Working on the reverse, add alcohol inks until you are happy with the coloured layer
Place the JOURNAL stencil upside down and sponge a layer of Jet Black archival ink through onto the alcohol ink
Remove the stencil and then rub away the black in with a clean cloth/kitchen towel
Repeat inking steps if you want to remove any more of the alcohol ink
Now spritz with a water-based varnish (e.g. Pentart spray varnish) to seal the ink
IMPORTANT: allow to fully air dry, do not heat. Repeat varnish layer
Spritz with Pentart Mirror Mist and heat dry immediately to stop the mirror mist weakening the varnish beneath
Seal the mirror mist with the same varnish and finally apply a layer of black acrylic paint
Peel off front film to reveal your results

Peel off the protective film from the reverse of the cover
Working on the reverse, and using the word stencils the wrong way up, sponge your main colour onto the acrylic; heat dry and repeat directly over the top.
Next, sponge your shadow colour through the same stencil, slightly offsetting from the first colour
For the water effect, first dilute some white gesso/primer
Working quickly, cover the whole sheet with a layer of watery paint and then dab isopropyl alcohol into the wet paint – it will push the paint away and start the effect
When you are happy with the effect, heat dry in a well ventilated room
Repeat with a light shade of blue, and then another darker shade of blue
This technique will work over any sealed surface, but does rely on the paint being thinned and still wet
Try adding text to the front of the cover as well, this time starting with the shadow colour and working over the top with the main colour

Bonus post

Later this week I will do a separate post explaining my ‘now-you-see-me-now-you-don’t’ technique that was a wee bit rushed at the end of the second show:

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Art Journal Pages: Colours

Posted on 19th March 2017 by perfectly4med

Regular readers won’t be surprised to learn that I have been spending quite a lot of time making samples and prepping demos for my shows on Hochanda last Friday. It’s one reason that there have been very few blog updates recently, as there’s always a media embargo on sharing things before the shows go out. Now that they’re over though, here is one of the 8×8″ journals I decorated for the occasion.

Each spread uses the Pentart Matt Acrylic Paints in a baby-wipe swiped layer, stamped and stencilled, to give a tone-on-tone effect. Some worked well (purple and orange), others not so well (mentioning no names, green). The fine applicator nib is great for painting outlines and letters, as I demonstrated on air.

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BTS: Post-creativity Clean Up

Posted on 6th January 2017 by perfectly4med

I’ve been prepping samples ready for my next TV shows (Hochanda, Mon 16th Jan, 10am/1pm/5pm), and as normal the studio looks like a creative media bomb has gone off in it. I tend not to put things away as I go when getting projects ready as I usually have two or three different samples at different stages, so everything that is to be featured on the show is out on the table to remind me what to use. It’s all at hand, and relatively organised. Consequently, and despite all the space I have, I still end up working in areas barely bigger than a sheet of A3 paper.

But, with studio guests due for my annual Come & Craft Christmas Party tomorrow, it all had to get tidied up. Just for fun, I thought I’d film it as a time lapse – 40 minutes in 40 seconds. Not too bad, particularly with Esther wanting to come in and out of the door and Charlie supervising the vacuuming at the end…

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Altered Art: That’s Crafty! Top Hat

Posted on 2nd December 2016 by perfectly4med

I had meant to show this off on last week’s shows on Hochanda. We were all set for Charlie to demonstrate pulling a rabbit out of a hat, but we had left it under the counter and completely forgot about it in the heat of the moment.

To be more accurate, this is a slide pop-up. The rabbit is my own illustration, possibly coming to a polymer stamp set soon! The top hat is one of That’s Crafty! Surfaces – a MDF upright, designed for the top hat to be the other way up – but with a bit of crafty hiding and wedging, it works just as well upside down.

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TV: That’s Crafty! on Hochanda

Posted on 24th November 2016 by perfectly4med

I’m about to set off for the Hochanda TV studios ready for my shows at 5pm and 9pm today. The That’s Crafty! Design Team have sent in a-maz-ing samples, and I can’t wait to share them, and my demonstrations with you. In the first hour, I’ll be showing off true rust and patination effects on the new That’s Crafty! Surfaces hanging light bulbs and cogs, as well as cog upright and cog clock. In the twilight hour, I’ll be doing four quick makes featuring more of the uprights.

Don’t forget – the shows are live, and due to various reasons outside of my control, I’m sleep deprived… so have fun watching! And it’s been pointed out to me that the second show is after the watershed – will I have the nerve to misbehave?

Watch and catch up online, from wherever you are in the world, at hochanda.com. For UK viewers, Freeview 85 (you may need to retune), Sky 663 or Freesat 817.

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Stained Glass Window Arch – for That’s Crafty!

Posted on 25th October 2016 by perfectly4med

Following my TV appearance a fortnight ago, I do apologise for not getting a tutorial done earlier as I promised – I came down with a humdinger of a cold the week following the shows. Between the lethargy, the laryngitis and other stuff, I didn’t get to do what I wanted in The Studio. ‘Tis done now though, so grab a cup of your favourite beverage and start reading!

I thought I would show you how I created my stained glass window arch using the fabulous Arch Upright from That’s Crafty! since I didn’t get the chance to show it off on air. Mixing different types of ink (alcohol and Distress) and paint, and making full use of a Dinky Stencil, this window brings together a number of techniques to complete a mixed media mediaeval masterpiece!

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Show Time! – for That’s Crafty! on Hochanda

Posted on 7th October 2016 by perfectly4med

I am live on Hochanda – the home of crafts, hobbies and art – available on Sky 663, Freeview 85 or Freesat 817, and on www.hochanda.com right now. With top tips for working with That’s Crafty! Surfaces, clock stacks and dreamcatchers, I’ll also be showcasing Pentart glass paints and Express Transfer medium.

I’ll be posting mini-tutorials for each of the projects over the next week. Don’t forget to check out the fabulous That’s Crafty! blog and the design team blogs (on the That’s Crafty! blog side bar) for more inspiration and projects.

Oh, I’m on at 11am as well, or you can catch up or watch again for the next 10 days over at Hochanda’s online TV Schedule – just set the date in the drop down list for 7th October and look for my shows at 8am and 11am.

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