Elmer's Caulk Transfer Play

As you are well aware by my previous post,teehee, I am having a grand time playing with inkjet transfers using Elmer's Caulk and Apollo 7039 transparencies. Just as a reminder, I use an Epson C88 with Durabrite inks. I am working on cardboard that has been gesso'd and painted with various sprays and acrylics. I am still enamoured of All Things Medieval since attending Lynne Perrella's Medieval Manuscript Workshop, which is evident in my "practice book."

I am just overjoyed at the ease in which transfers happen using the above recipe. I will be grateful to Marianne FOREVER!!! teehee. I am having so much fun, because the success rate is so high, and even when it isn't exactly what I was going for, I can make it work. So here is my FIRST Elmer's Caulk transfer:

Got my supplies together....
Laid down some Elmer's Caulk, set tranparency down, burnished with bone folder, and lifted TOO SOON. Marianne's directions said WAIT several moments for the caulk to set. Could I wait? NO. Therefore this blob, which will be attended too, have no fear. But the bits that did transfer gave me HOPE!!! The bits were, good, good I tell ya, clear, detailed with tons of promise!!! So I calmed myself down, and tried again.

oh JOY oh Rapture!! look at that!!! Almost Perfect!! I left my camera at TMG's house so these pics are taken with my iphone that, alas, has no flash, no zoom or macro feature. Apologies. Anyway, after the above success it was a free for all :
I like a smoother burnishing hand that a rag affords, rather than the bone folder.
Look at that clean transfer!! Then I started playing with other pages:

Now before I did the Caulk Transfer's on this page, I tried to use a Chartpak Blender Pen to do a transfer of the castle onto this page:

Saturate small area with pen and burnish, burnish, burnish. Well ventilated area please.
Lift, and Nothing Transferred! Well, the paint did attach to the copy....
So the hell with it, I cut it out and attached it with Golden's Self Leveling Gel. I'm sure there are successful ways to use this technique, but I just don't see the point. Can someone enlighten me?? Well, I like a transfer sometimes that doesn't have the raised and glossy or satin area of caulk or gel medium surrounding it. I can see a definite need for that. In that case I would probably use an alcohol spray or Purell transfer to UNPAINTED paper. For example if I wanted to transfer an image on top of some vintage writing or paper, and I wanted a surface without texture. Ok, I just did that answering my own question thing. Anybody else ever used the Chartpak pen and if so, in what capacity? I would love to hear other Artists input on that.

So, moving along, Here is a page 80% completed, I think I may add some more writing in the upper left corner, cutting thru the heart, maybe:

It's probably not politically correct to say you LOVE your own work, teehee, but I LOVE this!!! Not bad for playing and practicing. The lyrics to the strip of music are:

"When three long years had passed away, A Knight shall wed with me."
"O thou shalt have a milk-white steed, If thou shall wed with me."
"O thou shalt have a golden crwon, If thou shall wed with me."

Holy High Expectations, Batman!!! anyhoo, there are 2 caulk transfers, the woman and the tassels, stamping, embossing, a torn piece of vellum paper printed with gold sheet music, which I then did the heart caulk transfer on top of. The arrow thru the ring is a transparency piece I glued on with DG3 because I didn't want to take a chance and mess up her features by doing a caulk transfer. I have found with playing that you can LAYER the transfers on top of each other!!! YAHOO, more on that later. I sprayed all with an acrylic sealer. I like how the sealer dulled down the arrow over the face. It was way too reflective before spraying.

That is all for now, I have lots more I could share, but I am itching to create with my new found knowledge and I have been on this computer for hours. Thanks again, Marianne. And thanks to all who visit and leave inspiring and kind comments!! xoSusan

GOT CAULK?-Ode To Marianne

Remember the song "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life" by Indeep. Admit it, you know you do. Here it is in all its glory, play the video by clicking the arrow but scroll down to my amended lyrics and read while the music plays, oh and Crank it UP!!:

Last night Marianne saved my life
Last night Elmer's Caulk saved my life, yeah
'Cause I was sittin' there frustrated to death
And in just one breath, Marianne said
"You gotta get up, you gotta get up, you gotta get Caulk girl"
You know you drive me crazy, Transfer
You got me turnin' to another Artist
Marianne sent some Caulk and Directions to my home

Success, why you leave me all alone ?
And if it wasn't for the Caulk in the Mail , I don't know what I'd do, yeah
Last night Marianne saved my life
Last night a Good Transfer saved my life from a Broken Heart
Last night Marianne saved my life
Last night Elmer's saved my life with some Caulk

You know I hopped into my car, didn't get very far, no
Because I had Transferrin' on my mind, why be so unkind ?
You got your Techniques all around, all around this town
And I was trapped in love with Purell and I didn't know what to do
But when I turned to Marianne's directions, I found out all I needed to know
Check it out

Last night Marianne saved my life
Last night a Good Transfer saved my life from a Brokn Heart
Last night Marianne saved my life
Last night Elmer's saved my life with some Caulk

Last night Marianne saved my life
Last night a Good Transfer saved my life from a Brokn Heart
Last night Marianne saved my life
Last night Elmer's saved my life with some Caulk
Hey, listen up to My Bloggin Friend

You better hear what She's got to say

There's not a Transfer that Elmer's can't fix
'Cause Caulk can do it in the mix
And if your Transfer gives you trouble, just break out the Caulk on the double
And you don't let it trouble your brain
'Cause away goes trouble down the drain
Said away goes trouble down the drain
Well, alright
Caulk time
Last night some Caulk saved my life
There's not a Transfer Elmer's can't fix
'Cause Caulk can do it in the mix
'Cause Caulk can do it in the mix
In the mix, in the mix, in the mix, in the mix
In the mix, in the mix, in the mix, in the mix
In the mix, in the mix.

xoSusan

Look What Jimmy Made!!

My friend Jim McHugh aka mcillustrator did the Cover Art for the band "The Feelgoods" cd titled "making music". Here it is in all it's glory:

How cool is that??? The band member's are literally 'making music' . Jim is one talented guy and talks a little about creating the artwork on his mcillustrator blog here. You can preview and purchase The Feelgoods' music here. Have fun!! xoSusan

Medieval Trial and Error Journal

Remember when I posted about the cardboard dividers in the cases of cat food I buy? I posted about gesso'ing and painting them. Here are a couple pics:


Okay, now you remember! I use these pages to play and practice techniques, I'm not looking to create "works of Art" here. teehee, as if. I have had a very stressful couple of weeks with my health, leaking roof, full scale ANT attack, fender bender and all the repairs and insurance BS that entails, and I created a journal page that reflected my mood. Be afraid, be VERY afraid. teehee. I started with the gesso'd cardboard that I painted with stencils and glimmer mists:
I then tried and botched 2 transfers using the ink jet image printed on Apollo 7039 transparency and Golden's Soft Gel Medium technique. Venus isn't too bad, but she is very light. Either not enough gel medium or I didn't burnish enough, or I didn't wait long enough before lifting the transparency. The middle blob was definitely too much gel medium.

So in an effort to fix this mess, and because I was in the mood, finally to create, OH WAIT, there goes my EYE TWITCH!! Have you ever gotten that?? My right eye lid twitches like MAD!! I look like a crazed winker! Being an EYE CARE Professional, I can tell you for sure that if your eye lid TWITCHES like CRAZY you are STRESSED OUT Beyond Belief and it is imperative that you book a cruise immediately. teehee. Okay, back to reality.......I used Goldens Light Molding Paste thru a stencil and let it dry overnight. I used Caran D'ache sticks to color the paste. Then I outlined and highlighted areas with a charcoal pencil. I went over Venus with my lastest discovery/addiction, courtesy of Teesha Moore's site in which she talks about journaling, a Faber Castell Pitt brush pen. This baby writes over anything. It wrote over the waxy/oily Caran D'ache and the gel medium blobs. Oh yeah, I'm in love. The very Dark and Depressing Poem, courtesy of my Dark and Depressing Mind Set, is taken from, any guesses here,???? you guessed it "Wuthering Heights".

I think I like the page better before I did a damn thing too it. I hate when that happens. teehee. xoSusan

Grab A Tissue-GPP Street Team Crusade #38

This month has been full of Art, in the Form Of Music, with very little time leftover for creating Art with paint and paper. But I've caught a moment here and there, in between Dr's appts, work and music. oh Yeah and Nails, can't forget the nails!! Inspiration Abounds and Awaits You with Michelle Ward's March Crusade. So here is the subject of this month's Crusade:
Here is the Journal Spread I came up with in the Short Bursts of Time I had to Create:

And this is how I got there:
Gesso'd the tissue and let dry overnight.
Painted and stamped the tissue.
Page before I wrote on it.
Tore out some stamped shapes and used Portfolio water soluble oil pastels to enhance.
Fake mirror piece taken from an old purse. Paint stamped and written on with Caran D'Ache.
Tissue painted pink and went over with Portfolio's. Added more painted tissues in layers. Some stamping on top.

Cut out and adhered shapes and made the colors more subtle. Wrote all over the pages:
A phrase from The Killer's song entitled "All These Things I've Done" has been running thru my head now for weeks. You've heard it- "I've got Soul but I'm not a Soldier". I've mentioned I'm at a crossroads with my health and this phrase just says it all to me. I've got the DESIRE but do I have what it takes -the gumption, the discipline, the perserverance to Make IT Happen. I hope so. Wish me Luck. xoSusan

Allman Brothers 2010

I had the pleasure to see the Allman Brother's Band at The United Palace Theater in NYC, three times in the last week. The shows were amazing, the crowd was fun and friendly and so INTO it!!The theater is stunning to look at, but more importantly, the sound system is great. The band was amazing, Gregg's voice is still like A Good Bourbon, and Derek and Warren are Guitar God's IMHO.


Gregg Allman. He still sounds magnificent. The way he sings "Melissa" makes me want to bawl.

The band.

Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks. Warren Haynes moonlights with Gov't Mule. Derek Trucks heads The Derek Trucks Band. He's married to one of the best Female Blues Singers of today, Susan Tedeschi.

This is Doyle Bramhall 2 guest guitaring.

TMG and I. That's The Music Guru. Yup, he's taught me almost everything I know about The Blues. Thanks for an amazing 3 day experience, TMG. I never understood why people follow bands around the country. I mean, you see em once or twice, now see somebody else, right. WRONG. I get it now. The Allman Brothers are my Grateful Dead, or Phish, or whatever band that used to or does now get Followed by Insanely Loyal and SMITTEN fans. Count me in. I am now a Full Fledged Allman's Groupie. I had an amazing time. I am in love with New York, Dominican food, Central Park and TMG.

I'll leave you with a video taken at The Palace. It's almost like you went too. Almost. xoSusan

Paper Post

Here are some pics of some paper play I did a couple days ago. I am off kilter with all the health junk, I feel really wishy washy. Do I like it? Should I post it? whatever, here's what I've been playing with in the 2 free hours I've had so far this month. Painting deli paper. Those blue shapes have Wilton written on them and were in a cheap bag at my favorite but now defunct antique store. sigh. I used some stencils and sprays, just kind of experimenting.

Here I take a deli paper that I've used to protect my work table or clean a brush on to use to make yet more paper!!

I gathered up some napkins to tear and glue down. Don't forget to seperate the plys. Some napkins have more than 2.

Start tearing and gluing.

Voila, finished page. I'm not sure if I will use this for Michelle Ward's Crusade this month. I didn't exactly follow directions......

I made another one too. I added a thin layer of gesso to unify page after this pic was taken.

These are not finished works of Art by any means. Sometimes I need to just experiment and see what develops. I'll keep you posted. xoSusan

First Things First

I would like to extend a HUGE Thank You to every Artist Friend, both new and familiar with BroknHeartArt, who visited and left such kind comments about my Journal Page from my last post. Everyone was so encouraging!! I greatly appreciate it!! Michelle Ward's Crusades are a truly wonderful opportunity to meet new friends, talented artists and learn new techniques!  I have been working on making paper with deli wrap and tissue in preparation for Michelle's new crusade. I even did one page but I don't like it much so I may not post it.

! The Allman Brother's concert was fantastic!! The Palace Theatre is gorgeous. Here are some gratuitous architecture shots of the building:

Sam, soaked from the torrential rain we were cursed with on the ride to NYC.

The Allman Brothers!! We were seating in the Balcony, my camera zoomed in at maximum capability!! Next Thursday our seats are much closer and on the floor. I will post better pictures then along with names of the players and history of the band.. xoSusan