More Mixed Media Hearts Experimentation-Pictures- and Carousel Update

I have been experimenting with art materials again this week.  As I mentioned in the last blog post, I'm using hearts as the base for the experiment because Valentine's Day is on the way and that brings hearts to mind. 

Black paint on foil.

This week I was testing how well different glues held when foil was glued to the cardboard hearts.  Last week, I used multipurpose glue and it held well.  This week, I was checking water soluble glues.  In some crafting situations, such as working with children, you would want to use a glue that can be cleaned up easily and will not permanently adhere to clothing.   I tested a water soluble glue stick and a brand of viscous washable clear school glue.  I have decided to list the glues as generic because you never know what kind of negative feedback you might get from companies for writing about their products these days.  (That said, any company that would like me to test their products is welcome to contact me.  My email is listed in the profile above.)    

Metallic gold and black paint on foil.

I rubbed the heart thoroughly with the glue stick and applied the foil, shiny side outwards.  I cut the foil about an eighth inch larger than the heart.  The foil was rubbed down against the heart to make sure that the glue had a tight bond with the foil.  Then the heart was turned over, glue was applied to the other side.  The excess foil was then wrapped around to the back.  More foil was applied in the same manner, except that extra glue was applied to the rim of the foil before it was wrapped around to the front.  What I found was that the glue stick did not hold the foil well.  The foil slipped off the cardboard heart as I was painting and lifting off paint, even though it had been given time to dry before being painted. 

The washable school glue was applied to the hearts with a paint brush.  Other than that, the process of applying the heart was the same.  The washable school glue did a much better job with the foil.  It held well on the hearts and has not had any areas come loose except for one area that did not get any glue on it.  So, if you are working in a situation that requires a water soluble glue and foil, the washable clear school glue is the better choice.  All hearts shown are the ones glued with the washable school glue.

I also was working with some paint effects on foil.  I came up with some interesting results.  Last weeks hearts had a lot of glue smeared on them due to how I applied the foil.  The glue acted as a primer and held the paint on the foil well.  Last weeks hearts also had multiple coats of paint.  This week, I deliberately made sure that no glue was on the front of the foil.  I wanted to see how acrylic craft paints acted on foil without a primer.  I experimented with black, metallic gold, and red craft paints. 

The results look much better in person than they photographed.  Glare from the lights, and reflections on the foil contributed to making the picture taking less than stellar.  I know about reflectors, and bouncing the lights to soften them, but I just don't have the equipment.  So, the photos are the best I could get with what I had to work with.

The paints did not adhere well to the foil without a primer.  The paint was very streaky and you could see a lot more of the aluminum foil through it  When paint was lifted off gently, it still took off a lot of the paint.  Only paint that was trapped up against the folds of the foil remained when I used heavier pressure.  The experiment yielded some interesting results though. 

The black paint over foil yielded a look of tarnished silver.  I painted both sides of the heart this way.  The paint was lifted off using a gentle tapping motion.  The heart looked like it was made of heavy metal.  It had a very industrial look.  I think I could find a way to use this in a mixed media piece if I wanted to make something such as a medallion.  Or represent something metallic that was very heavy, perhaps a man hole cover of a sewer? 

I painted one side of a second heart with metallic gold, and then overlaid it with black paint which was lifted off with moderate pressure using a paper towel.  Because some of the metallic gold paint lifted up as well, you could see some of the silvery aluminum as well.  It reminded me of an old piece of inexpensive metal jewelry that had been left in a drawer a long time that was chipped, faded, and tarnished.  I'm not sure where I would use this look, but it had a very nostalgic feel to it.

The other side of the second heart was painted with red paint and allowed to dry most of the way.  Then black paint was applied over the red.  The paints were lifted off with heavy pressure using a paper towel.  Almost all of the paint came off.  The red and black were only left in the crevasses of the foil.  It looked as if something shiny, like chrome, had been left outside to rust.  I really don't have an application in mind, but it really reminds me of the beginning of bicycle handles starting to rust.

Update on the Carousel Project
I have received one of my books on making carousel animals.  I am really excited about getting started on this project.  My first post about it will be coming up on Wednesday.