There were two words that Wendy Solganik mentioned several times in the introductory lessons of her Watercolor for Relaxation class that have resonated with me: What if
What if I really do add a little mud to all my colors?
What if I lean into stencils as a starting off point for design as Wendy suggested?
What if I resize the stencils?
What if I introduce fused fabric into my pieces?
Acrylic paint is permanent. You can paint over it and collage onto it it with no worry about smearing. But that's not true for watercolor. I've played around with fusing fabric onto watercolor....but what if I wanted to collage some gelli print papers on my watercolor? Other than a glue stick....how could I easily adhere fragile papers to the piece without smearing the paint?
Fusible webbing...that's how!
I'm calling this lesson #5 for this fusing 101 series....motifs are going to have to wait. Today it's about fusing paper. I've done it before...but it just dawned on me I should do it again.
This how a page in my watercolor journal ended up today.
I already can see how I could improve on this mixture of watercolor and a gelli print. ButI think as far as an experiment goes...it was farily successful.
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It started with a tracing of a stencil that I watercolored with blues and greens. It was a late night watercolor job...and not all that great.
I spread the stencil design out because I knew I wanted things in between so I needed to leave room.
I tucked in a few more columns of the stencil design here and there and filled them in with a very light value wash.
I forgot to take a photo of that stage....but I did take this one showing the stencil I used.
Next I ironed fusible webbing on the back of a gelli print where I had used the same stencil. It worked like a dream.
When the fusible was cool...I took the release paper off and cut out some of the columns and ironed them onto the piece. Easy peasy!
The gelli print is actually on tissue....
so you can barely feel the transition from the watercolor paper. It's almost like it's painted on. WAY easier than a glue stick!
This particular what if journey is going to have a few more chapters....
I'm quite smitten
Love the JOY fused into the lower corner, MaryAnn! I'm fascinated by the layers and variety you've created here—the fact that the fused gelli plate prints were on tissue adds to these layers' seeming to be 'all of a piece' with the watercolor v. appeaing to be mixed media.
ReplyDeleteLove the WHAT IF discussion here : )
I'm glad you noticed the JOY in the corner Dotty....I couldn't help myself. I had all those fusible tags just sitting there! I had fun with the journey of this piece....and am excited about the pieces that are possible now because of it.
DeleteWhat if.......
What if you......
This looks pretty brilliant to me! I'm a long-time fuser, but never thought to use it with paper! Loving the results you achieved. Question: does the fusible backing separate as easily from paper as it does from fabric?
ReplyDeleteThanks Judy. I've fused paper before...but it felt like a totally new experience to use it with watercolor like this.
DeleteYES....the release paper comes off just as easily as it does on fabric as long as it's completely cool. And it gave the tissue stability for cutting.
Good to know! Thanks, MaryAnn.
DeleteYou always manage to expand the possibilities and get me to look in new directions that I couldn’t have imagined. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks Louise!!! If I do that once in a while I'm a happy camper. Our projects are only bound by the limitations of our imaginations! AND....asking "what if?"
DeleteHow is your Watercolor for Relaxation going?