tools

One time I took an encaustic class and the teacher was known for using encaustic paints to create large 3d sculptures. And I wondered how she could possibly afford to work that way. Encaustic paint is expensive! In my mind that method of working would never be available to me.

Another time I found a video about a child who is known for large scale abstract paintings and thought to myself, “What if we all had the support and freedom to use all that paint?” Again I was limited by my belief that the art supplies were too precious to be use with abandon.

I am not saying that I wished my work was like either of these artist’s. My wish was that I could work as freely as they seemed to and to not be limited by expense or scarcity of supplies.

In many ways I think I have been able to adapt my process and give myself the freedom to create just as they do.

I use papers and inks and paints that are not precious to me. This gives me the space to make lots of “learning” prints. It gives me the opportunity to fail, discover and learn.

My most recent freeing art supply is index cards.

I use index cards for:

• daily sketches
• sketch book on a ring in my purse
• test prints
• landscape prints
• relief prints

I did a series of landscape prints and then cropped a few into this thumbnail study. Love it!

These are test prints from some new foam relief prints. I combined them into a larger print and I am pleased with the presentation.

The index card is the perfect size for sketches and I just slip them onto a binder ring and they are easily organized.

Here I did some quick trace monoprints on a couple of index cards.

What supply could you use to support your own creative expression? What choices could you make to give your self the freedom to create from your unique voice?

I even make quick stencils from index cards.

I challenge you to make a choice or decision today that supports your creative freedom!

 

 

• Do you generously use up your art supplies?
• Or do you hoard and save them?

Ink is one supply that I think you should use up!  As most inks age they change and sometimes don’t work as well as when they are fresh.

Piles of prints with potential – are good things to use up rather than just save them for the perfect project.

If you work with photo emulsion screens, like the EZscreen above then you definitely want to use them before they expire. They have a shelf life of about 6 months and then the emulsion starts to harden and they are no good.

I challenge you to bravely use up some supplies and maybe even toss out some things that are no longer useful.

Enjoy!

I have decided that it is better to buy just what I need and not to stock up on art supplies, especially if they are “perishable.”

It is hard to resist a sale. Hard to not up the online order to get free shipping. But if the ink dries out before I can use it then it was not really a savings.

I love ink in tubes. It is so easy to dispense just a little and they don’t dry out as fast as jars.

Sometimes I even cut the tubes and use every last drop.

With the speedball water based block printing ink I can cover the open end with plastic wrap and a clip and make them last even longer.

It is hard to make good prints with globby ink.

Is your studio filled with:

• things that you love and use
• things that inspire you
• things that you might use
• things that you have had for years and not used yet?

No judgement here.

When I look around my studio I realize that I have a lot of all those things. My plan is to get rid of the “might use” and “had for years” to create space for what I do.

This desire also informs my buying decisions. Because when I throw away dried up and unused supplies, if feels like I am throwing away money.

Off to sort through the good, bad and the ugly in my studio.

 

I love back to school supply sales.

I love buying note books, markers, glue and gadgets for art making.

Here are some of the school supplies that I stock up on at this time of year and what I use them for:

1. Composition  notebooks – daily journalling
2. Erasers of all sizes – carving into small relief blocks
3. Page protectors – storing stencils and surface for drying stencils with wet glue
4. Plastic binder folders – stencils to use for screen printing
5. Pencil head erasers – stamping circle and soft erasing
6. Copy paper – practice prints, newsprint pickups, and sketching
7. Big glue sticks – collage and piecing together prints
8. Crayola Markers – quick color sketches
9. Sticky notes – tiny sketches, to do lists and labels for sorting prints
10. Index cards – printing on, idea sorting, sketching
11. Push pins – piercing sewing holes in handmade books, hanging work to be admired.
12. Little scissors – cutting little things
13. Bull Clips – hanging art work and inspiration, holding pages together while making books
14. Pencil sharpeners – for nice sharp points
15. Manilla file folders – making stencils, organizing stencils and prints.

If it is back to school sale time where you live, you might want to get some good deals on some “art” supplies.

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