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Alcohol Ink Painting Double Masking Technique

Masking your alcohol ink paintings can help you achieve more realistic images. Here is how I mask two or more times to save the areas that I want to keep light and more controlled.

1. Lightly draw your design in pencil on the yupo paper.

2. Use a masking fluid to cover the outline or the whole drawn image.

3. Freely pour your alcohol inks on the paper for the background.

Post Christmas Updates

Post Christmas Updates: The Christmas/Holiday Party was a huge success and the painted wine glasses were a big hit. Everyone loved them. We are thinking about next year's theme for painting. We will have the same awesome band - Dr. Nick and the All Stars. The weather here is fabulous. We have temperature in the 80s and high 70s everyday while the rest of the country is having record lows and lots of snow and ice. I got a phone call at 6:30 this morning. My mother is not feeling well. Time to go and help her.

"Ed McMahon, where were you?" a short story

My mom is known as Miss Lillian, in the assisted living facility where she now lives. She is totally blind in one eye and has very limited vision in the other. However, she diligently sits at her computer (with very large screen print) and writes the cutest stories and poems. Here is one she wrote in 1998 titled: "Ed McMahon, where were you?" Ed McMahon, where were you on the night of Sunday, January 25th, 1998? The Publishers Clearing House Prize Patrol asked me to let them know if I would be home on January 25 to receive my Ten Million Dollar Superprize ( 9:00 PM was circled ). I was even asked if it would be all right for you to come with a TV crew to photograph me as I received the prize. I answered "YES! YES!" and stayed home all day, in case you came earlier than 9:00 PM. My family was celebrating my daughter's birthday that evening and were in my house. Ed McMahon, I'd like you to know I was the recipient of a great deal of humor and scoffing at my naiveté in thinking that you were coming to give me the prize because that same card was sent to all who had entered the contest, and what makes me think I could win? Imagine! All this from people who play the lottery every week! I paid no attention to the jests. I was steadfast in my belief that you would ring my doorbell. I was dressed in my prettiest dress, ready to have my picture taken. A cut-glass vase was waiting to receive the bouquet of flowers you would bring. A repast for you and the TV crew - bagels, cream cheese, lox and salad were on hand in case you were hungry. Of course, there was coffee and slices of my daughter's birthday cake for all of you. Six o'clock came and went; then seven o'clock and eight. As the nine o'clock hour approached, the air crackled with suspense. No jokes were forthcoming. Nine o'clock came and went and you did not appear. Ed McMahon, where were you on the night of Sunday, January 25, 1998?

Alcohol Ink Painting - a Fun Workshop

The second floor of the clubhouse was buzzing Monday when members of the art group started alcohol ink painting.  I gave this workshop to 9 ladies and they loved the ink and all of its possibilities. Paint on metal? Yes. Paint on glass? Yes. Paint on plastic? Yes. Paint on vinyl? Yes. Paint on ceramic? Yes and so on. We painted on yupo paper first and then some of the group branched out to try other substrates. Here are some photos:
A messy table = lots of fun

Concentrating on an alcohol ink landscape painting.

Luckily we have plenty of room to spread out.
 
Both ladies tried painting alcohol ink on metal and plastic

Success!
I think we will do this again! You can see some of my alcohol ink paintings on my website: www.SandraFoxArt.com and on my etsy store: www.etsy.com/shop/SandraFoxDesigns

How to Create Dye Sublimation Ceramic Tile Coasters or Trivets a Tutorial

Creating Dye Sublimation Ceramic Tiles 
Four fish tiles as coasters
Its craft show time at the retirement community. The first Saturday in November is the date our clubhouse gets filled with people ( I hope buyers). This is the first year I am not selling my painted silk accessories. I think I saturated the local market with my silks. I am making dye sublimation tile coasters and trivets. I used to teach middle and high school deaf students how to create these. My friend gave me his unused heat press and specially coated ceramic tiles. I ordered prints from RPL supplies  http://www.rplsupplies.com in New Jersey and I'm ready.  Materials Needed:

• heat press machine ( aka tee shirt press )
• dye sublimation prints ( If you are lucky enough to have a dye sub printer you can print your own )
•  specially coated dye sublimatable ceramic tiles ( the ones from Home Depot just won't do )
• heat tape, teflon sheet for the press, cork to finish the backs and a glue like Mod Podge

 
Here is my heat press machine. It will be set to 400 degrees.
How to Create Dye Sublimation Tiles: 1. Cut your desired image from a dye sublimation print. You can print any image you want if you have your own dye sub printer. I don't have mine any more so I ordered ready made prints from RPL Supplies. 2. Set the temperature of the heat press to 400 degrees and wait for the press to reach optimum  temp.
The print is placed face down on the bottom of the press.
3. Place your tile coated side up on the center of the press. Carefully place your dye sub print face down on the tile. Use a little heat tape to secure the print in the exact place. Place the teflon sheet over the print. This stops any stray ink from staining the top of the press.
The tile is being heated to 400 degrees under pressure for 40 seconds.
4. Close the top of the press and be sure there is good pressure on the tile. All models heat presses have different ways to adjust the pressure. Set the timer for 40 seconds and get ready to lift up the top of the press when your timer rings.
This is a sample of a finished dye sub tile with a flower transfer.
5. Use a spatula to lift up your tile. It will be hot! Let it cool. It doesn't have to cool completely before you remove the paper transfer and throw it away.
The cork is cut to fit the 4" and 6" tiles.
   
The glue is put on the back of the tile and the cork.
        6. I finish my tiles with a piece of cork cut exactly to fit the tile's dimensions. I use a glue or decoupage sealer with a matte finish like Mod Podge. The glue is put on the back of the tile and the cork. I find a weight is needed to press down on the tile so there is good adhesion.  
a sample of a finished flag tile coaster
  The 4 inch tiles make great coasters and the 6 inch ones are trivets. I will update this post with the results of my sales. I have 100 tiles ready to sell. Wish me luck.  
A sample of a finished heart tile coaster on a small easel.
   

My Word Press Blog

Click below to visit my blog on Word Press called : a handful of brushes.com

It is tracking the creative events in my life and gives tutorials of techniques and art projects.

http://www.ahandfulofbrushes.com

How to Mount a Silk Painting on a Canvas

Mounting a silk painting on a canvas

 

materials needed:

your finished silk painting

a canvas 2 to 4 inches shorter than your silk in each dimension

         for example:    a 16 x 20 x 1 canvas needs a silk that is at least 22 x 26 inches

                                   a 16 x 20 x 2 canvas needs a silk that is at least 24 x 28 inches

Painting Wine Glasses - For the First Time

Glass Painting - Shhhh  Its a Christmas Surprise

What is a Jewish girl from the Bronx ( New York City ) doing planning a Christmas - Holiday party for 100 people in Florida?

It all started early in 2013 when my friends Linda and Mary asked me to help with the planning of the annual holiday party for our retirement village. "I don't know anything about Christmas parties", I said. Apparently, experience isn't that important. So here we are, a brand new planning team, finding a caterer, a band, planning a menu and decorations, etc. The caterer had a great idea - buy dollar store wine glasses and paint them. Put little battery tea lights in them and dim the lights for an elegant tabletop decoration on top of the caterer's tablecloth and runner. After the party each guest will take home the painted wine glass as a favor.

We decided to paint a snowman - easy enough for our first attempt at glass painting yet it fits the holiday theme.

Materials needed: dollar store wine glasses, glass paint ( Folk Art Enamel was used), alcohol to clean glasses, brushes and sponges, clear contact paper to make stencils, sponges and q tips for small details, oven for curing painted glasses

Here are the step by step directions and photos. What do you think? I will post pictures of the tables after the big event in December.

1. Clean glasses with a little alcohol on a tissue. Fold a small piece of paper in half and draw a basic snowman shape. We decided to use a two part body because it fit better on the glass. The paint can not be close to the rim where  you put your mouth.

Which size stencil to use?

   2. The stencils are cut out of clear contact paper and the backing is removed.

The snowman shapes are traced onto clear contact paper and then cut out.
# 3. The stencils are carefully placed on wine glass. The top of the painted area has to be at least 3/4 inch below the rim. Although the glasses are safe to drink from, your lips should not touch any painted area. Make sure all edges of the stencil are sticking to the glass.
Proper placement of the stencil is important
#4. Using the special glass paint, paint inside the stencil. A small soft sponge was used. Remove the stencil when the paint is dry. It takes about 5 - 10 minutes to dry.
The body of the snowman is painted and the stencil is removed when dry.
#5. Now it is time to add the details. Here a hat is painted. It was easier to paint a batch at a time and one color at a time. It all depends on how many you are painting. Have fun.  
Now add the details to your snowman
#6. Here is the completed snowman wine glass.
Isn't he cute?
#7. Now it is time to cure the painted glasses. Put them in a cold oven. Set the temperature to 350 degrees. When the oven reaches the set temperature set the timer for 30 minutes. When the timer rings, turn off the oven. Let the glasses sit inside the oven for a few hours until the oven is totally cool again. I baked mine after dinner and the next morning I removed them from the oven. Let me know how yours turn out.