Playing With Silks

  Hi! Since the weather has taken an unseasonably cold and windy turn I was "forced" into staying inside...and got some play time with the Silks Acrylic Glazes I mentioned in my last post.

  First I went to the LuminArte website Dreaming In Color to get some tips on using their paints. Then I began creating.

  These are just simple backgrounds on dictionary pages. This photo just doesn't do justice to the wonderful shimmer on these pages so you'll have to take my word for it. The one on the left was painted with Pink Azalea, Sunflower and Ocean Wave twinkling  H2Os. I then applied Emerald Silks glaze thru a Crafter's Workshop words stencil. On the right page I stippled Apricot Nectar Silks glaze thru the Dylusions Dotted Flowers stencil. Once dry I applied Sky Blue Twinkling H2O,blotting off the excess. The Silks acts as a resist.

  I had several emails and a commenter mention that I should try them over gesso-thank you! And looky what I got after I painted a tag with black gesso then used Silks:

  This time the camera was able to catch some of the shimmer-LOVE IT!! I placed the Paris Cathedral stencil (Artists Cellar) over the dried tag and stippled with Sunburst and Plumeria Silks glazes.

  One word of caution- since these paints are highly pigmented they will really stain your hands!! My hands looked like dyed Easter eggs for awhile :).

  Now of course I had to create some finished projects too. Here is a simple prayer flag I made:

  I def. need much more photography practice! I had this scrap of muslin on my table which was perfect for a flag. I painted on African Jade and French Lilac and allowed it to cure 48 hrs. as suggested at Lumin Arte then heat set it for permanency. I stamped the Chinese image (an old stamp by Ducks in a Row) with Jet Black Staz-On ink. It needed a little something so I grabbed a scrap of gelli printed cardstock, cut it up and then stitched the pieces on. I think you can click on it to get a better view and see the beautiful shimmer.

  Since I had my box of Asian stamps and supplies out I decided to continue with the Asian theme for my next project, a canvas triptych:

 For each 3" x 3" canvas I painted on Sunburst and French Lilac Silks glazes.Once dry I stencilled a few spots using the Plumeria glaze. Images used are from Hero Arts Poetic Prints set-Chinese Wishes. I stamped them onto tissue paper with Jet Black Staz-On ink,carefully trimmed around them then adhered them to the canvases with Perfect Paper Adhesive. This was the really tricky part because you have to place it on right the first time and ever so gently smooth it with your finger. You can see a few areas where the Plumeria bled a bit from the PPA so  next time I''ll seal the canvas first. I finished the canvases by adding stencilled circles with black acrylic paint.

  Well, I hope you've enjoyed my Silks play, and if anyone has product they'd like to send my way-I'd be most happy to play with them too! Just sayin' :)

 Linking up to Art Journal Every Day, Paint Party Friday, Show and Tell Saturday.

  " Dreams are the seeds of change. Nothing ever grows without a seed, and nothing ever changes without a dream."   Debby Boone