MIXED MEDIAREVOLUTIONCreative ideas and teChniques for reusing Your art

By Darlene Olivia McElroy and Sandra Duran Wilson

BONUS ONLINE-ONLY CONTENT

north light booksCincinnati, Ohio

createmixedmedia.com

BONUS ONLINE-ONLY CONTENT

RECYCLE, REUSEC H A P T E R 1

Yummy Leftovers Variation: Dirty Salt It!This technique uses salt leftover from a popular resist technique first published in Surface Treatment Workshop and which we are reprinting here. The RECYCLE, REUSE variation begins with Step 4.

4 Repeat this technique reusing the salt you brushed off in Step 3. If you used a larger-grain salt there should still be some paint still stuck

to it.

5 This time paint your surface a different paint color. When you sprinkle the dirty salt on the wet paint it will transfer some of the

first color onto the new color.

1 Paint the surface with paint diluted with water, about the

consistency of 2 percent milk.2 Sprinkle different sizes of salt

on top of the wet paint. 3 After the paint is dry, use a paper towel to brush off the salt.

TIPS

•Do not wait more than an hour or two to brush off the salt. Otherwise you may have a permanently gritty surface.

•Use table salt, sea salt and rock salt to create a variety of interesting patterns.

• You will get a different look on porous versus slick surfaces.

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Street Sweeping Variation: Rusting AlternativeIn Mixed Media Revolution we explain how to rust items by wrapping them in plastic and spraying with water and vinegar and adding salt if desired. But there are also commercial products to help with the process and you’ll likely get faster results with these products. Here is how they work.

1 Prepare the surface as desired and allow it to dry.

Using a clean paintbrush, paint the surface with the iron part of the two-part compound. Let it dry thoroughly. Clean the paintbrush immediately.

2 With a clean paintbrush, apply the rusting agent. 3 It can take an hour or more

for the change in appearance to show. A second coat may be applied at any time if the effect is not working as well as you want.

TIPS

• If your piece is not rusting, it’s usually because not enough of one of the two compounds was applied. Just add more.

•Do not use the same brush for both parts of the compound, or you will get a rusty brush.

• To eliminate contrasting surface color showing through, paint the surface dark gray or burnt umber.

• You can use this technique on just about any surface. We recommend testing it on a small patch before committing to working on an entire surface.

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COPY, SCANNINGC H A P T E R 2

Gel TransfersThis is a classic and low-tech method for transferring images and it requires minimal materials. In Chapter 2, this technique is referenced in both New From Old and Dreamy.

1 Apply soft gloss gel to the surface you are going to

transfer to.2 Lightly spray the laser or toner

print of your image with water. 3 While both are still wet, place the image face down onto the

surface and rub all over to ensure adequate adhesion. Be careful not to get gel on the back of the image you are transferring. Allow to dry overnight.

4 Mist the back of the transfer-ring image with water. 5 Rub off the paper. A piece of

brown craft paper is especially helpful in removing those last bits of paper

6 You can also apply gentle pressure with your fingers to

remove the paper backing from your transferred image.

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Gel TransfersTIPS• Youmaygetsomesmearingwhenusinganinkjetprinterto

make a gel transfer. If you only have access to an inkjet printer and you absolutely have to try this right now, spray the printout first with a workable fixative. You may have to spray several times for best results.

• Ifyoudon’tapplythegelonperfectly,yourtransfercanbemore random—which isn’t necessarily a bad thing!

• Yourtransfershouldbemoist—notwet.Ifitiswet,youcouldend up with unwanted wrinkles. But, again, those wrinkles could add a bit more visual interest, too.

• Ifyoustillhaveabitofpaperresidueonyourtransfer,useadamp brush with polymer medium to coat the surface. When dry, this will make the residue more transparent.

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CREATE LAYERSC H A P T E R 3

Crazy Easy TransferThis technique is one of our favorites! It’s like making a monoprint—whatever you transfer will be reversed—with almost no cleanup at all and without using a press. It can be done on canvas, panel, paper, Plexiglas or metal, and there is no limit on the size you can work in. The technique is great for creating layers, drawing, stamping, cutting into shapes and lots more. You will find a full photographic step-by-step demonstration of the technique in the book, in Chapter 6: Loosen Up, Tango for Two, Technique Two. But we thought you might find the following tips and tricks useful.

TIPS• Iftheimagehasnottransferredwelloratall,the

most common reasons are that you didn’t apply enough medium to your surface or substrate, you didn’t let the medium dry thoroughly, you didn’t rub it down well enough, or you placed the wrong side of the plastic into the medium (make sure it is paint side down).

•Wesuggestliftingonlyacorneroftheplastictocheck the medium for dryness.

•Whenusingacanvasasyoursurface,usesoftgelasthe medium for better adhesion.

• Ifyouusepaperasyoursurface,usemattemediumso the transfer method doesn’t show.

• Dryingtimewillvarydependingontheabsorbencyof the surface. For example, medium will dry faster on paper than on metal.

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MORPH ITC H A P T E R 4

Making and Using Waterslide DecalsThis technique gives you very crisp transfers onto paper, painting, Plexiglas, glass, metal, wood and almost anything else you can think of. Be sure to purchase the right type of paper for your printer. Then print your desired image onto the paper following manufacturer’s directions.

1 In a tray of warm water, place your printed decal paper face

down. Let the paper rest in the water until the transfer sheet starts to release from its backing.

2 Place the decal paper on a paper towel and blot well—but

be gentle! The decal paper is fragile.

3 Using a paintbrush, apply a thin layer of polymer medium

to your background surface.

4 Holding the bottom edge of the decal paper in place with

a paintbrush, slide the backing paper out from underneath the top/printed layer.

5 Using a clean, damp paint-brush, smooth out any air

pockets by making a cross through the image and working out in a radial pattern. Allow the image to dry thoroughly.

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TIPS• Tosealyourimage:Ifyouwantthetransfertobeopaque,usea

paintbrush to apply polymer medium over the image and allow to dry thoroughly. If you’d prefer transparency and would like to show the surface color and texture beneath the image, apply two or three coats of any oil-based varnish over the transfer using a clean paintbrush. Allow the image to dry between coats. This step may have to be repeated several times to achieve desired transparency. Do not brush over the image at any time with polymer medium.

• Becausethisprocessinvolvesanemulsiontransferandyouareusing polymer medium to bind the image to your surface, there may be a slight edge and plastic feel. Adding a layer of soft gel will make the edge disappear somewhat.

•Notsureifthedecalisreadyfortransfer?Thepaperandthetransfer sheet will start to separate when ready. You can test the paper by lightly sliding the transfer sheet from the paper backing. If it moves, it’s ready. If it doesn’t move, let it soak a little longer.

• Ifyouwishtomakealargerimagethanthesizeofthedecalpaper, you can resize the image with a photo editing program and print it on several sheets. This is known as tiling.

•Whenthetransferhasdriedcompletely,youcansanditforanaged look.

• Donotgetwaterslidedecalpaperwetpriortouse,asdoingso may glue the emulsion to the paper backing, preventing the image from sliding off.

• Ifthewaterslidedecalpaperisold,itmayrequireadditionalsoaking or resting time.

• Noneedtowasteanyofthewaterslidedecalpaper—draworprint images onto scraps.

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LOOSEN UPC H A P T E R 6

Get LooseIsyourpiecetoobusy?Orperhapsyouwouldlovetotrysomegesturalelementinyourotherwisetight painting. Think Rauschenberg; look up some of his work. Add wonderful gestural, expression-istic movements to your painting. If you are not ready for such a drastic combination, try loosening up some of your imagery. Leave out details and work with block shapes. It is amazing how much can be said with so little. Back up to view your art from a distance as it will change drastically with space.

1Create a crackle finish. For this piece I spread white glue down

the left and right sides.2 While the glue was still wet,

I painted over it with a sage green acrylic paint.

3 Allow the glue and paint to dry naturally or help the process

along with a heat gun or other heat source. When the paint dries, it will crackle, giving the piece a softer and older look.

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PLAY WITH COMPOSITIONC H A P T E R 7

Gel TransfersThis demo is essentially the same as the one on page 4, but we felt the art was different enough and compelling enough that we wanted to show you the technique once again. The finished art created here is titled Bold Horizons and you will find it in Chapter 7: Play with Composition: All Mixed Up.

1 Apply soft gloss gel to the surface you are going to transfer to. 2 Lightly spray the laser or toner print of your

image with water.

3 While both are still wet, place the image face down onto the surface and rub all over to ensure

adequate adhesion. Be careful not to get gel on the back of the image you are transferring. Allow to dry overnight.

4 Mist the back of the transferring image with water.

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PLAY WITH COMPOSITION

Gel Transfers

5 You can also apply gentle pressure with your fingers to remove the paper backing from your

transferred image.6 Rub off the paper. A piece of brown craft paper

is especially helpful in removing those last bits of paper.

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TEXTURE WHERE YOU WANT IT

C H A P T E R 9

Stencils Rule Variation: Crazy ShapesYou can try this technique using inexpensive deli, or sandwich wrap papers. You can buy them at restaurant supply stores or some of the big box stores carry them. You may even be able to ask for a few extra from your friendly corner deli when you go in to order your lunch.

1 Mix your paint with gels or pastes and use a palette knife or old credit card to smear the paint

onto the deli papers.

2 For fun don’t completely mix the paint into the gel. When you spread it onto the paper you will

have some areas with paint and some clear. You can get some wonderful gestures this way.

3 When this side is dry, you can flip it over and apply a contrasting color to the back side. The

paper is thin and the color will show through.

4 Let dry. Cut into shapes, circles, squares or whatever your imagination comes up with.

5 Use a polymer medium to glue your shapes. Smooth and press any air bubbles out.

6 Let dry.

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TEXTURE WHERE YOU WANT IT

Stencils Rule Variation: Crazy Shapes

HEAT WAVESandra Duran WilsonThe flowers near the top of this painting were created using the Crazy Shapes technique.

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About Sandra Duran Wilson

Sandra Duran Wilson is influenced by scientific concepts, the dream state and the nature of materials.

She loves to experiment and push the limits of paints, mediums and surfaces. She enjoys the tactile

aspect of paint and what it can do, and she has always been an inventor of new ways to use existing

tools and materials. She loves to paint ideas; to make them visible, beautiful and abstract so that others

mayenterthemandcreatetheirownreality.ShelivesandcreatesinSantaFe,NewMexico,withMark,

her husband and collaborator, and a bevy of feline friends.

Connect with Sandra:

Website:sandraduranwilson.com

Blog:sandraduranwilson.blogspot.com

imagetransferworkshop.blogspot.com

Facebook:SandraDuranWilsonAbstractArtist

YouTube:SandraDuranWilson

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About Darlene Olivia McElroy

DarleneOliviaMcElroycomesfromanoldNewMexicofamilyofstorytellersandartists.Shebeganmakingart

the first time she found a wall and a drawing instrument. Her grandfather, a painter on Catalina Island, was her

mentor and taught her to play and experiment with art. Darlene attended the Art Center College of Design

in Pasadena, California, and has worked as an illustrator both in the United States and in Paris. She went from

creating illustration traditionally to becoming one of the first nationally recognized digital illustrators in the

late1980s.DarlenelivesandworksinSantaFe,NewMexico,whereshepaints,teaches,writesandenjoysa

delightfully chaotic life with her husband, Dave, and their four dogs, Bernie, Bella, Taco and Zola.

Connect with Darlene:

Website:darleneoliviamcelroy.com

Blog:darleneoliviamcelroy.blogspot.com

imagetransferworkshop.blogspot.com

Facebook:DarleneMcElroy

Pinterest:DarleneMcElroy

Twitter:@Santa_Fe_artist

YouTube:darleneoliviamcelroy

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Resources

art & hobbY stores Acrylic paints, gels and gesso Golden digital ground or Inkaid Gampi paper Spray paint Stamps and stencils Tissue paper Water soluble crayons

Canvas reproduCtions Fineartamerica.com

fabriC stores Fusible web

pharmaCY or groCerY store Petroleum Jelly Aluminum foil

magnets, mousepads, Cards Zazzle.com Society6.com Cafepress.com

hardware store Plastic tarps Epoxy

plexiglas & metal reproduCtions Acrylicpix.com Bayphoto.com

offiCe supplY store Transparency film

waterslide deCals Lazertran.com

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The Books

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