Powertex Canvas's Update

So following on from my play day workshop at Pramoda Gifts with Marina (Powertex tutor) and Kath on Friday, I spent most of Saturday adding more colours to the sample canvas (middle left).

And even though it has every colour under the sun on it, I really, really like it.

So then I set to and added some more to my set of canvas's. We've had rain for the last four days and the grass has come back green again!

I painted the frame black for this canvas board and now it looks even better.

Close up of the crackle and additional layers of colours.

More red added to give depth in the cracks.

And the same here but with a deeper orange.

I also put some red over the green and orange on the middle canvas. 

This one is quite light, but it's meant to be as I was taking the colour off with the neat wax. 

I'm really pleased with how the colours have blended, now to find somewhere to put them all.

Canvas Play Day

Today I took a trip over to Pramoda Gifts to take a workshop with Marina. When I say a workshop, I mean a play day. Kath also joined us too.

As I arrived late due to traffic, roadworks and accidents Marina had already started to prep my cardboard for me. We painted the canvas's in black powertex, placed the cardboard and added some of the wooden pegs from the back of the canvas.

Marina showing us how to mix up the balls and sand in the remaining Powertex. We did it in very small batches because it was between 33.5 and 35 degrees with the fan on and back door open!

So here are mine with the 'mucky mix' added. Told to us by Tracey at the garden party.

I put mine outside in the sun to dry whilst Kath and Marina wafted theirs with the hairdryer, but I was too hot so had a look around the fab studio at the lovely works of art.

A fabulously decorated skull and luckily they had some blanks to buy.

And this beautiful canvas. The colours are so subtle but it looks fab. It's like in a shadow box with a glass front, hence the reflection. 

Then I popped back outside to see how my cracks were doing.

Close up of the cracks on one of the canvases.

The left canvas was coloured with pigments and wax. The middle one was coloured with acrylic paints and inks. Some of the inks are metallic, a gold and an aqua. The right canvas has been base coloured with the orange paint, and the egg yolk and tangerine ink. I then added orange and burgundy pigments mixed with the Powerwax. I basically just kept going until I was happy with what I had. I still need to work on them as it was sooooo warm that the Powerwax had melted and it kept moving around. Marina put it in the fridge in the end!!

And after driving back in a storm with thunder, lightning, torrential rain, nearly dark at 6pm, hurricane type winds which left parts of trees and branches and loads and loads of leaves all over the roads, no to mention huge puddle, I finally arrived home about 7.40pm. It didn't let up from when I set off until well after midnight. So here are my purchases. I was running out of bronze Powertex after playing with it in the week, having seen the skull in the studio and also seeing a couple last weekend at the garden party, I picked up the last three that Marina had left. She had planned a workshop for them, but instead, very kindly let me have them. Then I spied the paper mache one too. I also picked up the gold metallic ink as it leaves a great shimmer over lots of the other colours. I picked up a piece of oasis too as I've been making figures and though it would be suitable to sit them on, so watch this space for that one!! And I've been after a little bag for ages, just big enough to fit my purse, camera and car keys in. This one was perfect and I got to try it out first! I picked up a tub of Powerwax last weekend at the garden party.

And because my mum and dad come over for the day and look after Fraz for me, I usually try and pick mum something up as they always have something unusual. I really wanted something duck related, but all the ducks had been sold and they weren't getting any more, so I had to make another choice and decided on the bee. I hope she likes it. I was hoping she might put it in one of the huge outdoor planters that I Powertexed for her birthday last year.

I took a photo of them when I got home and also the practise piece in the top corner, but I actually like them as a foursome, so might just keep them like this. I still need to wait for the wax to dry properly so I can buff it up or take some off or whatever I decide to do over the next few days, but need to look at them in daylight.

Fossil Tag

Before I went away for my weekend at the garden party I prepped some fossils to play with when I got back. I used one of the huge TH style tags as a substrate. I first coated the tag in a layer of ivory Powertex and added all sorts to create some texture. I put it outside to dry, which didn't take long!

I sprayed it with yellow bister, took a bit off with a paper towel, then added some natural, which is brown and once dry sprayed on some red.

I used all different colours of pigments until I was happy with what I'd got.

And in a different light, just before it started to rain.

Really pleased with how it came out.

Felt United - Textures

Over on the Living Felt Facebook page, Marie is asking for contributions to the above. There are certain rules you have to follow, but not many. Has to be square or rectangular, no side bigger than 16" or smaller than 4". One colour family and has to have texture, as that is the theme.

As it can be wet felted, I decided to see what I could do. I rummaged through all my boxes of stuff and pulled a few things out to try.

About two hours later I ended up with this. I wasn't that happy with it to start with, but once it had started to dry a bit the textures started to appear. It ended up being 15" by 9" approx.

The silk really ruckled up when it was drying out creating some great texture.

This was a long lock that I twizzled round and stuck in a heap.

This was cotton scrim, which again eventually created some ruffles.

Another piece of silk.

Not really sure what this is but it's like big baubles of wool on a string.

And this is piece of textured material, it's like the mulberry bark paper, but it's a material.

Shall be posting it off to the USA this weekend.

Powertex Garden Party - Day 2

So before we start todays adventure, I thought I'd start by showing you what we got in our purple bags and also what we got to drink our bubbly out of at the end of yesterday.

Close up of the glass that Tracey made for each of us. Every one was different.

This is what my canvas looked like this morning after being left to dry and crack over night.

Close up of the mucky mess corner including the balls.

Close up of the cracks using the 3d flex.

And the frame and skull.

Whilst I was outside, I took the opportunity to take a close up photo of the communal totem pole.

So then, to today's activities. First up we needed to retrieve out brushes which had been kindly washed for us. The fairies must have done it!

Aprons on.........

Teas and coffees on the go.

For about the first hour or so we got the chance to titivate and add stuffs to our horses / unicorns, which most people took advantage of.

The unicorns were put outside to dry off.

My horse found himself in a field.

At this point I went for a little wander around the grounds and as promised a photo of the wigwam tent with the message tree inside.

Then we made a start on our canvas's.

After a quick demo from Tracey, everyone started to add some colour.

I managed to get a smile from all of our table!!

This one is Tracey's and something like what we were going for, but in fairness, she had used hers to show people what different colours looked like.

This is how mine went, and yes, before you all start, there is pink in there!

And this was what I ended up with once I'd decided I was finished.

Everyone just adding their finishing touches before we broke off for lunch.

Lunch today was a jacket potato with a choice of various lush fillings, I just had cheese.

Another wander around the garden and some close ups of the fab sculptures made by David and Patricia Williams who are Powertex tutors. Patricia has given me permission to show you these close ups so please enjoy the next few photos.

Then back inside and into the shop area where there are lots more beautiful pieces. I've just selected a few of my favourites.

I put my finished canvas outside just to see if the pigments shimmered in the lovely sun.

And Tracey just happened to be walking past when Kerry was taking a photo of me and my canvas.

So after lunch we went back to our horses / unicorns as they needed some colour. 

People down at the front choosing their colours.

This is Shelagh. We had a great laugh and loads of good old fashioned banter was had on our table.

Kerry went for a rich red, Shelagh a denim blue and Yvonne a lovely green.

Michelle and Gary having a leisurely walk through the tent to see what everyone had been up to.

I went for a purpley colour with silver and gold hi-lights.

And then on the other side, I went for an orangey colour with copper and gold hi-lights.

And this is what he looks like from the front! Split personality!

Throughout the day I was in and out of the dressing up booth, so when I come across the photos, I will add them to the bottom of this post.

***Here's the first one - in disguise!

Me, Janice (from Hochanda), Amanda (chocolate maker) and Anna (powertex tutor).

Check out the official photos here.