Thursday, October 27, 2011

My Daughter Melissa-please can you vote for her

My second eldest daughter Melissa has been chosen as a finalist in a photo competition . If she wins she will win a Photoshoot in Paris worth $26,000. To help her win all you need do is vote for her at http://lookoflove.com.au/vote (copy and paste to browser if the link wont work or just click here) before 30th of the month. As a reward every person who votes for her is automatically entered in the ‘Win a holiday in Paris for 2 people’ promotion valued at $8000.
Please vote for her and forward this onto all your family and friends to help her out. Votes count for her until midnight Saturday 29th October September 2011. She really deserves a break and has been struggling in Adelaide trying to get a job since Febuarary. Besides I think this photo of her below is the best of the finalists....Mother's pride or what LOL
Thanks for your help :o)
hugs
Annette in Oz

Good luck Missy XXXXX

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

New Zealand...had a ball!!! Part 1

Hello blogglanders...been a while but I have not been idle. I was sssooo surprised to be asked to go to New Zealand by Jessie Scherf and teach at a retreat in New Zealand this September. She had done one last year with another wonderful Aussie lady Teresa Crouch (hi Trizzy...waving madly I am to Trizzy in the Blue Mountains in Sydney) as the teacher and then Jessie asked me this year. It was truly an honor to be asked and I at first said no but after lots of gentle persuasion by Jessie I agreed to come. Having never taught before the thought of it all scared the hell out of me but I love creating and love to share the arty farty love so eventually I threw caution to the wind and said yes.
The theme was set as shrines which opened up a wide variety of things I could do and teach. I hadn't really thought of who I am now as an artist but I think it's safe to say I am a mixed media one or at least a creator out of the box LOL...come to think of it I'm not sure I was ever in the box ROFL. On one of the first phone conversations I had with Jessie I scribbled down and drew ideas like altering a sardine can, etching metal for the door, fabric heart shrine made from Vilene and tissue, necklace shrine and a Mexican shrine to alter some way. These initial ideas and drawings became the basis of what I did make and teach and the images are in previous posts. The weeks flew past as examples were made, instructions/supply lists were done and items sourced to make it all happen (both from here and in New Zealand). A wonderful NZ man Denis, even made wooden shrines for us all to alter at a later date...these are about 40cms high and 23cms wide and have doors and a recessed inner part.
Before I knew it September had come around and I was on a plane from Darwin to Sydney and then Sydney to New Zealand. My bags were bulging with supplies and very little clothing LOL. I was so excited as I could slowly make out ice capped mountains which I later found out were the Southern alps of the South Island. Then we came closer and closer to the gorgeous city of Wellington. Everything looked so green and beautiful to me compared to home. I loved the mountains...eerrr hills to the Kiwi's but def mountains to me LOL....surrounding the city as its very flat and dry were I live.
Getting thru Customs was a bit of a pain as I had to explain over and over the heavy package of cut, prepared and stamped brass (it came up as a dense object in their scanner) but I eventually emerged to the smiling faces of Jessie and Trizzy. Trizzy had loved her stint at teaching and decided to come back for this year but in the class this time. We then went over the hill (mountain!!) to Wainuiomata where Jinny and Allen Bell's house is. Trizzy and I would stay with Jinny and Allen during my time in NZ. I had never met Jinny and Allen before but grew to love and adore them...just amazing people who had let a complete stranger in their home and treated me like family. Oh and Allen can and did cook some yummy meals for us all too.
Jessie, Jinny and many others had put in so much work before I even got there and I am sure Jessie was stressed to all heck organizing it all. Jessie was meant to stay with us too but she had been unwell pre me coming and remained unwell while I was there so I didn't get to know her as well as I would have liked....Jessie and I had known of each other for many years though on line and we had also been on various groups and in some swaps together too. The first night we spent getting to know each other and sorting supplies for the projects in what became a huge production line. Thankfully Jinny had an huge art room and big tables for us to work on.

Here are all the shrines Denis made for us all


 Organized chaos LOL


 We got there in the end. Trizzy and I were on "Australian time" and spent the first of many nights sitting up late chatting and exploring Jinny's wonderful art space. Trizzy was great company and I am so glad she came across the ditch too. The next night I got to go and see the utterly amazing World Of Wearable Art show...OMG that was truly freakin amazing. All the clothes are made to themes and there was even some steampunk ones there. If you are ever in NZ when this is on you have to go to it. I drooled, my jaw dropped many times and my eyes were as wide as plates!!!. I had wanted to see this for years and still can't get over that I was there and what I saw. Shame you can't take photos though.
Before I knew it we were off to Forrest lakes on the Friday were the retreat would be held. It was in a lovely rural setting. There was a great open area for the classes and then the rooms spread out to the left and right from the main room. This is the lake behind us.

After my initial fear I just started talking and the classes flew by...I wasn't nervous after all as I always thought I would have been. It quickly became apparent to me that the New Zealand folks were all so warm, easy going, thoughtful, kind, patient and funny :o). I really loved meeting them all and still smile as I look at the photos from classes and their now familiar faces. I did hit several problems with the weather being colder and things not quite working as easily as they do for me at home...who would have known Masonite goes like cement in the cold sheesh!! We all worked out ways around the problems though just as I do when I am at home alone.
Next are some photos from the classes...in no particular order. That's Anne who kindly kept us Aussie's warm with lovely snugly bedding.


and here is Jessie(end of table),Ruth, Kate and Catherine

on the opposite side of the table is Julie, Jenny and Doreen

On the other side of the room there was Sandra, Heather, Yvonne, Kristi and Bridget.

Denise-head conveniently turned to side LOL, Bridget and Sharon...Sharon is a Kiwi living in Oz. She lost allot when her house got flooded in the QLD floods and the Kiwis raised money for her to come. How awesome is that and a great artist herself too.

This is Shirley trying to make sense of my instructions and Heather looking on too.

and this is Sally
Denis the wooden shrine maker and his gorgeous partner Berenice....the kitchen fairy!!! Berenice isn't greatly into paper arts so was always flitting around the kitchen preparing stuff for us all. All the food was bought by people attending as well.
Denis :o)
Denis made a shrine from the wooden ones he made for all of us. This is his shrine from the front. Denis used to drive racing cars when he was younger so he based his shrine on that and it was wonderful!
with the doors open
Denise and me
The wonderful Jinny
Me and Jinny
We all made and gave each other a charm. Here are some of them.

Me with Catherine
Me, Jinny and Jessie
Everyone made an arty page each and then made it into a book that they gave to me and Jessie. I love it and it just brings back awesome memories looking thru it.

It was amazing how quickly the time went and Sunday afternoon came around way too soon. It was hard saying bye to everyone. We were all trying to pack up and say goodbye all at once. Anne and Trizzy grab a goodbye hug
Kristi and Sharon
Jinny, Trizzy, Sharon at back and me and Jessie at front
Me and Sharon
Jessi's hubby Mark, me and Jessie
Joan (cludgie?sp....Scotswoman *grin*), me and Jinny
Trizzy, Kristi, Me and Yvonne

Here I am in my ever present fluro pink shoes that kept my toes warm while I was in NZ LOL.
Here is poor Mark with every ones cameras taking group shots for us all
and lastly all of us together. Sharnie is standing to my left...missed her and Joan in class shots some how.
After the retreat it all felt surreal. I really enjoyed the company of all the people I met and they will be forever welcome in my own small humble home should they venture across the ditch to Oz. I got to know Trizzy, Joan and her hubby John, Jinny and Allen further after the retreat and they all have a special place in my heart. None of that would have happened if it wasn't for Jessie asking me though and her insistence I could do it....thank you Jessie. I did do it and I think I'm in love with NZ and its people...our neighbours and some of the people my friends...across the ditch.
hugs
Annette In Oz xxx
PS If anyone has finished a project from class can you send me an image of it please?

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Types of Transfers

Types of transfers
Transfers make your art seamless. There will be no ridges as you would get using the actual image. They look as if they were printed on the surface itself. Most transfers are transparent in lighter areas so when done over patterns or lettering these will show thru the transfers lighter areas for interesting effects. Images with increased contrast transfer best.

Heat Transfers
Use heat to transfer images. You can use Creative hot Marks or Creative Versa Tool by Walnut Hollow or other brand of heat tool. Opals Embossing Enamel and Utee also do heat transfers. Remember to reverse text when you print your images for use with a heat tool. An ordinary craft dedicated iron or oven can be used for some transfers as well.

Opals and Utee transfers:  You can transfer toner printed images, magazine images, some wrapping papers and some serviettes. You don’t need to reverse images/text when printing them. Use silicone muffin tray and separate each muffin part. Nick a small “V” in top edge to act as a pourer. Place this on the stove in a craft dedicated fry pan on low heat and pour in Utee or Opals (Franklin clear and Sandstone work well) into the muffin holder. Let this melt.
While melting apply a very wet coat of Versamark watermark ink all over the image so its shinny looking. Place image side up on Galdbake. Pour the melted Opals or Utee over the image. If not completely covered or lumpy reheat the Opals or Utee with a heat gun and move it around as desired once molten. Allow it to cool thoroughly. Peel off as much paper as you can. Place in warm water and rub off any remaining paper. Colour with alcohol inks, paints and permanent markers.
Try pouring the molten Opals or Utee thru decorative metal frames. Use cookie cutters to make shaped images by applying Versamark to the cookie cutter edges and pressing it into the poured molten Opals or Utee, leave till set and then remove it. You can of course melt Opals and Utee on Gladbake building up the amount you have with each melt and pour or use a Meltpot.

Heat tools: will transfer toner printed images to wood, glass, ceramics, gourds, card stock, mat board, vellum, fabric etc. With the heat tools lay your toner based printed image face down on the receiving surface and rub over the back with the heated heat tool till image is transferred. Keep moving the tool to avoid scorch marks on the receiving surface. Take care that receiving surface wont melt. If transferring and image to glass allow the tool to heat up on the glass to stop glass cracking. To transfer to metal it has to be sand papered with fine grit sand paper first. Spritz the metal with acetone, place image side down on metal and then apply the heated heat tool.

Iron or oven: Can transfer toner printed images and magazine images. You don’t need to reverse images/text when printing them. Have iron heated up on a hot dry setting with the steam turned off. Then place Translucent liquid Sculpey over a toner printed image laying on Gladbake. Use your finger to spread out a nice even layer. Leave it to rest for 5 mins so it flattens. Fold Gladbake back over the top laying it down gently and evenly on top of the TLS from left to right to decrease bubbles. Apply gentle pressure and iron all over where the image is. Flip it all over and iron at the back. Turn back to the front and increase pressure and iron some more. Keep moving the iron. The TLS will go from milky to clear. Allow it all to cool and peel up the now set and transferred TLS.
You can colour TLS before hand with powdered pigments, Pearl-ex etc. You can lay lace, skeleton leaves and sheer materials onto the spread out TLS before you iron it and the image will then be on the item on top of it. These transfers are flexible and can be sewn thru, cut with scissors and so on. Transfer can also be done by applying the TLS to a sheet of glass, lay image on top gently to reduce bubbles. Leave it to rest for 5 mins. Bake in a craft dedicated oven as per manufactures instructions (usually 130-140C degrees). Once cooked peel up transfer while glass is still hot. Place it on Gladbake till cool.
Translucent polymer clay will transfer toner images as well. Lay image side down on kneaded and rolled clay and bake as per manufacturer’s instructions in a craft dedicated oven. Peel off paper and the transfer will now be on the clay surface. Colour as desired.
Another thing to try: I’ve laid down gold foil on black and white toner printed images and then ironed that between Gladbake. The gold sticks to the toner areas. This looks great coloured with water colour washes in the plain areas.

Inkjet Printer Transfers
Images printed with an inkjet printer can be transferred with water, Gin and Stewart Superior Transfer Ink. Stewart Superior Transfer Ink will also transfer images stamped with Stewart Superior India Ink. These all make great transfer to fabric.
Sponge on Gin or water to receiving surface. Place image face down. Burnish well with a bone folder or the back of a spoon. Peek under to see if transfer complete. If not burnish more. When using fabric you can turn it over and check if water or gin have evenly coated the material. Sponge on more from the back as needed. Burnish till the transfer is completed. Some solutions require a careful balance between not enough or too much solution and its best to practice on scarp receiving surface first for a few images. Try also adjusting your contrast on the printed images. Blacks and dark blues bleed easily. Gin produces a crisper transfer then water.
Inkjet Printer images printed on Inkjet dedicated overhead transparencies can be transferred with gel medium-I prefer Golden regular matte gel medium for these. Images are printed on the rough side of the OHT. They work well on fabric and smooth water colour paper. Apply gel medium to the receiving surface. Place image face side down and burnish the back with a bone folder or spoon. Peek under and continue burnishing till image transfers. Allow it to dry. Makes crisp image transfers. Needs some practice to get the right amount of gel medium to use.

Wash Of Paper Method
General method: Apply a coat of medium to the receiving surface and let this set completely. Apply another coat of medium generously to receiving surface. Lay image face down and burnish well. Allow it to dry thoroughly. Use an old cloth or sponge. Wet it with water and squeeze out excess. Wipe over the back of the image and then rub to remove the paper baking from the image. Keep wetting and rubbing till all paper and fibres are removed.

Medium Transfers: These use some sort of medium such a gel medium-Golden regular Matte works well, Caulk, Mod Podge, Omni Gel photo transfer liquid, water based Polyurethane Matte etc as the transfer carrier and then water is used to soak the paper baking off. You need to reverse the text/image for this type of transfer when printing the image. Use toner images or magazine images.
Polyurethane gives a clear accurate smooth finish. Gel medium transfers give accurate smooth matte finished transfers. If using gel medium, Mod Podge or Caulk transfers in altered books etc some brands stay sticky even when cured so use Gladbake between the surfaces of your book so pages won’t stick. The stickiness wears off in time.
Alternatively you can paint on a layer of gel medium directly to the image being transferred, let it dry, add another layer in the opposite direction and let that dry. Build up 3-6 layers drying well between each and the final layer. Wet the back of the image and rub off the backing paper till you have a thin transfer. Now apply a layer of gel medium to the receiving surface, lay transfer on top and let it all dry.

Clear Adhesive Transfers: These use clear packaging tape, cold laminate or Clear Book Covering adhesive like Coverseal. Black and white toner copied images work best. Apply it over image and burnish very well. Soak and gently rub backing paper off with a damp cloth. Adhere in place. Be care to not rub too hard. Use packaging tape for small images and the cold laminate or Coverseal for larger images.

Decals: Like Lazertran. Use type specific for your printer. You can get Inkjet or Laser printer ones. Print images onto the paper as per instructions that come with it. Allow it to dry. Applying a thin layer of gel medium to the receiving surface helps it to stick better. It has its own sticky backing when wet but it’s not always adhesive enough. Lay the printed image in some warm water. The backing paper will soften after a few seconds. Pick up image and slide it into place on the receiving surface while removing the backing paper at the same time. Smooth out any bubbles and leave it to dry.

Solvent Transfers
These have odours and can cause asthma or other respiratory problems with people sensitive to fumes. Always work in well ventilated areas and read labels carefully. Types of solvents are pure acetone, lacquer thinners, citrus cleaners, citrus paint removers, Oil of Wintergreen, Xylene etc.
Generally you use a toner copied image and lay it face down onto a receiving surface. Saturate the back using cotton wool. Burnish well with a bone folder or the back of a spoon. Peek under to see if transfer complete. If not add more solution and burnish more till the transfer is completed.
Some solutions require a careful balance between not enough or too much solution. Some produce grainy partial transfers only. Care has to be taken that the image doesn’t slide while being burnished as the transfer will be blurry. Citrus cleaners leave a discolouration on the receiving surface.

Transfer Paper
Such as The Studio Paper by US Art Quest-use with inkjet printer and reverse text. Print onto the transfer paper. Take care not to touch it as it will remain wet. Lay image side down onto the receiving surface. Lightly burnish with your finger. Once transfer completed lift paper vertically off. Gives a crisp transfer with a grainy finish.
Another type of transfer paper is called TAP or Transfer Artist Pape by Lesley Riley. Print on white side of the TAP with your inkjet printer or draw images onto TAP directly with crayons, markers & coloured pencils. Set printer to plain paper and a mid range quality setting.  Remember to reverse text or mirror image photos pre printing. Print and trim off any excess paper. All white areas transfer as a clear polymer. Pre heat iron to highest setting for best results. If using a fabric that cannot with stand heat set to a lower setting but iron longer. Place printed TAP image side down on fabric or chosen surface. Place a piece of parchment paper or copy paper over transfer to protect your iron. Work on a smooth hard surface. Iron entire surface of TAP and keeping iron moving. A small transfer will transfer in 6-10 secs and a larger one in 30-40...just lift a corner and check if transfer completed and if not iron some more. Once done peel up TAP.

Sheer Heaven Paper: Print image using an inkjet printer to the rough side of sheer heaven. Receiving surface needs to be porous such as hot press water colour paper, card stock, muslin, tissue wrapping paper, handmade paper, bisque fired unglazed tiles etc etc. Use 70 percent isopropyl rubbing alcohol like Isocol in a fine mist spray bottle. Spritz the image with the rubbing alcohol. Hold it under the light to see if you have missed any areas. Aim for a glass like look to the surface. Lay image face down onto the receiving surface. Burnish with the side of your hand and then with a bone folder. Lift edge to check if the image has transferred. If not spritz the untransferred area again with the rubbing alcohol, lay it back down and burnish again.

T-Shirt Transfer Paper: Buy specific to your type of printer. Good for crisp true transfers to materials, cardstock and water colour paper. Need to reverse text. Print as per instructions with your paper. Trim corners so they are slightly rounded. Place image side down on receiving surface on a firm background. Have iron on suggested setting as per instructions with your paper. Iron firmly all over and constantly move iron as you go. Iron as per time suggested with your papers instructions. Check under an edge. If transfer not complete iron some more. Peel off backing and let it cool. This transfer can be washed and sewn thru.

Beeswax Transfers
 Print black and white images and photos with a toner based printer. Build up a beeswax collage using torn old papers, old dress patterns and tissue printed paper that you apply beeswax over the top of. I like to use beeswax sheets and melt it onto and over the paper using a Clover mini iron. You can melt the beeswax with a melt pot etc. Place printed image face down on top of the beeswax in the location you want. Rub the back with the handle of your paintbrush or a bone folder until its all transferred to the wax.



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