Journey Art Supplies Blog
Tips, Tricks, Thoughts, and inspiration from across the art spectrum.
Painting with Fire!
Hi, everyone! One of the draws of alcohol ink is its looseness and unpredictability--so what if we amplified that and added a little danger? This week's project was inspired by a video I saw on YouTube where an artist applied alcohol inks to a ceramic tile and then lit it on FIRE! The movement of the flame allows for truly unique designs as well as an extremely fast evaporation time. In the video, she mentioned using this technique to create backgrounds for future works, but I think the result looks great enough on its own, so I used it to make some tile coasters! For this project, I picked up some plain white ceramic tiles (4" x 4") and a slightly larger tile (9" x 12") from a hardware store--super cheap, and you can sometimes even find them in thrift stores. I already had my stash of Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Inks and Blending Solution and a lighter stick, so I was good to go! I started as I would with any other abstract alcohol ink piece by just tossing color all over my surface (the colors I used here are Clover, Stream, Aqua, and Shell Pink). To get the colors to start moving around, I added a few splashes of Blending Solution. Then I lit it with my lighter stick and let the flame burn down on its own (about 20 seconds)... And here's what I got! I wasn't entirely happy with the amount of white that was still showing through, so I tried again! One of the best things about alcohol inks is their ability to be reworked when you're not happy with the result. Even though the alcohol was burned off from the flame, I was still able to add MORE inks and blending solution to the tile and it reactivated it! Here's what I got the second time around and I was much happier with this result! For my next tile, I used Shell Pink again, Cool Peri, Wild Plum, and Watermelon. Added my blending solution... And lit it up! A lot of my color got burned off the first go around, so I threw on more Watermelon and Wild Plum the second go 'round and got this! My third tile was a crazy mixture of Cool Peri, Wild Plum, Indigo, and Cranberry. I'll never get tired of taking pictures of art on fire. Oof. This one came out REALLY dark. But no worries! I only added light tones (Cool Peri and the blending solution) the second time. Let it do its thing... And it brought back my brighter colors! My last tile was...a learning experience. I'm not sure why I thought this color scheme would be a good idea, I guess I was riding a bit of a high from the pyromania. For whatever reason, I picked Cool Peri, Sunset Orange, Sunshine Yellow, and Citrus... Oh, what a mistake that was... Here's the unfortunate mess I got with those colors. I think it might have turned out okay, had I not included the green... Rather than chalk this up to a total waste, I used it as an opportunity to experiment. I had forgotten that metallic Silver was in my arsenal and didn't even consider using it on the three prior tiles, so I threw it and some blending solution on top of this wreck just to see what it would do... So, essentially, the silver just danced around on top and didn't meld in with the other colors. I like the look of it, though! I'd like it more if it wasn't on THIS tile... I made another attempt by JUST adding blending solution, to see if it would burn anything off, and it mostly just got kind of burnt... No worries, though! After a little rubbing alcohol and some light scrubbing, I had a clean tile again! This time, I stuck with a combination of colors I knew would look good together: Cool Peri, Aqua, Stream, and Indigo. Some blending solution, of course. And presto! This one was pretty okay with me, but I still wanted more coverage on those white areas. I added some more Cool Peri and blending solution... And ended up with this! Much better than that orange-green train wreck... Once they were all dry (not long at all, since the fire evaporated most of the moisture), I painted the sides of them with some Joe's Prime Really Good Lightfast Acrylic to match their schemes. Then I sealed them with a few coats of Liquitex Soluvar Aerosol Varnish (Glossy). And when THAT was dry, I stuck these little footsies underneath so the unfinished bottoms wouldn't scratch up my tables. If you have some felt lying around, that would work great. But I just picked up these furniture pads while I was getting the tiles. Here are my finished products: If you attempt this project, PLEASE make sure you do it in a well-ventilated area and not under any low ceilings! While the flame doesn't extend more than about 2.5 feet, it could still catch onto things around it. And also make sure your inks are a safe distance from your open flame. With those things in mind, this project is entirely safe and tons of fun!
Painting with Fire!
Hi, everyone! One of the draws of alcohol ink is its looseness and unpredictability--so what if we amplified that and added a little danger? This week's project was inspired by...
Trash to Treasure!
Hey, everyone! This week's blog post goes out to those who want to decorative-paint the mundane things in their life, but have trouble making it happen. Whether it's your skill level, lack of time to dedicate to a big project, or you just don't know how you want to paint something, there is an alternative: paper! The Cheap Joe's Outlet Store has a fantastic selection of handmade paper, and some of it is for sale on our website! Check out these that are made from bark or these packs that have their own color schemes (I used one pack in this post!) You can also get crazy with layering tissue paper--hmm...that might be a future blog post! This used to be a plain black bookshelf. But thanks to a few sheets of this gorgeous handmade paper I found in the Outlet Store, it's now a stunning work of art! I also used an assortment of papers to give a collage effect to this smaller shelf. The decorative paper method is one that I love and have had great success with--the best part? It's so easy! For my example this time, I used this totally bare trash can cover/holder that my dad (Hi, dad!) made me hide this ugly old bin--and also keep my cat from knocking it over again... I started by planning it out, of course, in my handy dandy Hand•Book Journal. I knew that I wanted to incorporate a solid accent color with the decorative paper I chose (an all-over pattern would take away from the print and make it harder to distinguish its shapeless is more sometimes!), but there were so many design possibilities! Once I figured out which look I wanted to go with (top middle), it was time to make it happen! The first step was priming all over. After two coats of Joe's Prime Really Good Gesso, I dragged this bad boy out into the yard for some spray painting! I used Montana Gold Professional Acrylic Spray Paint in Shock Red for the sides and back of my holder. I went with Montana Gold for a few reasons: the red matched my paper perfectly and the drying time and coverage for spray paint are insanely better than fluid or heavy-body acrylics. You're also much more likely to get an even coating--no brush strokes! Once the outsides dried, I painted the inside of the lid and a few inches down into the holder, that way you wouldn't just see bare wood when you opened it up. When those parts dried as well, I brought it back inside to apply my paper to the top and front with Golden Soft Gel Medium. I cut the sheets a little bit larger than what I needed, just to make sure I could cover everything completely, but then I only adhered to the parts that I wanted to cover. With everything good and stuck on, I used an X-Acto Knife to cut away the excess and glued any loose edges back down with my Gel Medium. To protect the outside and also give it a nice finish, I covered everything that was painted red with Golden Soft Gel Medium (Gloss)--in case you can't tell, I love using this stuff. It's so versatile! The final touch was to reattach my handle... And I was done! What a happy little trash can holder :) It is much better looking than a black piece of junk, and it only took part of my afternoon!
Trash to Treasure!
Hey, everyone! This week's blog post goes out to those who want to decorative-paint the mundane things in their life, but have trouble making it happen. Whether it's your skill...
Don't Throw in the Dowel!
Hello, everybody! Here at Cheap Joe's, we love using products in unconventional ways, so it's no wonder that I looked at our stock of dowels rods and thought, "I can totally use those.
Don't Throw in the Dowel!
Hello, everybody! Here at Cheap Joe's, we love using products in unconventional ways, so it's no wonder that I looked at our stock of dowels rods and thought, "I can...
Leave Your Mark
Hello, everyone! This week, I have a fun craft for all you scrapbookers and stationary lovers out there–stamps! Though, this isn’t solely for those crafters because the best and easiest way to quickly add a personal, handmade touch to something is to use a stamp! But isn’t making your own stamp
Leave Your Mark
Hello, everyone! This week, I have a fun craft for all you scrapbookers and stationary lovers out there–stamps! Though, this isn’t solely for those crafters because the best and easiest...
Job Perks: A Cheap Joe's Art Exhibit!
This week, I’d like to talk about something very exciting that’s happening over here: our first company-wide art exhibit in a museum! The lovely folks over at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum offered us the chance to display some of our employees’ artwork in our own gallery, and of course, we jumped at it!
Job Perks: A Cheap Joe's Art Exhibit!
This week, I’d like to talk about something very exciting that’s happening over here: our first company-wide art exhibit in a museum! The lovely folks over at the Blowing Rock Art...
The Answer to Your Brayers!
Have you been interested in printmaking, but were a little hesitant due to the cost? Well, you’re in luck!
The Answer to Your Brayers!
Have you been interested in printmaking, but were a little hesitant due to the cost? Well, you’re in luck!
Paint So Great, You Can Even See It in the Dark!
Have you gotten our Summer Sale Flyer yet? If not, you’re missing out on some REALLY great new products! One of which is our brand-spankin' new color of Joe’s Prime Really Good Lightfast Acrylic: Glow-in-the-Dark! Let me tell you, the possibilities with this color are endless.
Paint So Great, You Can Even See It in the Dark!
Have you gotten our Summer Sale Flyer yet? If not, you’re missing out on some REALLY great new products! One of which is our brand-spankin' new color of Joe’s Prime...
A Day in the Life of a Workshopper!
Our very own, Joe Miller, has some experience in this area. And he has a very useful tip to avoid making mud in your painting that is very well explained in this wonderful video! Joe mixes the colors on his paper and not on the palette. He scoops up the pigment with his very large flat brush and simply places the colors next to each other without much mixing once they are applied to the painting.
A Day in the Life of a Workshopper!
Our very own, Joe Miller, has some experience in this area. And he has a very useful tip to avoid making mud in your painting that is very well explained...
The Spring Art Swap!
Well, it’s that time of year again…time for another Cheap Joe’s Art Swap! The theme this time was “spring”–and I took that pretty literally in my panel. I sketched out this idea in my Hand•Book Artist Journal. I absolutely LOVE these journals.
The Spring Art Swap!
Well, it’s that time of year again…time for another Cheap Joe’s Art Swap! The theme this time was “spring”–and I took that pretty literally in my panel. I sketched out...
Adventures in Yupo and Negative Painting
I think an art form that doesn’t get nearly enough recognition is negative painting. No, I don’t mean like when you’re grumpy but you’re STILL painting, I’m talking about painting in your negative space first and letting it outline your subject! This week’s project is VERY mixed media: watercolor, acrylic paint, and ink!
Adventures in Yupo and Negative Painting
I think an art form that doesn’t get nearly enough recognition is negative painting. No, I don’t mean like when you’re grumpy but you’re STILL painting, I’m talking about painting...
An Ink-cellent Alternative!
Do you love to paint in watercolor, but have difficulty with intricate details? Have no fear! This week, I have combined the brilliancy and versatility of watercolor with the precision and ease of ink! Of course, this style isn’t for everybody because it does result in more of an illustration feel and strays a bit from realism–but, if that’s what you’re into, keep reading!
An Ink-cellent Alternative!
Do you love to paint in watercolor, but have difficulty with intricate details? Have no fear! This week, I have combined the brilliancy and versatility of watercolor with the precision...
More Incredible Ways to Use Alcohol Inks!
This week, I want to jump on the bandwagon and preach the gospel of alcohol inks! You’ve probably heard and know a lot about them and how great they work with Yupo Watercolor Paper. Maybe you’ve even used them yourself! But, have you seen them used on glass?
More Incredible Ways to Use Alcohol Inks!
This week, I want to jump on the bandwagon and preach the gospel of alcohol inks! You’ve probably heard and know a lot about them and how great they work...
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