Does Art Have to Say Anything?

When you see any kind of art work done by children, what do you see? They may be trying to replicate something (mom, dad, house, sibling), but the way they do it is pure self expression. If they want the sun to be blue, then it is done in blue. If they want a house to be rainbow colored, then they happily make it that way. What we can learn from this is that there is no wrong way to express yourself and that is what I love about art. If you can't get enough of the color purple, then you simply use it. If you like stitching daisies, or painting yellow daisies, then go for it. If you are looking to evoke some kind of emotion, that's fine too, create it.

What I want to do is simply to express my inspiration the way I see and feel it and there is no wrong way to do that. The only problem is, if I don't do it at all. It is unacceptable not to do the work. Every single one of us is given at least one important and individual talent. For some it is athletics, others an analytical mind, and then there are the creatives that encapsulate everything from writers and actors, to oil painters and weavers. There is a wonderful connection that occurs within us when we work at our craft and it is the right one for us. You can't force that connection, if you try, it simply fails miserably. If it flows and feels comfortable, inspiration will find you, you won't have to hunt for it. That's not to say that you don't have to do any work. You have to be an explorer too. You have to have curiosity and be observant. I have found inspiration in the craziest of places, one of them being a color and pattern combination I saw on a TV commercial! Yes, it happened! I love the texture of tree bark, the different colors of sand in deserts and on beaches, and the patterns of cracked cement. And if you would ask 1,000 different creatives about what inspires them, you would probably get a million different responses. There are no hard and fast rules about self expression. Be open to YOUR truth and it will find you in many different ways at many different times. It is always there, pushing you on to the next thing and letting you evolve as you should.

And look, some people like to color inside the lines and some people don't. You don't have to emulate anything you are not comfortable with, so don't even try. I love the work of artists that do both, but I know which category I enjoy being in, so that is how I work. I know that when I try to do a style or technique that I'm not crazy about working on but it looks cool, it is never going to come out right. I always think back to when I was in school and my mother told me I should take shorthand for a future job skill. I thought it looked neat and was a great  concept, but I knew it wasn't for me and I would be no good at it. So I focused on typing which I enjoyed and was good at. Years later I broke down and took a speed writing course which is supposed to be easier than regular shorthand, and guess what, I totally sucked at it. Even though my mind was there and I was doing the work, my heart wasn't. I always look back at that as a great source of experience in trusting what feels right. We all have this knowledge because we were created to succeed and these are our tools.

So the take away on this is to follow your heart when it comes to what inspires you and feels right. That is your compass, and if you follow it, the path will never fail you.

And the Winners Are.......

There was a lot of wet fabric, Gelatos, Derwent Inktense pencils, and running the heat gun and iron going on at my house this week and the results were interesting, if not exactly what I expected. Now, I can't emphasize this enough, but you absolutely have to wash the sizing out of Aida (or stuff out of any other fabric you are using), because it definitely affects the colorfastness. Also, you have to heat set with an iron. I tried it with a heat gun and the results were poor, but if you iron it in, the color stays on.


From upper left, the Gelatos Iridescent; to the
right is the metallic Gelato and the bottom is
the Derwent Inktense Pencil. The dark spots look
funny in the photo but they actually are just where
the green is a little bit darker because of the wrinkles
in the fabric when I applied the color pencil. It
actually is very pretty and not stained looking. :o)

First off, let's talk about the Gelatos. They are a definite winner in the color fastness test. I did an iridescent and a metallic Gelato first and they both heat set beautifully without any bleeding of the color. The iridescence was still beautiful after the heat and the sheen was still on the metallic afterward as well. I soaked them down well with water after drying and got wonderful results.
Next up are the Derwent Inktense Watercolor Pencils. These did very well too, the same as the Gelatos, no bleeding after being heat set with an iron.

What I was keeping my fingers crossed for was the Twinkling H2O's. I was pretty disappointed. I tried everything. Heat gun, iron, and even used Liquitex Fabric Medium, and it bleeds like crazy when rewet no matter what. Not only that, but the beautiful sparkle mostly disappeared with the heat setting. I'm still going to play with these a bit more in hopes of finding a solution to the bleeding, but for now I can't recommend them for any permanence or performance on fabric. Ugh! I had such high hopes too!

The Gelatos maintained a pretty soft hand, although the Derwent Inktense pencil sample had a somewhat stiffer hand. It wasn't anything that couldn't be worked with, just know that there is a difference in the two hands and that may or may not be important to you. In the past, I actually had to scrap a whole project because the paint made the fabric so hard it would break my needles. Truly! And it was made for fabric! So I know that the softness of the paint's hand is important.

So here is something to note as well. I used the Tattered Angels on top of the Derwent Inktense pencils and it seemed to counteract the colorfastness. This is after heat setting both. The blue faded from the color loss and I had both ingredients running off all over the place. If you want to combine different media, be absolutely sure to test it on a piece of scrap to see how they work together first. Maybe some are meant to be used solely alone and you need to know that for yourself before you proceed.

I heat set my samples by placing them between two sheets of parchment paper and then pressing with a medium to high heat. I would flip them over several times, heating the front and back. I believe the pencils may take a little bit longer to heat set but I'm sure that will vary with different irons and heat settings. You will have to experiment with yours to see what works best. Next week I am going to play with the Jacquard Lumiere's and Shiva Paintsticks to figure out their colorfastness, so be sure to stay tuned.

MORE SILK FIBERS


Beautiful, beautiful silk fibers that come in a huge variety of colors
and shades. Wonderful to work with too!

Some of the Access Commodities Soie d'Alger I own. I noticed
a few of the Kreinik silks snuck in there as well! LOL!

Au Ver a Soie d'Alger from Access Commodities is a 7 ply stranded spun silk that is easily divided. What is so very special about this particular product is that it comes in 623 colors in 107 shade families. If they don't have the color, you don't need it! I mean really, could your color choices be more than that? Yes, because they introduce new colors from time to time. They also retire colors too, so if you find a particular color you adore, get it when you can and how much you can because you never know when it might go away and something else take its place. Also, order in the same dye lot just in case too. It comes in 5 meter pull-skeins, 45 meter hanks, 100 gram hanks and 200 gram cones (about 780 meters). This stuff has been made in France by the same company since the late 1800's.

This is truly an absolutely gorgeous silk that is soft, smooth, and lustrous. For special projects this is a go to for me, where I need to invest time in more delicate stitching and with a little bit pricier product. I know I would absolutely have no problem finding the correct color I need in this selection. Now once again be aware that it is recommended by the company that it be dry cleaned, so make sure any other fibers you use can be dry cleaned as well.

Here is a link to Access Commodities:
 http://www.accesscommodities.com/

Next time we will talk about my all time favorite silk fiber.

Until then here is your thought nugget:

"If you are willing to do something that might not work, you're closer to being an artist."
~Seth Godin

Working with Pencils and Gelatos

So here is the breakdown of working with the pencils and the Gelatos for coloring your working fabric. THEY ARE FABULOUS! If you want to create a dyed look only with more control, then this is the option for you too. First the Derwent Inktense pencils. The tools will be the same for both products.

Water Cup

Spray Bottle

Heat Gun

 Be sure to have a small sample piece of material to work on first so you can experiment before tackling your actual project.

Practice with the pencil for the way you want the outcome.

Blend into the fabric with a brush. I use Martha
Stewart Craft Brushes which are sturdy for fabric work.

Add additional colors the same way and blend.

A little more interest with splatter from Twinkling H2Os.

 Of course everyone will customize doing this the way that is best for them, but this is how I do it:
1. Saturate the fabric with water (can soak it with the spray bottle)
2. Using the side of the pencil, just run it over the fabric where you want color. Blend it in with a wet paintbrush. Do the same with other colors you want to add.
3. Heat set with a heat gun in between applications to get an idea what it looks like dry. Rewet with spray bottle to add color or change design. Keep a white and black or dark grey pencil handy to add highlights or shade. Continue the process until you are happy with the appearance.
4. To get the spatter I tapped a fan brush on my finger that I used Twinkling H2O's on.

Gelatos
For the Gelatos I essentially did the same thing and used the translucents right out of the tube. The Gelato colors do not move around as readily so where you put them is basically where they will stay. However, what I did was put some on my finger too and rubbed it on the fabric to add color. You could use a brush too.

I wanted to make a pastel version to show what those colors would look like, and I think they came out awesome!



I first spread the Gelato on the silicone sheet,
wet it down, and then used a brush to apply it
to the fabric.

The translucents are really translucent. I knew
I would have to layer more to produce the color
I wanted.

Just added it to fabric straight from the stick.
Fun, Fun, Fun!

I wanted to also add this beautiful Translucent
minty green color. Again, straight from the tube.

After blending in with a brush the results were perfect!

The pencils on the left and the Gelatos on the right.
Both were easy to work with and gave great results.
Though similar but different, the effects vary with
each medium. I loved working with both and will
definitely use them in my work!

Now I am going to heat set them with an iron and see how colorfast they are which is going to be the final step. I mean, who wants to stitch something up only to realize they can't wash it if it is soiled because the colors will be all over the place. Before it is heat set, it would be nice if you could wash the color out if you are just not happy with the results and start over. Kind of like gessoing over paint to start over on a canvas. That's a money saver as well as a time saver. You don't have to mix colors either, if you need a blue background just use a blue pencil. It's exciting to know that you are working on your own Mona Lisa or Picasso and are making the decisions for your creations beautiful outcome.

One thing to add and I didn't even think about this at the time I was working on it, is that the samples I used had sizing in the fabric. When I was brushing on the fabric, the sizing was liquefying and had to affect the outcome to some extent. How much I can't say for sure, but it may have made it lighter and could alter the color fastness as well.

Before I wrap this up I also wanted to share a find I recently made. I have been looking at these beads on Amazon for a while and recently broke down and ordered them. They were very inexpensive and consist of interlocking metal rings. They are so petite I can't believe how small the rings are and how many there must be! I saw a lot of potential for them in a design. Here is an example of a flower and then just added embellishments they could be used for. On a cross stitched flower they would be stunning, because honestly they look like they are made from small rhinestones when the light hits them. So you never know where you will find your next mixed media treasure, and that makes doing this work even more exciting. Always keep your eyes and mind open to the possibilities!

My wonderful bead find that can be stitched in
a variety of configurations.

You can see how diminutive they are here.
Doesn't show, unfortunately, how the light reflects
off them, very unique.

 Until later this week, KEEP CREATING! :o)

More Stencil Info

So I played with the stencils and masks that I made and the results were interesting if not exactly what I was looking for. I tried watercolors and a foam pouncer on paper first. The results were a light coloring but it was difficult to achieve because the glue was thick and I had to pounce a lot to get it done. I then tried Jacquard Lumiere diluted with water and then straight from the jar. The thicker paint when diluted was too runny and ran the design together, when used straight from the jar, the pouncer wasn't effective so I tried a brush, and that wasn't working very well either. I have a feeling that my glue gun is too big for the detail work I need, especially since the results were not very good on the wooden blocks for stamping either. So I am tabling this method of stencil/stamp making for now.

Another option for the stencil making is a heat tool I have had tucked away somewhere in my cabinets. I think stencil making was the reason I bought it in the first place, and I'll pull that out sometime in the future when I get caught up.

I have been playing with some additional Inktense pencils I got for Mother's Day and I came up with another sample for a project. Here is a picture of it along with one of the beads I plan on incorporating into the design. I love the final version and it was so much fun working with the pencils.

 

 

  

I have been working on a design for this and similar beads for a while now and having the right media for a background is a huge step forward to get it done. Yeah!

MORE FIBERS
So let's talk fibers! Let's talk silk fibers! Anytime is a great time to use silk. If you got 'em, use 'em. One of them I have used is Kreinik Silk Mori Milk Paint. These are amazing colors that are hard to describe. I would liken them to vivid pastels, soft and pretty. A different color scheme in beautiful silk. They lay down like butter, soft and smooth, a joy to stitch.

There is one thing to be aware of, these fibers have to be dry cleaned and not washed, even by hand. I believe they come in 72 colors, so a very nice array to choose from. They can be found at many online needlework shops.

So that's it for this week. I leave you with yet another thought nugget:

“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost.”

~Martha Graham 

Happy Mother's Day!

I so hope all of my lovely ladies out there were able to celebrate Mothers' Day in a way that is special to them. The weather was wonderful here so there was opportunity for families to enjoy the outdoors.

So I have been playing with the glue sticks and I have to tell you it has been quite fun. Now I have a silicon craft sheet that I purchased to use with Bo-Nash a while back. To explain if you aren't familiar, Bo-Nash is a fusing powder for fabric. I specifically wanted to use it with my Angelina, but that is for a future blog entry. What I discovered was that I could also use parchment paper for a surface that the glue would not stick to, so you don't have to have a silicon surface. Actually, I think using the parchment may be better because it is disposable, cheap, you can cover more surface with it, and it is translucent so you can sort of see through it if you are following a pattern underneath. I think it saves wear and tear on your silicon sheet which I prefer to save for other things I want an easy clean up with. (Parchment paper can also be easily purchased in the grocery aisle where they have aluminum foil and sandwich bags.)

It was difficult at first and I had no idea that glue sticks went so quickly! Ugh! I mean, I'm glad I got a large pack of 40 but I don't think it will take me long to go through them. It was hard to get a consistent thickness in the lines too, but I have an ancient glue gun so that could be part of it. Maybe the newer models have solved that problem. The main lesson is that you have to have thick lines in order to get it off the surface without it tearing or sticking to itself. With practice of course, it gets better, but you have to have a pretty good supply of glue sticks. I also tried to use the wooden blocks with the glue to make stamps and I'm still working on that. I did learn that once on the wood, the glue is permanent, so get a couple of blocks and use one to practice on first.


My trial runs. Not great, but not too bad either for a beginner.

The potential for this is limitless as far as designs. I am very excited about this potential tool and its applications. Stencils and art masks are just a couple of things. Something I plan to experiment with is just have a surface of glue and then cutting into it to make the stencil. I'm looking forward to that! See what I mean? The possibilities just keep coming.

Now I will reveal that the reason that this has captured my attention is that I am anxious to use stencils and masks on my Gelli Plate and then transfer them to my fabric. I am interested in this because I believe for some works of mine I am planning in the future, this will lend the perfect element as a backdrop. The fact that this can be used on fabric for cross stitch, embroidery and quilting, makes it perfect for any application with needle and thread.

I am going to experiment with what I have made on paper to see how they work. I will have an update later this week. I'm also going to have a completed stamp block to share with you too.

Until then, Keep Creating!

Fiber Fun #4 and .......?

Before I get to our fiber this week I want to share another artist's work with counted cross stitch and fine art. Sharon Mossbeck is an artist that wants to see the future of counted cross stitch as more than just a hobby craft, she wants to see it grow as a fine art too. The fact that this art has been widely done, both past and present, by women in the home, should not preclude it to be something less than what it truly is, important work by artists. The same difference that separates a hobbyist using a paint by number kit and an artist that paints fine art, is the same difference between the home hobbyist with a cross stitch kit or pattern and one that is stitching their own original work. The fact that there is such a tactile and dimensional possibility with needlework, to me, lends an important aspect of this art not available to other mediums. I know I am repeating myself from past blogs, but I feel the need to keep stressing this point to validate the need for needlework's recognition as something more. Sharon has coined the phrase "Contemporary Art Cross-stitch" to delineate it from a hobby craft. This is something important to note, because I think in order for this to be categorized as "fine art", we need to be able to qualify it as such with a specific category. My hope is that we can find a way to unify the various artists that practice this art under a single title that provides those interested in looking for it with a solid way of finding it and showcasing it. I would think it absolutely wonderful to hear from my readers on what they think about this idea, and more importantly, what their ideas are to get this ball rolling. I know this is the right time to do this with so many interested in pushing the envelope of needlework into the realm of fine art from all around the world, it just takes a united front to make it a reality. We need to be heard by museums and galleries and there is no better way than to collaborate and support each other.

So I was going to try my hand at the hot glue stencil thing and drug out my new old stock hot glue gun from twenty some odd years ago, but soon realized I had lost track of the hot glue sticks purchased with it. Those are currently on order along with some Luffy Balls for my Betta fish pet, Archie. He's kind of the Pear Blossom mascot too. I have trained him to go from one end of his tank to the other to eat his food, so these are very intelligent fish, as well as being beautiful to look at. He is always happy to see me and loves to interact with me. He actually thinks everything on the table near his tank is his and gets very feisty when I move something or take it away. Once it is back or left alone, he just goes about his business. Since my asthma doesn't permit me to have furry animals of any kind, the Betta is a wonderful substitute and a lot less costly. LOL! So when I get my sticks I will play with the hot glue gun stencil idea and report back on my results. Last week I also got some small wooden blocks to try out the hot glue stamp thing too and picked up an all purpose fan brush for the Tattered Angels. We'll see if using this brush makes any difference. Keep your fingers crossed that the glue gun will work after I've ordered the sticks for it! LOL!

I actually went to the hobby store to buy cheap Aida cloth for my samples and was very disappointed about the lack of inventory of it there. This isn't the first time I have run into this problem. I may have to start doing online ordering of this too eventually, which is a shame because sometimes you just need to pick it up quickly. I know that the hand dyed specialty cross stitch fabrics are extremely popular and maybe that has caused sales of the regular Aida to decline and stock to not be replenished as quickly or with as much quantity. Who knows? Anyone out there with thoughts on this issue as well? Is it particular to this part of the States or the world? Let me know.

So now let's talk fibers! This week I want to talk to you about one that I enjoy working with because it has spectacular results. I mean, it is awesome in the sparkle department. I am talking about the awesomeness of GlissenGloss Rainbow Blending Filament. This packs so much impact on such a small fiber and has so much going for it. It is not expensive and you get a lot of bang for your buck. It comes in a gorgeous array of colors, you can blend them with each other and then put them in your needle with any other fiber when you want to give it that flash. Pure glamor and beauty. It is what I am currently working with on Ladybug Lake. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination!

Again, like any other specialty thread, this requires a bit more work to use, but hey, when it's worth the effort, who cares right!? I don't mind a bit when it is doing its job.

What is so much fun about this fiber is that by increasing or decreasing the strands or by stitching them together or apart, you get extremely different results, which you can see in the above sampler. I highly recommend this fiber if you want to give it a try and have some fun obtaining different results with the same filament. Again this can be purchased just about everywhere on line where floss is sold. The cost varies with shops.

Eye surgeon appointment update: I had to postpone my appointment until next month. UGH! I actually took a fall after I passed out from what my husband and I believe to be low blood pressure. That happened in the early morning last Monday and so I was not up to putting a blog entry out last week. Sorry about that. It wasn't for a lack of wanting to though! LOL! I go this afternoon to get checked out which will do more to calm my family's nerves than mine. :o) Unfortunately, when I fell, I fell on top of my good glasses that I was wearing at the time, and so they are busted up again and I am back to wearing my not very good eyeglasses. I'm just glad it was my eyeglasses and not my eyes.

Until next week here is your thought nugget:

"I am seeking. I am striving. I am in it with all my heart."

• ~Vincent van Gogh

April, A New Month and More Fun Stuff!

Wonderful, wonderful stuff this week! I actually got in the Derwent Inktense Color Pencils and the new Faber Castell Translucent Gelatos and it has been FUN!



Derwent Inktense Color Pencils ready to go!



The latest and greatest Faber Castell Translucent Gelatos ready to go too!



Preview of the new Translucent Gelato colors.

I'm not done playing with the Gelatos so information on them will be forthcoming. However, the Inktense were a blast to play with! What I do is soak my little sample piece of cloth with water and then put the pencil to it. From there I just added different colors to it, drying it with a heat gun in between applications. In the end I realized that I like the colors to be more intense and then added a bit of Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam to it to add a little something-something. Since these are permanent, all is needed is to heat set after getting the desired look. I love this technique! It has more control than dyes and is far less complicated.



On the left is the sample done with the Faber Castell Watercolor
Pencils, the center (my favorite) was done with the Derwent Inktense
 Watercolor pencils and the one on the right was done with the Tattered Angels kit.

I also ordered a 4 oz. bottle of Liquitex fabric medium to experiment with some of the media I have that doesn't specifically work with fabric. More on that in the future when I have a chance to work with it.

Another book? Oh yes! I snagged this little gem of a book for super cheap. It's "The New Anchor Book of Counted Thread Embroidery Stitches", which certainly isn't "New" but a blast from the past and chocked full of stitches in a little approx. 6"x6" format. Good things really do come in small packages!

So this week will talk more fibers and other cool stuff. Until then remember to Keep Creating!