A place to encourage the creativity of artistic minds of all ages. Offering Ideas, Inspiration and Instruction and sharing the work of others who inspire me!
It's Only been a few months or so of trying to learn more about watercolour (in Canada colour is spelled with a "u"). Have I created any masterpieces yet? Nope. Not sure if any of you can relate to this, but I have an issue with collecting (purchasing) and organizing art supplies. Especially if it is a new medium like watercolour or a few years ago, polymer clay. This includes learning about these palettes I never tried before. When I first tried watercolour about thirty years ago, there was no such talk about this method of watercolour painting. It was all about using paint fresh from the tube. Nothing about using individual half or full pan holders where the paint purposefully dries. Once that happens, you just re-wet the pigments and paint.
Apparently this method prevents wasting of watercolour paint. I have been learning to appreciate the ability to re-wet the paint and use it to create those masterpieces.
Watch Watercolour Palette
This article is about re-organizing my new palette again. Trying to turn my 4 rows of pigment spots to 6 rows, eliminating the centre aisle. The idea to try this was from watching Kristy Rice videos. I noticed she has palettes packed full of paint colours. No need for a centre area. Will I finally get to painting with this variety of paints? Daniel Smith, VanGogh, Qor, Cotman, Winsor Newton and My handmade shimmer paints, Paul Ruben and M. Graham.
Summer is flying by at a rapid pace. Instead of painting with Watercolours like I was planning on doing, I seem to be procrastinating by stocking up watercolour supplies, creating new shimmer paints, organizing and reorganizing my paint palettes. I love being able to have moveable colour pans. And
our poppies
Don't ask me how many brushes, palettes and watercolour pads I have purchased. If Amazon only had a frequent shopper reward system.
Make Your Own Paint
This is about how I learned to make my own shimmer paints using Interference and shimmery/mica type pigments. As well, you will also see my transformation to a Smurf!
Of course there are many tutorials on creating watercolour paints on your own. Google them. I just want to share how I did it with as little effort as possible, without mulling. How do we learn if we don't experiment and learn from others.
The cool thing is, we can use pigments to create acrylic and oil and tempura etc. paints also. The key is all pigments need to be combined with the appropriate binder. If you want to make watercolour as in my case, you need Gum Arabic solution (more on that later). For Acrylic you can use and Acrylic gel medium, I would even mic pigment powder with anything like polyurethane, varnish, clear glues. Basically anything that can harden, cure or dry. Using pigments in resins are also used to paint with resin "paint." Then for oil paint, you can use oil binders (not an expert on oil), I think Linseed oil is part of that paint? But not sure.
I definitely use purchased paint whether watercolour or acrylic. It's just after watching others make paint and especially shimmer paints, I thought I can try that. Since I have a collection of mica type pigments, I was excited to not need to by shimmer/colour shifting paints.
Materials Used
💗Shimmery/Mica Interference (mermaid) And Colour Shifting Pigment Powders
Binder ingredients
💗I also used a ready made Gum Arabic binder
💗Gum Arabic (I used it in powder form)
💗Vegetable Glycerin
💗Honey (tried some but decided it made the binder too sticky)
💗Clove oil (as a preservative for the binder that must be refrigerated)
Tools
💗A glass or ceramic tile
💗palette knife
💗a glass jar with lid
💗Paper towels
💗spray bottle of water
💗test paper in white and dark or black for testing paint
💗paintbrush
💗water jar for washing brushes
Watch the video to see how I started mixing pigment powder with the binder. Unfortunately, the camera overheated because it was too hot outside so I didn't complete the mixing process. Adding the binder in a bit at a time, waiting for the mixture to be like a watered down toothpaste sort of. Or kind of like Cheez whiz or sour cream, a combination between Greek and regular yoghurt texture. You can tell I like food by all the food references.😋 And then just make sure I was mixing and pressing down with the pallet knife as much as possible. Even if you think it's just mixed, there can still be unsaturated pigment particles.The more you mix, press, smoosh the powder with the binder, the better the paint will dry and be pretty darn good to use on paper.
Here are the half pan size paint pans
Once I am satisfied at the consistency of the pigment mixture I'd test out the mixture with a wet paintbrush on paper. With interference colours using black paper is the only thing that really works because you can't see the colour otherwise. I just like to make sure it's combined enough to create somewhat of a smooth paint. It's amazing how quickly the Arabic gum binder dries or cure's. Then I scrape it up with the pallet knife and drop it into a half or full watercolour paint pans.
Then let the paint basically dry out or harden. It's important to keep the lid off to let it harden. There's going to be mistakes made, and some paints may end up too wet and never really harden. You can still use them. But that's how we learn lessons. If you want to do the exact correct way to make watercolour paint using real authentic pigments and even the shimmer colour shifting pigment powders that I've used, then definitely check out the video about mowing below to see how it's done. And definitely check out lots of videos, to learn more about this process.
Please note: I do not use the proper technique for making watercolour paint simply because physically, I cannot use a device like a muller. Due to my neuromuscular disability, my hands and arms are not strong enough to even lift that thing. I just wanted to show you how it does work to some degree if you're just using shimmery powders and a pallet knife. Some pigments work better than others. Definer the pigment powders the better it seems to go..
Mulling
glass muller
How to make paints out of pigment powders the truly correct way, involves something called mulling, using a Muller. Here is what mulling watercolour paint looks like with a video on YouTube Showing how to do it correctly here at PearFleur The muller is a weighty piece of glass.
Binders are needed for all types of paint. In watercolour Gum Arabic is used in combination with water, glycerine and some use honey instead or with glycerine. I learned after to heat up the water (some recipes said to) When I did, it smelled badly and eventually it got better. Just look for recipes Watercolour Binder or I also purchased gum Arabic all ready to be used as a watercolour binder.
So we accepted that it was not going to work and we're able to give it away to someone who said they had a friend who could fix it. Tell them they could have it. It wasn't worth trying to find a part and repaired since it looked too complicated for us to manage. No I've been kind of enjoying the challenge of watching TV we need screens like the one you'll see in this video. We definitely have a lot of screens to look at it's just none of them are close to 55 inches. As we look into the open white space we now have because this big black wall is gone, things feel hopeful and better. Craig and I realize we didn't know what we were thinking getting such a mammoth television for such a small space. Maybe we were trying to avoid going to the movie theater. Come to think of it Covid happened a few months after we purchased it. Hmmm...
WATCH VIDEO HERE
It's time to move on, it's time to get going... Tom Petty's song is when I like to play whenever it's time to move on, it's time to get going. That's what I decided had to happen with my old power wheelchair. A couple of big changes in the last few days. I had kept my power wheelchair that was almost 18-19 years old, just in case my new one broke down again. If you look back at these blogs and videos you'll see that I had some issues getting my new chair set up. In fact they had to replace that wheelchair entirely within the first six months because the first one was a lemon. Having a lemon for a wheelchair doesn't work well and doesn't exactly instill trust to the point that you want to get rid of your really old but still working wheelchair. So finally, as I look at that big clunker sitting in our living room piled up with stuff, I felt it was safe to finally see if there was someone else who could use it. Thank you God a home was found fairly quickly. Now we have another big space. Spaces are good because then I get to fill it up with something. Just praying and hoping my no four year old wheelchair continues working.
Art Supply Heaven
Worlds are colliding in this blog because not only are we dealing with the television issue, I was happily distracted swatching out new metallic watercolour paints and continuing to set up my new watercolour palette as my art supplies from Currys art supply shop in southern Ontario arrive.
Happy 2021 everyone! I've started out this new year by trying out a gorgeous paint set from Artistro. In no way is this sponsored. Of course I loved the outside colour and the fact that so far all my Artistro cry paint pens have worked beautifully. So I thought for $29.99 Canadian on Amazon.ca, why not try it. So here is a longer video talking about the paint set and the surprise contents! Then the rest is just me swatching out the colours and talking about watercolour painting and art related topics. A bit of a vlog if you will.
Hi guys! How are you all doing during this most abnormal season? I am guessing for many of you, making more art or trying various art making techniques for the first time is something you have been
doing lately. Considering the world has been under siege by an unknown virus, unable to carry out life as usual- makes sense that we'd all be trying new things whilst locked down. Well acrylic paint pens have been a new tool in my art making supply stash. Are you like me, hooked on art supply collecting? It is even worse since shopping online with Amazon, is way to easy.
Might as well make the most of it and create. How will we know if we like a certain art supply if we don't try it. If you've been around here you will know that Acrylic paint pens are my new supply to try and use. Wanting to see online reviews of affordable paint pens has been difficult, so I decided to try an array of pens so I can create a bunch of video reviews on each brand so others may benefit from them. Posca pens seem to be the only paint pens used over and over on YouTube, Well click here to see my only (so far) Posca experience.
Below is part one of my first part of a generalized review video covering five brands of Acrylic paint pens. In this video I tried the four out on a rock since these pens all say they work on all surfaces like rock, glass, plastic, fabric, basically anything non-porous. I use them on paper and card stock more than anything. I love them.
Watch Part 1 of Affordable Acrylic Paint Pens Here
Amazon Links to All the Paint Pens I featured. (No, nothing is sponsored - just where bought these)
Happy Monday! Hard to believe July is half over already and still many of us are under self quarantine life. Yes, we know many have been trying to find their new normal among this unknown nemesis, but many of us are vulnerable and must be over protective, trying to avoid all respiratory illnesses. Thankfully, God is in charge and that means I get to make art and try out new art supplies instead of worrying about illnesses possibilities. Okay, no more Covid talk. It's just part of our new reality. So let's learn what we can do to enjoy time within our 4 walls. Well, hopefully you get outside to inhale some fresh air too. Now, I sound like my dear mom. 'Get some fresher Anita!!"
I have been promising some paint pen reviews and finally after swatching out and photographing and filming, then editing and waiting an hour to upload the short video below, voila! My first review is of the most expensive paint pens I have seen, POSCA. Click here to see the exact link I used to buy these. Which I do not recommend. Watch to see why not. The rest of the reviews to come, will be of affordable paint pens. You won't be disappointed. For now, drumroll please...
Watch POSCA Acrylic Paint Pen Review
Remember to have fun. Be spontaneous with your design or plan it all out, it's up to you!
As an artist, I know how valuable art making materials are. When you grow up creating, collecting
Mica powder
art supplies can become an addiction. It can perhaps be compared to the stories I have heard about some women who have to have huge walk in closets to house their massive shoe and fashion collection. I knew a lady once who proudly owned 200 pairs of shoes, had each pair placed in their own box. Then she took a polaroid of each pair, attaching the image to the box end to easily identify each pair. Then she complained about how she was so broke, she had to move in with her Mom and little girl. So she could earn the mortgage fo her home from a tenant while living
at home for free. That's when an addiction like shopping can truly impact your life and the life of those who love you.
For men, it may be shoes, or maybe a man cave that contains every latest piece of media equipment and technology and such, or a workshop where every power tool known to humankind can be found. Or my husband's collecting passion involves always checking over any coins that land in his hand. I . As for us artists, artisan, crafters and the like, we are often great collectors of any and every kind of creative art making supply that strikes our fancy.
roving wool for felting
Until I started working more in three dimensions, my weakness was mostly paper types, canvasses, acrylic paints, coloured pencils, drawing tools, and such. A pretty manageable addiction. It all fit in one rubbermaid storage tower. Branching Out
However, once I impulsively dove into three dimensional creativity, my world change completely! Possibilities are now endless. I mean the jewellery design world means buying everything from findings, wire, chains, stones, beads of all kinds, tools and don't get me started on organizing containers, more on that later!
Cording for so many reasons
Then came the polymer clay! More supplies to stock
Alcohol Inks For a lot of uses
up on. Countless tools, all sorts of clay in every colour and style and all the accessories to enhance and improve clay creations! Inclusions and enhancers like pastels, mica powders, nail art flakes and accessories, sculpting tools, pans, forms, blades, pasta machines, rollers, mats, alcohol inks, building pastes, embossing powders, rubber texture and image stamps, pigment ink pads, inka gold, colorants, craft paints, plastics to store it all...Then add in needle felting....yup, that means I needed roving wool, needles, foam, felt, and then that leads into the need for wee little eyes. Why not create those out of resin or liquid polymer clay! Better learn about resins....which I already began incorporating into my polymer clay world.
Glass cabochons-possibilities endless
With resin comes, all kinds of molds, inclusions. Thankfully worlds collide and I can use materials from the other disciplines. So see, no wasting.
As the addiction increases, I discover card making using stamps, coloured papers, glitters and a place to use those embossing powders and inks! Again, the collision of worlds in a good way! With that comes the need for every type of glue and mod podges, lino cutters to make my own stamps for paper and polymer clay,
A fave- polymer clay
and then of course I need those glass cabochons in all sizes to make everything from eyes to jewellery, along with cookie cutters for my clay, craft paints and glues, varnishes, craft sticks, gem stones...yikes, it just won't end! Contain Yourself!
And then there is my addiction to....are you sitting down? Wait for it....I'm, I'm hooked on containers! Yup, containers. After all, how on earth can I even consider creating anything if I don't have my supplies all categorized and set in special spaces. So that means ordering new types all the time, trying to find what works. And then there are the magnificent containers that were
Craft paints
created to hold, items like cake slices, or chocolates, but would are great to organize my supplies in. What a good excuse to buy cake and other sweet treats! Once I even asked Craig to ask the grocery store bakery for any of their cake containers, incase they just throw them away - what a waste! Needless to say if you have a great container, odds are, I will ask if I can have it.
As for my collecting art supplies that I may never actually use, apparently, I'm "normal." From what I read online, I am not alone. At least I haven't had to give up our bedroom to contain it all!
Mica powders and such- so many choices
Turns out working in two dimensions was a very inexpensive art making method when compared to my last decade of delving into three dimensional creativity! Too many ideas, too many supplies I must have...just incase I need to use them.
In the olden days, all I was I worried about the most was wasting paint! Just when I thought I wouldn't have to address that fear again, I was filming Craig for our new "Paint With Craig," segment and what do I discover? Well, you will need to watch to find out! Watch Anita's Great Loss!...
Fun Take Aways...
After you watched our video about my great loss, answer these questions...
💙What lesson did Craig learn?
💙What loss did Anita (that's me)suffer?
💙Any guesses on how man more losses just like this one, have happened since I turned over my paint to Craig?
💙Have you ever made a mistake that resulted in an avoidable loss?
Thanks for having fun with us. Even though serious things can happen (who likes to waste money?), we can always learn big lessons.
Subscribe so you won't miss out, coming soon is our Second video in our "Painting With Craig" series, where Craig actually starts painting! Here is episode one.
Pinterest Can't Stop... Couldn't Resist, all that talk about my art supply addiction/collection caused me ti want to share a smattering of some supplies and what I have been blessed with being able to create! Incase you're curious, take a gander...
I also get to make my own tools when possible
molds for clays and resin
Needle felted hearts
liquid polymer clay and sold, plus alcohol inks create faux stained glass effects
Craft paints have all kinds of uses
Polymer clay beads- endless possibilities
Polymer clay, fancy Pebeo paints, mica powders and Resin created this
Labradorite gemstone, clay and mica pigments, along with beads and rhinestones....
A rubber image stamp and polymer clay, voila!
Lisa Pavelka stamp
More of the same
Alcohol inks on metal jewellery findings
Pasta/Clay rolling machine
As you know polymer clay possesses endless possibilities
As you know polymer clay and jewellery findings, cables and cords...all endless possibilities
Polymer clay, fancy Pebeo paints, mica powders and Resin created this
Ahh Resin!
I tried saving money making my own mold maker putty with silicone
polymer clay with silk sari ribbons...
I get to create my own texture stamps
Can never have too many tools
I love all coloured drawing implements
practical polymer clay projects
Alcohol inks and liquid polymer clay
Alcohol inks and liquid polymer clay
I even got to make a lantern with polymer clay and other ingredients
