Canvas Mask

I rolled out various pieces of clay after making it with Powertex and Stone Art.

I stamped into it and also used a small cookie cutter to cut out the squares.

I then put smaller pieces on to fill in some of the gaps. 

Close up of the stamping and cut out shapes.

I cut some circles out and placed them on the face too.

Once it had thoroughly dried, I painted areas with ochre Powertex and then once dry I also used black.

I sprayed with yellow, brown and black Bister. Drying between each colour.

I filled the spaces in with black Powertex.

I added various colours of paints and pigments, starting with the matt colours and moving onto the metallics until I was happy with what I had.

View from the side, so you can see how much the mask protrudes.

More close ups of the metallics to hi-light the stamping.

The size of the canvas is 10" x 12" and I used a £1 mask from The Works.

Hardware Skulls

It's been a while...............................

Black Powertex & shiny nuts, bolts, screws, hooks and rivets.

Black Powertex base, red Powertex with black bister & screws, nails, nuts and safety pins.

Yellow ochre Powertex, rusting powder, small sand balls & rusted screws, bolts, nails and bracket.

...............................Happy Hallow's Eve

3d Flex Texture Workshop

Have you thought about going to a Powertex workshop but haven't yet, because you're not sure what to expect? Well come with me and let me give you an insight.

3d Flex Texture Workshop Samples

A few weeks ago I was invited to a workshop held by Jill Cullum, of Purple Meadow Arts & Crafts. She is the Certified Powertex Tutor for the area where I live. Jill has been on all her training, so this means that she is qualified to teach and use all the Powertex products.

Jill explaining the samples and what she did.

Everyone getting stuck in covering their canvas's. Janet, top left wanted to do the technique but on journal covers, so Jill brought along a journal for her to work on instead. So if you know what you want, contact your tutor before hand as they are very flexible and happy to oblige where possible.

Jill demo'd the next couple of steps and then went round checking everyone was okay and understood what they were doing.

Close up of Janet's journal covers.

Whilst the canvas's were in the drying box Jill demonstrated how to mix up the 3d flex. She showed the consistency of what they were aiming for.

Then showed how to apply the paste onto the canvas.

Then it was their turn, with guidance from Jill.

Whilst the makes were back in the drying box, we all sat down and had a natter with a cuppa and some chockie biscuits. I took this opportunity to ask them what they thought of the workshop so far.

One said that it was so different to what they normally do and it was good to come without any expectations.

Another said that they have learnt so many new techniques already and we haven't finished yet.

Another said that is was nice to do something different.

After the coffee break, all the pieces came out of the drier. Look at those amazing cracks on Anita's canvas.

Now the fun begins, adding the colour. The hardest part seemed to be choosing which colours to use from this huge selection. Everyone was encouraged to move out of their comfort zone.

Jill chose purple and green, these aren't her normal 'go to' colours.

Jill demoing on her canvas, how to use the wax with the pigments and acrylics and how to built up the layers and blend the colours.

Everyone well under way with their colours.

Really coming along now.

Fabulous blending.

Anita was building up layers to replicate the colours she had in a photo on her phone.

Once everyone was happy with their canvas's, the last thing to do was to touch up the sides to make them black again. The black just seems to make the colours pop.

And here are the proud owners with their finished pieces.

This workshop took around two and a half hours from start to finish. Just look what you could do with the right guidance. All these ladies really enjoyed themselves today.

How many of you have a bottle of Powertex sat on your craft desk but haven't opened it yet. A workshop is a great way to get started. 

There are over 100 Certified Tutors dotted all around the UK. To find the one nearest to you, click on this link which will take you to the Powertex Tutors directory. Login and find your nearest tutor who will be happy to help you with a workshop. They cater for everyone, groups, one on one, two on one, a group of friends or join a scheduled workshop and meet like minded people, the possibilities are endless.

I hope this has given you an insight into how a workshop runs. I hope that it's nowhere near as scary as what you thought it might be, just go along. You will be made to feel very welcome and you'll love it so much, you'll want to go back. Most of the tutors have their own FaceBook pages and list their planned workshops under events. So if you see something you fancy, get it touch. Nothing is out of reach with the right guidance.

March Secret Art Loft Powertex Box

"The March hares danced and leapt around as the moonlight shone golden on the lush Spring ground" by Claire Ivins

I started off with the two solid wooden hare shapes from out the box.

Next I took some household items, garden wire, masking, tape, a small glass coke bottle (other brands are also available), wire cutters and strong catering foil.

Using the tinfoil and the wire I created a pair of arms and legs. I also covered the bottle in tinfoil and padded it out at the front.

I created a head and some ears, also using tinfoil. I covered everything in masking tape and taped the arms and legs onto the bottle. The head and ears are not yet attached to the body.

So here are my trio of hares ready to be Powertexed.

Firstly I painted the two wooden shapes with bronze Powertex, cut manageable lengths of yarn, covered them in Powertex and wrapped them around starting from the base. I left the heads plain. On the right, taller one I wrapped around t-shirt yarn on the ears, but on the left one I covered them in Stone Art.

Close up of how I've wrapped and covered the wooden hares. The right one looks white as I blew off the excess Stone Art from the ears!

Once dried, I coloured the left one with rich gold pigment and the right one with white. I gave the ears on the right on a coat of varnish, over the Stone Art.

Next I covered my bigger hare completely with bronze Powertex and pressed on the Stone Art powder. I kept pressing it on until all of the Powertex was covered. The head/ears and body are still not attached yet as it was easier to do this process in two halves. After a few minutes I took a clean paint brush and lightly brushed off all the excess Stone Art powder. I repeated the process until I liked the look of what I had. Once I was happy I attached the head just by painting powertex on the top of the bottle neck and base of the head, it can be used as a glue too.

I sprayed it with brown Bister to blend colour of the Stone Art into the bronze.

The Stone Art has absorbed it, it's still made it slightly darker. However, it's hard to tell from the photo.

So here are my family of hares all finished.