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Showing posts from January, 2015

Newsprint is it an art tool - or unique art supply?

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This is my 3rd post about my favorite artist tools - but I suppose they could actually be called unique art supplies depending upon how you use them.  FYI - Art supplies and tools don't always have to be expensive to be considered "good". This week's post is about newsprint.  But of course, I rarely (if EVER) use NEW newsprint... I instead, prefer recycled newsprint. What is newsprint?  It is most recognized as..well.. newsprint.  Your morning newspaper is printed on it (if you still subscribe to that sort of thing).  Or you may know it as packing paper (which is how I usually find it).  I know it as the paper I was allowed to color on and make messes on as I grew up.  :) My parents always had a stack of it in the basement from when we last moved.  As I grew up and started to recognize quality art supplies (and quality art paper), I turned my nose up at newsprint. BUT as an artist who is not only looking to recycle and reuse items, but to be thrifty as well.

Another Favorite Tool For Silk Painting And Other Art Mediums

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A frog in a flower, NOT a floral frog! Thank you to Pat Tracy for  sharing this lovely photo on Paint My Photo's website This next favorite tool is probably my hands-down favorite!  I've had them for YEARS and never known what to do with them.  They're floral frogs.  WHAT are floral frogs you ask?  Well they are NOT critters that live in ponds with flowers and go "ribbet, ribbet".  Floral frogs are actually what our parents and grandparents (etc) used to use before floral foam appeared on the horizon.  I've had mine sitting around in a drawer for years (like 20+!!).  As I started to get into silk painting, I listened to what other artists used tool-wise..and many use cups or vases to hold their paintbrushes.  I ran across my frogs and had an "ah-ha!" moment.  And ever since, I've become even more passionate about my frogs.   Plastic, metal, and glass floral frogs I LOVE THEM!!!!  They are vintage, they are funky and cool, and they

My Favorite Art & Silk Painting Tools (a series of posts)

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I thought it would be fun to go through some of my favorite tools.  I have a lot of different items that I use as a Silk Painter (and for art in general).  A lovely saki-cup from Uwajimaya's Today's favorite tool:  The saki cup(s) My current saki-cup set-up Yup, saki cups!  I found my original set at a thrift store.  They are perfect for mixing larger quantities of dyes.  They are white so show the true color of the dyes, and best of all....they are ceramic so they clean up easily!  Oh and they are inexpensive - I found more of these lovely cups at Uwajima's which is a wonderful Asian market!  I found that they fit perfectly into mini-muffin tins.  The muffin tins come in 6, 12, or 24 cup sizes.  I use a 6 cup tin when I am at a show demonstrating Silk Painting, and I use my 24 cup tin when I am home.  The tin allows the saki cups to be stabilized (meaning they don't tip over) and I can use the tin to pick up the whole set with dye in them and not spill an