Can you cover charcoal with gesso?

Brenda asks:
I want to sketch with charcoal on canvas board, then gesso the board before painting with acrylics. Will that work? Why or why not?

As far as I know, all gesso is opaque—either white or black. Therefore, it will cover up your charcoal work and you will not be able to see it. Further, gesso is generally applied with a brush and would smear your charcoal drawing. To do what you are describing, you need to spray your charcoal sketch with a clear fixative (either charcoal fixative or a crystal clear water-based varnish. This will seal your charcoal sketch and allow you to paint over it with your acrylics without smearing your charcoal.

Hope this helps.

Judy Leasure, TDA
My art blog: http://www.jalstudios.blogspot.com
My art pictures: http://www.picturetrail..com/jleasure
My art store: http://www.jalstudios.etsy.com

Click here to read the answer...

How to set glitter on wood

I'd like to know how to get the glitter on wood to set. I have spread glue and then sprinkled glitter on wood and want it to stay and not come off or shed. Is there a spray that I can spray on the glitter to make it stay without the glitter shedding off? Thanks.

I asked the Queen of Glitter - Jean Bernard to answer this for me ... here's what she says:

I would apply a few thin coats of clear glossy varnish over the glitter. Next time mix the glitter 50/50 with the varnish :) You could find some Krylon super gloss sealer and try a test spot before you cover the entire area if this is a big project. Sometimes even the super glossy spray will cloud the glitter and it will loose its sparkle :)
hope this helps ya :)
Jean

Click here to read the answer...

What is the best masking fluid for watercolor work?

Ruth asks:
I'd like to know of all the masking fluids out there to use in watercolor, which one is the very best? Many thanks.

All of the masking fluids are pretty much the same. They are a liquid latex material. The biggest difference is that some of them have a colorant and others are white. Some of the colored ones are blue and others are yellow.

There is one product called Masque-Pen that comes in a smaller plastic bottle with a writing tip. I tend to use that one a lot becasue I can create lines without using a brush or I can put some out in a puddle and apply it to a larger area with a brush. At the end of the day, which one you choose is a matter of personal preference. I like the ones that have color because I can see where I put it. The white ones look just like the paper and it is hard to see where you have been. Unless you are going to be using masking fluid really often or on very large areas, I would buy the smallest container you can find. The fluid will congeal into a solid mass over time and then it is no good.

Hope this helps.

Judy Leasure,TDA

Click here to read the answer...

How to transfer images to card stock : Ink Jet Transparency Method

Lorraine asks:
I'd like to know how to transfer pictures from my computer to hang tags. Someone told me to use wonder under. cut it and insert it in your inkjet printer and then iron it on the tag?
Have you tried this before? Does it work?

I haven't tried fusing wonder under to paper. The problem there is that since wonder under is a two sided fusible you would have one glue side that would remain. The glue would be tacky although it would eventually dry. I know of fabric artists that paint their wonder under and fuse it to fabric, then let it sit for a couple of weeks so the stickiness goes away.

I have recently had the opportunity to (finally) do some ink jet transparency transfers. I have to say this is the easiest and most successful transfer I've ever made. I just printed my image onto the rough side of the transparency and then I brushed some Modge Podge onto my substrate (which was a photo mat), laid the transparency ink side down (remember to reverse your image if need be) and then burnished it with a bone folder.

So this method is what I would suggest you try. Only drawback is that it could get expensive to make lots of tags because the transparency film isn't the cheapest. Make sure to buy InkJet Transparency film.

Good luck!
Judi

Click here to read the answer...

How to make glitter paper

Pat asks:
I'd like to know the best glue to use for making glitter paper. White glues tends to wrinkle to much and mounting adhesives seem to yellow iridescent glitters. Thank you so much. any information you can give me would be so very much appreciated.

From the research I've done on this subject the answer seems to be to use either a Xyron permanent adhesive and run your paper through the machine before glittering or, and this might be easier, just use a sticky label. I don't know what size glitter paper you want to make but you can probably test this by using an address label. Peel it off the backing paper and put it into a container. Pour your glitter over the sticky side of the label. Knock the excess off into the container and then pour it back into your glitter jar. You can buy label paper up to 8.5"x11".
Hope this helps.
Judi

Click here to read the answer...

Can you make two toned glitter -holographic or opalescent

Perry asks:
I'd like to know how to use glitter where it would get a two tone effect where you would see one color on the paper and only one color but when you move the paper at a slight angle you would get a totally different color and only that color until you move the paper back to the first color. I seen this on a car showing a two tone effect. I would like to try this with glitter, because i use glitter in my art&craft projects and thought this would be fun to in my projects. I think a high shiny silver glitter could be used. What are your thoughts on what kind of glitter to use.

What you are describing is an effect that is caused optically and is inherent in the manufacturing process. With glitter it is in the way it is cut. I am not aware of how you can do this with regular glitter. Buy some holographic glitter or opalescent glitter and you should get the effect you are looking for. You can see what I mean here.

Anyone else have any ideas?
Judi

Click here to read the answer...

How to make paper beads

Rochelle asks:
How do you make paper beads?

Here's a quick tutorial:
Supplies:
Colorful Paper(wrapping paper, magazine, catalog)
Glue
Toothpicks or 1/8" dowel
Various Fibers/beads
UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel)
Melting pot

1. Cut your paper into triangular strips - width will depend on how wide you want your bead. Length will depend on how fat you want your bead. Just play with it. You can start with 1/2" wide by 2 1/2" long.

2. Roll the paper up on the toothpick or dowel. Secure the end with a bit of glue.

3. Tie/glue fibers on it if you want. Stamp on it or add more color.

4. Dip it into the UTEE which has been liquified in the melting pot.

5. When cool, remove toothpick/dowel.

This method makes your beads stiff. If you don't have UTEE you will need to roll your beads on a drinking straw and leave the straw inside the bead. You could also try spraying them with varnish to harden.

Hope this helps,
Judi

Click here to read the answer...

How to rescale images for use on dominos or pendants

Pam asks:
When printing images on my printer to use on dominos/pendants how do i size them without them looking distorted and pixelated?

The surest method for reformatting images without distortion is to make sure that your aspect ratio is locked. The software you're using may call it something else and often the word "constrain" is involved. Whatever it's called, it means, for example, that if you reduce the height of an image by 50% then the width will be reduced by the same amount. Not every image can be reformatted into a size that would fit on a domino without it being distorted. If your original image isn't a domino-friendly shape, but you reformat it to make all of it fit on a domino, then you will get distortion. You'll be changing the height and the width unequally. If this is the case, you may just have to crop an image to get a domino-sized image. One thing to also keep in mind is that if your image is of poor quality to begin with, the distortion and pixelation may be unavoidable.

Hope this helps,
Zhenia

Click here to read the answer...

How to make beads from Tyvek

Roberta asks:
How do you make beads with Tyvek?

Here is how I make mine:
First paint your Tyvek with acrylic paints or color it some other way (pencils, crayons, etc). Then cut your Tyvek into triangular strips. The length of your strips will determine the size of your bead. Starting with the wide side of the strip, wrap the strip around a toothpick or a skewer - or dowel rod - it just depends how much of an opening you want. Use a drop of glue to hold the end in place. Then either go outside or use a respirator and fire up your heat gun. Heat the Tyvek until you are happy with the appearance of the bead. Let it cool down and remove from the base. Be careful you don't melt it away completely!!

Hope this helps,
Judi

Click here to read the answer...

How to stop ink jet images from smearing, smudging, or running

Alison says:
Hello, I just stumbled upon your site and I love it! I was hoping you could answer a question for me. Recently, I've been using my computer printer to print images from the internet and also text for cards, mini books, etc. It makes me so nervous using my printer for my projects...all the hard work and love that I put into my projects, I worry that the ink will smear, smudge or run if the project is handled too much or if it gets a drip of water on it. Is there any product on the market that can help keep ink from running? Also, I am interested in using a decoupage medium over some of the images, and I just know that the colors will run and smear.

Please tell me there is *something* out there that will solve this problem....other than having to get a new printer or something!


I'm happy to tell you that there's a spray made specifically for fixing inkjet images called Marshall's Image Guard Spray. If you can't find it locally you can buy it mail order from Dick Blick. To be honest, I don't know how it differs from traditional acrylic fixative sprays. Whatever you use, it will need to be a spray because as soon as moisture and a rubbing motion touch those images, they'll smear.

As for decoupage, there is no medium made specifically to keep images from smearing. You could try using the spray on an image and seeing how stiff the paper gets. If it's still workable, you could then try using it in decoupage.

As with all new media, I strongly recommend testing it out on something you don't love quite as much first to make sure that it does what it should do and that you can make it do what it should do.

Hope this helps,
Zhenia

Click here to read the answer...

Comparison chart for PrismaColor and Faber-Castell pencils

Lee says:
I'd like to know how to figure out which pencil colour matches in different brands. I have PrismaColour and Faber-Castell pencil but have been given a list of Derwent pencils and I was wondering how to match the colours correctly. I have seen a conversion list in the past and I was hoping someone would be able to help me with this query.

I imagine your list must have been posted on a forum. I was able to find the chart that you probably have - the Rembrandt to PrismaColor to Derwent. But you know what? It might be a little bit of work - but you should make your own chart. Color in little squares with each color - making sure to write the brand and color name/number under the square. Cut all the squares out and match the colors up as close as you can. As each company uses their own formulation for colors you probably won't get exact matches. Then you can either make a text chart of your own or just glue the squares to a chart. That way you aren't relying on someone else's 'eye' but your own. It would be great to have on hand - especially if you set it up like a color wheel.

If you choose not to do that I suggest popping over to Wet Canvas, an absolutely huge forum for artists. They have a section just for artists working with color pencils and you can ask your question there.

Hope this helps,
Judi

Click here to read the answer...

Crayola Gel Markers: the lowdown from Crayola

Judi says:
Today the question is my own. I wrote a letter to Crayola asking about their gel markers. I used them on this ATC to alter the photograph of my daughter and her salmon. I was curious what made their gel marker different than their regular marker. Although they didn't give the formulation of the gel marker, they did give me some interesting information. I like the fact that they think I'm young enough to write a science report, LOL.

Dear Judi,

Thank you for your e-mail and for choosing Crayola Markers as the topic
of your science report. I am happy to help you.

Binney & Smith manufactures markers under the Crayola brand name in
both original and washable formulas. The main ingredients in both are
water, glycerin and dyes. More specific ingredient information is
considered proprietary. All Crayola markers are made of five components, which
are a water based color solution, a porous plastic nib, a plastic
barrel, a cotton filament and a cap. Pictures of the manufacturing process
for Crayola markers can be viewed on our site at the following address:

http://www.crayola.com/factory/preview/factory_floor/marker_mfg.htm

Although Crayola Gel Markers are washable, they are different in where
they can be used. They work well on black and dark paper and because
of their special formula they also work well on glossy paper and poster
boards. Other Crayola Markers don't work as well on these surfaces.
Where most Crayola markers are packaged and stored upright, Crayola Gel
markers should be stored horizontally. They are packed that way and
for best performance should be stored the same way. It is also
recommended that Gel markers be kept away from heat sources to prevent premature
drying out.

I hope this has been helpful to you. If you have further questions,
please e-mail back or call us at (800) 272-9652 weekdays between 9:00 AM
and 4:00 PM Eastern Time and we will be happy to assist you.

We appreciate your interest in Crayola and our products and wish you
the best of luck with your project.


Colorfully yours,

Debbie Lintvedt
Consumer Affairs Representative
CRAYOLA

Click here to read the answer...

The advantage to using gel medium for paper arts

T Rocks asks:
I was wondering if there are any advantages to using gel medium as a glue for paper crafts. Are there special glues for paper that do not warp or buckle when dry but still have a strong hold? Thanks.

The one advantage to gel medium is that is can be used as a sealant. Once it dries, any colours below it are trapped and won't run if you rewet whatever it is that you're making. So, it's great if you like to use a little paint with your collage, although using liquid acrylics will usually make using gel medium redundant.

A good glue stick is the way to go for most papers. A wet glue (like bookbinding PVA) can be used if you have a thick substrate like book board, but if you are making ATCs or Decos then the 'dry' glue is better. I also recommend burnishing whatever it is that's been glued with a bone folder or an old credit card.

Hope this helps,
Zhenia

Click here to read the answer...

How to use saran (plastic) wrap in your art

Lori asks:
What is saran wrap art?

It's not so much a separate art but a method of employing the material IN your art. Saran wrap can be used a couple of different ways. You can use it to make great textural backgrounds with paint. Here are two ways of doing this. One is to paint a background color, let dry, then take a second contrasting color and dip a piece of 'squished' up saran wrap in it and dab it on your piece. The other is to paint your background color, let dry, then paint a second color over it, lay a piece of 'squished' up saran wrap on it and let it dry. When dry pull it off. It should pull off some of the paint and make an intersting background.

Some fabric artists have been playing with making fabric by melting layers of saran wrap together with snippets of thread or fabric in between layers. You do have to use a teflon pressing sheet or parchment paper to keep the saran wrap from adhering to your iron though.

There's probably more you can do but this is all I can think of off the top of my head.

Hope this helps,
Judi

Click here to read the answer...

Is Modge Podge heatproof?

Kris asks:
Is Modge Podge heatproof?

No. According to the customer service representative at Plaid it will melt if heated. Neither Modge Podge or Royal Coat Decoupage products are heat-proof. Sometimes if you have a question about a product you can go to the manufacturer's website and see if they have a customer help line. The people at Plaid are really helpful. Or you can just ask us!!!

So .. there you go!
Judi

Click here to read the answer...

How to work with tagboard and make a paper doll stand

Carolynne asks:
I'd like to know how to work with tag board. I have a 13-14" figure (a photo (full figure) mounted on tag board) that needs to be cut out and dressed as a paper doll. What type of knife do I use and should I file it smooth and how can I make a stand for the figure (paper doll)? Thank you in advance for a reply.

Zhenia says that you should be able to use your craft (exacto) knife and file it smooth if need be. You don't haveto seal the edges but if you feel the need you could paint or ink the edges in a neutral color. It depends on how thick your tag board is since it does come in 3 different weights, light, medium, and heavy.

There are a couple of ways to make a stand for her. You can buy one of those inexpensive wooden bases from the craft shop - shouldn't be more than a dollar - drill a hole in the center and glue a thin dowel rod in the hole. Paint the whole thing. Then you can glue your figure to the dowel. If you have a nice heavyweight tag board you could probably take one or two little wooden cubes (about 1/2" or so) and glue it to the bottom 1/2" of the figure - then glue the cube to the base.

Hope this helps!
Judi (and Zhenia)

Click here to read the answer...

How to unclog a gel pen

Deena asks:
How do I unclog my gel pens, and then how do I keep my gel pens from clogging?


Ah, good question! First of all make sure you are buying a good brand of pen - the better pens have reformulated their inks so they clog less. Don't buy your gel pens from the dollar store. Try Sakura or Pentel. One of my very favorites is the Gel Xtreme by Yasutomo (Y&C). Although I only use the black and white - their other colors are metallics.

First thing to do is start scribbling in a circle. The tech help at Sakura says "The motion makes the tip (ball) roll and causes the gel ink to be pulled into the ball tip chamber. It might take a few tries, but this might work. There is no guarantee though that this will start it again.

It is very important to put the cap on the pen between uses because unlike regular ballpoint pen ink, gel inks need to be kept sealed away from air. Prolonged exposure to air will cause the gel ink to dry-out in the tip/ball chamber. There is a tiny silicone ball in the cap that "closes" or touches the tip and prevents any air from drying out the gel in the ball chamber when the cap is on."

When that doesn't work I tend to hold the tip over a heat gun for a few seconds. This has usually worked for me. I also scribble on my skin as the oils seem to help unclog the pens too.

It's important to store your pens laying down (horizontal) rather than in a vertical position also.

Best of luck!
Judi

Click here to read the answer...

Should I use linoleum to carve rubber stamps and where can I buy it?

Katrina asks:
I would like to make my own rubber stamps using linoleum. Where is a good place to buy this and what type of linoleum should I be asking for when I go to the shop? Is there some other substance that works better than lino and if so where would I get it?

Mixed media artist Zhenia contributes: Any decent art supply store will sell linoleum. Most places just sell lino-lino, but some have more than one type. If that's the case, then you'll want to talk to someone at the store to find out the differences between the types. You may want to bring in a sample image of something you'd like to carve to make it easier to choose. If you're in the US, Dick Blick sells different types of linoleum.

Linoleum is hard to carve. It can be hard on the elbows and wrists. One way around this is to warm in on a low electric burner or hot plate before carving. There are also many types of softer materials. I've used one called softoleum. It's decent but it doesn't hold an edge as well as I'd like. Speedball makes a good softer carving substrate, as does Soft-Kut. You can check them all out on Dick Blick here. You can also use erasers. Another benefit to using these softer materials is that you don't have to mount them on a backing board like you should mount linoleum.

Other notes: personally I've found that linoleum takes ink better than softoleum and that softoleum isn't as durable.

Your decision will come down to personal preference. I'd recommend trying as many substances as you can lay hands on.

Both Kelli and Kirsten like Nasco Safety Kut. Kelli says this about Safety Kut: They are sheets of various sizes (I like 4x6) of flexible grey stuff that's like an eraser. Excuse my technical terminology! Then I either freehand draw on them with pencil to outline my stamp or print in reverse on the printer, cut out, place face down on stamp surface and use a solvent to transfer the image onto the safety kut. Most often I sketch first then draw it before using the speedball cutting tools to carve it. This stuff is super cheap and that's what I like about it! But they also have more traditional linoleum blocks etc. direct from Nasco. I don't think you'll beat their prices since they're the manufacturer.

So there you go .. sounds like you should try some basic linoleum and some Safety Kut and see which you like best.

Hope this helps!
The gals from the Embellished Circus

Click here to read the answer...

Glue for altered books

Lilly asks:
I saw your post about the altered books and wondered what glue you used in them.

It really depends on what you're doing. The wet glues tend to make the pages warp and even if you press them down overnight they are never quite flat again. I like to use the glue sticks when I'm working with paper - particularly the purple UHU. I like the colored sticks because I can see where I'm putting the glue and it dries clear. When I do use a wet glue I have some great PVA bookbinding glue - it is a thinner consistency than most of the white glues and it goes on really smooth. When I want to attach 3D embellishments I usually use Golden's Acrylic Gel Medium.

There's a lot of opinions out there about what glue to use and the best thing is to try some out for yourself and see what you like.

Hope this helps!
Judi

Click here to read the answer...

Vintage images

Faye asks:
Where does everyone get all these vintage images that are showing up on art quilts and ATCs and everywhere?

The best source for these images are your own family photos! If you don't have any yourself ask your relatives if you can borrow theirs. Just scan them into your computer and then print as needed. Or you can borrow other people's ancestors! You can buy CDs of images from various sources - on eBay, on Etsy, from specialty on-line altered art stores. There are a few free sources on the net too, one of my favorites is from Art-e-zine.

Judi

Click here to read the answer...