AGNES THE RED ART and CRAFT TUTORIALS

I came across this technique demonstrated by artist Carol Kemp in an art magazine and had to have a go. Its block print effect has an intriguing quality and the outcome is oh so slightly uncontrollable and unknown - areas that you do not cover completely with paint will become inked, and you don't always know you've missed a bit until it's too late! but then again these can always turn out to be happy accidents which gives this technique that special hand printed look.

Various colouring media can be used after the initial ink work but I have found watercolour a nice one to start off with - being a semi trans colour, the ink marks show through and do not get covered which they would do if a more opaque medium was used.

For the following demonstration I have used the technique to create ATC sized work of simple designs as I feel it is a nice size to begin with and as gouache can be quite expensive, you don't need so much of it...but I'm not saying you can't do artwork on a larger scale - once you get the hang of this process and you're inspired to the hilt with it's prospects....well the world's your oyster! I've also drawn out my design straight onto the wcolour paper but Carol first puts her image onto drafting vellum, then transfers the image to the paper - if you're not too confident in the direct freehand approach, you can trace off photos or copyright images and then transfer these to the paper.

Materials required

Watercolour paper - 300lb pre stretched/cold pressed is best as it can withstand a fair amount of wetting and scrubbing, and holds the ink well after washing. Gouache - preferably white as this is a neutral colour and will not interfere with the final colours. Soft drawing pencil, Black Waterproof India Ink - note it MUST be waterproof or else it will ALL wash away with the gouache and so defeating the whole object of the technique. A dedicated flat brush for applying the ink, selection of watercolour paints and paintbrushes, cocktail stick, sponge or old medium bristled brush for washing off the gouache, plenty of kitchen towel for blotting off excess water, craft heat gun - if you wish to speed dry. Watercolour varnish (optional).

           1. Sketch out your design onto the watercolour paper using a                         2. Using watercolour paints, fill in a soft wash of colour in the

                   soft lead pencil so that errors can be erased easily.                                areas you wish to resist the ink - No details yet as this is purely

                                                                                                                          a guide so you can see where the gouache is being applied.

           3. When the wash is totally dry, start applying the gouache all                       4. This is the finished gouached 'fish' that you can partially see in

           in the areas you wish to resist the ink, making sure you leave                         the previous photos - showing the lines and areas left unmasked

           the detail lines unmasked. Apply quite liberally to protect the                         so that they will pick up the ink.

           paper from the ink and create fine sharp lines. Dry brush thinner

           areas to allow ink to seep and create a more sponged effect.

It is important to now allow this step to completely dry before proceeding further. You need the gouache to be bone dry or it will not create an effective mask. It is perfectly fine to speed this drying process up by the use of a craft heat gun - just don't burn the paint!

It is also a good idea at this point to cut out your pictures if you've done a number of them on one sheet of wcolour paper - just roughly to the desired size as you can trim precisely to size once the whole picture is finished.

          5. The scary bit! - Cover the entire picture with the waterproof                       6. The completely covered piece - set aside to dry before the

        ink, but go easy! Go over the area just once; scrubbing or repeated                    next step (you can speed up drying process by using a heat gun

         applications will soften the gouache and render the resist useless.                                       gently, in a well ventilated area).

It's best to use the widest flat bristle brush possible when applying the ink - and apply it liberally so that it covers the picture quickly with minimal areas missed. Do not use one of your expensive best brushes though - and dedicate this brush for this ink only!

6. The next scary bit....and the moment of truth! Wash off the ink under warm running water. Use a soft sponge or brush to gently wipe off stubborn areas but do not scrub too hard or you'll end up removing too much of the ink, and even some of the paper. The ink will leave a fine residue on the whole image and you want this effect - so don't be too enthusiastic with the washing! I placed a bowl under the running tap so that the ink and paint didn't go directly down the sink plughole - if you're doing this technique in large numbers, the excess paint could stick and build up inside the plumbing and cause a blockage.

           7. Gently blot dry with paper towel then set aside to dry out                             8. The inked piece showing areas where it was resisted by

          (or blast with a heat gun) - if it's warped, place between some                                    the gouache (that has now been washed off). 

                          heavy books overnight to flatten out.                                                                   It's now ready to colour in!

 9. The completed pictures, coloured in with watercolour paints. Both pieces have been varnished with specialist artists watercolour varnish which not only enhances the colour, but protects from fading and is ultra clear with no yellowing (like diy furniture/wood varnish).

 HINTS AND TIPS

While the gouache is still wet, you can redefine areas, create more fine detail lines or correct mistakenly gouached parts by scapping away with something like a cocktail stick.

Blasting the gouache with a craft heat gun is a good way to speed up the drying process but care must be taken not to overheat or burn the paint - however overheating to a certain extent can cause the gouache to crack in areas and this can prove quite interesting - once inked, you can get a nice old crackled paint look, even a raku fired effect. See the leaves and petals on the flowers above.

If you're not confident in working the gouache around the pencil lines, you can first redefine them with black permanent fine tip pen, such as a Sharpie. You will be able to see the edges more clearly however the final inked image will not look so 'hand printed' and the edges/lines will be much sharper. It is however a useful way to get used to this technique.  It also pays to use a very fine tiped brush for applying the gouache, so you can get into all the small, detailed areas.

 This is a very easy and fun technique demonstrated by Bernie Berlin in her book 'ATC Workshop' with little required in the way of tools and materials. It uses a metal polish and cleaning product (the solution is impregnated into a fibrous material) which, when rubbed over the page of a glossy magazine page image removes and dissolves away the toner. By having some sort of resist on the page, elements of the picture can be protected and saved...and this technique uses glue.

TOOLS REQUIRED -  The metal polish product that Bernie uses in her book, is an American one called 'Nevr-Dull'. A UK version, and the one I use, is called 'Brasso' (aka Duraglit) - it is purchased in a tin and comprises of a big rolled up wodge of fibrous material that has been soaked/impregnated with the polish solution. You can also buy the liquid version but this is too wet to use in this technique. You only need a tiny piece of the cleaner, just pull a bit off the roll. Glossy magazine page image - it is the toner in the print of the glossies that dissolves and and has the best effect with this technique. White PVA craft glue that dries clear to use as the resist. Gloves (plastic/latex etc) optional to prevent fingers getting dirty or skin irritations from the Brasso.

NOTE: The metal polish 'Brasso' smells quite strongly, so it is best to work in a well ventilated area.

        1. 'Brasso' only a small piece is required.                  2. Select your glossy magazine image and                3. Take a piece of 'Brasso' and start wiping

                                                                                apply glue in a random pattern, dots etc.                away the print, do not rub too hard or you'll

                                                                                 Leave to dry COMPLETELY and go clear.              eventually soften the glue. The print will dissolve.

    4. The completed picture with all the print wiped away by the 'Brasso' except for where the glue has acted as a resist and protected the colour and image.

This can now be used for collage, adhered to an ATC, further embellishment / decorations added etc and the plain areas can be coloured in with water-soluble oil pastels.

EP RESIST USING GLOSSY MAGAZINE IMAGES

I rather enjoy using the above 'Glue resist' technique....but am also rather impatient when it comes to waiting for the glue to dry....and you do have to wait until it's completely dry or the 'Brasso' will wipe it away and the resist is rendered useless. So, I began to wonder if there were other substitutes for the glue. After using clear embossing powders for another of Bernie Berlins resist techniques (see below) I realised that this would work, and would also allow me to incorporate stamped images. After a few experiments the technique has proved very successful.

TOOLS REQUIRED - Glossy magazine images, as with the above, these work best because it is the toner in the print that reacts and dissolves away with the 'Brasso'. Rubber stamp images - you will have to experiment to see which provides the best effect. Clear embossing/pigment ink - it must be clear in order for the magazine image to show through. Clear Embossing Powder - again, must be clear so that the print shows through. Craft Heat Gun to melt and set the powder. Metal polish - 'Brasso' or alternative (must be the impregnated fibre product, NOT the liquid form). Latex goves (optional) to protect hands.

NOTE: The metal polish product smells quite strongly so it's advisable to carry out this part of the technique using it in a well ventilated environment - just remember not to open the windows until AFTER you've finished embossing or you'll have powder flying everywhere.

WHAT ARE THE BEST STAMPS TO USE ? - it really all depends on what you have available. Choose one that has a good balance of areas that will retain the magazine image underneath to areas that will be wiped clean. Faces are pretty good designs to use. I also prefer to use unmounted and clear stamps, so that I can see exactly where I'm placing the stamp over the magazine page - that way you'll have more control overs precise selection of print you which to emboss and resist.

WHAT ARE THE BEST MAGAZINE IMAGES TO USE ? - Firstly the pages must be glossy print, but as to design, that all depends on the effect you want to achieve, and the stamp image your using. Try to use colourful images - flowers are very good subjects and you'll find lots of useful images of them in seed and flower/plant catalogues.

         1. Gather together your tools and magazine               2. Ink up stamp with Clear Pigment Ink                  3. Sprinkle CLEAR embossing powder over

                              pages/images.                                 and stamp image onto the magazine page.                                the inked area.

              4. Gently tip off the excess powder                     5. Then use the craft heat gun to melt                           6. The clear embossed image.

             into a tray and back into the container.                      and set the embossing powder.  

              7. Take a piece of 'Brasso' and start                    8. Wipe off any residue with a soft cloth.                       9. The finished treated image.

            wiping off the uninked areas of mag print.

10. The completed image ready to be used in art/craft pieces, plus two other examples - the far right one being a stamp image of a piece of lace which, when stamped onto a magazine print of flowers, gives a very pretty effect.

EP RESIST USING ACRYLIC PAINTS AND AN IRON

Demonstrated by Bernie Berlin in her book 'ATC Workshop', this is a technique I really enjoy doing and have had very satisfactory results. Similar to using masking flluid on a watercolour painting, but often has a more aged and distressed look.

TOOLS REQUIRED - Card or other surface to paint on (ATC, canvas etc) that should be able to withstand the heat of an iron. Acrylics paints (minimum two different colours) and paint brushes. Rubber or foam stamp. Clear embossing pigment ink pad. Clear embossing powder. Craft heat gun. Clean scrap paper. Iron. Heat resistant work surface.

    1. Paint your card in the colour you wish to show        2. Add further colours is required. Allow to dry.         3. Ink up stamp with clear embossing ink, and stamp

         through the resist (ie the base colour).                                                                                                           over the painted card.

   4. Cover whole card with clear embossing powder.                    5. Tap off the excess.                             6. Using a craft heat gun, heat the powder to melt

                                                                                                                                                                           emboss it onto the card.

                              7. Once cool and set, dry brush a contrasting acrylic                     8. Completely cover the card with this top layer of paint.

                                           paint over the embossed card.

         9. Place card on a heat resistant surface.         10. Cover with the scrap paper and hot iron over         11. While it is still warm, peel off the scrap paper

                     and turn on your iron.                       using reasonable pressure - you'll start to see the         and you'll see some of the paint has come away

                                                                                     embossed image come through.                     if it's not enough - reapply a clean piece of paper

                                                                                                                                                                         and iron again.

The embossed image has acted as a mask and resisted the top layer of acrylic paint. When heat is applied via the iron, the embossed sections melt and adhere to the scrap paper placed ontop, taking the top layer of paint with it and allowing the base colours to show through.

NOTE : Don't throw away the scrap paper you used to iron over - take a look at it and you might find it worthy of keeping to use a background paper. This is what mine looked like - a nice mirror image of the stamped card!

                                   The completed emboss resist card.                                               The negative scrap paper image.

EP RESIST 'FAUX BATIK' EFFECT USING ADIRONDAK COLOURWASHES 

This technique is taken from the Tim Holtz DVD 'An Altered Journey'. In this, he demonstrates creating Faux Batik using EP as the resist medium (whereas in true batik, wax is used) and creates the effect on pure silk fabric to make a beautiful coloured scarf....however he also mentions that it is possible to recreate this effect on thin paper and suggests 'Mulberry Paper' as an ideal one to try out (there are just a few slight differences to the proceedure). I like Batik, and have done this craft the 'proper' way on various fabrics, but I was keen to try out an alternative medium that might also be quicker, and more suitable for some of the papers I use in crafting, and an opportunity to use rubber and foam stamps.  I didn't have any silk to hand, so I've gone the Mulberry route...and was very impressed with the results! (I will also give the instructions (no photos) for using silk, for those who wish to try this out instead). NOTE: I followed Tims instructions to the book (or should that be DVD!) and used the exact papers and colourwashes that he lists......luckily I already had these products....but whether alternatives could be used is really up to the individual to experiment and discover.

TOOLS REQUIRED : White Mulberry paper, Adirondack colourwash (various colours) plus a spray bottle with clean water. Stamps (basic designs largeish foam ones), Clear Embossing Ink pad, Clear Embossing Powder, Craft heat gun, Latex or Rubber gloves, Heat Resistant surface or mat, Non stick craft sheet, Clean scrap papers, Iron (non steam setting).

NOTE: Just a little extra info about the tools and materials -

MULBERRY PAPER - This thin handmade fibrous paper has fabric qualities that make it ideal to use in the faux batik technique. EPs take very well onto it, it absorbs the colourwashes wonderfully, plus the heat of the iron despite it fragile look. The texture of this paper also adds to the random resist effect that is true to the proper wax batik effect. Tim Holtz advises you use a white mulberry paper as this creates the best contrast against the vibrant colour washes....I dare say you could use other colours but, as I've yet to try them out, cannot say how good the results will be, or if a darker coloured paper will have an effect on the tones of the colourwash. Also you may find that your Mulberry paper has a matt side, and the other is more shiny......work on the matt side so that it has maximum absorbancy.

CLEAR EMBOSSING INK - a must in order for the colour of the mulberry paper to show through. The ink I used was just visable on the white paper, some are more difficult to see, others provide a good 'watermark' effect so that you can see where you've stamped before applying the Embossing Powder, and thus avoiding stamping in the wrong place. Beacuse of this, it's important to have a reasonable idea of the layout of your design, before you stamp, especially when using lettering.

CLEAR EMBOSSING POWDER - as above, this is essential in order to see the paper colour underneath - Coloured EP would defeat the idea of true Batik effect....but there's nothing stopping you experimenting with different colours and special effect EPs (eg glitter)...you could discover some very interesting results.

STAMPS - If you're creating a large Batik surface area, then largeish stamps with simple designs work best. I have used foam stamps including some lettering ones that are doubled sided (lower case on one side, upper case on the reverse) and these are premounted so used direct onto the paper as they come. But I also used a heart stamp which was cut out of craft 'funky foam' and temporarily adhered to an acrylic stamping block with doublesided sticky tape (making your own stamps is a tutorial section that will be coming soon to this website). Rubber stamps (wood mounted or unmounted) can work just as well, it's a matter of trying out what works best for you. I also want to point out that you're not after a completely perfect stamped image...Batik has a random uneven (distressed to a point) look to it so don't be too precise or worried about how the stamps take, or how much is covered by the EPs.

ADIRONDACK COLOUR WASH - Non acid, non toxic waterbased dye developed for use on papers, fabrics, fibres and much more and perfect for this technique on the mulberry papers, and distressing effects etc! They come in 4oz spray bottles with quite a fine spritz action so a little goes a long way and the 12 earthy and vibrant colour range co-ordinates wonderfully with other Adirondack inks and Ranger/Tim Holtz products. They blend well together, helped by either spritzing onto pre wetted paper, or spraying water ontop of the dyes (the technique used in my demo). It is set by by application of an iron or heat tool and this is doubly helpful in the faux batik proceedure...the iron sets the dye and activated the EP resist in one go!. When using this AColourwash on fabrics and fibres, after heat setting, rinse in water to remove excess dye, then wait 72 hours before washing (cool wash in mild detergent - no bleach)....so this product, as demonstrated by Tim, is brilliant for applying to garments that can be worn and washed! NOTE: spraying these dyes can be a messy business...which is fun, but you don't want to go ruining your clothes or messing up your hands....make sure all surfaces are covered well with something like newspaper sheets...it can spray out all over the place if not careful, WEAR RUBBER GLOVES, and something like an apron. Take a liitle time to prepare and protect your surroundings and you'll get the dye just where you want it...and nowhere else but!                   

                                                                Link to Ranger Adirondak Colourwash info CLICK HERE

SCRAP PAPER - You need to use something clean and absorbant that will pick up the EP and excess dyes. You can iron direct onto Adirondack Colour Wash to set it, if used alone, but in the batik technique we are using EPs and this will melt and stick onto your iron plate - so you need a barrier between the project and iron. Use plain paper as anything with print, might either stick to your iron plate, or if used print side down - transfer onto your batik work. I use cheap printer paper....and if I can get it.....the plain sheets end of rolls used for newspapers (and also supplied to those good old Britsh chip shops to wrap our fish and chips in!).

USING FABRICS (EG SILK) - see the info at the end of this tutorial.

   1. Tools and materials required (heat gun not pic.)             2. Work out the layout of your design.                3. Ink up your stamp using Clear Embossing Pad.

   4. Sprinkle over Clear Embossing Powder and pour       5. Add some more stamps if there are large gaps.                6. Heat and set the embossing powder.

       7. The embossed paper ready for colouring.          8. Get protective gloves on and select your colours.                  9. Spritz colourwash over areas.

   10. Blend, soften and set the colours with a spritz       11. Place wet paper on clean scrap paper with a       12. Place clean unprinted absorbant paper over the

                        of clean water.                                           heat resistant mat underneath.                                           top of your work.

                   13. Using a hot, non steam setting, iron over the paper                                   14. The dry and complete 'Batik' paper showing the EP

                and you'll see the EP start to come through and be absorbed                             resisted areas. It's now ready to be used in a craft project.

                                       by the scrap paper.                                                                  (For photo purposes I have placed it on white paper)

THE RESULT - I'm really pleased with this effect, it's messy, and fun and quite simple to carry out with beautiful colourful results. I will now use this paper to cover a glass vase that will house a candle to show the effect of at it's best (i'll upload the photo when it's done so keep checking back). I'm also now keen to experiment with different papers, coloured Mulberry, inks and EPs..... and, of course....try it out on silk!

HOW TO FAUX BATIK USING EPs on SILK -  Click HERE to open up the Ranger Project Webpage showing the instructions for the silk scarf created by Tim Holtz. NOTE: they describe using 'Newsprint' in this technique and this should be the plain UNPRINTED version!

FOR INFO ON TIM HOLTZ DVDs and BOOKS - Click HEREto open up the Tim Holtz webpage 'Products' section.

For further details on embossing powders and techniques using them, visit the EP section - CLICK HERE