From Canvas to Frame

by Linda Ann Smith

Take a canvas from a "bad art day" and turn it into....

. . . a 3-Dimensional Picture Frame!

See how this frame was created. . .

. . . with Radiant Gels Dimensional Paints . . .

and Primary Elements Artist Pigments!

  To view the tutorial:                                         Go to http://www.colourarte.com/blog/?p=3323

You will find a video tutorial there also!  

YOUTUBE Free Demo Videos

I created this post to list the videos I submitted for the recent artists' collaberation art show on youtube.  Here is the list.  I hope you will watch these and subscribe to my channel!

90th birthday celebration canvas


Paint stained paper towel collage - (part1)


Paint stained towel collage - portrait (part 2)

Dollar Store Find...A ColourArte Project

I used Primary Elements Artist Pigments, Primary Elements Clear Gloss Medium, and Radiant Gels Dimensional Paint from ColourArte products to paint feathers on electronic device covers, officially called "Tablet Sleeves."  

Click here to view the this free tutorial (and others) on the ColourArte Blog.

Click here for the YouTube Tutorial Video

 The covers are foam lined and I purchased them for $1.00 each at my local dollar store. Obviously they are intended for an Ipad or other tablet, but can be used for much more.  

Think: Photos, sketchpads, pencils, watercolors, books, travel receipts, etc.

Please follow my blog for more art news!

ColourArte Picture Frame and Color Experiment

Picture Frame made with ColourArte products from an Old Battered Canvas

To view the video above on how to make the ColourArte Picture Frame click on the arrow above.

Materials: 
A tired or discarded canvas
 Radiant Gels Dimensional Paints 
Primary Elements Artist Pigments (mix with Primary Elements Clear Glaze Medium)
Aleene's Original Tacky Glue (or other strong glue)

Directions: 

Ever have days when all your art turns into a disaster?  The day I created this canvas must have been one of those days. 

"Monster" canvas

 I found the monster above hiding in my closet when I was cleaning my studio, and I guess it was just so scary that it blocked my memory, because I don't recall making it.   Since I try to use everything without creating an abundance of trash, it is time to upcycle! 

 So . . . what is your first thought about reclaiming a canvas?  

If you are like me, you will normally grab sandpaper, smooth the surface, and gesso over the canvas to provide a new fresh start.  

But "what if?". . . and so the journey begins . . .  

Think of all the things you would normally do to with a bad canvas and then stretch your brain to try something new!

Flip the canvas to the back and paint white gesso on all the surfaces, across canvas, staples, and wood.

(I had no idea at this point what I planned to do with it, but I had taken my first step on the journey, and that is so important!  If you don't know where to start, just leap out there and begin!)

When the gesso dries, paint the entire front and sides with flat black acrylic paint. 

(I painted this under mainly because I wanted to destroy the "monster" . . . but a new idea began to develop while I was painting!  Since  ColourArte is always the Perfect Paint for any yummy, shimmery surface, I wanted to compare how Radiant Gels Dimensional Paints and Primary Elements Artist Pigments (mixed with Primary Elements Clear Glaze Medium) change colors on different background colors.)

These are all painted with Radiant Gels Dimensional Paint from ColourArte.com

Begin painting areas of the white side and the black side with the same colors and compare the results.

 Paint until all areas of the canvas are filled on both sides.  

Fill both sides of the canvas with these colors:  Stargazer, Coral Berry, Spiced Pumpkin, Emperor's Gold, Olive Vine, Guatemalan Green, Autumn Leaf, and Key Lime.  

Continue painting until both sides of the canvas are filled with color.  Compare the differences of painting on a white surface (above) with those colors painted on a black surface (right).






Flip canvas back and forth to compare the differences of painting over white vs. black as a background.

When you are  satisfied with the first color comparisons add more layers, painting one color over another to see how the layers build new colors.

  

Try mixing Primary Elements Artist Pigments with Primary Element Clear Glaze Mediums and paint over colors on the canvas with those mixtures.

Then try another experiment:

Paint over the colors on the white side with mostly cool colors.

Paint over the colors on the "black" side with mostly warm colors.

 (Warm colors are those that make you think of fire and sunshine: Yellows, Reds, Oranges and Cool colors are those that make you think of water, grass, and mountains:  Blues, Greens, and Violets.)

  I loved the abstract compositions on both sides, but decided it would be nice to see the colors side by side, so out came the scissors. 
Push the sharp end of a pair of nail scissors through the canvas near its center and began slicing triangular shapes from the center outward toward the edges of the wood frame on the canvas.

Punch a hole near the center with sharp scissors.  Don't let this scare you!!! It's fun!!!!

Cut triangle shapes fom center of canvas to wooden support at the outside edge.

Cut radiating lines from center of canvas to the wood on all four edges.

Bring the triangles through the middle and twist, curl, fold to form patterns on the back side of canvas.  When satisfied with the design, glue to the wooden frame.

 Turn frame vertical or horizontal to meet your needs.

And now you have a gorgeous shimmering frame for a photo or your next ColourArte project!

Can't wait to get started on mine!

Don't forget to visit ColourArte.com/blog  There is a new free art tutorial there each day planned just for you by an international design team.

ColourArte and Creative Paperclay project: Broken Glass Pendants

To view the free tutorial and video instructions for how to make these pendants, visit ColourArte.com/blog 

 Another upcycle ColourArte project!  Have you ever broken a favorite dish?  Turn those broken treasures into jewelry with Creative Paperclay and ColourArte.

A bit of foil behind the glass gives even more shimmer to these necklaces.
Easy to make and once painted, no one will guess that it is broken glass, paper, and shimmering paints from ColourArte.com!

Also make pendants from small ceramic tiles .... or ....

From the lenses of old suglasses!

Stretch Paint!; Minimize Inner Critic!

Not sure that I would call this a finished canvas but I enjoyed the journey and will return to it later to decide.  My main focus was to show how to stretch your paint dollar, but as an added reward I found myself quieting my inner critic!

See the video and details on the ColourArte link at the end of this post.

Above:  Real Feathers on Canvas Background

Below:  Canvas after Feathers were Misted with Radiant Gels and Removed.

If you watched my video about Fancy Paper Feathers on Youtube, you know that I misted real feathers with Radiant Gels on top of a canvas.  I rarely rinse a brush without brushing it across a canvas or paper to rid it of most of the paint. It just makes sense! I don't waste the paint.  I simultaneously create new backgrounds that I plan to use at a later date, and that is the case with this canvas that was created when I misted those feathers.   I also save the paper towels where I clean brushes or lift paint.  They make awesome additions for collage work.

See how I created this canvas at ColourArte.com/blog on a project that I titled Stretch Paint!; Minimize Inner Critic

Enchanted

ENCHANTED     Mixed Media on Canvas

A new box of goodies from the magical land of  ColourArte.com   appeared on my porch yesterday.
I think my Fairy Paint Mother delivered it!

 Most of you are probably aware that I am one of the very first members of the ColourArte design team.  (And very proud of that!)  :-)

Yesterday was my first experience with powdered pigments that I mix myself to make my paints.  Once I started, it was so difficult to quit.  You can mix Primary Elements with any water soluable liquid to turn it into a liquid paint form.  I played with water for a bit to make watercolors.

 Just so happens that I had some Mod Podge on my studio desk when these arrived.   So I spent the rest of the day, into the night experiementing with Primary Elements, Mod Podge, and water.  This composition "magically" appeared over an old canvas that I did not like and painted under.  I think I will keep it now!

As I painted I kept thinking, I should take some photos as I go, but I could not break myself from its mystic spell long enough to do so.

Needless to say, Primary Elements will become one of my staples in the studio, and I haven't even touched the surface of what they can do.

Oh my goodness.....I LOVE these pigments...so shimmery, and I can control the intensity!

Updating Vintage Children's Books Tutorial

 Here is a vintage book that I used to test Twinkling H2O's 

The page below is printed with only two colors, green plus a black outline.  Typical of the times, there are only three colors (green and turquoise, with black outlines) in the entire book.

 I'm going to jazz it up with a makeover!

Painted the photo and margins with Twinkling H2O's with crisp edges on the bird, but using a wet into wet technique on background

Fancy Paper Feathers-A ColourArte project

If you would like to see a full tutorial and video on how I made these Fancy Paper Feathers go to Colourarte.com/blog 

For my third ColourArt project, I made Fancy Feathers!  I have made these for several years, but the project has grown from a simple hymnbook feather to very fanciful, fun decorations made from all kinds of discarded papers and found objects! 

Add shimmering colors with Radiant Gel Dimensional Paint and Radiant Rain Shimmering Mists and Daubers and these feathers become individual works of art!