The Blue Chair            4.12.2014

The other day I spotted this chair at a local shop called Junk & Disorderly. It was cracked, paint peeling off, distressed , unloved but what a beautiful colour.
I could see lots of pictures coming on for this chair so just had to get it.
Here is the first one I do hope you like it. I have also transferred this onto a wood block.




                      

Test Samples on Stone Paper

Today I made a transfer sheet of small pictures to make samples. I changed the length of time to leave on the transfer so that I could move and glide it around the page to give a creased look. I haven't quite achieved the look which I want but much further forward. Next I will make the pictures larger and give that a go.


                             

New Stone Paper Trial

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next attempts I will print out smaller samples and alter the quantity of the solution.
Seems like it will be trial and error.

On a trip into town I spotted this rather grungy picture which rather appealed.

 The steampunk is here again.


I am enjoying using these pictures to compose others ,
their costumes really appeal.


                               

Also with a Tintype look
There are so many layers in this picture. I won't say how long it took !



                          

Steam Punk     We Ride again

Another passenger on board the steam train.
Very distinguished don't you think ?


                                

Yesterday and Today

Much of my time was spent yesterday making new banners for my web site. Thought it is time to give it a much needed spring clean.
Here is a sample of one of the ten banners I made.

The apple blossom doesn't stay around for long. A carpet of petals delicately cover
the grass in the garden it looks so pretty.

I took the next few shots with my iPhone.


                                                  

At the Craft Fair this week I was taken by some beautiful seeds which were part of a display placed on a wooden bowl. I was told they came from Australia but don't know what they are called wondered if you know ?

 

 

 

 

I just love their colour form and textures.

The Bush Heritage Railway Shoot

I had a fantastic day out with the Focus Photography Group Auckland.
We went to the Heritage Railway site near Huntly to the Bush Tramway Club
which has been lovingly restored to working order. It was used to service the regions
coalmines from 1915 to 1971.
Here are two of my seven hundred and thirty eight shots ! So there will be more to come.

 

Checking the time

 

 

 

 

 

 

Howick Historic Village

http://www.fencible.org.nz/events/live-days/


I really enjoy going to the Historic Village live days where the volunteers dress up
in costume and are pleased for you to photograph them.
Having just shot a series of these pictures there I will gradually post them up for you.

Have you ever used bellows to start a fire like this or wondered what it would be like to be a scullery maid ?

They were often girls of 13 or 14 who did this work maybe until they were married
They worked under the mercy of their Master.
Part of a scullery maid's job description was to light the fires and the stoves, provide hot water, scrub the floors but never allowed to touch any china or glass.

This sure makes us grateful that we don't have to do some of these chores today but it is fun to go back in time for a short glimpse.




                                  

Another experiment with transferring

I was thrilled when my long awaited transfer film arrived by courier and I quickly wanted to try it out. I will make this brief and pictorial.
The sheets came with no carrier backing so I needed to fix on a backing prior to printing so as to not stuff up my photo printer.

I used small pictures to try out first.

After sponge brushing on the solution to the back of the picture I lightly rolled
over the transfer. I left it for three minuets.

Carefully peeling back the transfer. This time it came off easily leaving very few imperfections which I actually wanted to create ! It came away easily instead of pulling the print away from the transfer sheet plus no air bubbles.

 

I did the same with this one. The solution worked very well but needed to

rough up the edges of the picture first by playing around with the edge

with a brush and water before placing the transfer onto the paper to get a deckle edge effect.

 

 

Overall I am pleased how they are transferring I will continue to play !

I may get brave enough to try out something larger.

 

Just a little piece of spring in my garden such a beautiful time of the year.


               

 

Tissue & Wax

I have been searching for a way to mould
my pictures into the paper so they don't appear to be stuck on. Then give it a thin coat of wax to blend it together.
I decided to try and print onto tissue paper.
As I didn't want to ruin my printer I needed to stick the tissue paper onto a backing sheet. I  used some restickable glue 
which didn't tear the delicate tissue when I pulled it off . Even this glue had too much stick so I  lightly placed it over the carpet to pick up a few hairs to prevent it sticking
too much.

                

 



My tissue paper was rather crumpled so I ironed it then cut it to size.

                     

I carefully placed the A4 sheet of tissue paper onto my slightly fluffy sticky piece of
backing paper pressing it down lightly.
It was now ready to pass through the printer. Remembering to reverse the picture before printing. 

                

The picture was now ready to be pulled from backing sheet. Don't worry about some crinkles they will come out when the tissue paper is off the sheet.

                







 Peel off gently then place it onto your paper of choice. Here I have chosen a thick piece of hand made paper with a fair bit of texture.

            

             

          

 

 



I then coated the picture with wax.

 

 

 

Lastly I added a little more texture with string, fixing it on with small stitching to hold it down.


                  

  

 

A walk in the park with a friend

On Sunday the road was closed in Cornwall Park Auckland for the annual daffodil day.
Allowing the public to walk along Twin Oak Drive admiring the huge variety of spring blooms. So fortunate to have a glorious sunny day for the event. 

I spotted this guy from the French Toast Band strolling down the boulevard.

 

I reversed the picture and transferred them onto an Indian paper. The top picture I printed out onto

a cream coloured paper and the other onto white. 

Experimenting using TAP transfer paper


TAP is a transfer paper Transfer Artists Paper which can be used on fabric, paper, wood, glass, metal and clay.
TAP is coated with sprayed polymer which takes inkjet printer inks and other markers which could be fun.
NB It does not work with laser printers.
When heated with an iron it fuses  the ink into the surface of the paper.
This is just an alternative to what I have been doing over the past few months using hand sanitizer which gives the end result a more distressed look.
If you are interested in transferring without too much mess this book
Create with Transfer Artist Paper by Lesley Riley.
It shows fifteen varied projects to keep you busy.

Here are a few of my small samples which I did to compare with other methods of transferring

Print out your picture onto the TAP paper.

Place picture onto paper of choice.

 

Cover picture with protective paper.

 

 

Iron with a very hot iron pressing transfer onto the paper.

 

Peel off TAP paper

 

Cut out your design and use.

I found the final result printed well and clear .I could see that it has many uses but for me it lacks the character of the distressed look which the hand sanitizer gives.

 

 

For example

 

A closer view to show the markings of the distress.

 

 

 

A final picture using the hand sanitizer. Watch out for some more posts of these. I hoped you enjoyed taking a peek as much as I did trying this out.

 

 

 

Marsden Point Refinery NZ

Tim Holtz® Distress Marker Spritzer Demo at Winter CHA 2014

Lake House

Here is one of my acrylic pictures at the Lake House gallery. Just a quick shot with the iPhone, shows a lot of reflection but a record.


                                

Rust Never Sleeps

This week out and about I visited with a friend a scrap metal place.
Wow ! What a sight. Full of wonderful art pieces all waiting to be
embedded in wax ! The colours, the tones and the shapes. The guy in charged
was intrigued with our enthusiasm and allowed us to hunt for our treasures
among the bent and twisted rusty delights. 

                            A rusty circle

                                        My rusty haul !

                                    A picture in it's own right.

 



                            
                                        Rusty mesh hungry for the hot wax treatment.

Hi the clutter is going down it is so pleasing to see the junk in the back of the car on it's way to the opp shop but still a way to go.
Here are three more small encaustics for you.