Can you hear me cackling?

I've been in Mad Mixed Media Scientist mode this week.  For some time I've been wanting to test dryer sheets on wood panels with the same technique I've used for cheesecloth.  Here's one of the results, used on a painting background.  

It's luscious whether used over another colour, or on a white gessoed panel, don't you think?

And I finally managed to find a roll of Typar house wrap.  I've been on the last of my 100', seven-year-old roll, and knew I needed more.  When I scored some, I just had to whitewash it and then throw some alcohol ink at it, followed by stencil work.  While it's not done yet, I think it's looking pretty juicy already.

The closeups are even more fun... the grey house wrap gives a subtle textural look underneath all that colour.

Now there is a reason for the madness, of course.  I want to create a cover for the second Coptic book in process, and I'm all about the subtlety, right?  😄

The stack of signatures awaits the completion of the cover 'fabric', and with some beeswax to wax the thread, I'm definitely going to be in business.  

On another corner of the table, I've got a stack of toppers which have been created through Ruth's studio time.  Every time we had leftover mediums of any sort or unused paint, we threw it at a piece of canvas.  They're going to make fabulous cards for sale at her November show.

There are other projects on the go, of course, and a list as long as the taxman's reach of things I have yet to try.  Here's to experimentation, failures and successes!

Since I'm . . .

. . . in the throes of packing up for a weekend playshop, I thought I'd show you some of my favourite pieces from the last while.

This was a rain barrel project done as a fundraiser with three other Canmore artists; it's a real blast from the past!

One of my favourite tags

A yummy closeup of a cheesecloth background technique

A cobweb background

Alcohol inks on white textured wallpaper

The Impossible Clock - a collaboration with Bart Bjorkman of Puffin Design

Subtle Colour

Conflicted

We Stand Together

And now I'd better get back to packing up those playshop supplies; with eight registrants, fabric paints, Gelli plates and ArtFoamies, it's going to be magic mayhem!

Feeling a little cheesy?

One of my favourite studio staples is cheesecloth.  I use it for mop-up (the coloured bits are great to incorporate into mixed media paintings), and it's a wonderful tool for creating backgrounds.

I gather my supplies, including a hard support (in this case a wooden panel), brush, paint, water, cheesecloth and water spray bottle.

I create a wash of luscious colour - quinacridone pink is my choice for this demo (the antraquinone blue is SO yesterday),

and lay the cloth over the heavily water-sprayed support.  Wetting the cheesecloth with yet more water,

I start laying in a wash of colour with my brush.  I'm not too concerned about keeping the colour even, as it will all travel where it wishes due to the watered cheesecloth.  You can, of course, also add two or more colours at a time for visual interest.

Once I've sufficient colour on the cheesecloth (and even some of the environs), I leave it to dry overnight. 

The next day I can peel the dry cheesecloth off, leaving a subtly gridded background texture behind.

A closer look reveals small bits of cheesecloth sticking to the support - they can be removed, or left there to add more texture to the painting.

With this panel, I'll add more layers of cheesecloth in additional colours, and I'll likely stretch and tear it to add layered interest to the background before continuing on to the middle and foreground portions.  And of course I'll use that lovely pink cheesecloth in this or another painting.