A Dusting of Design
January 12, 2015
Inspirational Art
So, I thought this week I’d simply do what is trending for the new year on Pinterest. Turns out tutorials and how-to tips are the big thing right now. That was rather heartening to see really. Its great that so many people are looking for ideas to expand and explore. So this week will pretty much be that … showing some of the better tutorials and resources for you to expand your polymer knowledge base.
Iris Mishly’s website, PolyPediaOnline, is a wealth of wonderful, easy to follow tutorials. The PDF and video formats explore all kinds of techniques and forms. This stencil tutorial looks a lot like silk screen, but the look is actually created with easy-to-use pastel chalk and craft stencils; you can find them at pretty much any large craft store. Not only that, this tutorial is free!
Like silk screen (which I still would encourage you try at some point — we have all the tips and resources you might need in the The Polymer Arts‘ 2014 Winter issue), this stencil method gives you quickly patterned surfaces that can add visual texture and contrast to your pieces, without the mess of paint. While the lines may not be quite as clean and some of the application looks lighter than with silk screen, that could be more desirable since it can give an aged or rough look. The only thing Iris doesn’t mention is sealing the chalk. You can use any polymer-compatible sealer, but spray sealers such as PYMII or water based Varathane would likely be best so as to not dislodge any chalk while sealing.
You can find this tutorial on YouTube and on Iris’ website, but be sure to check out what other goodies, free and otherwise, she has waiting for you on PolyPedia Online and PolyPedia Online Express.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Open Silk Screen
December 11, 2014
Inspirational Art
Before we just run away on the subject of creative framing, let’s take a quick look at some of the other items that are getting so much attention in the present issue of The Polymer Arts. The article on silk screening is just amazingly in-depth, and yet, makes it all seems so easy. Tonja Lederman took the reins on this one when I sent out a request for this kind of article earlier in the year, and boy, did she deliver. Not only do you get all the basics, she also gives out a ton of great tips, options for paint (many of which you probably never would have thought of) and resources for all the materials you’d need.
The reason I wanted to see a silk screen article was because it seemed like a lot of people I have talked to and that have written me had no idea where to start in order to try this technique. I figured if we could create an article that can get just about anyone started on it, we’d see a lot more wonderful work using this technique. I was originally inspired by one of the magazine’s very first gallery artists, Els Van Haasen, a Dutch polymer artist. I just thought the light touch of silk screen added a beautiful, delicate visual texture to her carefully finished pieces. This pendant has that same quality from the seaweed silk screen plus a glow from the blended clay colors. The open edge and domed shape gives the simple composition a kind of full and broad feel.
I know there are of polymer purists who might feel a cane or Sutton slice should have been used instead of paint, but it would have been a very different effect. The silk screen adds that visual texture and touch of complexity without disturbing the treatment of the clay. There really would be no other way to do this.
Els’ style and light touch with this technique can be seen on her Flickr photostream where there are many more examples of silk screen accented pieces along with a lot of textural and form exploration to glean inspiration from.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
So, I thought this week I’d simply do what is trending for the new year on Pinterest. Turns out tutorials and how-to tips are the big thing right now. That was rather heartening to see really. Its great that so many people are looking for ideas to expand and explore. So this week will pretty much be that … showing some of the better tutorials and resources for you to expand your polymer knowledge base.
Iris Mishly’s website, PolyPediaOnline, is a wealth of wonderful, easy to follow tutorials. The PDF and video formats explore all kinds of techniques and forms. This stencil tutorial looks a lot like silk screen, but the look is actually created with easy-to-use pastel chalk and craft stencils; you can find them at pretty much any large craft store. Not only that, this tutorial is free!
Like silk screen (which I still would encourage you try at some point — we have all the tips and resources you might need in the The Polymer Arts‘ 2014 Winter issue), this stencil method gives you quickly patterned surfaces that can add visual texture and contrast to your pieces, without the mess of paint. While the lines may not be quite as clean and some of the application looks lighter than with silk screen, that could be more desirable since it can give an aged or rough look. The only thing Iris doesn’t mention is sealing the chalk. You can use any polymer-compatible sealer, but spray sealers such as PYMII or water based Varathane would likely be best so as to not dislodge any chalk while sealing.
You can find this tutorial on YouTube and on Iris’ website, but be sure to check out what other goodies, free and otherwise, she has waiting for you on PolyPedia Online and PolyPedia Online Express.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Before we just run away on the subject of creative framing, let’s take a quick look at some of the other items that are getting so much attention in the present issue of The Polymer Arts. The article on silk screening is just amazingly in-depth, and yet, makes it all seems so easy. Tonja Lederman took the reins on this one when I sent out a request for this kind of article earlier in the year, and boy, did she deliver. Not only do you get all the basics, she also gives out a ton of great tips, options for paint (many of which you probably never would have thought of) and resources for all the materials you’d need.
The reason I wanted to see a silk screen article was because it seemed like a lot of people I have talked to and that have written me had no idea where to start in order to try this technique. I figured if we could create an article that can get just about anyone started on it, we’d see a lot more wonderful work using this technique. I was originally inspired by one of the magazine’s very first gallery artists, Els Van Haasen, a Dutch polymer artist. I just thought the light touch of silk screen added a beautiful, delicate visual texture to her carefully finished pieces. This pendant has that same quality from the seaweed silk screen plus a glow from the blended clay colors. The open edge and domed shape gives the simple composition a kind of full and broad feel.
I know there are of polymer purists who might feel a cane or Sutton slice should have been used instead of paint, but it would have been a very different effect. The silk screen adds that visual texture and touch of complexity without disturbing the treatment of the clay. There really would be no other way to do this.
Els’ style and light touch with this technique can be seen on her Flickr photostream where there are many more examples of silk screen accented pieces along with a lot of textural and form exploration to glean inspiration from.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
