Ephemera - Part 1
Ephemera is sometimes explained as “items of collectible
memorabilia that were expected to have only short-term usefulness or
popularity.” When working with mixed media, this definition is
loosely applied and the term “ephemera” can be used to describe collected,
found, and made items that are added to works of art.
Working with Metal
There are a lot of ways you can add metal to your
piece. Some of the easiest are by using metal charms or beads. These
are easily found in $ stores, craft stores and by taking apart jewellery found
in thrift stores. Using found items such tabs from pop cans or items from the
hardware store (such as washers, finishing nails or chains) are another way to
add metal to your piece.
Picture wire, craft wire, floral wire, and electrical
wire are all easily available and can be used straight, as an element to weave
into your piece or they can be bent into shapes and used as a decorative
element that can be stitched on. Wire can also be wrapped around
paper beads to add a further layer of decoration.
One thing that I do want to spend some time on is the
embossing of metal. When you talk about the thickness of wire or metal you
usually refer to the gauge. The higher the number, the thinner the
metal. For example, a 16-gauge wire is much thicker than a 24-gauge
wire; a 36-gauge metal sheet is thinner than a 24-gauge metal sheet. When you
get to 36-gauge, it is sometimes called tooling foil. This is much thicker and
has much more body than the aluminum foil that we use for cooking – even the
extra heavy-duty type. It is made for tooling (or embossing with
tools) to create raised and depressed areas.
We aren’t going to go to the trouble of trying to locate
tooling foil, however. We are going to use some easy to find work
arounds that are available in nearby home and hardware stores. To
begin with, you can try heavy-duty aluminum foil – the type that is use for
barbeques. Fold the foil until you have about 4
layers. Make sure the foil is smooth. Put the foil on a soft surface
like a piece of craft foam or a layer of several newspapers (you want some give
under the foil). Using a small ball topped embossing tool, or a
ballpoint pen (that doesn’t work) draw your design on the foil. You
want to use a rounded tool that won’t poke through the aluminum. If
you have a paper stump, or a cuticle stick or a chopstick, these may come in handy
for smoothing or creating texture. Something with a small, smooth curved edge
can be handy as well.
From this point on there is going to be a lot of flipping
back and forth as you try to create your raised areas on one side and emphasis
them on the other.
Here is a video that explains the process.
metal
embossing on aluminum - YouTube
Aluminum foil isn’t the only form of aluminum that is
easy to access that can be embossed. You can also use the aluminum
from aluminum cans. Cut apart the body of the can and use the
aluminum you find here. You will need strong utility shears or tin
snips to do this and will need to be careful because the edges will be
sharp. They should be folded over, filed, or taped for your
protection.
The same techniques for tooling are used here as well.
You will use a small ball topped tool to trace your design and then begin
refining it, switching back and forth between sides to enhance the design. The
following video shows you how to make a small box but the steps he used to cut
the can and do the embossing are exactly what you would do to make your
embellishment.
Working on an aluminum can for any length of time can be
hard on your wrist so my preferred method of working with metal is to use metal
tape. Metal tape come in both aluminum and copper. Let’s start with aluminum.
You will find aluminum tape in any hardware store or
department, and it’s typically used for HVAC work among other
things. It comes in different thicknesses, measured in mil and if
you are putting it over a cardstock background, any thickness will work. If you
are trying to make a standalone item, look for the thickest tape you can
find. ( I gave you a thick piece that is approx. 11mil) You can use
metal tape in a way similar to aluminum foil or can where you draw your design
right on the back of the tape (or card the tape is on) and keep flipping back
and forth to refine it. When the design is as refined as you like,
the entire surface is covered with a coat of black acrylic
paint. The paint can be let dry and then removed with steel wool or
removed with a paper towel while still damp. The black paint should remain in
the deep crevices of the design while being removed from the raised surfaces.
Another way to use metal tape is to lay something on top
of the card stock (like chipboard letters or paper clips or anything else that
will create a raised texture) and then put the metal tape on top of these
items). The metal tape is then smoothed around these items, gently
at first, to stretch the tape and then with more pressure to show more detail.
This creates “faux embossing.” When sufficient detail has been
revealed, the surface is covered with black acrylic as above and removed to
highlight the design. If too much paint is removed, more can be added.
Working
with Metal my video
Working
with Metal II my
video part 2
Metal
Tape Question
additional information
FAUX
METAL TECHNIQUE - TUTORIAL ... FALSK METALL... - YouTube
In addition to aluminum tape, copper tape is readily
available, and it comes in various widths. It is easily found in ¼,”
a size that is frequently used for stained glass work. You can also
find it in 2” width and this is the one that I use. Embossing copper
works in the same way as embossing aluminum, in that you need to draw your
design and then refine it from the other side. Just as with aluminum, you will
go back and forth from one side to another until the design is the way you want
it.
Working
with Copper my
video
One nice feature that aluminum does not have is that
copper changes colour with heat. If you use a heat gun or a torch,
the copper will turn yellow, red, and blue as it heats up. Copper
will also oxidize as it is exposed over time to the air, so if you like the
colour, you achieve and which to keep it that way, you will need to seal the
copper with a light coat of sealer/varnish. If you wish a patina to
develop you can leave the copper exposed to the air or help it along by
exposing it to vinegar and then rinsing when the effect has been achieved. You
can also use other chemicals to develop a patina if you wish but these require
precautions for use and disposal so won’t be discussed here.
Brass shim, which is a very thin metal can be purchased
in a roll from Lee Valley. It also changes colour when heated and
can be stitched through. It isn’t as malleable as the aluminum or
copper tape and is quite thin so while you can do some embossing, the results
are not as attractive, and it can be prone to tearing. It does look
nice when textured and stitched into a piece.
Another way of adding a metallic look to paper is through
gold or metallic leaf. In order to apply the leaf, an adhesive must
be used. The leaf is applied when the adhesive is tacky but not wet.
The leaf will stick to the adhesive, and a soft brush will remove it from any
area where adhesive has not been applied. If parchment or wax paper
is put on top of the gold leaf, it can be burnished by rubbing with a smooth
object like the back of a spoon or your finger. If you want a more
textured look, gold leaf flakes can be used. There are proper
gilding adhesives (they will give the best results) but acrylic mediums and PVA
glues will work if you let them dry to a tacky state. Metal leaf
comes in gold, copper, silver, and a combination of metals. There is also real
gold leaf as well as the imitation. (For our purposes imitation leaf is a much
better value)
BEST
GOLD LEAF TIPS for how to get precise lines & fine detail on your artwork -
YouTube
How
to Apply Gold Leaf - full instructions, professional results - YouTube
How
to Apply Gold Leaf | Nancy Reyner blog
update to some of the information shown in video
While the last two references are geared more towards
professional artists, they are the most thorough explanation of applying metal
leaf for artistic effect, I’ve seen. Many people who discuss using metal leaf
with watercolour do not discuss the possibility of the gold leaf tarnishing
with exposure to air over time. If you buy a kit, (which is a simple way to
start) you are provided with the appropriate sealer.
Working with Natural Elements
Natural elements can cover many things: twigs,
leaves, seed pods, stones, shells, and we’ll include sea glass into that
category since it is nature that gives it its characteristic muted tones and
soft edges. Many of these things can find their way into the work of paper
artists.
When you work with natural elements there are always
things to consider:
· Cleaning
· Preserving
the element if it is plant based
· Attaching
the element to artwork
Cleaning
Cleaning shells has as many recommended methods as there
are shells. The shells I was given had already been cleaned so I can’t vouch
for any of these methods personally.
How
to safely clean seashells!
Cleaning
Shells with HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
How
to safely clean seashells. Burn the shells - not your skin!
When using natural plant material that you have gathered
from outside like twigs or seed pods, place them on a foil lined pan in a
200° to 250° oven for 30 minutes to make sure there are no uninvited
guests. (or microwaving may be an
option for you)
Stones and sea glass can just be washed with soapy water
and dried.
Preserving
There are many ways of preserving plant
material. It can be dried when twigs and seed pods have been dried,
they can be given a coat of matte varnish to seal them before use.
Drying
and Preserving Plant Material
Attaching Elements
Depending on the weight of the element, most elements can
be attached using a wrapping and couching technique. In some cases,
the weight of the element will require adhesive to be used as well as stitch to
bond the element to the substrate.
Other Elements
Under other elements we can include embellishments such
as recycled materials and non-traditional materials. Buttons,
punchinella, jewellery findings, bread tags and a multitude of other
things can be included in this category. It is open to your
imagination.
Artist Links
Ersi Marina Samara Instagram
No comments:
Post a Comment