Thursday 10 March 2011

52 Pages wk 10

Cozy.

I thought back to some knitted blankets my Grandmother made, they were all hand knitted squares joined together. I would drape them over the back of the sofa and over a chair to make a tent/den for me and the dog.

So I created rough squares with water colour pencils and crayons, and washed them lightly. I didn't want them to look perfect, as the blankets never did lol.



I then rolled some white acrylic over using a textured brayer, to give it a knitted look. I did exactly the same on the back.



I printed off a photo of a brindle and white boxer dog, as that is what we had. Disclaimer, the photo is one I found online, as i don't have any of my old dog, but she looked exactly like this one.

I printed onto heavy weight white paper and cut the dog out, then painted 2 coats of gesso onto the page in the rough shape of the dog photo.

I left that to dry and then added a thick but even coat of matte medium to the gessoed shape.



i flipped the dog photo over, so the image faces down, and pressed it down into the matte medium. I pressed it down firmly, like really firmly, you want this thing to be well stuck. I brayered over it A LOT, some matte medium will splort out, that's ok. Mop it up and keep brayering. make sure this thing is flat and STUCK. Then leave it alone.....well i didn't i dried it with heat gun. but i happen to have done this a gazillion times. If you haven't or you are unsure, then just leave it to dry on its own.

When fully dry paint clean water over the paper, score it VERY lightly with your fingernail to let the water seep inside.You will know when it has soaked thru as it will get darker, then GENTLY rub with your fingers till the photo starts to show, maybe add a little more water and keep rubbing gently till all the white paper is gone and you are just left with the image.



I chose this technique this week, because AMY, has been banging on about transfers for weeks, so I thought I would do one, and also to show her she is not the only copycat lol

(Love ya catwoman, envelope has been posted to you)


Finally I stamped my text and added it, with obligatory scribbling and white stuff to edge it.


and a dog themed sticker.




My text for the back was printed out onto photo paper, which had previously ( possibly 2 or more years ago) been coloured with alcohol inks.

Ink takes ages to dry on photo paper, so being impatient,( what really, again!) I dried it with a heat gun.

Now every time, EVERY TIME, I use a heat gun on photo paper, I forget that it will bubble up, EVERY flipping time.


and every time, I say ...'oh shit...oh , hmm I quite like that' then I laugh, cos I realize I have done this and said this to myself many,many times




So as I always do, I kept it and used it, cos a little bubbling never hurt anybody.

Glued it on and scribbled around it.




Every week when my page is done, I display it in this lovely wooden stand, sent to me by Julia at the Stamping Ground. The previous pages are stored just behind, though I fear as the pile grows they will start falling off. They sit on top of my promarker and stamp storage, and they are watched over by Flori and Viktor.
You can see more about Flori and Viktor in these old posts.

11 comments:

  1. Such an interesting post, Darcy! Loved seeing your process with the 'faded' blanket (my Gran had one too!) and the transfer. Am totally intrigued by Flori and Viktor! Are you going to introduce us to them some more?

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  2. 1. Yeah! A transfer!
    2. Omigod, I ~still~ totally make blanket forts. I am not foolin. Sometimes stuff just gets so bad that I make a blanket fort and bring a book in there (what book, you ask? a book that requires nothing of me. no thought) and cheetos or something that I really like. Sometimes instead of a fort I get our television out of the closet (we don't really watch t.v.) and set up the dvd thing and watch a movie in my fort.
    I am so not kidding.
    Maybe I'll build a fort and bring my laptop in there and skype you.
    Xx,
    Amy
    And. I love that page.
    And. I make stuff bubble up too.
    And. I say, oh shit, oh shit.
    That's why I like you.
    Well, and other reasons too.

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  3. Amy does Not say shit she says fuck, and she says the C word too, but I love her and her foul mouth

    and I think this is a wonderful cozy definition and image,

    i will be late with my page today as I am at work all day and I do not want to rushit and ruinit, especially as i now know ink will tkae 2 years to dry when applied to photopaper...

    No I am not doing a lazertran....

    and yes I suffer from hurryupbubblitis too

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  4. I have access to a daily raised tent, but that happens to most men in the morning...

    sorry couldn't resist

    that is getting busy not getting cozy...

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  5. You need a bigger stand! I will sleep with Mr D and see if he will oblige - really, no trouble! I love the transferupmanship stuff...great samples and human instructions!

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  6. k dudes I know Darcy has her 52 pages link on her page but how about i do us a 52 pages button?

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  7. it would link to Darcy's 52 pages history, send me your thoughts (in written form my psychic radar is down today)...

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  8. done - code is in your mail box and Amy's and just mail to anyone else you want to - or you can add the code display under the button on your blog...if you need the extra code to display the code let me know -

    Dx

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  9. Beats me why I feel I ought to link my page up here, but I just felt the urge.
    I see that button code, but I feel suspicious as I think I will add it to my blog and then take it off even though I Love 52 pages more than any other thing I'm making lately. Why would I take the button off? I never leave them on. ionno why. just don't.
    I'm flakey.
    Here is my page.
    http://butterscape.blogspot.com/2011/03/locust-shells-and-darcys-magical.html
    But that's dumb to post it because I am sure you saw it.
    What else? The morning tent bothers me too. I think they should get that under control because all I can think of in the morning is how bad I have to pee.
    I DO think it's very funny that Julia is considering using morning wood for a stand in light of her recent elephant penis. I like julia. I knew she had a dirty side.
    Xx,
    Amy

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  10. Your transfer worked really well. I think I'm too impatient when I do mine. I want results NOW and end up rubbing the picture off as well. I need to learn patience. Great idea and a great prompt.

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