I've been feeling a bit cheesie...

...but not the eating kind.  I mentioned last week that I hoped to get some more cheesecloth thingies made, and while not completely finished I did have some fun.  The warm side of the spectrum produced this cloth,

and then I did it with blues and yellows for a cooler look.

I always enjoy the textural aspect left on the butcher paper when things are dried,

so I poured some Clear Tar Gel on top of that and waited for it to dry.  I lifted the circle of plasticy goodness, and added it to a tag to finish later.

I started another vase, and while it's looking a gloppy mess right now, I think it's going to be rather pretty when dried.

I've got some lovely blue/green textural play coming up with the leftovers on that butcher paper too,

and have already started another blob with the Clear Tar Gel.  

Of course, I'm not 'supposed' to be doing this at all - I've several projects on the go, and some of them have deadlines to be managed.  Please send all Anti-Procrastination Energy my way, so I get back on track with things that really need doing.  In the meantime, I'll be over here drooling over cheesecloth texture and the infinite possibilities it contains!  Happy creative week to you all.  

Is it just me...

...or is the summer flying by at the speed of light?  We nearing the middle of August and nothing seems to slow it down. It seems I have to play faster, so that's what I've been doing.

Normally, I'd wait until I had a ton of paint left from a session before starting more painted cheesecloth, but I just decided to pour it all out because I wanted to.

Given the results make me so happy, I'm glad I did.  

And just for fun, I might do it again this week on the cool side of the palette.

Of course, that's just because I managed to get another cheesecloth vase made using the last of my painted cheesecloth, so had to make more.

The vase is about 6 1/2" in height by about 9 1/2 inches wide at the top.  Given the 2" diameter base, I'm delighted that it stands straight and tall.  

I'm really hoping that I can get another one done this week, so do please send me cheesecloth-painting energy to the max!!

While I 'painted' the cheesecloth with Golden High Flow Acrylics, I've also been experimenting with acrylic inks before tackling one of Tracy Verdugo's Playful Painter exercises.  My ink selection is rather sparse, so I'm looking for a palette that will make my eyes and heart happy.  I think the top centre(ish) will work just fine.

I've also got my eye on a birdhouse outside our condo, and it looks to me as though it would make a good collage when I get all my ducks  birds in a row.  At the rate the summer's moving, though, that's likely to be mid-winter!

I hope your summer is moving a little more slowly for you, and that your creativity is blooming along with it.  Happy week to you all.  🔆😎🔆  

With all the flowers outside...

...my mind turned to vases and vessels , and here's what happened.

This little vase measures about 3 inches in height (sans flower).  With the tail included, it's about five inches wide.

Created from a piece of painted cheesecloth (you'll find the tutorial video just below) it has been stiffened with Golden GAC400.  While wet, I wrapped the cheesecloth around a small plastic bottle which had been liberally (and I do mean liberally coated with Vaseline).

I let the GAC-stiffened cheesecloth dry overnight and then used my palette knife to free the bottle from the vase.  Both survived, although the bottle will take a lot of cleaning if it's to be reused.

I do love the look of the cheesecloth,

and rather suspect I'll be playing more with this technique.

Of course, I'll need to paint more, and larger, sheets of cheesecloth if that's going to happen.  And I'll need some more container shapes, and does anyone know where one can secure some bath sheet-sized bits of cheesecloth and gallon drums of Vaseline?   Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

What's happening with you this week?  I look forward to hearing about it all.

It has been a wild month...

...what with doing the 21 Day Challenge with Jesse Elder.  It's been quite some time since I've done a personal growth course, and this one was beyond amazing/engaging/deep/challenging.  The energy was palpable, which led, of course, to a new painting.  It started here with a plastic wrap start on a long narrow canvas, and morphed to this:

21 Energy Rising© Win Dinn    Acrylic on canvas 8" x 24"  

It's like trying to photograph quicksilver with all the foil bits in there (Meg, I'm blaming that on you!), but I thought you might like to see some closeups anyway.

And sometime this week I tore into making another quick video tutorial that demonstrates a couple of ways (smooshing and cheesecloth painting) to use up those bits of leftover paint on your palette at the end of your painting session:

While you're watching it, please subscribe to my channel and encourage all your friends to do so...I'm on a mission to use up all the leftovers in the world (I can hear my mother talking; can you?).  

Just in case you're looking for some more tutorials, I encourage you to check out my tutorial page at the top of the blog.  There are links to videos and other tutorials that can get those creative play juices trackin' like a freight train.

That's it for me this week - what have you been up to?  Let me know in the comments below, and feel free to share a link to your post to do a show and tell.

Cheesecloth soaker

I know we've talked about cheesecloth additions before, but you keep asking for this one, so here it is.

Here I've got some cobalt green paint left over from a session.

I thin it extensively with water, and

drop in some cheesecloth (already lightly coloured in other areas.  I allow it to dry, pick it up, and

use it to mop up some leftover yellow paint the next day.

It will make an interesting addition to a background like this one.

And, you know the drill, the palette paper where it was drying will make a great transfer!  Look at all that terrific texture.

I keep a wide range of painted cheesecloth underneath my easel, and they become beautifully coloured in a great range of hues over time.

One of my students loves this technique so much she's turned them into a scarf-making industry, paired with mixed media broaches to go with them.

And if you don't want to go that far, you can, at the very least, feast your eyes on the rich colour you've created.

Here's some Methyl for you...

Methyl Cellulose, to be precise.

I've just spent the morning doing one of my favourite things - learning something new.  A Nelson artist, Susan Andrews Grace kindly came to my home studio to teach me about her unusual technique for using this product.

Susan started by explaining that  her initial work with methyl cellulose about twenty years ago was an effort to protect her artwork incorporating burnt papers.  The cellulose allowed her to to affix it to canvas without breaking the fragile pieces.

© Susan Andrews Grace

Her more recent works are deconstructed screen printings on silk and organza in multiple layers, all around the theme of worms.

© Susan Andrews Grace

A series of 500+ artworks revolve around the lives of these creatures.  I was fascinated to learn that worms have five hearts!

© Susan Andrews Grace

Methyl cellulose is a neutral ph substance used in bookbinding, paper repair and art framing.  Susan prepares it by adding 2 teaspoons or 1 tablespoon (depending on the thickness desired) of the powdery substance to one cup of water, mixing, and letting it sit overnight.  The resulting mixture is mucous-like and can be applied to the fabric with a credit card, palette knife, or the like.

One distinct advantage of this type of 'glue', is that it allows the fabrics to retain the feel of fabric, as opposed to other glue types which destroy the hand.  Another is that it can be used for two- and three-dimensional work.  And, it can be broken down with water;  the fabric pieces can be lifted, rearranged and pasted back down with more methyl cellulose, so it would work beautifully as a final layer in a mixed media piece.  One distinct disadvantage of this glue is that it can be broken down with water (yes-works both ways!), so I'll also be testing ways to fix it for those times when fixing is the only option.

Here, Susan demonstrates the application to the second side of the fabric after the first has been applied to a surface.

 You can see how several layers of transparent silks can create a rich and varied focal point.

 Susan spotted some cheesecloth under my easel, and added it to her silk start.

 A painted dryer sheet added yet another beautiful layer to her piece.

I layered several pieces of her luscious hand-dyed silks on a matboard, and then

 I tested one layer after another layer

 including two difference cheesecloths,

 a dryer sheet,

 and another of Susan's silks.

I couldn't make up my mind which I preferred, so I thought I'd let you have a say!  All comments are welcome, as always.

Before Susan packed up, we traded fabrics.  I scored some of Susan's incredible silks, and Susan got some of my painted cheesecloth and dryer sheets.  Somehow I'm certain I got the better deal!