Friday, February 22, 2008

Some Things to Consider

Today I am feeling very excited and it has nothing to do with the ice storm we had last night. I can't really tell you about it fully now, but I can tell you about it next week. It is exciting to think something special is going to happen here the last week in February, and it has nothing to do with US politics :) So watch this spot!




Do you ever have times when you want to do something in your studio, but you really are not feeling all that creative? I have a little project for you to try. I think many people have already done this one, but it is one of those worth repeating. This is fun, a little time consuming, but a lot of fun. Here is what you will need to gather together:





1. watercolors or acrylics in colors you like



2. distilled water



3. heavy watercolor paper or rice paper



4. tissue paper



5. acrylic medium



6. a spray bottle



7. a mop brush or other way to apply watercolors to paper





I like to use watercolor paper in blocks, but use what you have or what is right for you. Spray the paper to moisten it with distilled water. Apply the watercolors or wet acrylics to the paper and allow the paper to absorb the colors and let them run together. I found tilting the block worked great while I was painting it. You might need to use the spray bottle to coax the paint down on the paper. Make several paintings like this. The key is to just play around with this to get the colors to bleed together and down the paper. Just have fun with it. Make several of these paintings, although you will only be using 2 for this project. Allow the paintings to dry thoroughly...and this usually will not take long.



Once the paintings are dry, use some acrylic medium to cover one of the paintings you want to use with tissue paper. You do not have to use this step, but it adds a bit of depth to this simple project. Once the medium is dry begin to cut the paintings into strips. The narrower the strips, the more exciting the final result. In this piece, the strips are about 1.5 cm wide. If the edges of the strips are smooth, it is easier to work with. Keep the strips in order. Now begin to weave the strips together in order. It will look like this, if you use a simple weave:




Of course you can use more complicated weaves to get even more exciting pieces. Once you get the piece going it will hold together easily. When you are finished with the weaving, carefully turn it over (easier if you work on a larger piece of paper and use the paper to help you turn it) and use some of the acrylic medium to glue the pieces together. You can then mount this and frame it if you like. The one I did some years ago turned out this way:


My son is very fond of this pieces, so it belongs to him. Give this a try, it is fun and easy to get results. Once you have done one or two of these, you will be very ready to get back to your own creative work.

Let me know how you get along. Enjoy the weekend and do not forget to check back here next week to see when I will be able to share my exciting news with you!

31 comments:

~Babs said...

Very interesting project Kim,,,one that I must decline,,,as I'm SURE it would make me crazy,,,,I am the NO PATIENCE person,,,,remember? Yours is a BEAUTY,,,mine would end up in the landfill.
#:-0

CAN'T WAIT to hear what your news is!!!!!!!!!
I know,,,,I'll bet you're pregnant! HAHAHHAHAHAHA

(Gosh I hate waiting to know,,,told you I have no patience!)

Andrea and Kim said...

Very Funny Babs! No Way My Friend! That isn't the scoop! As much as I adore children, I am finished with that business. Okay, I am not letting it slip (wink, wink)! This time, you are just going to have to wait.

Oh Babs! This project isn't fiddly. Really. Unless you just hate dealing with things like cutting strips...the rest of it is really easy! I bet easier than your skins! :) But all projects are not for everyone!

Hang in there, I am only asking for less than a week and I don't even post on the weekends! :) And I even put your mind at ease about a pregnancy.

Have a Great One My Friend!

~Babs said...

I don't even cut my own aceo cards, LOL LOL!
Tried,,,,and couldn't get them even,,,got frustrated early on!
I'm sure others will find it FUN!!

I suspected you'd deny the pregnancy,,,,,heh heh heh.
Waiting,,,,,,,,,,patiently.
(Almost.)

Andrea and Kim said...

VERY FUNNY, Babs! In a few weeks I will be 50, so I don't think a child at 51 is the smartest idea, you now?

No, you can purchase those already cut to size? Wow! I have not seen them, I don't think. It would be a great size to take along on trips, uh?

The best way I find to cut things like that is either with one of those cutters...they used to be chopper types, but they have fancier ones now. OR you can mark them and use a metal stright edge and very sharp mat knife (making several passes to get the cut nice and smooth). This is all old ID stuff...cut enough mat openings to drive anyone nuts!

Oh, you didn't raise a daughter to not have patience! I think that is one thing children teach many people! :)

San said...

Kim, this is SO beautiful. Thank you for sharing the "how-to."

Like Wilson, I am very curious to hear the exciting news. You tease, you.

:-)

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi San, It is so good to see you here. You were missed, but I hope you had a fantastic trip!

I am glad you like this, but I thought it was something a lot of artist did. I actually tore up some rice paper things I had done last weekend, so we will see how that one turns out, too. It is just one of those things that is good to have hanging around to work on from time to time, too.

I think you will like what is going on and maybe want to get in on the act. :) And Babs, too! Who knows?

Good to have you back, San!

Daphne Enns said...

Oh I really can't wait for your surprise. Not nice!

I DO like your art idea a lot. I have yet to cut up any of my work. Maybe it's time.

Unknown said...

Kim this looks like great fun I'll have to try this when I'm stucked! I'm a bit afraid of messing up the weaving though (impatient aries?)
Your result looks fantastic, very arty!
Have a wonderful day
Andrea

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Daphne,

You know I even picked up a couple of pieces I did last weekend and showed this past week on this blog and cut them up yesterday. I thought why not show another one and this stuff was just there, you know? I have lots of paper for collage, so why not. I also did this particular one with watercolor paper and wanted to try it with rice paper, as I suggested. [and no, this is not the surprise]!

Hang in there, I think you are going to like this one!

Thanks for visiting me today!

Andrea and Kim said...

Andrea, you will not mess up! First of all you are a textile artist. Second, it is just a simple weave. If you put it on a large piece of paper it is easy to leave and do as you have a moment, too.

I am doing one now which is very different, but will show another way of doing this one.

Thanks for visiting me, Andrea!

dianeclancy said...

Hi Kim,

This is a fun idea ... Thank you for stopping by my blog ...

~ Diane Clancy
www.DianeClancy.com/blog
www.YourArtMarketing.com

Andrea and Kim said...

Thank you, Diane! It is a fun little project when you need a breather from really focusing.

I enjoyed my visit to your blog...thank you for visiting me!

Diane Widler Wenzel said...

Kim,
When I was in Washington DC maybe ten years ago. I saw at a women's gallery, I don't remember the artist but her works were paper weavings of nudes. Absolutely grand but maybe not as much fun as you suggest. I will certainly give this idea a try.
And thank you for commenting on my blog. I will add you as a link.

Lynette said...

Kim I can't wait to hear your exciting news and looking forward to next week and finding out! LOLOL eek can you imagine having a baby over 50?! I just turned 54 and I would faint...er well I couldn't have one now anyways LOL but my kid raising days are over! I love your woven painting, and it gives me an idea of trying something like that, neato!!

Andrea and Kim said...

Parapluie, I would have loved to see those woven paintings. These are just fun and sometimes there is an abundance of paper around our studios and sometimes we just need to rest ourselves from what we have been doing. I know this was something artist have been playing with from time to time. Also, I thought this would be fun for some of the fiber artist who visit me, too.

It is fun to visit your blog and I will add you to my blog links, too.

Andrea and Kim said...

Oh Lynette, I adore children so much but can't imagine having another of my own now. I have a friend who had a baby when she was 47 when her oldest child was 24. She did very well but was exhausted by the time this child was 20!

I can't wait to see what you do with this idea. That is the reason for doing these posts. You never know what someone else will come up with, you know?

Show it on your blog!

This week will be the surprise! :)

Anonymous said...

Kim,

I love your weaving art, rainbow of colors.

Danielle

Andrea and Kim said...

Thanks Danielle! This one is a rainbow of colors, but the one I decided to do with some other stuff lying around is very different. It hasn't been as easy to do, but fun, never-the-less.

Thanks for stopping by!

Anonymous said...

Saw you had visited my blog so I came by to see what you are up to, nice to see your work online :) P O N O R

Unknown said...

Kim ok, I think you took my fear of messing up the weaving! Thanks so much,
all the comments here make me smile:)
Andrea
(It has been HSC-husband squatting computer day here, therefore I'm late with my comments:) again,
love

Andrea and Kim said...

P O N O R, Thank you fro stopping by. It is nice to have this spot to share.

You have a lovely blog!

I hope you will stop by again, soon.

Andrea and Kim said...

No Problem, Andrea! As you know I have HSC here as well! Actually he is hanging out a lot right now wanting me to finish up here. I still have other work to do, but can't do it while being "checked out" :)

I have lovely readers of this blog...they always bring a smile to my face, too.

Talk Soon!

Elis Cooke said...

Hi Kim
Great project! and you make it sound foolproof lol! namaste Elis.

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Elis, well it is fairly foolproof...gee, if I can do it, you know? I think the thing I like with this project is it is simple. You really don't have to think or even consider much...you can just kind of jump in and do it.

Thanks for commenting here today.

The Artist In Me said...

Hi Kim,
I have tried something like this before. I won't be able to do it any time soon, seeing my fingers are almost bleeding from sewing buttons. However, you make it look so wonderful. As always, good work!

Andrea and Kim said...

Yes, I know artist have done these before. That is so cool you are one of them! Oh my, I know what it is like to have fingers sore from handsewing. I have done a lot of that in my life as well as a lot of needlework which can do the same thing to your fingers. I even tried lotsof different thimbols, but sometimes it is important to have full feeling in your fingers.

I am glad you like the result of this particular one!

Get those fingers better and come back to visit me again.

Paula In Pinetop said...

Gong to try this. Although I am rarely without a creative urge in my studio, this still looks fun and interesting. Thanks !!!

Sure glad I found you. Lots of good stuff here.

Paula In Pinetop said...

Hey Kim ~

I featured you at my blog today and included a link. Hope you don't mind.

Andrea and Kim said...

I know what you mean about not lacking for creativity. I am often like that, too. But you never know. I am glad this inspired you to try it anyway!

And thank you so much for featuring me on your blog today! I am honored, indeed!

Wow!

Jean Levert Hood said...

Kim this sounds fun! I'm going to have a great time playing with this idea!

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Jean, I am glad you like the idea. If you do it, let me know how it turns out.

Thanks for visiting today!

Peace!