Free Paint Palettes!

Freezer paper and heavy plastic sheeting make great palettes for mixing acrylic paints. You can buy these items at the store, but sometimes they're right under our noses and are totally free. Start looking with a different eye at packaging you'd normally toss out. You might be surprised at what you find. Here's an example:

The plastic bag containing these curtain panels yielded four free paint palettes!

Several weeks ago I bought 11 pairs of sheer curtains at Ikea to hang in our three season room. Each pair came packaged in a clear, strong plastic bag that measured roughly 12 x 16 inches. It was the very same weight and type of plastic I use in the studio for mixing my paints on. There were 11 bags, total. Eureka! That's a slew of plastic palettes for free!

Those printed symbols on the empty bag won't harm anything.

To be more specific, that's 44 plastic palettes for free! I'll not only use the two exterior sides on each bag, when they're full of paint I'll cut them apart, turn them over, and use the other two "interior" sides. So, 44 palettes in all. Totally gratis.

These leftover paints will eventually become acrylic paint skins.

But wait! There's more! As a bonus, the leftover paint can become colorful acrylic skins to use in  mixed media pieces. When paint layers build up, they can be peeled off the plastic, cut into shapes, and used in collages.

Spritz the plastic with a bit of rubbing alcohol, wipe with a rag to remove any remaining dried paint bits, and you're good to go with a nice clean palette. Truly, they're the gift that keeps on giving. How cool is that? Thanks, Ikea! At my age, I'll probably never have to buy plastic sheeting again.

Text and images ©2015 Lynn Edwards

Upcycling a Thrift Store Find with Paper Mosaics

A few weeks ago I was cruising my favorite thrift store when I spotted some small framed mirrors. There were six of them, all identical to each other. Their 11 inch square, plain black frames were perfectly flat. Their backs still bore Ikea labels. Surprisingly, they were in very good shape despite having been tossed haphazardly into a bin. I snapped up three of them then and there but now regret not buying the entire lot when I had the chance. At just $1.51 each they were bargains!

From the minute I saw them I knew they'd be ideal candidates for a makeover with paper mosaics. I've just completed the first of the three, shown below:

Paper "tiles" in shades of blue, blue green, violet, and yellow green revive this thrift store mirror. To avoid reflections while photographing it I temporarily covered the mirror area with black card stock.

Will I put it in my Etsy shop or keep it? I haven't decided yet.

A paper mosaic treatment is a great way to update an old, shabby or dated-looking thrift store find. Or that beat up piece of furniture that's been languishing for years in your garage. Whether you call it upcycling, rescuing or rehabbing, the end result is spectacular. All it takes is patience, a variety of papers, decoupage medium, a flat artist's brush, a ruler, scissors or a paper cutter, paper towel or a soft cloth, and a utility knife or X-acto knife.

Here's how, step by step:

1. Clean the surface of the item to be covered to remove all traces of dust and dirt.
2. You may have to scuff a slick surface with sandpaper to provide some "tooth." If so, remove any sanding dust before proceeding.
3. Cut your papers into strips. The strips can be all the same width, as on the mirror above (mine were all one inch wide) or they can be cut to different widths. The length of the strips can vary according to your preference, but it's easier to work with short strips rather than long ones. The length of the longest strip on my mirror was four inches.
4. Try out various color and pattern combinations to see how they look together. You can plan your arrangement out in advance (take a picture with your cell phone to help you remember where things go). Or you can just wing it. I chose to wing it.
5. Apply decoupage medium (my preference was Modge Podge) evenly to the back of a paper strip and press it onto the surface. Smooth out any air bubbles. If excess medium oozes out from underneath, gently blot it up with a slightly dampened cloth or paper towel.
6. Continue adding paper strips as above, positioning them snugly against one another until the surface is completely covered with the paper "tiles." Allow to dry for at least 24 hours (it can take longer in very humid conditions for it to dry completely).
7. Trim excess paper from edges. For the mirror, I placed it face down on a cutting mat and trimmed off excess paper with an X-acto knife with a sharp, brand new blade.
8. Apply another coat of decoupage medium to the surface. Allow to dry thoroughly.
9. Apply one or more coats of acrylic varnish to help protect the surface from dust, fingerprints and scratches. Allow each coat to dry thoroughly before applying the next coat.


Tips:
Use papers of a similar thickness for a nice smooth finish. Text weight papers are easiest to work with.
A paper cutter makes cutting the strips go much easier and faster. Be sure to use a fresh new blade!
For a different but equally appealing look, you can paint the item in a single color first using acrylic or latex paint, then apply the paper strips, leaving small gaps between them.

Text and images ©2014 Lynn Edwards

Solving Studio Storage Problems

Have finally gotten everything unpacked and have been busy devising functional yet inexpensive ways to store it all. My only "splurge" has been acquiring more shelving to house my books. Once again, I turned to Ikea and purchased two of their Expedit storage units. Stacking them one atop the other allows them to fit perfectly into the corner I'll be using as a reading nook. They're very sturdy and they look great. At just $39 each they were affordable too. These Expedit units hold all my over sized art books with ease because they're slightly over 15" deep. I love 'em!

A Different Angle

One strategy that helped me use the floor space more efficiently was placing some of my furniture perpendicular to the walls. This creates more usable wall space, makes better use of the room's interior square footage, and -- to my eye, anyway -- makes the studio seem larger than it actually is. I've done this with an open plastic shelving unit that houses a collection of lidded boxes containing my art supplies. Placed at a 90 degree angle to the wall, the open-backed shelving unit functions nicely as a room divider, with the work area on one side and "kitchen" area on the other. It effectively keeps the latter somewhat hidden from view, clearly defining the two areas, yet still leaves plenty of "moving around" room. Another advantage is that I can access the boxes on the shelves from both sides. Very handy!

To the left of the shelving unit is an old computer cabinet whose surface now holds a small fridge and microwave (not pictured). The cubbies below hold canvases and wood panels. In the foreground, adjacent to the shelf unit, is my "poor man's wash station." The unsightly electrical box will be concealed by clips attached to the wall holding sheets of watercolor paper.

I've placed my six foot work table perpendicular to the wall as well. This way I can work from either side. I'm really enjoying the versatility of this arrangement. Having easy access to the entire table surface is nice, and when my friend Kathy joins me for our weekly painting session, relocating my chair to the side closest to the door gives us both more room. The table Kathy uses sits several feet away from the 6' table, but we're both capable of making a bit of a mess as we work, so the more space, the better!

My 6' work table placed perpendicular to the wall leaves ample room for storage to both the left and right. That open area now occupied by the trash can is destined be filled with a small 3-shelf bookcase.

Put Up Some Pegboard 

 

Pegboard painted a cheerful color holds tools that used to take up valuable drawer space.

Another storage tactic that has worked out great was putting up a pegboard panel in the work area to hold everything from brayers and palette knives to rulers, scissors and other frequently used tools. I painted the pegboard a happy shade of lime green in about 30 minutes, using a 4 inch foam roller and latex house paint. (The pegboard I used was pre-primed.) Pegboard is much more attractive when it's painted, and I've been amazed at how many items it holds, even though the panel I used was only 28" wide. Mounted in the space between the two south facing windows, it accommodates a few dozen tools and then some. As you can see in the photo above, it takes up hardly any space but holds a lot!

With all the gear I use routinely on full view, I no longer have to waste valuable time hunting through cabinet drawers trying to find a particular item for making art. Pegboard panels are inexpensive (a 4x8 foot panel is usually less than $20) making this storage space-saver a super bargain. The metal hardware that holds the tools on the pegboard is usually sold separately. I bought a set of hardware -- assorted pieces in a variety of configurations -- at a big box home center for about $9. The set also included the brackets for mounting the pegboard on the wall.

One last item still unaddressed is figuring out what kind of hanging system I'll use for that gallery wall. With so many choices available, that decision will take some homework on my part to get it right. So stay tuned. I'll keep you informed in future posts as I explore my options. Perhaps you have some suggestions or advice as to the kinds of hanging systems for artwork that have worked best for you? If so, I'd really appreciate your sharing it!

Images and text ©2013 Lynn Edwards

The New Studio is Up and Running!

Well, not entirely. There's still some unpacking to be done and furniture yet to be moved in, along with some exterior work, but that didn't stop my artists' group from meeting here this past Monday -- the studio's "inauguration day," so to speak. Hubby and I had worked right up til the last minute to get everything ready for the group's arrival. The day was perfect (no rain!!) and even our resident hummingbirds contributed to the occasion by visiting the studio's window boxes during our meeting, which just added to the fun. The deer and the flock of wild turkeys that hang out under our bird feeder made themselves scarce while Carolyn, Rebecca, Dinah, Kathy and Karen were here, but reappeared later that afternoon. It would probably have thrilled everyone no end had they been able to see even more of the amazing wildlife we enjoy so much.

The studio as it appeared mid-construction

As it appears today. A 4x6' entry deck will replace the temporary steps, and lattice skirting will enclose the foundation over the course of the next few weeks. And then we'll finally be able to call it DONE!

Hosting this month's meeting gave me a chance to try out various furniture placement schemes for accommodating several people in the studio at once. The Ikea storage cabinet and the repurposed computer cabinet I'm using to store my canvases and sewing machine are both on casters. This makes scooting those heavy pieces around quite easy. Eventually I'd like to have both work tables, the basket storage unit that holds collage papers, and my armchair equipped with casters so I can reposition everything but the shelving units at will. For artists who are teaching classes or workshops in their studios, or artists like me who create many different types of art, the ability to reconfigure furnishings easily is most helpful.

In the meantime there are other things to be done, like painting a darling little wall cabinet I found at a yard sale to hold my rubber stamps (It cost me just one dollar!) and painting the dark wood table that now functions as a wash station for cleaning brushes. Both will be treated to bright new colors more in keeping with the decor.