Fabulous Foil Technique!

This tutorial is all about using kitchen foil (heavy duty is best but not absolutely necessary) to create a heavily textured artwork.

1. Stretch a large piece loosely around a base of foam-core. Wrap it around the edges. Note: Some artists apply glue here and there to hold the foil in place better. I've not found it necessary, except to secure the excess foil at the back.

2. Use your fingers, a pencil eraser, or a shaper tool to form ridges, lines, shapes, etc. in the foil. Pinch and wrinkle at will, leaving some areas flat for variety and contrast.
3. Consider pressing in drawings of symbols, words, or numbers, too. See the little hand? See the ancient sun symbol?

                                                                     

4. Try various mediums, acrylics, inks--anything that will stick to the foil. Antique the piece so the depressions have shadows, and brush highlights over the top edges if you wish.

Contest...Freebie! Blog Candy for my Blog Followers!

This is my way of saying thanks to the kind people who follow my blog, and to encourage new ones, of course. Nothing for you to do except BE a follower! I will put all the screen names into an impartial drawing (my husband won't look, I promise) on the evening of December 26, and announce the winner here. Of course I will need the winner to email me his or her USPS (snail mail) address, to send out the prize, a framed artwork, shown below. This piece also appears on page 133 of the book, Image Art Workshop.
I will ship the artwork internationally if the winner is not from the U. S. 

Don't You Just Hate It When That Happens?

OK, this posting isn't all about mixed media art. And I'm not a hater. Really. But don't you just hate it when someone says "further" (for distance) when they should say "farther"? Maybe it doesn't bother you, and I understand that. But don't you just hate it when...

1. The little skirt on the "Women" restroom sign is so small that the figure barely looks different from the figure on the men's room?
2. Even in a retirement community, some of the popular "kids" still bully the others?
3. Physicians and nurses, who should know better, are unhealthily obese? And they're YOUR doctor and his/her nurse?
4. You forget a person's name or the name of an object, and these are words you've spoken a thousand times before?
5. You've been standing at the end of a long line forever, only to have another customer walk up and nab first place at a newly-opened register?
6. The sight of an older, unattractive man with a hot wife makes you think, "He's got money." ?
7. The slow, SLOW driver ahead of you makes it through the yellow light but then the light turns red?
8. The only birthday cards you get in the mail are belated ones?
9. We never learn from the past; we just keep sending our boys off to war?

Lesson on Glue Resist

This colorful example is on dyed paper, but you can try it on printed papers, textbook pages, gift wrap, or whatever your creativity leads you to use.
When/if the paper is dry, simply squeeze out white craft glue, fabric glue, or any acrylic medium that dries clear. Dribbling tar gel works very well. Make organic lines and shapes with the glue, or create a geometric design, or write words and symbols.
Allow that to dry, and wash over the entire page with a thin coat of paint in a contrasting color.
Okay, so my finished page turned out hideously ( don't you just hate when that happens?) and I am not showing it here, but I'll bet yours is better!

Christmas Art! A Collage to Wish You Happy Holidays.

This 6" x 6" wraparound artwork can be wall-hung or placed on a tabletop easel. I used art papers, ink, and several acrylic mediums (in addition to the images, of course).
It was fast and easy to make. If you create something similar, consider a gallery-wrapped canvas. Tear or cut your papers first and arrange them without gluing, to check your composition. Then adhere them, and to the sides,too, and let dry. Add ink, crayon, or pen lines, etc., and let dry again. Finally, varnish the piece to protect it. Send me your own examples of this tute if you like...I would love to see them!