Hello. This is my first post for 2011. Happy year of the rabbit! Like many of you, I’ve been caught up in the holidays, visitors, and making new items that I’ll be posting today.
My thoughts are centering around winter, so for design ideas I’ve conjured up the Northern Lights, Chinese New Year (I love bunnies, so this is my favorite out of the 12!) and Valentines Day—reds, pinks, and lavenders, oh my!
I’ve been experimenting with salt by forming patterns with it by “drawing” designs using a spoon for control of the flow. The results are cool. The spiral pattern in “Strawberry Rave” and “Raving Hearts” were created using this technique. If you’re curious as to where I got this idea—that’s what pops in my head at 1 AM while listening to BBC Radio 1. Techno music gives you lots of energy while painting.
The whole canvas is wetted down with water using a spray bottle before I start painting. This allows for the colors to blend and keeps the canvas moist for good salt results. After I paint the design, I brush alcohol on some of the darker areas to lighten them (optional) and then sprinkle the salt using a spoon. Surprisingly, it takes several hours for it to completely dry. Just when you think it’s done pulling the color to it, you look later on and it’s changed once again. If it’s almost dry, and you want a little more “pull effect” in your design, just re-spray the whole canvas again. You’ll see the pull almost immediately. It’s simply magical.
May 2011 bring you good health and prosperity!
Cheers,
Diane