Friday, August 21, 2009

Part Two of CHEAP CHIC!



(the following work is a copyright of Anne M. Huskey-Lockard, 2009)

Now comes the fun part, continuing from yesterdays frame dissection! Gather together a lot of different types of papers; old books, text books, phone books, etc. I love a selection of whites, taupes and beiges. These will be a bit more toned down later, but for the moment, you want some contrast both in paper color and text.
A bristle brush for scrubbing and Golden Regular Matte Gel Medium are what puts this all together. I like a lot of gel for texture and the bristle brush helps with that; this is something you will have to experiment with to find what you like and how much. The matte gel leaves a finish that accepts other media after the paper is on.

If you click on this photo you'll be able to see the different types of paper I have collected. One note: on any texts that are considered a religious text by any belief group, I only use from books that are falling apart or have sections missing. It is something that I personally feel is the right thing to do as far as having reverence for all beliefs. That's just me........

Here is the work in progress. Whenever you begin working with gel medium, ALWAYS wet your brush and then squeeze out the water. It will leave the bristles damp but not wet. What it does is help protect the brush from the medium, and keep it flexible. This stuff can dry QUICK.
Put a good coat on part of the panel, then lay the piece of paper on (this has to wrap to the back) and smooth it out with the brush. Turn the panel over, add gel to the edge and back and smooth the paper tight. Use gel to help in the smoothing. Sometimes the paper tears, and that's okay because you just put the next piece over the top.

This is a close up of the panel in progress, building torn piece by torn piece. There is medical dictionary text, shorthand, Hispanic text and I believe a page from an old book on the temperance movement in Indiana! (that's not applicable today, eh?)
Keep building, and if you have an idea of what you are going to use this for, you might decide on certain pieces in certain places. Keep an open mind.......these are things with lives of their own.

The finished panel with LOTS of gel medium over the top after everything has been put on, smoothed, wrapped and allowed to wrinkle from the dampness of the gel. Those types of wrinkles are good--don't fight them. Just get the paper on as flat as possible to start. All ages and types of paper handle differently, so be prepared for surprises. Some of the oldest paper I have used, from the 1600's, handled absolutely brilliantly with a little care!
I chose Hebrew text at the top and the dark page is from a very old and incomplete bible. I felt they complimented each other well and will work with what I *think* I will do with the piece later.
At this point (read my lips!!!!) LET THIS DRY WELL!!!!! Overnight usually is not enough. Sometimes a day or two, depending on humidity. I set the panel on top of a jar of gel with the lid on, or any other jar for the most air circulation. There is a lot of wet that needs to be DRY. It should have no tack what so ever when you hold it in your hand.

And, after drying, a test fit into the inner plastic piece. I like the papers better than the print it had, and we're not even close to done!
Okay, get a cool drink, process this, try it if you want and tomorrow we'll start doing some work on the papered panel.
One note: If you think this is something you could use, then do several panels at the same time. Then they are papered and ready to go. You can go with standard sizes that can be framed later, or if you have oddball frames at hand, cut the panels and go for it.
Now off to your creative day, and I'm off to work some more!

Pax!

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAN!!!!!! :-)

20 comments:

Bunny said...

Love what you are doing here. I have a box of framed family photos that I just got tired of dusting so I am sure I have lots of treasures in there to re use. LOL Might even use the photos to make a collage. Thanks for the inspiration

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Go for it, but scan them first---you might change your mind later, or you might want to reuse the image!
(ask how I know this......)
I'm having fun with the process; probably one more post and then leave people to their own imaginations on what to do to make the work *theirs*!
This is just technique.
Have fun!!!

yoborobo said...

Anne - thank you for telling me HOW to use gel medium. :) I have a jar here that I impulse bought (I do that with art supplies), and wasn't sure what I was going to use it for. Your tutorial has my little brain whirring.
xox

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Pam, you can use this for sooooo many different things. The Golden website has all sorts of suggestions; I much prefer it to Mod Podge (which smells BAD and has a higher water content, thus, a lot more wrinkles and more drying time) and some of the other glue-type items out there.
Plus, in the next installment, you'll see what it does as far as texture, etc when color of any type is added.
Stay tuned!

yoborobo said...

I don't like modge podge, and found out the hard way that it is NOT what you used to finish the top of a decoupaged box. LOL! Ah, these little life lessons...

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Oh yeah......me too. That stuff should be banned!!! EVIL PODGE is a better name..... ;)

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for the tutorials!! This was a lot of work for you to do & I really appreciate it! I am gonna' give it a try.....
Love,
Marilyn

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Wait till tomorrow! Things get better!
Actually, it is good for me to do this once in a while because it requires me to THINK about how I do things I normally just sit and do, with no thought what so ever.
Enjoy!!!

Tristan Robin said...

http://manmadequilts.com/A101.gif

more, more, more!!!!

Tristan Robin said...

p.s. - love Harlem Nocturne!

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Tristan, you are tooooo funny!
Tomorrow you get MORE.
Happy now???? :)
And yes, I love that version od Harlem Nocturne, though lately I've been having some player troubles. I changed to Firefox as a browser and don't know if it's that or just the ISP......such is life.........

XXOO!!!!

Anonymous said...

Oh.....woweeee!..this is great, Anne!...i started one, but did not wet my brush first...i ended up with deeper brush strokes than i liked...my gel was old...i now have a new jar...so, thinking i might try adding more on top..
of course, with a dollar store panel, i believe i can afford to start over! lol..

This is the motivation we needed , Anne!...thank you so very much!
gypsy

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Try putting it on top and see what happens. The best part of this is the unexpected---like your deep brush grooves. It might be what you want later on---they will pick up color.
Or set that one aside, start another and work through it, and then reconsider the first.
Remember, the madonna was from a salvage piece I didn't know what to do with and had boo-boos all over..... :)

Jan said...

Great tutorial so far. I'm looking forward to seeing what you have for us tomorrow. You aren't using it here, but please tell me again what brand of gesso you use? Starts with a D is all I can remember, or think I remember.

And thanks for the birthday wishes!!

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

It's Demco, and it is the Artist Grade. Don't get the Student Grade....it's useless!
Gonna hit post while this stupid ISP is working.....

Leslie said...

Thanks for the explanation of your use of books, I know some get pretty incensed but I am with you. Better art than the landfill, IMO.

Loving the process, can't wait to see where it goes.

Anonymous said...

I LOVE IT. I'm also a fool for burnt edges... anything to look older than it may be,.

I adore your music.

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Leslie,

I'm with you---why throw away paper when it can be used so delightfully? I have stashes of *cutter* books, and they were ones people would have dumped. I love them.

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Burnt edges....okay, I stay away from those because the last time I tried burning the edges of fabric, I almost caught the kitchen on fire and thought MAYBE I am not the one to do this type of thing!
So I just like to age things with *non-flammables* like paint, ink, sandpaper, etc.... :)
I have learned my limits the hard way!!! LOL!!!

Anne

Anonymous said...

Wheeee!...I am just home from a routine dr visit....while i was out, i decided to stop by the Goodwill down the street...can you believe..it was 50% off for today!... lol! I found several great frames...some with good
images in them...i may post some on my blog after awhile!..for you to see!...what good fortune i had...and my cholestrol was fabulous..dr said!...so, a super day for me!
thanks, anne...you're getting us going!
gypsy

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