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                                                                                    How to create a magic paint shirt  link

 acatnamedfrank

A tutorial on how I do my collage/mixed media art pieces.

This one will be an aceo 2.5" x 3.5".

I start out with Strathmore illustration board.. Cut to the correct size.

I then create my background. This one will have a watercolor background.

 I always paint or ink the edges. To give the piece a "finished" look.

Markers work really well for this. 

I decided to add some rummber stamping to this piece. I use acid-free archival safe Ink .

 I added a thin black inkborder on the front and embellished the entire piece with a metallic

gold paint. I used a sea sponge for the paint application. 

I choose my subject from a vintage postcard and make a copy.

( I always use copies, never the originals )  I use Prang colored pencils to add

color embellishments (on lips, cheeks, flowers, etc ) to black and white images. 

 Then I cut out the image. I use very sharp scissors and wear strong reading

glasses to do this!

 My dancer is going to be a fairy. So I print copies of real butterfly wings. Hand-tint them

with prang colored and carefully cut out. Since my fairy is facing to the side.

I make TWO copies and use the same side twice.You'll see what I mean in the next picture.

 Then I use a simple glue stick and add her wings. Glue stick work well because

the entire piece will be sealed when finished. So you don't have to worry about the strength

of the glue you're using now. It's also MUCH easier ( for me anyway) to work with a glue stick. 

 After I decide where I'm going to place dancer. I glue the entire back and press her firmly to the card.

Always try placing your main subject in different areas BEFORE you add the glue.

 Now is the time to add any " demensional "  embellishments. My fairy dancer has

Swarovski crystals on her wings and I'll also use some will have brass butterfly charm

on the back ground.

I use liquid glue for these as it holds a little better till I can get the entire piece sealed.

I'll also use some gold glitter glue for more embellishment on her wings and the word "Joy".

That I cut frome some old wrapping paper. Really you can use just about ANYTHING in a

collage/mixed media piece -that's what makes them so much fun.

Now that I'm finished with the design. I need to start sealing. I first spray on a

light coat of clear acid free satin varnish. This "set" the inks in my copied images

so they won't smudge  when I decoupage the piece. It also holds the demensional

embellishments a bit more secure so they won't "travel" when you add the decoupage.

Be sure you spray the edges of the card too.

To set the ink there also.

 Now comes the decoupage! ALWAYS use a very soft brush so you don't get bristlemarks

or streaks in your decoupage finish. Cover the entire piece in decoupage medium, always working in the

same direction (up and down OR side to side, but never both). I use RoyalCoat Decoupage Finish in Satin;

it works very well. Allow the decoupage to dry to the touch. I cheat a bit here and use my hair dryer

(on a low heat setting) to help the decoupage dry a bit faster.

I then add another quick coat of spray varnish and while the varnish is still wet,

I add a light sprinkling of fine gold glitter and then another coat of spray varnish. 

Using all the varnish and the decoupage may seem like a bit much, 

but your piece will be protected, the charms/embellishments and glitter will be secure

and it also gives the piece a nice, glass-like finish when it dries.

Always give the art at least 24 hours to dry and cure. It may feel dry to the touch,

but the under layers are still wet. Don't put the card into a plastic sleeve too soon...

it will stick inside and ruin your art (I know from experience!). I don't usually sleeve

the card till after it's sold and it's time to mail it.

 

Eliza Leahy is an award winning Australia artist.

eBay id Elizas art Link 

 Eliza's sweet Muffet site Link

Thank you for your time in creating this work in progress Eliza. 

Cat - Colored pencil

I use ColorFix paper which is a pastel paper with a bit of a tooth - not smooth at all.

First I draw the cat very lightly. As the paper is a nice royal blue I'll use a light color to draw it with. I'm happy just to get the placement of the features, I leave most of the detail for when I'm coloring.

I start with the eyes and work outwards. The reason I always start with the eyes is that it's very important to get them correct. If you don't get the eyes correct the whole picture will look wrong. I use several different colors, a yellow, an umber, a green, maybe a blue, and of course white.

Another layer on the eyes, making sure that the shadows under the lids show. It's important to give eyes depth - remember, they aren't flat, they are curved.

Eyes are finished (for now!). I've started work no the nose. Pink, with some yellow.

Having finished the "features" I now move on to the start of the fur. Always keep your lines going in the same direction that the fur is growing. I start from around the eyes and work my way around.

More fur. Where the fur is black there are lighter spots where the light hits it, or where hairs of other colors show through. This is where the blue paper really comes into its own. Letting a bit of the paper show through in the black areas breaks it up and makes it look more lively.

More fur... and a bit of lip

Towards the end I go over the picture again with the longer strokes where the longer hair is - and of course, the whiskers! <br>

 Eliza offers commission works

 Fabric Painting Instructions

 Darlene Howell eBay id art-by-darla-h

Fabric painting instructions 

Ok Next step is to place a board

something hard between the fabric so you are only  painting on in this case so that I am only painting on the front of the shirt. If you do not put something between the paint will go all the way through and you will have an interesting design on the back of the shirt as well as the front. I am showing a picture of my board it has a fine sand paper attached to it so that the fabric doesnt move while you are painting.

 

I am also showing a picture of my favorite tool for fabric painting and that is the blending tool also known as a fiber brush. I use this tool for shading.

 

 

Ok now for the fun part the painting. I always start on the left side of the painting so that I dont rest my hand on my artwork and mess it up. I started painting the back of this cat with a dark color and then went back and blended in the white to show the parts in the hair.

 

Now I start with the white on the bottom of the cat the legs and this is where I use the blending tool blending with fabric paint is much like blending with acrylic as the paint drys very fast so you have to work quick and in small sections. I start with the dark color in small sections and then put in the wite and blend and keep going until I get the whole section blended and then if you need to go back later to make adjustments you can just add more wet paint. Then I continue to the right side and end with the head. The face is the most important part of this painting because as with painting any portrait if the face isnt right then you might as well pack it up.

I started with the ears again blending the dark color with the light in small sections always blending in the direction of the growth of hair.

 Then I work on the eyes blending again the color in the eye and I do not put the highlight in the eye until after  I paint the rest of the face as I want the eye to be completely dry before putting it in so it doesnt blend in with the rest of the eye.

Then I paint the nose I always start with the shadow first and blend the medium and the highlight always last. then I put the highlight in the eye.

 

Now I just do some final touches adding highlights and shadows here and there and its done. And this painting will stay on this shirt for as long as the shirt lasts.

Here is the final product.

 

 

I also wanted to say I didn t say this at the beginning you should always wash your fabric before painting.

 

 

Thank you

Darlene