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What fabric is appropriate for an ironing board cover? Our new house has an ironing board that folds out of the wall. While I love the convenience of this, the ironing board cover is rather old and gross, as well as having some tears. Being crafty, I'd like to make my own ironing board cover. What fabrics can I consider that would not be a fire hazard? (Assuming I will never leave the iron just sitting face down on the ironing board, of course.) <Q> Measure the board and be sure to allow fabric to tuck under and attach to the bottom in the same way as the original cover. <S> It is strong but not bulky or very stiff, silver-gray, and easy to work with, also often used for potholders. <S> If needed, you should replace the cotton padding while you are at it, with cotton batting, from the same sources. <A> Cotton! <S> My mother made her own iron board covers out of cotton. <S> Since it is natural you don't have to worry about it trapping steam, or melting from the heat of the iron. <S> The heavier the fabric, the better. <A> I love making my own ironing board covers, you can match the other fabrics in your room, or just be playful with it. <S> so you don't inadvertently iron in a pattern. <S> In addition to muslin and percales, check out the upholstery section of your fabric store, some good ideas there as well. <S> It's also sometimes cheaper to use an inexpensive twin sheet. <S> For the padding, I use a couple of layers of wool felt which comes on 60" bolts and is available in most fabric stores in neutral colors. <S> Wool will not hold moisture as much as cotton will and is also very heat resistant, much more so than foam padding which will yellow and can show through your cotton top. <S> I make a drawstring casing all around and pull a cord through with a safety pin, pull tight, smooth the corners, and tie. <S> Have fun! <S> What a space saver that type of fold-out ironing board is.
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You can buy "heat-resistant fabric" by the yard at large fabric stores in the utility fabrics section (literally called "ironing board fabric" at a popular chain) or online (several sources came up on a search), for about the same price as cotton duck or canvas, often for less. I always use 100% cotton but a tighter weave than canvas, the objective is to achieve as smooth a surface as possible
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What can I use to quickly color already-folded origami? A friend of mine gifted me a paper crane out of regular printer paper, and I'd like to spruce it up if I can do so, without having to just scribble at it with a marker for hours on end. In short, I'd like something that can give it a (mostly) even coat of color without taking more than a half hour, and while maintaining the integrity of the crane. Is spray paint usable for this purpose, or is there a better tool? <Q> You'd be able to adjust the flow and target the crevices, to get even coverage without soaking the piece. <S> Unfortunately, the start-up costs of getting an airbrush are considerably more expensive than grabbing a can of spray paint or using some sort of dry brush technique. <S> There are tutorials on how to make an airbrush available online. <S> I won't cover them here, because that's a bit beyond my scope. <S> It is an option if you're on a budget. <S> Renting an airbrush might not be an option, but there may be studios in your area that let you use their equipment if you pay a cover charge and for supplies. <S> I know many studios, especially on college campuses, allow you to use studios for about $10 and it gives you access to all their equipment, generally pottery wheels and kilns and tools. <S> If this is something you'd want to pursue, I'd call around and see if they have an airbrush available if you pay for some studio time. <S> Then, make sure you bring enough to do or have some other ideas to explore, and make good use of that time! <A> Is spray paint usable for this purpose, or is there a better tool? <S> When I started reading this spray paint is what came to mind. <S> It seems the best way to get even coverage with minimal effort. <S> Now that can be considered a broad suggestion given the many varieties of paints out there but most should be more than sufficient for this. <S> Spray paint allows you to reach all the surfaces, contours and crevasses of the model without having to handle it too much. <S> Just sit it on some paper and spray the model from enough distance that you are not saturating it. <S> This should help prevent beading and dripping of the paint. <S> With something like a crane the points should keep it elevated enough to not need help keeping of the ground. <S> There is still a possibly that this could warp the model. <S> Since you are applying a liquid to one side of the paper it could cause the model to curl as it dries. <S> This can happen with almost anything you would apply. <S> Making multiple light coats can mitigate this. <S> Always be sure to wear protective gear, like face masks and goggles, and work in an open and well circulated area. <A> My first thought would be an airbrush. <S> The problem with spray paint is that it can splatter, warp the paper, and is hard to control on small surfaces. <S> An airbrush is nice and small, easy to control, and perfect for something like this. <S> You probably don't want to buy an airbrush to use only once, so maybe try a cheaper alternative. <S> There are things called BloPens (not really sure how good they are) that spray a thin layer of ink. <S> If you have Copic markers already, there's the Copic airbrush kit, and as a last resort, some cheap brush markers.
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An airbrush seems perfectly suited to this type of work.
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What kind of painting tools does one need in order to make these fantasy art drawings? I like drawing as a hobby and after practising sketching with a pencil for a year or so I recently started using colour pencils and soft pastels and I was wondering what kind of painting tools would I need to create as beautiful a picture this one? English is not my native language and I don't really know about artist`s terms, so please forgive any errors thank you all in advance. <Q> While the specific example you found turns out to be digital art, the style it's reproducing is oil painting. <S> (And acrylic, but acrylic arose as a way to paint in oils minus the long drying time.) <S> Source Note that a talented artist can achieve the same effect with watercolors, too: Source ... <S> but IMO such painting is hard enough without pushing your materials to their limits. <A> This image was created digitally (as a few have mentioned) however, that doesn't mean that the same sort of style can't be achieved with traditional mediums. <S> I think what it comes down to in this case is which medium do you feel like you can handle skill-wise and money-wise at this point in time. <S> For example- you can create the same effects in oil paints, but it can be expensive, and much more time-consuming than dry mediums like pencils. <S> For this, you'd need the oil paints, a variety of oil brushes, a few palette knives, and either turpentine or turpenoid just to get started. <S> You can also get similar effects in watercolor paint. <S> For this, get a variety of watercolor brushes (do NOT use the same brushes as you use with oil paints, as the oil and water won't mix), the paints (tubes are great), and make sure the paper you use is specifically made to handle the buckling that happens with watercolor. <S> However, I think a question you can ask yourself if you just started a year ago <S> is do you want to start painting, or do you enjoy dry mediums enough that it can wait until you're more advanced? <S> You can make similar beautiful pieces with the mediums you have already used. <S> This was created with ballpoint pen. <S> This was created with pastels. <S> Not every artist is a painter, and not all beautiful artworks are paintings. <S> In the interest of being well-rounded, painting is certainly a great step, and you can learn a lot doing it, but it's definitely an altogether different ball game than drawing. <S> While the principles are the same, the techniques are completely different. <A> Seems a digital painting to me as well. <S> So to make something like this you would need a graphic tablet (something like Wacom Bamboo, which is cheaper, for new users) and a digital illustration program (something like Photoshop, Paint Tool SAI or if you want something FREE you can start with the GIMP). <S> These programs are not easy to use at first, but the web is full of tutorials that might help you learning the basics. <S> For example: http://morgandavidsonart.tumblr.com/post/155457148338/glowing-rose-colored-pencil-drawing <S> (I know it's a different subject, but I think the style and use of pencils might be suitable for making art like the one you showed us) <S> I would say that in general, you can reach this results with many mediums, but you have to really know the tool you're using (pros, cons and limits).If <S> you feel that you cannot do this with pencils right now, don't give up and keep drawing! <S> That's the key to improvement and the FIRST thing that will allow you to achieve your goal. <A> Every gift, and talent is a gift, comes with suffering. <S> If you are a detail oriented artist then your torture, albeit an exquisite pain, requires exceptional perspective, memory, focus and dedication. <S> There are ultra realists who produce works in different mediums that cannot be distinguished from photographs and fantasy artists, the category I'd put your example into, who boggle the mind with detail and imagination. <S> Not to sound flippant but, maybe consider using a projector and any other aid to give you an absolute detailed drawing before you apply color. <S> Commercial artists have been projecting since the camera came into the picture. <S> (pun intended)
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If you want to make something like this but with a traditional medium, I think you can do it even with pencils, if you're talented (and you have a good variety/brand of pencils).
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How to remove the yellowish color from my old drawings? I have my old (10+ years) pencil art drawings and when I looked at them recently I notice that the paper has yellowed where it is visible. Is there a way to remove to remove the yellow tint without affecting the drawing? <Q> I don't believe there is a way to remove the yellow staining but there are a lot of methods to keep it from getting any worse. <S> The reason your paper is turning yellow is because of the quality of paper that was used to make the drawing on. <S> Economical paper is made from wood and not cotton. <S> Chances are you have paper made from a wood pulp. <S> Wood is made up of lignin and cellulos. <S> The yellowing in the result of lignin, still present in the fibres of your paper, oxidizing when exposed to sunlight and air. <S> And these acids help with the oxidation process. <S> To save your paper I would recommend two things, 1) Neutralize the residual acids and 2) <S> Seal the paper from contact with the air. <S> Krylon makes a spray which helps neutralize the acids. <S> Neutralizing the acids slows down the yellowing and aging of the paper. <S> Krylon also makes a preservative for protecting documents and photos called PreserveIt. <S> Neutralize the acids <S> first then perserve it. <S> In the future if you want your drawings to last longer (say a couple of hundred years). <S> Try using paper that is archival safe or acid-free. <A> Take high quality digital scans or photographs of it. <S> That won't undo the damage if some of the drawing is already lost, but digital editing may help make the parts of the art that are still there more visible. <A> b_jonas is on the right path... <S> Then take that scan and in photo editing software correct out the yellowed tone. <S> A decent app will have tools that can make this fairly simple, though you may want to outsource this if you are not familiar with the process. <S> Now make a giclee or high quality inkjet print of the work, using the same or similar paper and dimensions of the original. <S> Yes, it is a reproduction, but fine art ink jet prints can be nearly indistinguishable from the original. <S> There is no way to "unyellow" aged paper without damaging the work. <S> This way you can still have a piece you can show that is in pristine condition and that will look like the original to all but the closest inspection. <S> (Note: this is also the reason you should not use hair spray or other cheap alternatives as fixative. <S> Not saying you did here, but it will result in the same yellowing and should be avoided.)
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And if the paper wasn't washed properly residual acids from the paper makeing process may still be present. Take a high quality scan or photo of the discolored work.
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What is the term for an art show featuring two artists? An art show with one artist is a solo show. One featuring many artists is called a group show. What in the generally-accepted industry term for an art show that only has two artists? A dual show? A duo show? <Q> BUT (after searching the internuts a bit) it seems that "Duo Exhibition" is the most common term for a two artist show. <S> Group Exposition or Collective Exhibition applies to shows which have three artists or more. <S> Examples: <S> In the exhibition guidelines for the MacDonald Island Community Art Gallery Exhibition <S> they list three categories of exhibitions which depends on the number of artists showing: Solo, Duo and Collective SEÇİL BÜYÜKKAN gallery discussing the Seçil Büyükkan and Deniz Aktaş <S> "Hande Şarman" show refers to the event as a "Duo Exhbibition". <S> The CV for visual artist Yooree Yang gives a listing of Solo Exhibition & "Duo Exhibitions" <S> the artist has participated in the past <A> I've often seen two-person exhibition used to describe this kind of show. <S> A simple web search on the term brings up a number of examples. <A> I think this really can depend on the artists purpose or goal. <S> I found a Google book called Fine Art Publicity: The Complete Guide for Galleries and Artists that talks about this. <S> What little we can see for free <S> that is pertinent talks about creating press release for these refers to them as Multiple Artist and Theme Exhibitions . <S> An article discussing a (at the time) future exhibition featuring two artists as just that: An exhibition. <S> The search that led me had the subject: Francis Bacon & Henry Moore: Terror and Beauty <S> One could argue that it was a themed art exhibit. <S> In this case the two artists were from the same period, drawing on a similar war torn past into their works, but never collaborated together during their lives. <S> As we can see in the other answers there are multiple terms in use to describe this. <S> I think the goal of the artists and hosting gallery or venue will drive what terms they would use to describe their exhibition/exhibit. <S> I don't think there is one answer for this.
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A "group exposition" or "collective exhibition" could be used to describe a two person art show ...
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How do I keep my ink from smudging when I draw? When I try to make sketches with a fountain pen on printer paper, it keeps smudging, so I have to restart. What do I do to prevent smudging? If this helps, I'm ambidextrous. <Q> There are four things I can think of which will help you avoid smudging your inks <S> are: <S> how you hold your hands over your working surface, controlling the amount of ink on your paper, helping the ink dry quicker, and being present at all times in the drawing process. <S> Keep away from wet areas. <S> Always keep your hand above the surface of the paper, never resetting the edge of the palm on the paper. <S> Only the tip of the pen is allowed to make contact with the paper. <S> If you do need to stabilize your hand, for some fine detail work, you either stabilize your hand using the tip of your pinky balanced in an area free of ink or you use something like a painter's maulstick which gives you a stable surface that is balanced from the outer edges of your working area. <S> Remove any excess ink helps speed drying time. <S> Fountain pens can place generous amounts of ink onto the surface of your paper. <S> This pooled ink takes a long time to dry. <S> To help the drying process you can use something called an "ink blotter" . <S> Helps to dry the remaining ink faster. <S> Evaporate the moisture. <S> Use heat to help the ink dry quicker. <S> A heat gun , or blow dryer, passed gently over the surface of your working surface will help remove the moisture from the ink. <S> Stop and think. <S> It's easy to get lost in a drawing and forget what areas you have recently gone over. <S> It's those recently drawn areas which have the greatest change of being accidentally smudged. <S> Knowing what you have drawn and when it was drawn will help you avoid inadvertently running into still wet ink. <A> Printer paper may not be the ideal substrate for a fountain pen. <S> Can you try different paper - something specifically made for pen and ink? <S> Another thing to try is to use a slanted surface. <S> This is actually one of the keys to writing with quills, which deposit ink even quicker than a fountain pen. <S> You'll need to play around with the angle to find that sweet spot between "ink doesn't flow" and "ink flows too quickly" for your particular pen, ink, and paper, but 45 degrees is a good start. <S> And then there's the obvious thing, though we tend to forget it when drawing: work from the top down and left to right (or right to left if you're left-handed). <S> If you need to go backwards -- upwards or away from your writing direction --, wait for your previous lines to dry, or help them along with a blotter or with sand. <A> A substance called gum sandarac has been used on paper so ink more readily takes to it. <S> Also drafters powder. <S> Check Amazon or Jon Neal Booksellers websites for these products. <S> Myself I’ve found different weights of the top quality Mohawk paper give good results. <S> As others have said treat yourself to a visit to an art and craft store to review the paper that’s easily available. <S> Art paper tends to be separated by the type of media it most readily accept. <S> Jetpens.com also has an excellent series of guides and how tops on fountain pens and paper. <A> When I try to make sketches with a fountain pen on printer paper, it keeps smudging <S> One of the pleasures and annoyances of fountain pens is that your writing (or drawing) experience is quite customizable. <S> Specifically, the particular pen, ink, and paper all matter in this subject. <S> Nibs come in a wide variety of sizes. <S> An extra fine nib lets out much less ink than a stub nib, and more ink can mean more time to dry. <S> Different inks have different physical properties, so some dry quicker than others. <S> They can also absorb into the paper easier, which helps prevent smudging (but may produce feathering you don't want). <S> And paper changes smudgeability quite a bit too; if it's glossier, the ink will stay on the surface more, and thus get smudged easier. <S> Experiment with different combinations of all these, and you may find something that acts more like you want.
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An ink blotter is a special pad of paper used to soak up excess ink from the surface of the paper. If your paper is at a slant, you end up holding the pen almost horizontally, so gravity isn't sending large amounts of ink onto your paper. Be present in the moment , slow down your drawing and pay attention where your pen has been recently and where you want to go to next.
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What crochet stitch is similar to a garter stitch in knitting? I was thinking about making a scarf at some point like the scarf from the 4th Doctor in the Doctor Who series. The original scarf was knitted, which I am not capable of. I like the appearance of the garter stitch that was used and is commonly used in knitting. Single crochet is a simple enough stitch but the appearance is very different. (Left) Garter stitch (Right) Single crochet I understand that an exact match is not possible, but the garter stitch has those nice horizontal thin rows without the "bulk" of the crochet stitches. I don't think I can just slip stitch this, but is there some stitch or stitches that I could use that would be closer to the image on the left? <Q> Another option, that has the advantage of only using standard crochet hooks, would be to use Slip Stitch Crochet. <S> From the description of the craft this sounds similar to what Ji Ugug's answer is referring to. <S> While the basic SS (slip stitch) is just inserting your hook through a loop, YO (yarn over), then pull through the loop you started with - Slip Stitch crochet works by changing the loops you insert your hook through and/or how you are inserting your hook into those loops (front to back or vice versa). <S> Slip stitch garter stitch <S> Slip stitch rib stitch By working rows of slip stitches in front loops <S> you can get the "garter" stitch. <S> By working in the back loops you can get a rib stitch. <S> The ladder of course more resembles its knitting equivalent. <S> You can read a little more on this from as well as some other slip stitch techniques at ayarnifiedlife <A> AFGHAN STITCH CROCHET AKA TUNISIAN CROCHET <S> about.com has some instructions on this stitch. <S> It is a very easy crochet stitch that is similar to knitting. <S> Now, it doesn't look exactly like a garter stitch, but the mechanics can get you closer to knitting. <S> And the garter stitch is the easiest knit stitch to learn. <S> The difference with this stitch is that you will need a longer crochet hook about 11 - 12 inches long, because you are loading the yarn onto the hook just like in knitting. <S> NEW INFO WITH GRAPHICS Basic instructions for Tunisian Crochet Alternate would be the Russian Stitch which does not need the longer hook. <S> Rose Stitch crochet <A> There are two techniques that produce this effect. <S> Tunisian crochet looks similar, but only on the left side - the front will look close to weaved fabric and the item will be very thick. <S> One more difference is that left side of tunisian has an additional, raised loop, which is recognisable to trained eyes. <S> If your work is up to 20 stitches wide, you will likely be able to use a regular crochet hook and not buy a specialized one. <S> Here is a sample I made while learning the basic stitches: The other technique, and I suspect you will like it more, is knooking . <S> Knooking uses a special hook with an eye at the end and the fabric made is exactly like knit. <S> I don't yet do this, so here is a sample offered by search engines (which also illustrates how it works): <A> At youtube there is a video showing how to do it: https://youtu.be/cYlvv03hbaE Foundation chain: <S> of any amount Row 1: 1 sc into second chain from hook, 1 sc into each chain st across, turn. <S> Row 2: 1 sl st into each sc across, turn. <S> Row 3: ch 1, 1 sc into each sl st across, turn. <S> The result is something that looks like it has been knitted sideways, but hey, it's done with a crocheting hook! <A> Maybe that would be something that would work well for this?
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There is a not very used crochet style called "camel crochet" that does look quite a bit like knitting.
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How can I remove paint from glass bottles w/o paint thinner? I've got a couple of glass Saratoga bottles , like the one pictured below. I'd like to remove the paint from them, but I don't want to use paint thinners or similar solvents. What household tools can I use to remove the paint? <Q> Your best bet is probably a razor blade. <S> You can also buy them with handles as "glass scrapers" with the decorating supplies, for getting paint off windows. <S> Steel wool shouldn't scratch glass unless you really lean on it <S> or i's got grit in it, <S> so may be handy for the last bits. <S> This assumes that there's enough of an edge for the blade to bite. <S> It's also possible that the design is etched. <S> You may need solvents to get the last little bits off - acteone <S> (nail polish remover) is worth a try if that's more acceptable. <A> The label is probably a silk-screen label called Applied Ceramic Label, which after screening, is baked onto the container. <S> It's very difficult to remove. <S> Scraping and scratching might remove it, but your bottle is going to be much the worse for wear. <S> I found <S> a How to Clean site <S> that claims using a brewer's cleaning product, Star San to soak off the label. <S> It's an acidic product, available online. <S> They advise soaking your label in a pan or bucket containing Star San for 24-48 hours and that the printing will just magically begin to fall off when given a bit of a shake. <S> No indication of what this does to the bucket - the stuff is supposed to clean-up brewing supplies in just a couple of minutes. <A> Looked at a few videos, a dude was using apple cider vinegar. <S> Same bottle as yours, wet à Scottie with plain white vinegar, put it in a ziplock overnight and wipe off the paint. <S> No razor blade, no scratching... <S> just vinegar on a Scott towel (thouroughly damp). <S> Might be fine after 3-4 hours dunno... <S> I used the same Scottie for 2 bottles...
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Heating the bottle first may soften the paint (to heat it without the risk of cracking, put it in a cold oven and turn on) but it may just make the paint smell bad.
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How can I remove CA glues (e.g. Super Glue) from a material? I recently got some Super Glue on the sole of my shoe, while working on a craft. Luckily, my shoe wasn't on the ground long enough to be glued to the floor, but now, the entire bottle of superglue is stuck to my shoe (it's a small, 5 mL bottle). How can I get the Super Glue (or CA glues) off my shoe (or other materials, like my hands)? <Q> While superglue is strong enough to seal many things, it does have an enemy: acetone. <S> Acetone is able to break down superglue bonds. <S> Be careful though, since acetone is known to be able to dry your hands quickly though. <S> Using this should do the trick. <S> Just remember, take your time, and wash off all the glue and nail polish remover when you are done. <S> As acetone dries your skin, you may want some lotion handy. <S> As an additional aside, pointed out by CreationEdge, this won't work effectively on plastics, which it destroys, or other materials, such as wood, that may soak up the acetone. <A> Acetone is the well-rounded budget conscious option. <S> Zizouz212's answer generally covers this . <S> It is hardly the only option though. <S> It largely depends on the material the glue is on well. <S> When it comes to skin (not a material but certainly somewhere glue ends up) <S> warm soapy water is certainly effective. <S> How long you scrub or immerse depends on the amount of glue. <S> Getting it on your fingers is common and in some cases you can just let it harden and it will peel off. <S> This is where I get CA glue stuck often <S> and I just peel off what I can and wash the remainder. <S> Using acetone on plastics, with the intent to remove just the CA glue, is a very bad idea as it can dissolve/damange many of them. <S> Acetone is one of the ingredients used in plastic welding applications if it puts that in perspective. <S> There are many commercial debonders that are made for this purpose. <S> An example would be Un-Cure CA Debonder . <S> Depending on your project these can be more effective but, again, have a higher cost then on the shelf acetone/ nail polish remover. <S> Wood, especially end grain, will actually absorb CA glue. <S> If you actually needed to remove the glue you would have to remove the affected wood. <S> Depending on the project you could use plastic wood filler or glue in new wood. <S> This advice is not specific to CA glue but most glues. <S> Clothing is a broad topic as well as there are a multitude of different materials so there is no guaranteed approach. <S> Using a toothbrush to massage the area and try to get the glue to flake off. <S> Some debonders also work on fabrics as well keeping in mind the same caveats for clothing. <S> In general CA glue should be easy enough to remove. <S> If there is concern, wear protective clothing and be aware of the specific materials that could come into contact with CA glue <S> so you know the best approach to deal with it. <A> For other materials, hot water can do the trick. <S> Some plastics can handle even boiling water but not acetone, for example, and it may also work better on fabrics when the glue has soaked in. <S> I used to remove it from glass regularly by bringing a beaker of water to the boil.
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To get the superglue off of your shoe, try and use nail polish remover (that contains acetone). Letting the affected area sit in some water and laundry detergent can also help. You should know the materials you are working with to best match your debonder. Acetone is generally recommended here but try to test it in a non visible area to ensure that it would damage/stain the fabric.
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How can I make my own perforated edge? I'd like to make my own perforated edges on paper, so I can tear certain designs instead. I don't like the odds of tears when I just fold back and forth, and I don't want to use cutting in this case. I'm making some small books and I want to take my printed pages and make them easy to tear out. But some pages might have tear-out shapes, as well. Is there a tool I can use to easily make perforations instead? <Q> A sewing machine without thread does a great job at making a perforation in most paper. <S> Depending on the settings it can be rather coarse, or quite fine. <S> I would not use your nicest needle however, as it will most likely wear prematurely. <S> Otherwise, there are purpose built perforators available for ordering online, that work much like a rotary paper cutter, with the obvious difference that they do not completely sever the paper. <A> A pattern tracing (or roulette spacing) wheel. <S> Never used it for sewing but it makes perfectly perforated lines. <S> I see that there's expensive machines that do it for you. <S> Try the sewing store first. <A> If you have the budget you can invest in a cutter/plotter. <S> I use a Craft Robo for my papercraft projects, even though it's a bit old now. <S> (Silhouette Cameo is newer model <S> and I imagine there are other similar products out there). <S> They work similar to a printer in the sense that you install a driver and send a file, but imagine the print head is a tiny cutting head. <S> If you send it a dotted line it will create perforations for you. <S> You can initially use a test page with different cutting depths and different distances between the dots to see what works with your paper thickness.
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It can cut but also perforate: you can also control how deep the cuts are. Much of this will depend on what stitch types your machine is capable of. Well, I guess not as perfect as the ones on stamps and such but close, especially seeing as they are less than a few dollars. It's a wooden handle with a spinning gear type mechanism at the tip. Every sewing box that I ever inherited from lil old lady seamstresses had one.
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What can I do to reduce pain while crocheting? I understand that this will happen regardless with this kind of relative motion. Especially with smaller models where your hands are constantly trying to keep proper tension of the yarn. Still though, this is something that all crocheters must deal with. I suppose the easiest thing to do is take breaks but I wonder if there is more to it than that. What, as a crocheter, can I do to help mitigate pain and cramping that I get while working? Perhaps this would apply to knitting as well. <Q> So I'm a big knitter and crocheter and a musician with tendinitis for the past 20 years. <S> Aside from the standard advice (NSAIDs, massage, etc) there are a few things that you can do to mitigate the situation. <S> First, make sure that the amount of pressure you're using is the bare minimum amount possible. <S> It may actually take some time to retrain your hands, but it's worth taking the time to do it. <S> You may want to slow down a little bit, focus on using as little effort as possible, and then speed up gradually using the same amount of pressure. <S> Second, with knitting and crochet you can also mitigate repetitive strain by making your movements as small as possible. <S> This of course has an added bonus of making your stitches a bit faster. <S> Third, you may want to experiment with different styles and materials of hooks/needles. <S> I can barely use a standard boye aluminum hook, but I find that when the hook has a nice handle, it actually helps a lot. <S> The lightness of the hook and the resistance of the material will also make a difference. <S> It might be kind of tedious at first, but if you avoid damage while retraining your muscles to move lighter, smaller, and with less pressure, you should be able to retrain yourself so that long term you can crochet without any pain at all. <S> It took for me about 3 months to really fully go through the retraining, but it's made a HUGE difference in my ability to do all of the things that I actually want to do. <A> As with any repetitive strain injury (RSI), rest, moist-heat-then-ice, massage, compression, NSAIDs and, of course, physical therapy can all help. <S> /relieve RSI issues the most quickly for me. <S> YMMV. <S> The main problem is that this is a long-term solution that can take months or years, not days, and healing will go a helluva lot faster if you simply stop the activity that's causing the pain or at least limit how much time you spend on it. <S> But ignoring the pain and working through is liable to increase the injury and severity and frequency of pain. <S> Geek hyperfocus and right-brain loss of time sense are not your friends, here. <S> Slowing down might help, too. <S> Understand, also, that what hurts may not be pinpointing where the mechanical problem of muscle strain actually lies. <S> You may have pain in your fingers, wrist, forearm, or elbow, but the actual mechanical problem could be in the shoulder, neck, or back. <S> Pay attention to posture, and which muscles are actually in use, and concentrate on finding positions to relax them. <S> Ultimately, if this begins to bother you outside of the activity, or if you discern nerve damage, medical advice is the best way to go. <S> Keyboard and trackball/pad RSI to the point of nerve damage meant I had to give up knitting altogether, since I still needed to be able to keyboard full time to earn a living. <S> Healing was also, thus, incredibly slow, even wearing splits 24-7 for 9 months. <S> Consider whether or not you can trade in some keyboard time for crochet time, or stay off keyboards outside of business hours. :) <A> Old post, but I thought I would chime in with a couple of additional ideas. <S> I prefer knitting to crochet, and I was having the same issue with knitting. <S> One solution I found was to adjust my technique. <S> It is easy to find information about different knitting techniques (continental knitting, throwing/English style, using knitting pins). <S> Each of them requires slightly different movements of your hands, and can allow you to continue switch techniques if you start feeling pain. <S> I couldn't find much on alternate crochet techniques, but one that I did run across was crocheting left-handed . <S> If you normally crochet right handed, teach yourself to crochet left-handed as well, and then you can switch off when one hand gets tired. <S> Just make sure not to work on the same project when you switch hands... <S> I speak from experience when I say that your gauge will be completely different when you use a different technique, so you probably want to stick to one technique for an entire project. <S> Cotton/linen/hemp and silk yarns are noted for limited stretch. <S> Polyester yarn can also be less stretchy. <S> If you are using one of these fibers, try switching to a wool yarn and see if it is easier on your hands. <S> Try crafting in a different location--your posture can impact your wrists and hands in unexpected ways. <S> Pain from tight shoulders or neck can radiate into your hands and wrists. <S> I wouldn't waste your money on those stress-relief gloves... <S> they have never done anything for me, or for anyone else <S> I know who has tried them. <A> If you are pushing yourself to the point of pain, STOP; ...if you want to crochet,or enjoy ANY repetitive motion craft into advanced age. <S> Consider setting a timer and schedule multiple,shorter crafting periods. <S> If you give up the intense drive to finish projects NOW for the joy of practicing a life long, much loved craft activity, you will preserve both your joints and your crafting activities. <A> The gloves mentioned in the comments are typically fingerless. <S> Here's an example of some specifically designed for yarn-crafters. <S> http://www.lionbrand.com/lion-brand-yarn-stress-relief-gloves.html
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The last point of advice that I have for you is that if you start to feel any pain at all, stop, stretch, and give yourself a few minutes before you go back to it. Other suggestions--try using different yarn. For me, I've generally found that plenty of aerobic exercise to increase circulation through tight sore muscles is what will fix
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Which kind of pencils should be used by a beginner for drawing? I am curious what people would consider a basic / standard pencil type to have in their toolbox for pencil sketching. There are a ton of variants I see with different hardness/softness etc and I don't plan to do anything advanced just want to sketch things out but I feel like while a regular pencil is just fine maybe there is a common type that may be more appropriate to learn with. If your answer is 'use a regular pencil until you feel it's holding you back' that's fine too, just looking for a little guidance. Trying to understand how to see things differently (mainly perspective) as coming from a technical and CAD background everything I try to sketch comes out reflecting that. Edit:If it makes a difference I am used to drawing lines firmly on paper. So based on my understanding a harder pencil may be more appropriate? Or maybe a softer one to teach myself to not try and stab the paper? <Q> I am not an expert but here is what I gathered from my experience. <S> Pencil have different hardness rated as follow: <S> Harder (very light strokes) <S> 7H - <S> > ... <S> -> <S> 2H - <S> > <S> HB -> <S> 2B - <S> > ... <S> -> <S> 7B Softer (dark strokes) <S> Start with a 2B or HB to "draw" (contour, shape, ...) <S> Then add a 4B or 6B for your first shadings <S> (I would go with 6B to widen the range of shade you can achieve). <S> Do the lighter tones with your "first" pencil and the darker with this new one. <S> If you want "real black" instead of the grey provided by graphite pencil you can add a charcoal pencil. <S> completed with 3B, 4B, 5B etc. <S> depending where you think there is a value (grey level) <S> you can't achieve with what you have. <A> A must have in my toolbox is 2B, as you may tend for more "tech" way of drawing i would add an HB to that. <S> In addition to that i'm carrying a one softer pencil 4B-5B. <S> To summerize - my toolbox = <S> HB, 2B, <S> 4B/5B. <S> To feel shadows i usually use 8B allthough <S> i never carry them with me because the graphite inside easly "break" and they are very annoying to use afterwards ;-) <A> For a beginner, I would recommend a generic, cheap mechanical pencil, like a Bic brand mechanical pencil. <S> They produce a reliable and mostly consistent line without need of sharpening. <S> Because the line is usually the same, it is easier for the beginner to practice replicating a mark they like over and over again. <S> The stability of the tool makes it easier to practice your mark, focusing on the skill, rather than the medium. <S> Mechanical pencil leads are often quite soft, making it much easier to make and remove fine marks without careful and frequent sharpening. <S> Mechanical pencils do not require sharpening, and so do not regularly interrupt the drawing process. <S> With practice in a mechanical pencil, it is easy to adapt one's hand to all other varieties of more variable dry drawing media, such as standard pencils, wax pencils, watercolor pencils, bricks, sticks, lead holders, charcoal, chalk, and many others. <S> Skill with a mechanical pencil remains useful long into experienced work, both as a tool for finished work, and more importantly as a tool for impromptu sketching and planning. <S> Finally, mechanical pencils are cheap, widely available, easily maintained, portable, and a single one could last you a lifetime if you never lose it. <A> I recommend getting a small range of hardnesses, specifically: <S> 4B <S> 2B <S> HB/#2 <S> 2H 4H <S> Make sure they're all the same brand, so that you have consistency of scale. <S> I recommend a range, but this small one, because it's important to introduce yourself to the effect of hardness on the mark a pencil makes. <S> Harder graphite (higher H) makes lighter marks, and the lead doesn't smudge as easily. <S> Softer graphite (higher B for black) makes darker marks that can smudge more easily. <S> If you're used to drawing firmly, like I am, you might be inclined to use the 4H pencils, because it will help keep your marks lighter despite your heavy hand. <S> However, the harder lead also means that if you press harder you're going to leave impressions in the paper that can't erase. <S> Essentially lines of compression, almost like scratches. <S> The B range are harder to erase completely, but they don't usually gouge your paper, even if you draw more firmly. <S> The HB/#2 pencil is probably what you, or most beginners, are familiar with using, as it's the standard technical/academic/office pencil. <S> Padding it out with a couple pencil on either side of the scale gives you a taste of what the hardness levels can do, and lets you experiment without investing money in the entire range. <A> There are numerous type of pencils , for the lighter shadingn 2B, for little darker, 4B, at last 6B when you want put black effect. <A> I use a flat carpenters pencil. <S> They are HB and are thin one way and thick the other way. <S> They are cheap, won't break in your pocket, and can be easily sharpened with a reasonably sharp pen knife.
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Mechanical pencil leads are fragile, and helps to teach gentleness of hand, encouraging the beginner to learn how to position the pencil such to put force into a line without damaging the tool.
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How can I attach casters to a 1/4" plywood board when I only have access to one side? I built a prop that consists of a box with casters on the bottom. The bottom of the box is 1/4" plywood. The casters are attached with machine screws; the nut and top of the screw are hidden by fabric sewn to the inside of the box. The fabric does not have any way for me to remove it for easy access to the plywood board on the bottom of the box; it's sewn in. One of the casters got tired of the abuse I put it to, and broke off. (The plate that attaches to the box is still fine, but I'm going to have to remove it.) |X| nut}}}}X{{{{ wood _X____ caster plate XXX head of screw How can I attach new casters to the bottom of this box without ripping out the fabric on the inside? I have some Molly bolts, but they're not good for attaching to 1/4" thick boards. For reference, the box looks like this. You can just see one of the casters peeking out from under the missing legs on the left. Can a replace these casters without having access to the inside of the box? Usage: I drag this thing around city streets and buildings. It's following me via fishing line, which means that for most bumps, curbs, sidewalk seams, and doorjambs, I'm just walking forward and assuming the box will keep up. <Q> A butterfly anchor (also called a toggle bolt) allows you to drill into the plywood and insert the toggle from the accessible side. <S> Then tighten and the bolt will hold very tight. <S> Enjoy! <A> There's a thing called a T-Nut you can use, that has prongs and fits into a drilled hole. <S> You could back it up with some epoxy if you're paranoid, since it can pull out from the inserted side if not pounded in. <S> You're left with a threaded hole that you can put a rod-topped caster into, and it's a very strong connection. <S> You will want to match the threads on the t-nut to the threads on the caster. <A> I would use a caster wheel with a plate that you can screw to the bottom.
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First I would glue the plate to the bottom with strong construction kit and then add some screws for extra strength.
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How can I clean a paintbrush used in acrylic paint? When I try to look up videos or tips for painting with acrylic, I always see them dipping the paintbrush into water to clean. But every time I paint with acrylic paint, it seems there is a never ending supply of paint in my brush. Am I worrying too much about over-cleaning it? I don't try to add too much paint and I dip my brush in water to make it a little thinner so it isn't so gloopy. At least that is what I have been told to do when working with acrylic. I've been told paint thinner isn't necessary. Is there a technique I can use to clean my paintbrushes fast and effectively? One thing I should add, I don't mean after I'm done using them. What I really am aiming at is needing to use the same size brush but with a different color. For example, my whole background is red. Well, then I have to clean out all the red because I need to use that same paintbrush for another color like yellow. I want my red brush to clean quickly so that I can get into the yellow and paint a different area. But cleaning the red out seems to take FOREVER! I dip in water, try to clean, squeeze out into a paper towel, and then use some construction paper to see how clean it is. Basically, it looks like I'm painting with just a slightly thinner coat of paint. I'd like to clean my brush without having to clean it several different times. This leads also into the fact that I would like to paint more than clean my brushes. <Q> Dipping your brush into water isn't going to do anything other than get your brush wet. <S> To actually clean a brush, you need physical agitation, and I don't mean "swish it around in the water jar a few times" agitation, but "mash it back and forth against your other hand while holding it under running water" agitation. <S> Rinse and repeat until the lather bears no trace of the pigment you were using, then rinse thoroughly. <S> If this sounds like too much work when all you want to do is switch pigments, there are two things that will help. <S> One , don't put so much paint on your brush: put the paint on just the tip, not the whole thing. <S> Of course, that's not a terribly effective way to paint a large area such as a background, which brings me to: Two , get more brushes. <S> Basically, use one brush per color, or at least per color family. <S> If you're switching between, say, vermilion and cadmium red, you can get away with just swishing the brush around in the water jar and wiping on a paper towel. <S> You still need to do the thorough washing as soon as possible after you're done, though, since acrylic paint can dry on a brush even if it's sitting in water (plus, sitting in water is itself a bad thing for a brush). <A> Clean them fast . <S> Acryclic paint dries quickly, so it's important to clean your paintbrushes as soon as possible after you've finished using them, so that the paint doesn't get the chance to start drying and hardening on the brush. <S> Massage the bristles thoroughly. <S> Don't just dip the paintbrush into water and wiggle it around, and don't leave it standing in a pot of water for ages either. <S> Hold the brush under running water and massage it with your fingers - tease apart the individual bristles, push and rub the brush against your palm, and keep on doing this until the water runs clear. <S> I could back this answer up with extensive links to and quotes from online advice and tutorials, but from your question it sounds like you've already found some of these, so I'll keep it short and sweet. <A> To quickly clean between color changes, I put a kitchen sponge in an old mushroom container, fill it with hot water and use it to wash the brush by dragging it back and forth over the hot, damp sponge. <S> I then swish and rinse the brush in a large jar of cold water. <S> This is usually enough for a clean color change using one brush. <S> Of course, you do need to keep the water with the sponge in it hot and the swish and rinse water clean. <A> I swish mine around in hot water (not warm, hot). <S> It seems to wash the paint out of the brush better. <S> I have a paint towel also to wipe my brush on after its wet from the water because I don't like the water dripping on my painting and in my paint when I am moving on to the next color and <S> it also helps remove any excess paint on the brush after I use the hot water. <S> Then I will wipe it on something else, maybe my skin or scratch paper to make sure.
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Use some paint brush soap (or plain old hand soap) and really work up a lather.
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What should I look for when getting a treadle sewing machine second hand? I already explored getting a modern sewing machine second hand in this question . Now I would like to consider a treadle as well. I quite enjoy traditional tools where muscle power is used over electricity. It give me a more accomplished feeling at times. I see lots of treadle machines online at second hand sites. Likes most things the descriptions are vague and the prices vary. What do I need to do, test and or feel for when looking at these machines? I'm sure there should be a general list of things to be aware of. <Q> Brand, Model, Functionality and Missing Parts <S> Singer is first choice, White second, and other brands should bepurchased only if complete (check for bobbins, presence of operatingmanual, and condition of moving parts). <S> Singers are more numerousand, therefore, parts for them are more readily available ... <S> ifnot from dealers, then from other old machines. <S> Singer made various models, and accessories are not equally easy tofind in all cases. <S> If the machine you're considering comes with onlyone or two bobbins, for instance, make sure they're the disc varietyrather than the scarcer long type. <S> Look over the machine carefully. <S> A few small parts may be missing,but such pieces are generally replaceable. <S> Major hardware, however,is more difficult to obtain or repair. <S> Seeif the skirt guard — a handy item — is in place. <S> And, no matter whatits condition, if you come on an unusable machine for free or acouple of dollars, take it. <S> It may be a fine source of parts. <S> If you're at an auction and overhear some woman saying that shewants a treadle operated sewer because the cast iron base makes anice table or the drawers make pretty flower boxes, outbid her ifyou can. <S> This sort of thing is being done far too often, and it's aterrible waste of good sewing machines. <A> I wouldn't recommend getting a treadle online because its big and you'll pay high shipping costs. <S> In addition, you cannot test an online machine out and have to just rely on the sellers word. <S> Its much safer than Craigslist and you'll get a much better price. <S> When you go, make sure: <S> your sewing machine doesn't have any rust <S> The hand wheel at least turns a little bit. <S> (if it doesn't turn at all your taking a risk) all parts and accessories are included or easily replaceable online <A> In addition to norcal johnny's excellent advice, the good news about treadles is they are almost indestructible. <S> Usually a new belt and a good oiling will get you started. <S> If you also want a beautiful machine, that's a different story. <S> Some of the old Singers are in great aethestic shape, but per norcal johnny's comment, you will be competing with people who want to make tables out of them. <S> But you can find some gems if you look around. <S> I've owned both a beautiful old Singer treadle that was a work of art, and a Pfaff industrial treadle that was a workhorse machine but not so gorgeous. <S> The Pfaff had no gold leaf scrolling, etc., but you could sew anything on it, sails, upholstery, leather and more. <S> So decide in advance what you will be sewing most and why you want the machine.
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I would say its a better idea to pick up a machine at an estate sale or tag sale in your local area. Move the treadle to be sureit functions, and check the rods that connect it to the wheel.
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What can I do to make my simple hooks more comfortable? When I started out I thought that the tools for crocheting were pretty cheap to acquire. Anytime I needed another hook ( or lost one ) I would just head over to the dollar store and get one for usually under 2 bucks. I also never understood why so many had grips or otherwise larger handles. They seemed uncomfortable and awkward. At the time I was doing just fine with the hooks I had... Now that I am crocheting more, I am starting to pay more attention to my hands and how they are feeling while I am working. If it's a possibility, I would like larger grips on my hooks. Ignoring the minimal investment thus far with my hooks I was curious about what I could do to add a cushion, cushion-like attachment or make them larger so that they would, in theory, be more comfortable. I had considered something like a pencil grip but those were designed for pencils obviously. I had also considered Sugru (since it has come up a few times at Crafts.SE) but was shying against it because that would be a permanent addition to the hooks (So I could not put them back easily in my wicked case!). What can I use on my hooks instead, that is preferably removable? My thinner hooks are steel but I have a couple size 6 plastics if it matters. <Q> Pencil grips work! <S> If they don't fit because your crochet hook is too thin, you can wrap your hook handle with tape (masking tape is easy to remove) or paper (but you have to use glue then) up to the thumb rest (the flat part in the middle of most <S> hooks).And <S> if you want something permanent you can use polymer clay, I believe that is cheaper than sugru. <A> Not (easily) removable, but you can give it any shape you want: polymer clay. <S> Baking temperature is not extremely hot, so I think your hooks can handle it, and then you can put the clay in the oven together with the hooks. <S> Otherwise, you have to find a way to get the grip off the hook before you bake it. <S> In that case, you can easily remove the grip, but you have to find a way to maintain its shape while baking, and a way to keep it on the hook while you're crocheting. <A> I had the same problem with crochet hooks when crocheting. <S> Alternatively, try using Coban self adhesives to create an extra layer: and here is the link to the Coban page
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Personally, I used foam pencil grips with the addition of some band aids to thicken the hook.
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Dim lighting with colored pencils I asked a similar question to this recently ( Shading dark scenes ) but this time I want to know how I can get a colored pencil drawing to look very shadowy and dark. How do I color the picture where it looks like the figure is somewhere with very dim lighting? (For example, in a room with only a few candles lit.) I find this next to impossible, but really want to know how to pull it off because it's an effect I always find myself wanting in particular drawings. <Q> If the light is coming from a candle, or group of candles, you're going to have very dramatic chiaroscuro lighting. <S> Shadows should be very black, with not a lot of grey tones. <S> Keep in mind that only the elements very close to the candles are going to be visible. <S> Also, candles have yellow light, so basically all colors are a shade of yellow or orange. <S> Blues and purples will be just about black. <A> What helps me most when drawing is to study a couple inspiration images. <S> I take the time to look very carefully at the colours (for example, when drawing and colouring clouds). <S> In a dim lighting scene, do I really see a darker colour of yellow, or does my brain tell me it is yellow when really the colour looks more blue or gray? <S> This question posted by another user may help you in evaluating your colour palette (i.e. NOT push your values) <S> The faster they fade to a darker colour, the eerier it will look. <S> One last piece of advice, I also find it helps to run a few images through a photo editor to see how it deals with the different colours. <S> Something like Prisma will make even breaks between colour changes. <S> This is really helpful for seeing where one colour ends and another begins and how much the colour changes. <S> Hope this helps! <A> What I have seen in printed drawings, like in newspaper cartoons, it make a dark shadow close to where your light source is, but add less colour farther away. <S> That way you will not need to fill the whole sheet of paper with dark intense pencil lines but you still get the contrast around your light focus bit. <S> As EmRoBeau I do advice you to experiment. <S> Take a sheet and draw many a small drawing on it. <S> I have learned to do it with fields (squares or rectangles) with a line around them. <S> But you can also be more free. <S> Fill some of your fields all the way to the line, in others just fade the shade further from the center. <S> The all over dark, as in the paintings of Rembrandt, is very hard to achieve with pencils and often does not look good as the amount of colour makes it shiny rather than dark.
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For you I would suggest playing with your colour pencils to create a 'dim' colour palette in comparison with your inspiration images. As for using candles to light the scene, the side closest to the candle should obviously be bright, with three to four different shades blending into each other quickly as you move away from the light source.
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How to cut gift cards in order to make a mosaic? I have a box of ~1000 (void) gift cards of various colors from my old job because I expressed interest in making a mosaic from the colorful plastic bits. My question is: how to cut them? I've tried: Kitchen Shears: the dull edge is perfect for a plant stem, but it just chews up the tough plastic. It even gets a little opaque white where the cut stresses the material, which ruins the color. Paper Cutter: good for one precise cut at a time. Takes a long time and dulls the blade rather quickly (and I don't know how to sharpen it). Paper shredder with credit card attachment: Starts off pretty good, but the blades visibly dulled after a dozen and only cuts in one direction, which necessitates another method anyway. Is there some kind of specialty cutter for plastic I could co-opt for my project? <Q> I have always found one of the appeals of mosaic to be creating non-uniform / random shapes for your art. <S> Both of these options can help capture that. <S> Score the card <S> In general straighter will be easier to snap off. <S> By all means, you can do curve but if they are too extreme or change directions you will have a tougher time removing them. <S> Not sure if this will be faster than what you are already doing. <S> Freeze the card <S> I know that freezing the card and making it brittle will make it so that you can hit it <S> and it should shatter into easy random shapes. <S> I am not sure if a conventional freezer will get the card cold enough. <S> I just tried it with my old health card and it did work rather well. <S> It snapped in my hands. <S> However, I handled it too much so it warmed up and started to bend more than break. <S> I would try keeping in the freezer longer. <S> After some time, wrap it in a cloth and quickly hit it again on a hard surface. <S> One method to expedite this process would be to wrap the cards inside wet paper towel. <S> Once the water on the towel freezes it should make it easier to process. <S> Again, not sure if this is worth the effort or not. <A> They essentially score the material repeatedly until you cut through it or can snap it. <S> Here's one in use: <S> https://youtu.be/AsBrJRNvdyA <S> Since credit cards/gift cards are so thin, it shouldn't be much work to cut them. <S> Just make sure you have something to protect your work surface. <S> Curves probably aren't likely. <S> There's a number of brands and grip types you can find the plastic cutters in. <S> Many are only a few dollars, and more likely found at a hardware store (or online) than an art store. <A> There are a couple of options that would easily cut the gift cards. <S> The first would be aviation snips or tin snips. <S> Those are available at major hardware stores like Ace, Home Depot and Lowes. <S> The other option would be industrial shears. <S> They look like scissors, but the separation between the two blades is different than for fabric or paper. <S> They are also available at major hardware stores. <S> Both options would also be available from Harbor Freight online and in stores in the US.
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If you score one surface of the card, with something like a craft knife, you should be able to make it snap along the score line. There are acrylic/plexiglass cutters you could try.
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How can I strengthen my melted bead art? So I build pixel-esque bead arts for people for gifts and such. But when I need to send them places, they sometimes fall apart. Charizard Pixel Bead Art (Example above is not my work. Belongs to another artist.)It is just a referential image. And I am just wondering how to strengthen the bonds between the beads to make them more durable without changing how it looks since it is meant as an image. Would really appreciate some help. <Q> I was looking into the type of plastic these are (LPTE?) and found a comparison of different fuse beads: http://houseofgeekiness.blogspot.com/p/not-all-beads-are-created-equal-when-it.html <S> This guide casually mentions one technique, also mentioned by Matt in comments: fuse both sides. <S> The other major factor here is trying out a different brand. <S> The guide recommends Perler, or generally away from the overly cheap beads. <S> Not all plastic is created equally. <S> If you can try out other brands, that's what I would test first. <S> It's something artists tend to do with supplies, anyway. <S> Different brands give different feels or effects, and some just stink. <S> Another tactic is to make sure you're melting consistently. <S> If you use a plastic ironing sheet, instead of a paper one, you can eyeball the level of melt in any given section of the piece. <S> If you don't need both sides of the image to be on display, then I would simply adhere something stiff to the back. <S> If so, that would let you add external strength while still viewing both sides. <A> Two things I can think of: Make sure the design is not fragile. <S> The dragon of your example looks strong enough, but if you create a deer with thin legs, for example, I think it's more likely to break. <S> Especially if you'd attach a large flower to one of the legs, so there is a thin connection between two heavier parts. <S> Also, be aware that letters and parcels are not being treated carefully during transport, so make sure you protect your art when you mail it. <S> Do you put it between two pieces of strong cardboard, with some plastic wrap around it, for instance? <A> With your particular project, heating time might be adjusted to a longer heat time (slowly testing) for better viscious welding of the individual pieces. <S> Steel, Brass, Glass, and many plastics. <S> Heating to a non-melting temperature, then slowly cooling over a long period of time. <S> It is a "recipe" different for each material. <S> One reason blacksmiths were said to have knowledge of the Black Arts <A> What about using a clear lacquer or resin? <S> If they have a solid layer over them it would make them stronger, I'm guessing they break between the beads when they do get broken. <S> It will add some expense but you could use a caulking gun & silicone to make your moulds if you wanted to pour acrylic over them. <A> Two methods: Easy, just pour liquid super glue (not the gel-ish but the fully liquid one, like water consistency) all over the art after you've completed it. <S> It's plastic <S> so I'm hoping it will be reversible if you'd try to detach them. <S> A little too over the top, but <S> what you can do is before starting the melting process, just after you're done sorting them according to colors and setting them, make a little hole in them horizontally (like the one that already exists, but from the other side) and then passing a thread through all of them in the exact order, like you would do for a garland. <S> And then tie the thread at the end. <S> This way they'll all be connected after and before melting them (and for the reversible - just cut the thread and they'll easily fall apart) <S> (I personally did this with a bracelet i once made for my girlfriend).
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It might be possible to use thin, clear plastic sheets, if you can find an adhesive that works and dries clear / without streaks. As with many materials, tempering is the answer.
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Can boiled linseed oil be used for oil painting applications or cleaning brushes? Home depot/lowes etc have boiled linseed oil at a much cheaper rate than the local art store that I go to. Are there any problem using boiled linseed oil from these home stores for use in oil painting applications/ cleaning brushes etc? <Q> Since you tagged this as oil-paint, I assume that is your intended use. <S> Actually, the BLO that is sold in art stores is the same stuff that is peddled in hardware stores, be they large or small. <S> So you can use the BLO from the gallon cans for anything that you might use the BLO purchased from anywhere else. <S> Edit: <S> Note that not all linseed oil is "boiled linseed oil". <S> BLO is not even actually boiled, but has additives that cause it to dry faster. <S> Stand oil is heated and is lighter in color. <S> Most hardware stores carry only BLO. <S> Raw linseed oil is harder to find except in specialty stores (e.g. art supply houses). <S> Art stores are likely to carry multiple forms of linseed oil, but the one with the "Boiled linseed oil" label contains the same stuff as from the hardware stores. <A> The thing about the art store options is that they're being tested by the manufacturers for their impact on the longevity of the painting or color impact to the pigments, so I would divide my response into a couple of parts... <S> Brush Cleaning? <S> Sure, presuming that you're doing additional cleaning after. <S> If you're looking to just store the brushes in the oil, between sessions, I would be more hesitant. <S> Painting? <S> I would pass on it. <S> It may well be perfectly fine, depending on the brand, but as I noted, they're likely not testing for your use case. <S> At the end of the day, if you're looking to make works that last, going too cheap comes with risk. <S> However, all that goes out the window with student grade paint options. <S> If you're already taking a skip on the longevity, then I don't think you're really risking anything here either. <S> Finally, you can always test it yourself. <S> Just don't do it on anything you care about until you know. <A> My understanding is that the art store stuff is better filtered and cooked differently. <S> I read that the main risk is early yellowing-browning.... <S> that being said I have used it in the past <S> and I have paintings done 15-20 years ago using very liberal oil amounts (painting in layers, glazes: a very small amount of pigment diluted in a lot of oil), <S> and i haven t noticed any color shifts or browning. <S> I think that if you use small amounts of oil or if you sell your paintings <S> it's safer to stick to the art store type. <S> If you use a lot of oil, and as you mentioned for cleaning brushes, and the end result isn't critical, then sure do it. <S> ( side note : <S> I feel there is too much emphasis on "archival", last 100's of years, do it right or don't bother, from so many painters when the sad truth is that their paintings are extremely unlikely to survive them, if they even make it that far, while some artists can paint using Mayonaise and if they are great, there will always be ways to preserve their work) <S> ( And side-side note, most of the museum grade classical painting were painted using crap, there was no quality control and no purification or controlled manufacturing processes, the pigments were often unevenly grounded full of impurities, unstable, mixed with bad oils and additives and some ingredients used were organic and decayed...for instance Indian Yellow was most likely made from the urine of Indian cows on a diet of mango leaves, Wikipedia has a good article on it.... <S> moreover some of the things we admire in classical paintings are actually due to "improper" conservation and "faulty" mediums) <S> Edit: just realized this is a very old question, though it was new. <S> anyways, hope it helps.
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Raw linseed oil is a slow drying product and may be refined.
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How to draw a grid over and image that won't be printed? In high school, I used to print images, draw grids over them and carry them around in my sketch book. Now, I have my smartphone with me all the time and am almost never near a cheap and easy printer. Needless to say, I usually use my phone to find art projects or inspiration images. Is there a software or website that can quickly draw a grid (of my chosen size) over an image on my smartphone that can be saved to my device? It would make my art projects and sketching from a photo a lot easier. <Q> A low tech solution is to print a grid onto acetate, cut it out and just lay it over the image you want to copy. <S> This has the advantage that it will work on any medium and is quick and easy to use once you have made your grid. <S> You could also have different grid spacing for different applications. <S> You could also glue it into a card mount to make sure it lays flat. <A> I use Jackson's ArtGrid which is available for IOS and Android. <S> You have the ability to control the grid dimensions, style of grid, etc. <S> It also has a greyscale function which is really nice for working out the tonal ranges in an image. <S> Finally, you can save, share, and print the result which can be edited and tweaked later. <S> Not bad, I like it. <S> The interface could be a bit better, but it does the job and does it well. <A> Look up "drawing grid" and "artist grid drawing tool". <S> Some are free with ads, some of them cost a couple of dollars.
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There are a few grid drawings apps for the iPhone that I know of.
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What materials can be used to fill a puffy jacket? I have this jacket pattern . In case it's relevant, I'll be making it in a medium weight twill. I'm also adding a lightweight silky lining to give it a nice finish and make it easy to put on. In planning my jacket, I thought perhaps I could make it warmer by adding some sort of fill in between the outer and lining, but I've never made a puffy jacket like that before and don't know what to use. Most search results just discuss how to select a coat for purchase, not how to make one. I have some poly fill that I've used in pillows and stuffed animals - is that suitable for apparel also? What about batting, like for quilts? Or is there something else that is typically used? <Q> Self-answering with my solution. <S> After asking around, I had suggestions for: <S> Poly fill Down Flannel Wool Batting <S> Flannel and wool would be warm, but they have no fluff at all, and I thought they might make the jacket feel too heavy. <S> That leaves batting, which has both desired properties: fluffy, and can be easily quilted to only the lining. <S> The particular material I got was Soft n Crafty 80/20 batting, which is advertised as: low-loft , with a soft drape , and specifically mentions garments as an application! <S> It's just a little puffy, and not as heavy as wool. <S> I originally came across this in a store, so it was sheer luck to find exactly what I was looking for. <S> Now that I know what it is, the key words appear to be "low loft" or even "ultra low loft" <S> - searching on this gives me more product results, as well as some posts about sewing with it. <A> Polyfil. <S> If you want puffy filling, go with polyfil. <S> You've already used it; it's a great filling for a puffy jacket. <S> Since you're using a bomber jacket pattern (by the way - the picture makes it look more like a letterman than a bomber?) <S> typically there would be some degree of 'puff' to it. <S> My grandfather's bomber jacket - an actual bomber jacket, he was a WWII pilot - uses wool. <S> It's also an excellent option, but not quite as easily obtainable. <S> If you have access to a fabric store, there'll be a wealth of options there - but for ease of use, there's nothing wrong with polyfil. <S> Unless that's too puffy. <A> I've made historic jackets from warmish climates, but nothing as puffy as what I think you're considering. <S> I expect you want to plan for the warmth you desire... <S> I found a few sites when googling "jacket filling" that speak to the differences in temperature control that are provided by down vs. various types of synthetic fibers - so my first thought is to research modern jackets and see what level of warmth vs. weight vs. volume you want. <S> Example: <S> https://www.outdoorresearch.com/blog/gear-geek/down-vs.-synthetic-whats-the-difference-between-down-and-synthetic-insulati <S> http://www.sierratradingpost.com/lp2/down-vs-synthetic-guide/ <S> Next, I found that I could find some links to some of those options...for example: https://www.onlinefabricstore.net/80-20-loose-down-feather-filling-3-lb-.htm?gclid=CO6_28Ho-M8CFY1ahgoduzID6A <S> https://www.onlinefabricstore.net/kapok-fill-5-lb-.htm <S> I had less luck getting traction on the brands of synthetic filling, googling for thinsulate filling for example, only got me stuff that has thinsulate in it, rather than access to a place that would ship a bunch of thinsulate in non-clothing form. <S> I didn't try an exhaustive search though. <A> Buy a quality fill, used by hiking jacket manufacturers. <S> I have a RAB jacket with Primaloft: best jacket I have ever owned. <S> It insulates when wet. <S> You can buy it off the roll. <S> You can buy it off the roll from this and other stores.
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Poly fill and down seem suitable for very puffy jackets ( source ), but didn't fit my vision of this particular one - might be too puffy, plus the lining would have to be more complicated to keep it distributed evenly.
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How can I write in white ballpoint pen ink on black paper? Are there white ink ballpoint pens (not felt or fountain pens) that write on black paper, in a way that is close to frictionless and noiseless, with ink that dries fast and won't blotch the paper? Are there hues of white ink that are easily readable (high contrast) on white paper? I prefer cheap, but good, factory-made white ink pens. Here is a picture of the pens I want. I want ink ballpoint pens, not gel pens, which I believe are lower in quality, as they run out of ink quickly. I love Schneider, Faber Castell / Corvina, and Bic pens: <Q> There are many possible arts & crafts uses for white ink, so it's definitely possible to buy pens with white ink/paint. <S> Look for a "gel" pen with white ink, and it should meet all the requirements that you have outlined. <S> Asking at your local arts & crafts store is the fastest way to find a good source of such implements, but there are also plenty of online suppliers (here is a Guide to Choosing White Gel Pens and Markers from one example). <A> White pens and colors are often used to lighten up the shade in art and crafts. <S> Apart from that they have limited uses. <S> As per your requirements, I would suggest you to either go for either a white gel pen or a marker. <S> Unfortunately, ball point pens that have white ink are not easily available and they will not provide the results you are looking for. <S> My suggestion is to go with Uni-Ball Signo Broad Gel Pen. <A> I know you said you don't want gel pens, but I looked at various white ink pens for about 20 minutes, and there are literally no ballpoint pens with white ink. <S> Ballpoint pens are also bad for writing. <S> They require a lot of pressure, and the ink can be weird. <S> Gel pens are really good because they have smooth lines, and the ink is opaque, so it's nice and bright on the paper. <S> I'm an artist, so white is a very important color. <S> I would recommend Sakura Gelly Roll or Uni-Ball Signo White Gel Pens. <S> I know that you said you used a gel pen before, and it didn't work well, but that pen might have been defective, damaged, or old. <S> Try using some again to see what works. <S> Avoid using felt tip pens or paint pens when writing because they get used up fast and don't produce the cleanest lines. <S> As for the black paper, lots of art and craft stores sell it, and you might also find a black paper notebook. <S> Good luck with your pens!
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White gel pens are good to have because they are really easy to control and can do small details.
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What are practical advantages and disadvantages of learning to use both hands to draw? This question is not only about using both hands simultaneously, it's about being able to use either of your hands in general. By practical, I mean advantages and disadvantages in terms of drawing. In other words I'm not talking about cut of aggression level etc. I've started learning to draw recently using Draw a Box lessons and wondering whether I should do the offered exercises with both hands or just focus on my dominant hand. I read somewhere that some professional painters use their non-dominant hand for less skill demanding tasks, so their dominant hand gets less worn out or tired. Others say that they learn to use their non-dominant hand so they can use it for work in case they injure their dominant one. <Q> I meet with a small group once a month to "do art". <S> Each month one of us is in charge of the lesson. <S> We just did pencil sketches using our dominant and then non dominant hand. <S> We were all amazed- <S> everyone liked the non dominant drawings better. <S> You are more detail oriented and try to draw to perfection w your dominant hand. <S> The non dominant drawings were looser and more free. <A> so I'm not sure that is a very compelling reason. <S> Perhaps a better reason is that it potentially offers more versatility in your technique and there may well be circumstances where working right to left as opposed to left to right is an advantage. <S> Similarly trying to draw with both hands my free up your technique a bit and <S> help you develop more of a personal and expressive style as well as forcing you to focus more on the subject and less on the mechanical process of reproducing an image. <A> Hand fatigue is usually a pretty minor thing. <S> Being ambidextrous won't prevent it either. <S> Often, just shifting your grip regularly is enough to prevent it. <S> Most things which would prevent you from using one hand will affect both, like arthritis. <S> Practicing such a difficult skill to have a backup seems excessive. <S> No matter what, there will be differences between the marks produced by each hand. <S> Even if they were perfectly physically symmetrical, (which they never are) <S> the very fact that they are mirrors of each other means certain directional marks will be easier to make with one hand or another. <S> Our hands move in natural ways easiest. <S> Having an opposite hand which can do the "unnatural" direction for the other would be a good thing. <S> Also, because the two hands will have subtle structural differences, it is likely they would have their own unique marks. <S> An ambidextrous artist can reach into their composition from any direction. <S> Many mistakes come down to the artist's palm, wrist, or arm interfering with the work. <S> Often, we cover our composition, partially blinding ourselves while we work. <S> Sometimes, we smudge our work while we draw somewhere else on the page. <S> An ambidextrous artist could always take the path which minimizes the negative effects of having arms. <S> An ambidextrous artist could, if the page is fixed in place, use both hands to create combined marks that nobody else can make. <A> I don't know if this can be considered an answer or not, but when I was a kid my friends and I spent a lot of time drawing horses. <S> I always drew my horses with the head on the left side of the page and the tail on the right. <S> At some point, we decided to all try drawing with our non-dominant hand. <S> I am right-handed, so I started drawing with my left hand. <S> What was interesting at the time (and even more fascinating now that I think of it as an adult), is that I could only draw horses facing the opposite direction--i.e. <S> with their heads on the right side of the page and their tails to the left. <S> The reason I find it so interesting thinking back on it, is that it offers some insight into how your brain works differently when you are using your different hands. <S> I would guess if you made a practice of this, once you got past the phase where you were simply developing your ability to use your non-dominant hand, you might find that your style is very different depending on which hand you use, or that you can render certain things more effectively with one hand versus the other.
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An ambidextrous artist can use whichever hand will produce a desired mark best. It is considered a good practice to do to increase your awareness to detail, your drawing skills and good for your brain. You've already identified the fact that being equally proficient with both hands gives you some redundancy in case of injury although there are plenty of other potential injuries or illnesses which could hamper you working
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How can I prep a pumpkin for painting? I'm trying to paint a white pumpkin, and I'm having some issues with applying the paint. I'm using acrylic paint, craft-grade not art-grade, and applying it with brushes. I clean the surface off, first, but nothing else. The main issue is that the paint applies too thinly, because it would rather stick to the brush than the pumpkin. When applying additional layers, if they aren't sufficiently wet/heavy then the initial layer occasionally rubs off. So, for my principal work area I laid down a couple coats of white. This had the unfortunate side-effect of covering up my sketch/under drawing, and it still doesn't resolve the rubbing away issue. <Q> In addition to John's answer, there are some options in the art supply world. <S> In particular, Qor makes a watercolor ground that is good for watercolor, inks, and acrylics. <S> The idea is similar to gesso and provides a base for painting on surfaces not otherwise usable for water-based media. <A> Basically the problem you are facing is that the pumpkin surface is glossy and non-porous. <S> There is nothing for your paint to adhere to. <S> You could try lightly sanding the areas you are going to paint with a fairly fine sandpaper. <S> That will add 'tooth' to the surface, like the roughness of paper, that will hold the paint. <S> Then you may be able to skip having to apply any ground at all. <A> Acrylic paint is soluble in water and pumpkins have a lot of water in them. <S> Paint primer is an intermediary paint that coats a surface and once dry <S> it allows another paint to be painted overtop of it. <S> Epoxy primers are water resistant. <S> But before applying your acrylic paint you need to first coat the dried expoxy primer with a sealant. <S> Once the epoxy primer is sealed you can then apply your acrylic paint.
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You need a paint primer that is water resistant. In your case I would try an epoxy primer to coat the surface of the pumpkin.
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How can I fix or prevent getting holes in my jeans near the crotch? I am a male and I get a hole in the crotch of my jeans all the time. It happens in about 6-12 months of owning the jeans. It always happens in the same spot. I have tried many different brands now and it happens to all of them. What is causing this? What can I do to prevent it? How do I fix it if it already has holes? <Q> It's likely caused by the friction of your inner thighs rubbing together causing the material to wear in that spot quicker (especially because there are a few seams right there). <S> If you're going to dry them you should wash them in cold water and dry them on low to minimize shrinkage. <S> I have shrunk great jeans before and had to get rid of them because I made them too small. <S> Finding a different pant cut may alleviate this, however, this will probably happen to any jean if you wear and wash them too much so if you can have more pairs of jeans and wash them a bit less they'll probably last a little longer, but it's pretty much always going to happen eventually. <S> You could fix them by sewing a jean patch on (cut up a different pair of jeans or buy a patch from the store) but you have to remember you're going to add more seams and a patch of jean <S> that's either a different color or older/newer jean material <S> and it probably is not going to last all that long. <A> As an engineer, I’d suggest reenforcing that specific area. <S> That way it won’t show any extra seams. <S> You can also do that with military-grade duck tape (like Gorilla brand) which will survive many washings, but is meant to be put on temporarily. <S> Since it breaks adjecent to the seam, I think it’s not friction/wear like some have suggested, but is too tight there. <S> Where it was sewn is actually weaker, and the join can cause stresses to concentrate in that location. <S> So, make that specific spot more resistant to being pulled open. <A> Is it okay to offer up a brand of jeans that you may want to try? <S> There is a company* in the US that manufactures jeans that feature a gusseted crotch, they are well made and last years. <S> You can do this by hand or machine; with or without a patch. <S> Same way you darn socks or holes in a shirt. <S> Here are a couple pics I found online: you can see that this was machine sewn. <S> this is machine sewn and is a great example of how nicely you can darn a hole so it is not visible. <S> Notice the sewing foot that was used due to the hole being so near the seam. <S> * <S> As a doting customer for more than a decade , Diamond Gusset Jeans are worth the investment. <S> All of their jeans (including women's) have the gusset in the crotch. <S> This design along with the quality of denim make for years of daily wear. <S> My husband still wears his first pair and he wears jeans every day. <S> They are no longer black, more like charcoal grey, but, no holes in the knees or crotch. <S> On the other hand, my jeans have begun to wear in the crotch seam this past year, but as a curved woman whose shorts and pants have always worn first at the crotch, they surpass my expectations.
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This can also be exacerbated by wearing pants that are too tight so that it's relatively tight around the upper leg or ones you shrunk by washing in hot water and running them in a dryer. Darning is one of the best ways to repair denim. The main reason this falls under this topic, is the design. You can get an iron-on patch and cut a shape out of it, and apply that to the inside . Some motions will stretch the faberic more than it can handle and damage accumulates.
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Thread for sewing silk? I have a pair of silk pajama pants that have come apart along one seam on the leg. There’s no damage to the cloth and it’s spreading very slowly, so there was just some flaw and that bit of seam was not fastened properly. To fix it, what kind of thread and needle should be used? I’m leery of using the generic thread from a wardrobe repair kit (a couple dozen miniature spools in different colors) without at least checking first. <Q> For a 4 inch repair I would use the yarn and needle in the repair kit, and do it now before it spreads further. <S> Use the most matching colour and the finest thread if you have several options, and as thin/fine a needle as you can handle for the repair. <S> When sewing a whole project, it is good to get good quality thread and needles, but for a small repair you use what is at hand. <S> While silk thread is available, it is expensive and many people will still use polyester or cotton for the hidden seams and only buy silk if there is top stitching where it shows. <S> When you do buy it for the top stitching you might well use it for the rest of the sewing as well. <A> Not all thread is equal. <S> Very cheap thread will be fuzzy, hard to thread through a needle eye, knot easily as you sew and break easily due to short fiber length and cheap manufacturing. <S> Cotton thread can also rot over time. <S> Even polyester thread will degrade over time. <S> Test the thread before you spend a lot of time sewing with it. <S> Pull a bit off of the spool, hold an end in each hand, yank it <S> and if the thread breaks very easily, toss it out. <S> To make your hand sewing experience a little more hassle free, thread your needle with thread that is about 36 " long. <S> Knot one end. <S> Run the thread through a chunk of beeswax. <S> Iron the thread to soak the wax in. <S> This will discourage the thread from tangling. <S> Don't use wax if you are sewing white fine fabric that will show wax marks. <S> My favourite hand sewing thread is Rice's silamide finishing thread <S> but it is not available everywhere: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkZ33TC5k_Y <A> In general, I sew with good quality polyester thread, e.g., Gutermann, it doesn't create a lot of "dust" from fiber breaking off the thread, and the colors are relatively "duller" (more like natural fibers) than cheaper polyester thread that can be shiney. <S> If I were a quilter, I'd use cotton thread because of the similar hand (feel, touch) and visual aesthetics of the cotton fabric and cotton thread. <S> A caution with cotton thread especially, is it can become brittle and break easily with age. <S> So if the thread in your wardrobe repair kit is cotton, do the strength test suggested by the previous answerer. <S> For delicate fabrics like silk, a strong cotton or polyester thread will be stronger than the silk fabric and can actually pull and tear the fabric (instead of the seam splitting), when the fabric is stretched or twisted in wear. <S> Since you are repairing silk pajamas that you clearly love and want to preserve, only you can decide if you want to spend the money on silk thread, or a good quality polyester thread. <S> When you do a lot of sewing, the price of good thread can be a consideration, but if you plan to buy only one small spool of thread, it will a very small extra expense, and you can take the item you want to repair with you when you shop for thread and get the color that goes the best.
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For special fabrics, like silk (which can also become brittle and degrade easily with age), I recommend using thread that is most like the fiber content of the fabric you want to repair, in this case, silk thread for sewing on silk fabric.
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Are there any stitches that are specific to knitting/crocheting only? I wanted to know if there are any stitches that only be achieved through knitting as well as any stitches that can achieve through crocheting only? <Q> Not completely. <S> You can get the same effects or the same journey of the thread/string while using other methods to construct the fabric. <S> Knot tyers often use the basic knitting stitches when making fenders out of rope, but constructed completely different. <S> And when working with string or rope you can copy almost all knitting and crochetting stitches. <S> But in most cases it is not worth the work. <S> Specially crochetting is hard to copy and not worth the effort. <S> When doing both knitting and crochetting you will find that the stitches are unique to one or the other, and it is almost never possible to create the effect of stitches in one while doing the other. <S> But you need both to make them, you can not make them with either one alone. <S> I am a creative knot tyer and do knit, crochet and other crafts. <S> And I am good in seeing/recognizing patterns. <S> Most people will not know about the patterns cropping up across other crafts. <A> According to my best understanding of your question, you're looking for whether there is overlap between the stitches that you can perform between the two different techniques. <S> The answer to this question is, no, there isn't. <S> Stitches you commonly perform in knitting: <S> Casting on - not done in crochet Knit stitch - not done in crochet Purl stitch - not done in crochet Yarn over - technically <S> you could say that you do this in crochet, as you have to wrap the yarn over the hook to do, say, a double crochet, but the result is completely different. <S> Stitches you commonly perform in crochet: Chain stitch - technically possible but inefficient in knitting Single crochet - not done in knitting Double crochet - not done in knitting Treble crochet - not done in knitting Etc. <S> (There are many different stitches in crochet that are not able to be performed in knitting.) <S> Since crochet is done on one hook and knitting is done on two needles, the skill set for one doesn't overlap very much to the other. <S> If you're looking for a basic compare and contrast between the two, here's my two cents: <S> Crochet : <S> pros: goes faster, has greater variety of stitches, easier to change colorsCons: harder on your wrists, makes a stiffer, more bulky fabric, can't fix a mistake several rows down without ripping it all out Knitting : <S> pros: can do by feel (in the dark or with eyes closed), easier on wrists (less repetitive movement), can correct a mistake many rows down by undoing just that section and knitting it back up, makes a softer fabric that conforms better to the body for hats, sweaters, gloves, socks, etc. <S> Cons: slower than crochet, takes longer to master Both: can make any shape, can make lace, can work with color <S> Also, both techniques can to some extent replicate the look created by the other, but never to the extent that someone who knew both techniques couldn't instantly look at a piece and tell if it was knitted or crocheted. <S> Hope <S> this was helpful to you. :) <A> The closest intersection of knitting and crocheting that <S> I know of is Tunisian crochet, where you use only one needle that looks like a knitting needle base with a crochet-hook tip. <S> You start with a chain of crochet stitches as you would with any crochet project, but you hold stitches/loops on the needle as you start a row (left to right) and release the stitches as you finish the row (right to left). <S> It's been a long time since I've done it, and I wish I knew better how to describe what is happening technically, but it's possible to do almost all the knit/purl stitches and combinations thereof in this manner using only one needle. <S> In that sense, there are no knit stitches that are exclusive to knitting, at least as long as you concede that Tunisian crochet and "regular" crochet are the same thing (which I'm not sure I'm willing to concede).
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There are a few stitches which need both knitting and crochetting.
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Will there be a noticeable offset if knitting rib from an unravelled edge? Background: I'm in the process of knitting a jumper 'freehand', i.e. without a pattern. I started from the bottom edge, knit in the round up to the armholes, split the knitting, continued to the top of the shoulders, and then did a three-needle bind off to join them. Scenario: The problem is that now I've got that far, I can clearly see a flaw in the earliest part of the jumper which wasn't apparent before. For the first ball of yarn, I was knitting much more loosely, so the first few inches bell out a bit, sort of like a skirt. The obvious solution is to unravel the offending portion and re-knit. I have plenty of yarn, so wastage isn't an issue. Normally I make socks or lace, so large pieces like this are less familiar to me and I did a bit of research to make sure I don't mess it up. It seems I have two main options. Option 1: Cut the bottom piece off just above where it flares out, re-knit the entire bottom portion as a separate piece, and graft it back on. In one sense this is the simplest since it involves repeating the steps I've already done, except for the grafting. I really don't like grafting, and the yarn I'm using is very fluffy and hard to read the stitches, so I can see this being a real nightmare. Option 2: Again cut off the bottom piece, but just pick up the raw stitches and knit downwards until it's long enough. I prefer this idea, but I know that this technique means that the new knitting will be offset by half a stitch. The pattern is k2p2 rib, and I'm worried that there will be a visible line at the join. I did try knitting a swatch to test it and I couldn't see a noticeable join, but like I said the yarn is very fluffy and it hides a lot of the detail so it's possible it would only be visible after I finished and it was hanging down, just like the original problem. I've done a lot of searching for the answer to this, and it's possible that I'm missing some search terms which would help find it, but so far I've had no success. The closest I've found can be seen in this article: How to undo your knitting - it does call out the problem of the offset stitches but doesn't specifically address how rib will behave in this situation. (Sorry if this question is too long, I wanted to be sure it was clear enough.) <Q> Most people won't pick up on the change unless they are looking really closely (and really -- who does that?). <S> TECHknitting did a series on grafting that addressed ways to disguise this particular dilemma . <S> If you haven't already read it, you may find it helpful. <S> Between these tricks and the yarn itself, no one will ever know :) <A> There is no problem with either strategy. <S> For 1), this is what I did on my last jumper. <S> I had miscalculated the row height and knitted it too long, so to shorten it <S> , I cut it through, unravelled 5 cm and grafted back the old (ribbed) bottom. <S> Grafting was done about 3 rows from the rib. <S> It is somewhat more visible in reality than on that bad quality picture, but it is still very good and not really noticeable when wearing it. <S> It is certainly less noticeable than the Russian joins throughout the jumper. <S> This is Norwegian wool (not merino), a fluffier yarn will be even more forgiving. <S> For 2), this happens all the time in machine knitting. <S> Ribs are done on a different machine or by hand, and then grafted onto both the top and bottom part of flat knits, or live stitches on the bottom picked up and knitted in rib by hand. <S> A very experienced knitter will be able to tell the difference after close inspection, but it is not inherently ugly even when noticed. <S> A third option would be to do nothing. <S> Many patterns have an intentional A-line fit or a waist-nipped fit, and your ribbed sweater will snug onto your body anyway, so it will be already wider at the hips. <S> Sure, these fits are normally done by reducing stitches, but changing the needle size is also a legitimate way to do it. <S> In your case, it was loose knitting instead of larger needles, but nobody can tell the difference. <S> Also, don't forget - when you walk through the streets, maybe about 5% of the people you meet are even aware that sweaters can be raglan or set-in sleeves, and even among those, most will take no note of your jumper. <S> And that's for a fairly visible clothing construction characteristic. <S> If you feel self-conscious wearing a sweater with an offset rib, remember how insignificant it is for those who see you in it. <A> (Adding here The Answer that the OP identified in Comments as The Ultimate Solution to her dilemma...) <S> Based on the link provided by OP @Tara-Hanratty, Grafting Knitting, Myth 2: Grafted Ribbing Will Always Have a Half-Stitch Jog , here is the answer: The author, Joni Coniglio, explains that the half-stitch jog in grafted ribbing is not actually unavoidable, as many knitters apparently believe. <S> Knitting direction, not merely knitting stitch choice, turns out to be the main factor in whether a half-stitch jog will appear in grafted ribbing. <S> In some well-smithed word craft, accompanied by beautifully clear and understandable visuals, Ms. Coniglio deftly explains the very complex and nuanced behavior of top-to-top oriented grafting, which will create the dreaded half-stitch jog every time. <S> I am not shameless enough to cut and paste her eloquent verbiage here, nor am I capable of adequately paraphrasing something so akin to brain surgery. <S> The link will have to suffice. <S> More to the point of Hanratty’s specific question, Coniglio goes on to share the happy news that top-to-bottom oriented grafting does not produce the half-stitch jog: <S> In top-to-bottom grafting, the direction of knitting on the front needle moves toward the grafted row while the direction of knitting on the back needle moves away from it. <S> Thus, the direction of knitting continues uninterrupted from the piece on the front needle through the grafted row to the piece on the back needle. <S> Therefore, Hanratty may proceed to whack off the offending and unmasculine bell-shaped bottom of the project, and graft a ribbed bottom section onto it in the top-to-bottom grafting procedure outined by Coniglio, resting assured that a half-stitch jog will not appear. <S> Further complex and amazing instructions are provided in the article for Picking Up a Provisional Cast On, and Written Instructions for Grafting k1, p1 Ribbing Top-to-Top and Top-to-Bottom. <S> Links to four video tutorials on all of these topics reside at the bottom of the page. <S> Surely this Joni Coniglio must be The World’s Foremost Expert on Knitted Grafting!
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You're correct in that the fluffiness of the yarn and the colour of the jumper should hide the offset to some degree.
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Keep yarn slack from developing in my work as I perform a basic knit stitch I am a very novice knitter trying to do a small blanket with a basic knit stitch. I am working with 100% cotton yarn and I have 16 inch bamboo needles. I cast on fine and where I am getting stuck is on the knit stitch. I do the first stitch and as I pull the loop onto the second needle I develop this slack in my piece. between the two needles that worsens with each stitch. How do I fix this? UPDATE Please see the image below, I am developing slack after the first stitch that grows with each iteration. I have just pulled the loop off my non working needle. I make my loops fairly tight as well so I do not think the slack is coming from there. After I put my working needle through the leg in the knit direction I pull the thread through and I tighten the thread going towards my yarn ball. I am beginner but this is preventing me from even getting a scrap knit together let alone a real project. On the topic of yarn and needle size, I have really long needles and made the amateur move of just grabbing a set and throwing out the wrapping so I cannot give you a diameter either. The yarn brand is Sugar 'n Cream 100% cotton, it does not list a needle size on the package. Thank you for the advice thus far... I am determined to get something going eventually. <Q> From the image you've shown it looks like you're on the first row of knitting after casting on, and it also looks like you've used a loop (a.k.a. backwards loop) <S> cast-on method. <S> It's common to get an ever-increasing amount of slack on the first row when using this kind of cast-on. <S> A loop cast-on is easy to do, but hard to do well because the tension used when casting on is fiddly. <S> If you keep knitting this piece the knit stitches will even out, but they might not even out completely. <S> I recommend starting with a long tail cast-on. <S> It will take a little longer to get the hang of, but you won't have the slack problem. <A> The slack in the work between the needles will even out with the next stitch. <S> The slack in the yarn you are using to make the new stitches should be pulled tight when you make your stitch. <S> While your attention is on it you will find that your new stitches might look different from the one you made before. <S> It is mostly better to knit a small piece that is not going to be used for anything before starting a proper project. <S> In that trial piece you can make all beginners mistakes and work till your stitches are even. <S> Then there is time to start your first real project. <S> I agree with Belle that your yarn is not in scale with your needles. <S> I think you will feel better <S> if you get a thick wool or fake wool in a light or bright colour, you do not need much, the smallest amount they sell. <S> Second hand shops, charity shops, trift shops often have some that people donated, new and with the wrapper. <S> Get one that ask for the size of needles you have. <S> And start with no more than 20 stitches to get to know knitting. <S> The slack as is in your picture is what I would expect in my own knitting, in the next row I would not let it grow. <S> But you do not make it easy on yourself with your choice of yarn and needles. <A> What Willeke says is good advice. <S> Also: make sure you use the right size needle. <S> Your yarn will indicate what needle size you should use. <S> This can either be in mm, UK sizes or US sizes. <S> My current yarn says 7-8mm needles for example. <S> Different people have different knitting styles. <S> I personally like knitting tight. <S> I will prefer the larger size in the range. <S> Actually, I even went up to 10mm for my project, to create a more open effect. <S> Experiment a few rows with your needles until you feel you have the right ones.
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Choosing the right size needle will make your knitting feel more natural.
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What should I use to connect my empty toilet paper rolls? I'm building a pyramid made out of empty toiler paper rolls . I'm creating the pyramid as a bunch of rows, with the first row being a singe tube, the second one has two tubes connected, etc. (When it falls over this makes it a lot easier to reassemble, and makes it more portable (although at 36 rows it's sort of impossible to move.).) Click link in first sentence for full-sized image. But I need something good to keep the rows together. I've tried using Tape Glue Staples Each of these was insufficient in some way. Tape This was easily the worst, and also my first. I took two rolls, and a length of tape, and put the tape on the ends, the thin part. Sort of like [/][\] . On both sides. This didn't work well, as the tape didn't always stick. It also got dirty and fell off. And when the pyramid fell, the tape would often fall off, defeating the purpose. Glue This was okay (my second try). I glued the rolls to each other by the sides, sort of like []|[] . This worked... meh. The glue took a long time to dry. When the pyramid fell over, the rows would sometimes snap. Not often, but as the glue got older, it started to break more often. And it was very, very, hard to move the position after it dried. Staples This might be the best so far. I staple them twice, like []-[][]-[] (that's two tubes, not four) They don't take that much effort, and they usually hold. But they tend to fall out/bend if I leave the row bent for any length of time. Is there something else that I can use that will hold if the row is bent is easy to apply is readily available won't make a mess? <Q> [Edit: <S> oh, btw, the ends of the paperclips should penetrate through the adjacent walls of the tubes for greater stability of the lower rows as the pyramid gets taller] <A> Hot Glue <S> I would think a hot glue gun should work fairly easy for this. <S> It would be simple and quick to apply to the tubes. <S> Dries fairly fast e.i. minutes instead of hours compared to the time the white glue would have taken. <S> You wouldn't need to apply too much. <S> You can get a gun and sticks easily from craft stores and even dollar stores for cheaper. <S> There are better glue stick out there so depending on how permanent you want this structure to be you might want to opt for better glues. <S> The only downside to this would be that some glue guns tend to leave glue wisps or tails after applying. <S> I could see this being annoying but it would not change the outcome of the project. <S> If I have time in the near future I will try an make a smaller scale model of what you are going for there in case there is any trepidation. <A> You can tie them by using thread. <S> Just like: <S> [--][--][--][--][--][--][--][--] <A> A Brass fastener / split pin might do the job. <S> Probably similar to staples, but as they're thicker, maybe they're less likely to bend and fall out. <S> And of course, you can combine any of the mentioned methods.
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Paperclips (even if just from behind, though from both front and behind would be sturdier; each tube would be clipped to all the tubes adjacent to it). Even the cheap ones should be fine for this.
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Transparent paint to change color of diffused acrylic sheet? I'm working on a costume that will require some accent lighting. I plan to accomplish this with a few small circuits to power white LEDs behind some diffused acrylic cutouts, so that the cutouts will glow. The problem I'm encountering is that the accent lights are blue- I was initially thinking I could get away with using clear/white/uncolored diffused acrylic and using blue LEDs behind it so that the light is blue, but then realized that the pieces will look white if the lights aren't turned on, or if I'm in bright lighting. So I have to use white LEDs with blue acrylic. I'm not seeing many options in the color that I want (I need maybe a 1/16 thick sheet in a saturated cyan-blue color- think cyborg!) but the few options for that color that I see are either too thick or too much (it should be about 1/16 thick, and I don't need more than about a square foot at most). I'm thinking my best option is to get clear/white diffused acrylic and then paint behind it with some kind of transparent paint or varnish so that the light can still shine through, but the whole thing will be colored. I'm thinking something like what stained glass kits use. What kind of paint should I use? <Q> Walmart sells, and there's likely other sources, an adhesive inkjet printable transparency film that might do the trick. <S> A lot less fussy too... <A> You can get water based glass paints. <S> When I worked in a hobby shop we sold glass paints, and instead of sheets of glass, there were various acrylic shapes or acetate sold with them (I think the brand was Vitrail by LeFranc&Bourgeois). <S> They come in a variety of colors and it may take some mixing to achieve the color you want seen as your LEDs are already blue but a hobby shop should have a wide enough range. <S> Just make sure you buy translucent ones, <S> not opaque - Glass and Tile brands have a mix. <S> Do practice on spare pieces <S> so you know you can get a nice solid cover without it looking streaky <S> , my memories of the paints are that they're thick like nail varnish. <S> And all the items sold with them were not frosted, they were all smooth. <S> So if your outside edge is not smooth, it may take it the surface a little differently. <S> Alternatively you could airbrush them on to make sure you get an even coating rather than worrying about streaks. <A> Use light gels (clear colored film that is used to add color to spotlights and such) layered behind clear acrylic. <S> Not sure what glue to use to attach but spray mount would probably work. <S> Gels come in a huge range of super saturated colors, can withstand the heat of lamps, are flexible and easy to work with and are relatively cheap. <A> Alternatively, you could cast the parts you need with clear acrylic resin and add in some sort of coloring agent. <S> I'm thinking colored ink, but maybe epoxy pigment would do?
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Rather than paint, which might peel weirdly on you, another option is to use inkjet transparency film and print the color you want on it and then affix it the acrylic.
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How to paint paper mache rose So I created this paper mache rose. As you can see, it's not very large. As you also can see, it still has the colour of newspaper. Now, roses in newspaper colour aren't very pretty, so I'd like to change that. What is the best approach to apply some paint? What type of paint would work best? Several things to take into account: Paint is wet, and I want to apply it without changing (ruining) the shape of the rose completely. The petals of the rose don't have much space between them; still I want to cover as much as possible with paint. Would dipping be an option? Should I apply a different approach for the flower, and the leaves and stem? <Q> The low pressure will keep the air jet from damaging the rose while the distance and high air-to-paint ration would allow the volatile ink to be almost dry by the time it hits. <S> Experiment with this technique by trying to paint tissue paper without ripping it. <S> A low tech equivalent to this technique would be spray paint at double the prescribed distance with a strong tail wind or electric fan running behind you. <A> Since I don't have an airbrush, I gave dipping a try. <S> It is risky, I know! <S> But I did, a very quick dip <S> At first, the rose had no problems to keep its shape, but after - say - half a minute, the paper was thoroughly soaked (and it still had some drops hanging on it as well!), so the outermost petals started to 'unwind' a bit. <S> (I created a scalloping strip of paper, and wound it round the stem to form the petals.) <S> Support of an absorbing cloth helped. <S> The rose is too small to loose its shape completely, so when I put it on the cloth, I could leave it to dry. <S> I made sure that the shape when I left it drying, was the shape that I wanted, for once it's dry <S> I cannot change it easily anymore. <S> Once the red paint was dry, I applied some green (acrylic) paint. <S> This is the result of my efforts: <A> You could try using soft pastel sticks, and then finishing with a spray sealer afterwards. <S> Pastel sticks are not wet, so they won't cause that problem, and you can use your fingers to smooth the color into the smaller spaces. <S> You could also use Q-tips or a toothpick to add pigment into the interior regions of the rose--but it would be difficult to make the coverage even. <S> Reading the post about airbrushing above sparked another idea that you could try. <S> What about adding another layer of papier mache using colored tissue paper? <S> It will still be very difficult to get color into the interior sections, but it could allow for some interesting layering of color for shadowing, etc.
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If you have a dual-action airbrush and a volatile pigment like alcohol inks, you can spray the rose from a distance at low pressure with a high air-to-paint ratio.
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What materials can I use in a kids project to simulate simple cell biology? A colleague of mine has a kid in junior high school (she is 13 for context). She has a project where she needs to make a simulation of cell structure and components. Similar to the example image below: Image from tyrocity.com What she wants to do is make something where she can suspend objects inside a transparent medium. That medium should be able to be handled and not fall apart easily (or at all). The material should support a mold so that the shape of the end result can be controlled ( like a muffin tray or cake pan). Since this is for a kids project cost will be a factor as well. Jello or gelatin seems like a simple choice except for the fact that it would be too fragile to handle. I had initially thought about resins but the cost would be a factor for a simple project like this. Given the loose criteria above what could we use to make a "cell" and suspend some object inside it. (She was going to use candy to represent the various parts!) <Q> This is seems like a good application of DIY sensory bags <S> You fill a zip bag with hair gel, whatever objects you want inside, and food coloring if desired. <S> We seal the tops of the bag with colored tape. <S> We've filled them with toys, beads, glitter and whatever plastic or waterproof objects we have on hand. <S> Even cut off pieces of drinking straws can work. <S> In this case, whatever resembles cell anatomy. <S> You can double bag them for more durability. <S> They're able to withstand most handling, except for certain bites from toddlers (so teens should have no issue). <A> Gummy bears! <S> Stronger than gelatin, yet "flexible" to handle the other requirements. <S> Various colors for those willing to sort an entire bag. <S> One heats the gummy bears in a double boiler to avoid burning them and when liquid, pours the goop into the mold. <S> If you need a bone-shaped cell, cut a bone shape in the cardboard and hot glue strips of acetate or similar material to the inside of the cut-out. <S> Perhaps you would be able to find appropriately shaped candies for some of the internal items in the cell, as it would be challenging to construct tiny molds of suitable shape for those. <S> If you have access to a 3D printer, creating molds is limited only to one's creative talent with the 3D modeling software. <S> How do you keep the students (and adults) from eating the results? <A> You can use gelatin, just prepare it to be more durable. <S> I would suggest using this recipe for Knox Blox from the Knox website, and just leave out the "fruit flavor jelly powder." Or search for DIY gummy bears--probably any of those recipes will work. <S> If you use a recipe that calls for fruit juice as a flavoring, leave the juice out and replace it with plain water--just make sure you maintain the proportion of gelatin to liquid as is given in the final recipe. <S> I would experiment a bit--I wouldn't suggest pouring the gelatin directly over the candy that you have set into the mold, because you use boiling water to dissolve the gelatin and that might cause the candy to melt. <S> I would try pouring the gelatin mixture into the mold, let it set up just a tiny bit-- <S> maybe 1/2 hour (this is where the experimentation comes in) and then place the candies into their proper positions, and let the gelatin finish setting. <A> What about using clear or tinted slime? <S> Like the kind you can get in kids tubs. <S> That will conform to a clear tub happily making it seem like a petri-dish. <S> You can also then remove most of the part representations or separate them out if you need to for separate lessons. <S> It's a good way to show a membrane too. <S> Allows items in and to pass though, but also holds itself together rather well. <S> Unless stretched out by students of course! <S> Only negative side is you might find it absorbs a lot of dirt if passed around. <S> You can make your own slime with borax too, no need to buy. <S> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qAqtYpi2wQ
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You could use plastic strip material taped into the desired shapes, perhaps held on the outside by cardboard cut-outs, akin to the old Operation game.
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Printing with Sodium bicarbonate I'm going to be 'printing' with a baking soda and water solution. I need to apply the solution to a surface that will hold it long enough to lay a piece of paper on it and saturate particular areas of the paper, the letter forms. What is the best surface to use. I've contemplated sponge, but am not sure if the sponge will gather enough solution intact to leave residue of the letter form or whole word on the paper when it dries. I'll find that out by experiment but would love any help that might improve my chances of success. This is for a college typography class. Update: Well, I've cut the letter forms out of sponge and adhered them to a sheet of Plexiglas. I originally wanted the sponge to sit in the bicarbonate solution and continuously wick it to the top of each sponge letter form. I've done some trials already however on this smaller version I've put the solution on the sponge letters, first with a brush, and recently with an eye dropper. I'm letting the paper dry at the moment. I'm printing a form of 'Secret Ink'for a graphic design class. If I go with this project I'll have to make 28 posters, minimum 18" x 24" or larger this way. Thank you all for taking the time to contemplate the problem and come up with solutions.I'll post pics of the results if I can. <Q> Are you limited to a mixture of baking soda and water? <S> If you add a thickener (like agar gum) to the mixture to give it a bit more "stickiness," then you should be able to use rubber stamps (or foam cut-outs, etc...just google "DIY rubber stamps" for alternatives). <S> Use a foam brush to apply the liquid mixture to the stamp and apply to your paper. <S> You will have to experiment with different thickeners (agar gum was just the first one that came to my mind) and amounts to determine what will work best with the baking soda and water mixture. <A> If I understand the physics of the project you are describing, you want a surface wetted with a baking soda and water solution. <S> You plan to place paper on that surface to transfer the solution to the paper. <S> A sponge of "typical" thickness will likely wick the solution away from the surface. <S> You should consider a non-permeable surface such as a flat countertop or piece of glass or hard plastic, as long as it is flat enough for your purpose. <S> You'll have to experiment on the quantity of liquid, and you'll want the baking soda to be fully dissolved before applying any. <A> As a midpoint between sponge and a non-permeable surface, you might consider cork . <S> I think it would remain "wetter" than a sponge while being carve-able, which a harder surface might not be. <S> , so the letters are raised above the carved away background parts. <S> Then lightly adhere the cork to one rigid surface and your paper to another. <S> Two flat sheets of wood or metal could serve as these rigid surfaces. <S> The purpose of these rigid sheets is to keep the ink-bearing cork surface and the ink-receiving paper surface completely flat when they come into contact with each other. <S> From there, it is just a question of painting the raised portions of the cork with your baking soda solution and <S> then "gently" touching the two surfaces together with a minimum of vibration or slippage.
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Place a thin absorbent material on the hard flat surface and soak it with the solution. Start with a sheet of cork and carve your letter forms as a base-relief
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How to overcome the fear of imperfection? In all of my art classes, and virtually anywhere I encounter new artists, the number one obstacle I see holding them back is a "fear of imperfection." So I'd like to submit this question to any/all established artists, what tips/advice do you have for "new artists" to overcome their fears of imperfection (which are, afterall, inevitable for any student)? <Q> There's a famous story about a ceramics professor who separated his class into two groups of students. <S> The students in Group A were graded solely on a single pot they presented at the end of the semester, whereas the students in Group B were graded on how many pots they produced during the semester: quality vs. quantity. <S> During the course of the semester, the Group A students were agonizing over perfecting the minutest details of their pot, while Group B was furiously churning out pots left and right. <S> At the end, the professor examined everyone's pots, and Group B had higher quality work - even though they were only being graded on quantity! <S> The Group A students, though they had been trying to achieve high quality, simply did not have the same amount of experience. <S> The moral of the story is, practice makes perfect . <S> The solution to your "artist's block" is not unlike writer's block. <S> You can find prompts and assignments to force yourself to do something until inspiration strikes again. <S> Most of all, you must accept that your early drafts will suck, and make them anyways . <S> I've found it very inspirational looking at re-makes or progression pictures from artists, to see how their technique and style have evolved over the years. <S> To me, it underscores that making art is a learned skill, not some innate talent that you either have or don't have. <S> Sadly too many people believe this, and simply give up on art because their skills are still grade school level and they haven't grown them since. <S> But if you put in the work you will get better and better. <A> I will re-state that practice makes perfect. <S> How do you 'churn out drawings' as quickly as possible? <S> You stop revising/editing your work. <S> My grandmother was an art teacher and she told me that for the most part, I should avoid using an eraser if using a pencil or to just use a pen. <S> Gain confidence in yourself by removing the possibility of 'mistakes'. <S> If you can't erase a mark it's meant to be there, if it really isn't meant to be there draw it again. <S> Then if you want you can re-draw the piece again to improve it. <S> Nothing will happen if you don't start drawing or if you keep erasing 'mistakes' so don't use an eraser, just draw. <A> Ok, it's been three days <S> so I will propose a solution that I learned many years ago. <S> I was taking art classes and quickly developed a friendship with some of the other students in the class. <S> This friendship resulted in after class "informal study groups" where we would just get together and work on our individual art <S> etc... <S> Sometimes, just being around other artists can be a bit intimidating (i.e. eyes peering over your shoulder), so I had become a little apprehensive and froze in front of my blank canvas. <S> It didn't take long for my inaction to catch the attention of one of my classmates. <S> He asked me what was the hold up? <S> and I told him I had "artist block". <S> At that point, he put his tools down and told me to come over to his work. <S> He told me to look at it and get a feeling from it (where is it going? <S> What ideas does it inspire in your mind? <S> etc... ), because sometimes it's easier to critique someone else's work, than to be detached and objective about your own. <S> Then he said: "if you don't already have something specific in mind, would you mind if I went over to your canvas and just put down a few marks?" <S> I was shocked! <S> And as I stood there dumbfounded, he motioned to his work and said, "feel free to implement any ideas you might have for my piece, while I take a crack at yours. <S> Then when you get back to your work, you can just continue where I left off, and I will do the same when I get back to my own." <S> Then I asked: "But aren't you worried that I might ruin it?" <S> And he said, "How could you possibly ruin it? <S> The canvas was completely blank when I started. <S> Anyway, feel free to 'ruin' it as much as you think you are able. <S> Consider it a challenge. <S> You 'ruin' it, so that I can get some practice 'fixing' it. <S> What could be more inspiring than that?" <S> After that experience, I never had a fear of imperfection again. <A> The fear of imperfection when drawing is the curse of the left hemisphere of your brain interfering with the creativity inspired by the right-side of your brain activity. <S> Silencing that problematic inner monologue requires practice, patience and often some tuition and guidance. <S> My own art teacher, Kimbra Taylor , focuses very much on using mindfulness as a tool to realise your full potential as an artist and avoid unhelpful negative self-talk - see the link to her blog for more information on the left / right side of the brain issue. <S> Hope this helps. <A> Once, in a life drawing session, our instructor had us play musical easels (sort of) <S> We each worked on a sketch for 5-10 minutes and then moved to the easel to the left for another 5-10 minutes and again until we had each worked on all seven sketches (class of 7). <S> It can relax a person to already have work on paper when they start, and it will help to see what the previous artist saw and how they chose to depict it. <S> While some students disliked the teacher drawing on their sketches, I learned a lot from it and also realized that creating art is NOT about the finished product but the process. <S> Without the process, there cannot be a great work of art.
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Instead of focusing on a 'mistake' or making part of a drawing 'just right' you keep on drawing until you finish.
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Glue for sides of cross stitch work I would like, in order to prevent frays, to glue the sides and the thread stops of a finished work. The work should then be washable. Which kind of glue should l use? <Q> These glues tend to be thinner, which would give you a less noticeable and stiff edge. <S> They are usually clear, but may yellow over time. <S> If that isn't strong enough, you could try fabric glue , which as the name suggests, is specifically made for bonding fabrics. <S> You can also finish the back of your piece without glue! <S> After mounting on a board or in a hoop, fold the raw edges under and stitch across from one side to another, keeping the fabric taut and in place. <S> You can then cover up the back by sewing on another piece of fabric. <S> This is often done with felt which does not fray, but you could use any fabric as long as you tuck the raw edges under. <A> For my cross stitch work, I machine stitch the edges all around with a zigzag (preferably a three-step). <S> If by hand, I use a scaled down version of a blanket stitch. <S> For something that will be washed, I would make the stitches closer though not as close as a buttonhole stitch. <S> As for worries about stitches coming loose, I have none. <S> I learned as a youngster how to begin and end a stitching line (seam or embroidery) securely and invisibly (for nearly all items). <S> I leave the at least a needle's length of thread under an already stitched area, then stitch over where the needle came up about three times but not in the exact same place--angle your hand differently and use a different thread on the fabric each time. <S> (Wish I had a picture; this sounds harder than it is.) <S> I end the same way. <S> I've used this technique on everything from wedding dresses to tents and never lost a bride or a camper. <S> This craftsy link may help with other ways to fasten your thread. <S> https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2015/05/how-to-start-embroidery-without-a-knot/ <S> These techniques are also fantastic. <S> Personally, I would stay away from any form of glue or tape. <S> I've tried it in years past and found the results to be far less than satisfactory and unpleasant to work with during the stitching. <S> And glue does deteriorate over time much faster than thread. <S> And the sticky goop it leaves behind makes for a long cleaning story. <S> ugh... <A> You could also try using fusible hemming tape or fusible interfacing. <S> You could then prepare the edges either by laying the hemming tape about 1/2" from the edges of your cross stitch fabric, and then folding the edge down and adhering the whole thing with your iron (follow the instructions for hemming tape, and you will see what I mean. <S> Or you could use a wide strip of fusible interfacing and fold it over the edge of the cross stitch fabric, so that the fold in the interfacing is protecting the edge. <S> Both of these types of material are designed to remain fixed in place with washing, and I don't trust fabric glue quite as much. <S> It does mean that your cross stitch fabric has to be able to withstand an iron-- <S> if it is standard Aida cloth it should be fine, but if you are using fabric with some sort of coating, I would test a little bit before ironing. <S> By the way...I have never tried this, but there is no reason you couldn't fix the edges in this way before beginning to work your cross stitch pattern. <S> As long as you are using interfacing or tape that is the correct weight for your fabric (slightly lighter weight than the fabric itself), it shouldn't interfere with using an embroidery hoop, and will keep the edges neater throughout the project.
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You could try fray check .
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Is it possible to buy 'ethical fur'? I enjoy crafting leather armour. As part of an Orc design I am going for, I would like to buy some animal fur to complete the brutish/primal look. I have bought several faux furs off ebay, but they either look incredibly cheap, or they "shed" a lot of hair. So I turned to authentic animal furs, which definitely look much better. I decided to google around and see whether some furs are the byproduct of keeping an animal for other purposes such as consumption- i.e. I am trying not to support any farms that hold animals just for pelts. A lot of the furs on ebay are rabbit fur. In some of the item descriptions, the sellers explain what the rabbits are kept for and it seems harmless to buy some. But I remain unsure of the practice of selling fur and whether it might be unfairly demonised (and is actually not that bad), or whether there is no such thing as "ethical fur". So I relay that question to other crafts(wo)men that may have used fur in the past or have some more experience with it. <Q> Rework an antique fur coat! <S> My grandmother keeps encouraging me to take hers, which I really don't want -- but the point is there may be many other such coats that used to be valued and sought after, but are now of very little interest to most potential wearers. <S> If it's significantly damaged (moths, mold, just old age), all the better: it is unlikely to have any further use as a coat , but could readily be repurposed into accents on a costume . <S> This is perhaps the most ethical use of all: you're not resulting in any new animals dying (even if humanely raised and slaughtered), but instead salvaging something that would otherwise end up in a landfill. <S> (But like anything ethical, it's sort of down to your personal perspective and comfort level. <S> There's also an argument to be made that if it wasn't humane and ethical in the first place, it isn't now just because decades passed between the animal's demise and your use of its pelt.) <A> When I was in New Zealand they sold possum fur as 'doing your thing to make our country better.' <S> Possums being a pest and without predators in the country. <S> There are likely other countries with animals which are a real pest and get hunted, skinned and prepared as fur. <S> If you do happen to know people who hunt for food, who prepare their pelts and are willing to sell or share, you might be able to get a much wider range of fur than you would by just going to shops. <S> I live in a country where only very few people hunt, so I only know this from books and internet. <A> I'll note that I've not used these products myself. <S> I'm neither vegan nor anti-fur, so the information is based on my understanding of the fur/leather issue. <S> You're already making leather armor. <S> Many of the people who are anti-fur are often also anti-leather because they're technically the same thing. <S> While you might certainly attract a few other people (if only for marketing reasons) by offering "ethical" fur that was a byproduct of food rabbits production, I doubt that you're necessarily going to attract that many additional people. <S> You also have to consider that the variety of rabbit used for food and those used for fur may not be the same. <S> Here's an interesting point of view from The Guardian: <S> Which is worse? <S> If this were the Ethical Olympics, leather would win on a technicality, being a byproduct of the meat industry. <S> In the minds of many, this makes it OK. <S> Perhaps because we sanction most leathers, we haven’t come up with a convincing alternative: pleather jostles for space with less impactful versions of real leather, like e-leather (made from scraps), Lite leather (which uses less energy to produce) and even vegetable-tanned leather. <S> So, if leather wins on a technicality, I guess fur from food rabbits would fall into the same category. <S> Other products that might be in this similar group would be sheepskin and (possibly) goat. <S> Angora goats are often used for fibers in the same way sheep wool is used. <S> There is another solution. <S> Have you really looked at a wide variety of faux fur products? <S> Some of them must be pretty good if major brand designers are using them. <S> I strongly recommend that you not find them on Ebay... most sellers on Ebay are Chinese companies selling low-quality product. <S> Do some research and find quality sellers, hopefully someone who will even send you samples.
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Asking around thrift stores or estate sale agents may give some leads; even if they would typically discard such items due to probable disinterest, letting them know you're interested means they could inform you next time an old coat is available.
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Why do artists use pigments instead of dyes in paintings? Is there a reason why many famous paintings and artists use pigments instead of dyes as colorants? Some pigments are quite expensive and I am not sure why artists chose them over dyes, which are usually cheaper. <Q> While more historical artists likely didn't understand the chemical processes behind the behaviors of the two options, the biggest reason is permanence. <S> Dyes are organic substances that are either soluble in their medium or in their application. <S> This means the structure of it breaks down as part of the application. <S> The structural breakdown, coupled with the organic state is ultimately why dyes are less permanent. <S> Pigments may be organic or inorganic, but do not break down in their binder or application. <S> Because the structure of the pigment remains intact after application, their application is more permanent assuming it continues to adhere to the surface of the support. <S> I'm sure that a fair number of artists initially tried dyes over pigments, but in time the knowledge of the behavior differences would have spread from teacher to student. <S> For practice, many may have chosen dyes, but when it came to important works, not likely. <S> Bearing in mind that the expense of many pigments was often born by patrons of a number of the artists, so quality was very likely more important than cost. <S> It's also worth noting that the extremely expensive pigments, such as lapis lazuli used to make ultramarine, were often reserved for the most important of subjects such as very wealthy nobility or religious works. <S> Less expensive pigments would be mixed for close approximation in other cases. <A> While dyes were often cheaper, you would often know that they would lose colour in the next few years, while pigments were often known to hold colour for a long time. <S> But all painters were limited to what they could get and could afford <S> so some would have gone with dyes and their faded pictures might be still on walls. <S> The well known paintings of old are more likely made with the better materials and withstood the time better and are now more famous. <A> As I understand it, dyes work via chemical reactions with the materials around them--the type of carrier liquid, chemicals within that carrier liquid, the material that they are being applied to, the atmosphere, etc. <S> That means that it is much more difficult to ensure that you can get the same color from one day to another with dyes. <S> You mention indigo-- <S> when you first pull something out of a indigo dyepot, it is a sort of yellow-green color, and it has to undergo oxidation to change to blue. <S> I don't know this for sure, but imagine that different carriers with different viscosity (linseed oil vs. water, for example) could impact the oxidation process and limit how well indigo would work with oil painting, for example. <S> I would imagine most artists would prefer that level of predictability when selecting colors for a painting.
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As @John Cavan stated in his response, pigments do not break down in their binder, which means that the colors that they produce are much more stable from use to use. Most artists used the best materials for the job they could afford.
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Blackening steel with oil vs. vinegar - and others? I'd like to finish a lamp I made of brazed chain, and so far my reading has uncovered blackening with oil (linseed or motor), or with apple cider vinegar. What is the difference between these two? The vinegar seems to create a thin layer of Ferric Acetate on the steel piece, but how does the oil quench actually function as far as forming the protective layer? For indoor use, are there any other finishes I can do at home worth looking into? <Q> Treating with vinegar (or other acids) tends to form a dark grey patina, depending on how it is applied it can also also show variations in shade. <S> More viscous things like mustard and tomato sauce can be dabbled or stippled on to create a distinctly mottled effect. <S> Acids also work well to strip off or at least dull bright zing plating and galvanising. <S> This finish needs to be dried and sealed with wax, oil, lacquer etc fairly quickly (ie within minutes) or it will start to rust. <S> Also because it is somewhat porous it can be a good base for tinted oils and waxes. <S> Oil blacking works by polymerising and partly burning the oil. <S> Here the temperature is quite important as the metal needs to be hot enough to blacken the oil without burning it off completely. <S> If you watch the oxide colours as it heats up the point when it goes from deep blue to grey is usually about right. <S> This process is pretty similar to seasoning a cast iron pan. <S> You can either dip the piece in a container of oil or paint it on with a rag (don't use a synthetic brush, it will just melt). <S> Oil blacking is reasonably stable and doesn't require any additional sealing, although a layer of hard wax, reapplied every so often will make it a bit more durable. <S> I would recommend using linseed oil or similar rather than motor oil as motor oil (especially used) will contain all sorts of additives that you don't really want to be handling or inhaling. <S> I've found that a mixture of linseed oil and paraffin wax works well. <S> Another option is to allow the piece to rust and then treat it with a rust converter such as Fertan , these are generally phosphoric and/or tannic acid based and will turn the rust a deep blue/black which can then be sealed with wax, oil etc <A> Depending upon how large and/long the chain is you may wish to use beeswax. <S> Heat the chain to maybe a few hundred degrees (e.g., place in a container in an oven) then rub the wax on it. <S> You can 'bake' it further to assure an even coat of wax. <S> On steel this gives a very nice black finish. <A> Equal parts beeswax and boiled linseed oil brush on clean, hot steel with a natural bristle brush is the standard for blacking. <S> This creates a very durable finish for interior use. <S> A brazed chain however suggests you've got brass and steel which will not finish evenly. <S> Blacking with heat wont have the same effect on both metals. <S> Your brass will shine through the finish. <S> Typically I would "blacken" a piece with an acetylene torch - covering the surface with pure carbon and the brush or wipe <S> boiled linseed oil (which cures hard) over it. <S> Wiping again over highlights to accentuate them by removing the carbon.
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For mixed metals especially if brass is involved I would use oil paints or if the closest approximation to traditional blacking is desired try lamp black with boiled linseed oil and brush it on cold then wipe the excess off.
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How can I make a peeling paint effect? I'm working on designing a set for a stop motion animation, and I'd like to have a wall that looks like peeling paint— something like this .I would be able to have a plywood board painted one color, which is peeling to reveal another color of paint underneath. What paints and techniques should I use to make this possible? <Q> The basics of this can be pretty easy if you want it to be. <S> Getting the exact desired effect, much like anything in crafting, will take some experimentation. <S> In its simplest form put down you base paint i.e. the colour you want to see below the peeling, distress and etc. <S> Then put down something to help prevent the next layer of paint from binding. <S> White glue works well for this. <S> You would not necessarily use glue on your entire surface but where you want the cracking / peeling to occur. <S> In your case you can try and target it along a line to simulate broken wall or foundation or something. <S> How long you let the glue dry before you put on the next layer of paint is subjective. <S> Most seem to wait until it is tacky to the touch. <S> Next you would put on your top layer of paint. <S> The choice of paint should not matter here to much either. <S> A milk paint lends easier to distressing or chipping. <S> You see milk paint used a lot in "antiquing" furniture. <S> Once that paint is dry it should have cracked on its own while drying. <S> If that is not to your satisfaction you could use some tools to help it along. <S> Utility knives, putty knives would be obvious tools of choice. <S> Again, you would need to experiment to get your desired effect. <S> Aside from the above or possibly in conjunction I have also seen people accelerate the drying process with something like a heat gun / hair dryer. <S> This will definitely help the peeling process via bubbling. <S> Take caution as to not burn or melt the paint. <A> that's a tough objective, considering how much work is put into preventing just that problem. <S> One big aspect of such an objective is that time is a portion of the "feature" you seek. <S> One may expect you wish to not wait for weeks to get the peeling paint effect. <S> Color matching may not be all that easy in this last suggestion. <S> Heading toward a solution, I did a quick search using "what causes peeling paint" and found many answers. <S> Many were unsuited to your goal, but one of the links provided a series of causes and possible solutions. <S> The one I like is located here: Peeling Paint and the Possible Causes and could be considered a recipe book for how to cause it, as each problem is described in reasonable detail. <S> I would suggest that if you attempt to create your own "model wall," to accelerate the process with heat and moisture. <S> Enclosing your sample board in a greenhouse would be especially helpful. <S> Lacking a greenhouse, an inverted aquarium or even a plastic storage bin may give you results you like. <S> Using excessively thick layers would give excessive shrinkage to help with the poor adhesion to the lower coat. <S> Look for instructions on paint sites regarding proper preparation and do the opposite! <S> Clean and dry? <S> Dirty and damp! <A> Wallpaper. <S> Thin paper could be painted on both sides, pre-torn and pasted to the plywood, then easily and gradually lifted along the tear lines for stop motion. <S> The paper sould be kept wet for the entire sequence or the colors will change as the water evaporates.
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For the two color effect, a poorly done initial coat of one color allowed to dry, then painted with the top color and subjected to extreme conditions might also enhance the results. Alternatively, one could find an old building that meets your visual requirement and offer to purchase a wall panel!
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How to make pistachio shells stick together for decorations? When looking for images of nutshells in order to make a witty snarky reply to CreationEdge♦ in chat, I came across some wonderful pictures of pistachio-shell decorations: How inspiring and beautiful these things are! Next time I eat pistachios, I might keep the shells and try to make some decorations out of them. But I've never tried gluing nutshells together before ... How can I make pistachio shells stick together to form decorations? <Q> Pretty much any time you need to glue things that are of odd shapes to get them to stick onto other things that are odd shapes you need a glue that takes up space and bonds <S> well (well, I guess "bonds well" is up for debate <S> but... I don't know you'd be expecting these things to be something you can pass down through the generations)... <S> that pretty much means hot glue. <S> This is supported in a tutorial here and here , which walk you through the entire process. <S> Also, a YouTube video here . <A> In a nutshell You don't need to limit yourself to only adhesives. <S> There are plenty of pistachio shell and shell art in general that just use thread / wire to connect the project together. <S> Basically any thin and sharp implement should to the trick. <S> This approach can be more forgiving than adhesive, in some situations, as it will allow for some movement as well. <S> This lends better to smaller projects like earrings but can still be applied to different scales. <S> I am fairly certain this was done, at least in part, in the photo you attached. <S> Look closely at the inset in the upper right corner. <S> On the off chance I am wrong about that "sewing" the shells together can still be a valid approach. <A> I have tried this craft and it came out really well. <S> I used a small round cardboard piece as the base. <S> And then used hot glue gun for arranging the shells in the desired shape.
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In a nutshell, the answer is your old friend the hot glue gun. The shells on pistachios at least are hard enough that most people just push a pin or nail through the shell to make a small hole.
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How can I attach a large satin applique to a skirt? I'm making a skirt, and I'd like to attach an applique of a thin satiny fabric to the thicker base fabric. It's going to be in the shape of a city skyline, with the satiny stuff as the buildings. It's a circle skirt, like this: except the buildings will go all the way around. I'm going to use a bias tape for the bottom hem of the skirt, and I have the waist all figured out too. but I don't know how to attach the top, cut-out edge of the black satin. It won't be able to take much heat from ironing, and will probably need to be hemmed to keep fraying apart. If I try to glue it on, the glue will probably show through. My original plan was to cut the black as one big round and jagged piece, fold over a hem along the top and sew it on with a sewing machine. I'm abandoning this idea due to not having really used a sewing machine in years and because of all the turning and narrow bits and detail required. The project is also too big to be able to keep flat and even in a sewing machine. Furthermore, I'm not sure if I can make a crisp hem with limited ability to iron the fabric. Alternative ideas have been some kind of iron-on stuff to stick them together, or some kind of spray-on sticky stuff, but I don't have any experience with that kind of thing, so I don't know what to choose. Plus, they may require heats greater than what this fabric can stand. The technique that would probably look best would be to hand sew the entire thing with a small blanket stitch, but that'd be a LOT of sewing- and I only have 2 weeks to finish it. Finally, a last case idea was to abandon the satin altogether and use fabric markers or paint to make the buildings, but I would prefer the look of the fabric. <Q> The "iron-on stuff to stick them together" that you'd heard about is called fusible interfacing. <S> For satin, you will be looking for a "lightweight" or "feather" interfacing that has heat-activated adhesive. <S> It only needs a second or less of contact with an iron to melt to fabric, and will not bleed through like glue. <S> I recently used it to attach lace to satin, and it performed beatifully. <S> Satin to a thicker base fabric should be similarly successful. <S> Just make sure your iron isn't on the hottest setting -- neither the fabric nor the interfacing need that much heat :) <A> Have you considered what your skyline design will look like when the skirt is on and all that fabric drapes and folds down? <S> I fear your design will be indecipherable, and you will have spent so much time on it. <S> The design would be better seen as you imagine it if you placed it on a straight or an a-line skirt, although I realize that may not be the look you are going for. <S> If you did opt for a straight or an a-line skirt, the amount of hand sewing you would need to do to attach the applique would be significantly reduced. <A> When I started doing applique years ago, I used a satin stitch on my machine, this tight zig zag technique was fast and easy albeit very thread heavy. <S> Since then, I'd use a longer stitch which isn't as bulky and still keeps the fabric from fraying. <S> True applique is the slow, turn over and stitch. <S> Satin stitching can be fun.
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Otherwise, you could cut out a negative-space stencil of the pattern, put double-edged tape on the cut edges, place the stencil on the skirt base fabric, and either paint the positive space (the bare fabric) with a brush or spray paint.
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What is this handmade ceramic good for? We have bought this beautiful piece of ceramic. We have no idea how it is supposed to be used beyond the obvious decorative purpose. Any idea? It has an opening but we don't think it can be used as a salt (or pepper) shaker since the holes on the windows are too big and too close to the bottom. <Q> It looks very much like a potpourri holder. <S> It is certainly a lovely little piece. <S> I would recommend that you look after it carefully, and make sure that it comes to no harm. <S> The ceramicist appears to be Edith Rimington, of Flintshire, Wales, although I have not been able to find out anything about her on the Internet. <S> This is a piece that may appreciate in value, but I would definitely keep it for its simple charm. <S> I think that we should avoid confusing Edith Rimington with the English surrealist artist, Edith Rimmington (1902 – 1986). <S> I doubt if they are the same person. <A> I used to have one made of terra cotta that looked like an adobe house, that I purchased on my very first trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico. <S> I did a quick google search to see if I could find a picture of one like the one that I used to have, and instead I stumbled across the Incense Burner Virtual Museum website ( http://www.kandaki.com/BP-Index.php?st=c&shp=Building ). <S> The one I used to have was similar to the fifth one down on the linked page. <S> But, looking at the other items on the page, there were two that specifically reminded me of your item: and this one: <S> The Incense Burner Virtual Museum site describes the usages for each one--the top one is designed for use with a scented pastille, and the bottom one is supposed to be used with perfumed oil. <S> With that information, my next search took me to this Pinterest page called "Pastille Burners," which states that these items were "quite popular in aristocratic homes during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I." <S> Make sure to go take a look at the page ( https://www.pinterest.com/tlight2/pastille-burners/ ) <S> ; many of the pieces shown remind me of yours. <A> It's a salt (or pepper) shaker. <S> It has an opening on the bottom for filling, and the windows are the openings for shaking out the seasoning.
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To me those holes look like something you would see in an incense holder.
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Economical ideas for lettered t-shirts We are seven friends planning to watch a sports game, and we are trying to get seven t-shirts that have the letters F E D E R E R. Buying them online seems expensive, and where it's cheaper you need to order 100 or more of them. What is the most economical way we can get this done? Any craft/art ideas? Same color t-shirt Need seven. Different letters on each. <Q> I make shirts, decals, signs, etc for a living. <S> The best way to go is to buy a pack of inkjet shirts transfers (if you have an inkjet printer) <S> If you have a laser printer look for the laser transfers. <S> Staples, Target, Office Depot, etc. carries them. <S> You will need an iron, and of course blank shirts. <S> Blank shirts you can get in a multipack to save money. <S> Make sure to follow the transfer instructions. <S> If you need any help with the letters to print out, just let me know. <S> Also if you go with these transfers you can add more details like a picture or logo. <S> Again, if you need help I will help you out. <S> Free of course. <A> I'd go for fusible web (sometimes also called fusible interfacing). <S> Choose the type with paper backing. <S> Think of it as the fabric equivalent of double-sided tape: <S> You iron it to the back of the fabric you want to put on your t-shirts, cut out the shape, peel of the backing, position it where you want and iron again. <S> Now, a dedicated crafter would probably then run the whole thing through the sewing machine and add decorative stitching, but for a tennis match (assuming that's why you want FEDERER) or three, your iron-on letters will be more than sturdy enough. <S> The webbing will prevent fraying and you can wash and probably even tumble-dry the t-shirts. <S> The main advantage is, that you don't have to worry about which paint or marker will be sufficiently opaque. <S> A few yards of fusible web won't break the bank and you or another of your group probably have some old sheets or similar around, that you can cut up for the letters. <A> Buy plain T-shirts and a (black) marker felt pen. <S> Put cardboard between the front and back of the shirt when you put the letters on, so it will not bleed through. <A> Do you live near a Joann's Fabric Store? <S> They have short sleeve T-shirts (including red ones) on sale 4 for $10, and 20% off fabric paints and markers. <S> You could either paint Federer in freehand (the tubes of paint have applicator tops) or make stencils out of cardboard and then paint. <S> Not sure what you mean by "different alphabets. <S> " Do you mean different fonts? <S> In any case, same procedure. <S> Good luck, sounds like a fun group.
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On coloured shirts you can use white markers as well, but do test that the marker shows up before you spend a lot of money on it.
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How to erase pencil under ink? I use an HB pencil, very light, to sketch before drawing with ink. I use Staedtler ink pen and Staedtler plastic eraser ( whit rectangular with blu paper around ) The problem is that when i erase the pencil under the ink, the ink seems to fade. I'm using the wrong eraser or is the ink quality that fade? <Q> That's just how erasing works, for pencils. <S> Erasers don't really just pick up pencil marks. <S> They work by abrading away a thin layer of the paper, to which the pencil medium (generally graphite) has adhered. <S> The abrasion is a sort of side effect, as the real intent is to disturb the bonds of the graphite to the paper (or cellulose) and allow the erasers to bind instead. <S> Cheaper erasers are less binding, so work more on abrasion. <S> If the pencil mark is below the ink mark, then removing such a layer of paper will remove a layer with ink on it, as well. <S> The same activity that allows the graphite to bind to the eraser also picks up the ink particles. <S> The ink fades, but doesn't vanish, because the nature of the ink means it penetrates further into the paper, rather than just the topmost layer. <S> However, if you're not dealing with completely opaque inks then layering this way may affect your end color. <S> Another solution is to not erase at all, and instead use a light box start out your inked worked on a completely new sheet of paper. <S> (There are also some transferring techniques, where you could convert the pencil sketch to and underlay in ink, but I'm not versed in them enough to explain, and you could still run into opacity issues with non opaque inks). <A> I don't know exactly what type of art you are doing. <S> but since you are inking over pencil I will assume possibly comic book or manga style. <S> If you want an easy way of getting nice inking over pencil sketches. <S> I learned as a tattoo artist one expensive and one cheap method. <S> The cheap way : Do your pencil work then place a piece of good quality tracing paper over it and then lay down your ink. <S> no need to even have an eraser. <S> then photo copy or scan the inked art for a nice crisp look. <S> I usually run a few pieces of tracing paper over my pencil work and further refine my pencil work prior to inking. <S> The expensive way : As above do your pencil work then instead of tracing paper use a clear Mylar sheet and technical pens for the inking. <S> you get perfect professional quality line work once you get used to drawing on plastic. <S> then you will be inking like the pro's. <S> the Mylar isn't cheap and the pens I use cost $200 for a set. <S> but if you clean them and take care of them they will last forever or until you lose them. <S> I hope this helps <A> First make sure the eraser is not abrading the paper, by working a small area several times and then inspecting it carefully. <S> If the ink is made from pigment particles, some particles must be loose and able to be picked up in the same manner as the pencil marks. <S> So, what kind of ink is it? <S> Traditional <S> India Ink is lampblack with a little shellac added as well. <S> A water based ink without a binder may dry back with more particles than are directly stuck to the paper fibers. <S> There will be different behavior with smaller particle size and dye based inks. <S> In particular, ink that’s safe for fountain pens will have no binder. <S> So, try different inks, too. <S> You might also see what’s happening using a kid's microscope or a pocket microscope tool. <A> OK, so in compliance with the above mentioned issue of the eraser actually removing (even a tiny) portion of paper layer, like Bristol paper for instance, I have found the following to come in rather handy. <S> Before I start to draw with my pencil, I use the eraser on the blank page and basically erase the whole page, while it still has nothing on it. <S> This way, the initial piece of thin layer is removed and I have far fewer problems with fading after I erase the pencil lines. <S> It's not a given <S> , it may or may not work, but it has reduced by substantial levels the frustration on my part. <S> Oh yeah, <S> and if you do try this, do your best not to wrinkle or fold your blank page. <A> I dont know if you're fond of makeup. <S> but think of the pencil you sketched with as foundation and the marker/ink as eyeshadow,mascara,eyeliner, or etc. <S> If you wipe that base with soap and water (eraser) its going to remove/ <S> fade your precise inking or makeup
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One solution would be to apply only a basic layer of ink above the pencil, leaving you the opportunity to reapply the ink after erasure. I use Koh-I-Noor rapidograph pens and india ink.
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Why is my metallic Sharpie drawing thinned out and transparent lines? I recently bought a gold Sharpie marker (regular Sharpie, not the oil-based ones), but it's writing almost clear. It's not dried up, there's plenty of liquid, but the color is very thinned out and transparent rather than opaque, and shaking it doesn't seem to do anything. Did I just get a dud, or is there some way to get this marker up and running? <Q> The "ink" in metallic Sharpies is made up of particles suspended in a medium. <S> It's the separation of particles from medium that is causing the "transparency" of your inked line. <S> Over time, as the "ink" sits stationary, the heavier particles settle to the bottom and the lighter elements float to the top. <S> In your case it sounds like your pen has been sitting in the same position long enough for the pigments to have separated and settled. <S> Before using your pen try shaking it for a few minutes. <S> The shaking with help re-mix the components and the pen will dispense the right amount of pigment suspended in medium based on the pen's design. <S> "Shake it like a Polaroid picture" before use. <A> Marketing copy on the Staples website listing for the silver metallic Sharpies reads (bold mine for emphasis): Achieve beautiful writing with a metallic sheen when you use Sharpie® Metallic Permanent Markers in silver. <S> The mess-free metallic markers don't require shaking or pumping, since the free-flowing, permanent ink already resides in the fine-point tip. <S> Make sure to store the silver Sharpie® markers tip-down when not in use. <S> Each pack includes 36 metallic pens. <S> As John stated in his answer , it's a matter of the pigment particles being heavier than the suspension medium. <S> If you store the pens tip up, then the first thing to run into the tip will be suspension medium. <S> Store them tip down, and the pigment will be closest to the point. <A> My silver sharper marker undergoes the opposite problem. <S> I would store it tip down and shake it well before you use it. <S> Even though it says you don’t need to, I find it works a little bit better if you do. <S> I also let my sharpie run on the paper for a little bit by lightly pressing the tip on paper. <S> This helped it release a little more of a runny ink. <S> I’m not sure if it will work the oth way around, but it’s worth a shot!
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The thinness you are seeing is that your pen is dispensing more of the inks suspension medium than its pigment particles. Think of it as a paint can that has been sitting for a long time and needs to be stirred before use.
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How can I cut a near perfect circle out of a plastic bottle? I am hoping to make a simple spinner treat dispenser for my Australian shepard. Basically it is plastic container with a rod/dowel suspending them in the air. Treats or food are put inside and the weight holds the bottle down. If the dog uses sufficient force the bottle will spin around and some treats will fall out. There are many different overall designs but it basically looks like this: Image from goodshomedesign.com I am likely overthinking this but would like to know either way. I need to cut out circles from these bottles. Cutting the circles with something like a box cutter seems likely but that is hardly a precise tool. Theoretically I will be applying pressure to force the blade where I need to cut. If the plastic gives I will be putting in hard edges instead of cutting curves. This bothers me since hard edges might prevent the bottle from resting properly in the device, spinning around or could cause it to start prematurely tear the plastic. I realize it is just plastic bottles and they can be replaced but I think this is something still worth knowing. I suppose I could melt a perfect circle into the bottle but I am not so sure about that. I could score a circle into the bottle first but I still think that might be difficult with a 2L bottle. How can I cut a relatively perfect circle out of a plastic bottle like a 2L pop bottle? <Q> Kind of off the wall, but here goes: <S> Fill the bottle with water and put it in the freezer until the water becomes solid ice. <S> (best not put the cap on in order to allow for expansion of ice. <S> Using your drill press or hand held drill make your hole. <A> Plastic bottles are easy to cut with a sharp scissors. <S> Before cutting your circle, draw your cutting line onto the bottle with a marker. <S> Before you can cut with a scissors, you have to pierce the plastic with a stiletto or knife. <S> That piercing will be messy, so pierce in the center of your marked circle. <S> Then use the scissors to cut from the center to the marked edge of the circle. <S> Cut counter-clockwise around the circle (unless you are a lefty). <A> Because the plastic is quite thin, it will not hold up well to a rotary cutter such as a hole saw or similar cutter. <S> A trammel type cutter would likely be much worse. <S> The only way I can think to make a cutter of that type to function properly would be to create a sandwich of some sort, quite impractical in the case of a bottle. <S> Continuing along that line of thought, consider to fill the bottle with clean sand and use heat in the form of a piece of pipe or tubing, as you reference in your post. <S> With sufficient heat, you would not have to have sand inside the bottle. <S> For your project, even a little distortion of the hole will not invalidate the effect or operation of the bottle. <S> EDIT: Just returned from a few experiments. <S> The first, a hole saw on a similar bottle, perhaps slightly thicker wall than a 2L bottle was illuminating. <S> The pilot bit went in well enough: <S> But the hole saw caught as the cut was nearly completed and had to be torn from the bottle: <S> Attempting the same with heat was much worse: <S> All of these attempts would have fared better with internal support such as sand or similar granular matter. <S> The heat might yet be the best, as the failure on this attempt was mostly due to lack of support from inside. <S> The flame melted more of the plastic than the pipe did, making this mistake valid only in the form of what to avoid.
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Because your circle is so small, use a small scissors or manicure scissors. Filling the bottle with sand might provide the necessary internal support, and not damage the cutter too badly. A rolled edge or similar result from melting the edges may provide additional rigidity and additional material to wear longer than a bare edge otherwise created. The hole in the last picture that is "around the back" was a failure because I accidentally played the torch on the piece of pipe while in contact with the bottle. The surfaces created by doing so will not likely cause additional problems with your design as shown in the photos.
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It is easier to learn to use oil paint or acrylic paint? Is it easier to use acrylic paint or oil paint? I'm trying to get into painting and I want to know which one has the best consistency. <Q> Oil paint dries slowly and mixes well on canvas (A thin paint will stick to a thick paint). <S> It also adds texture but shows brush strokes. <S> You are going to want to work in a ventilated area. <S> Acrylic dries very quickly and dries flat, diminishing brush stroke visibility. <S> Once dried it remains flexible and can be painted over quite easily. <S> When wet it is soluble to water but becomes insoluble once dried. <S> I recommend acrylic as an introduction as it is easier to work with and is more forgiving. <S> Another solution would be to start with water colors like gouache or aquarelle. <S> These mediums are easier to clean and more portable, but can't be painted over like you can do with acrylic. <A> Generally speaking, acrylic is a cheaper and more forgiving medium to start with. <S> As mentioned by other respondents, acrylic is fast-drying and can be painted over. <S> You can also use acrylic media, such as glosses, gels, pastes, etc., to adjust the consistency and texture of acrylic paint. <S> I personally use acrylic paste and gels to thicken the paint such that it can be textured like oil paint. <S> You can also use acrylic paint like watercolors by diluting with water if you are painting on a porous surface (like paper). <S> If you're new to painting and haven't decided on a style yet, acrylic paint is a great paint to begin experimenting with because of how versatile it is. <S> Acrylic is also easier to start with because it doesn't require as much specialized material. <S> Before drying, the paint is water-soluble, so you can clean brushes with water and mild soap. <S> (But make sure you wash your brushes before the paint dries! <S> Once acrylic paint dries, it forms a polymer finish, which is insoluble in water. <S> This also means acrylic paints can work as fabric paint as well. ;]) <S> But with oil paint, you need turpentine for cleaning brushes. <S> And of course, oil for the paint. <S> You also need to learn a proper order for applying paints ("fat over lean") in order for the colors to show up properly in the end product. <A> I'll have to agree with the others that acrylic is much easier to use. <S> I've done mostly watercolor and acrylic on all my pieces, and have figured out the basic rules to get the best results. <S> But oil, the few times I've dabbled with it, has proved to be a little more difficult. <S> It also requires more than just water to dip it in and clean it off. <S> In fact, you don't use water at all (except for the end process of cleaning) – you have to get oils and turpentine. <A> I don't paint much but my sister does, and according to her, oil paint is a lot fussier and harder to work with than acrylic. <S> Oil takes a little more patience to use, and acrylic (which I've used before) is simpler- <S> it's the kind they market as kiddie paint. <S> As for consistency, oil is on the thick side, and sort of sticky, while acrylic is more watery and slick. <S> Both types yield similar, but definitely not identical results <S> so I think you should probably give both a try see which you not only prefer working with, but prefer the look of. <S> Perhaps you'll like both! <A> But unless you're allergic to turpentine I would actually say you should figure out which painters you like and what styles you want to emulate, and decide based on that. <S> Let's say you're way into Rococo paintings. <S> In that case, getting the look right would actually be a lot harder if you're using acrylics. <S> Not only will the layered colors not look quite right, but the quick drying time of acrylics will make it very difficult to paint in this style. <S> Consider too that there is a lot to learn about mediums in acrylics. <S> You can use just water and paints, but you're going to have a better experience if you also at least have some retarder and GAC. <S> I like to use self-leveling gel, and most acrylic painters agree it's good to have a selection of gloss and matt acrylic mediums in a variety of consistencies. <S> Water mixable oil paints do exist, and they do get recommended for beginning oil painters. <S> I do /not/ <S> recommend them for learning, because it keeps you from learning about the oil mediums. <A> Acrylic is better by a mile for ease of learning. <S> It is very forgiving as it only requires water to dilute. <S> Plus it is versatile as it can do anything that other paints can do; it can be used thickly to replicate oil paint, it can be diluted to be used like watercolor <S> and it can be used for matte color like gouache. <S> It dries quickly too and can be painted over without disturbing the paint underneath. <S> I have not worked with oils <S> so I can't personally judge them. <S> However, they have many disadvantages in spite of their popularity with fine artists. <S> They take forever to dry, oils need to be diluted with smelly thinners such as turpentine and any surfaces (paper, canvas, wood, etc) need to be properly primed before painting. <S> I'm not trying to discourage you from using oils <S> but if you're a beginning painter, stick to acrylics.
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Acrylic is easier to start with, yes, absolutely.
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Painting a flag without paint bleeding Background story : I bought a 3'x5' cotton flag and I painted it as seen in the photo. I made a mockup in photoshop and used a big T-square and pencil to sketch the shape of the numbers. They turned out super parallel, very straight, and very accurately sized. I covered the edges with painters tape and filled in the tricky white areas with painters tape also. I taped down a trash bag on the larger white areas to save time and lots of tape. I then sprayed the flag with spray paint purposed for fabrics. After I peeled off the tape I was disappointed that there were spots I thought had been sealed but paint snuck underneath the tape leaving blue spots on the flag (which I couldn't get rid off). In other places, the tape apparently didn't stick too well to the fabric so paint bled past and ruined my straight lines. In conclusion : I want to make another flag, but without making these same mistakes. What should I use as a better alternative to painters tape on the edges? Wax paper? I'm open to any ideas that may help me avoid this problem next time I paint. <Q> It involves applying melted wax onto the fabric in areas you wish to remain clear of the color currently being created. <S> This effectively creates a stencil for the portion to be colored. <S> Either paint or dye would then seep into the fabric. <S> The wax is then removed/washed out and <S> new wax applied over the recently colored areas as well as any others to reject the latest color. <S> As with many things organic and not particularly technological, you will get some less-than-perfect lines, but very likely much cleaner than with paint and tape. <S> I'd known of the process since my early years (so last century) but other than admiring others' work, never explored it. <S> Your query and my resultant searches have me astonished at the development of the craft. <S> Rather than drop a handful of links here in the forum, I suggest that you use your favorite or perhaps your second favorite search engine for "batik methods" and/or "batik supplies. <S> " <S> I'm going to pursue some of the links for my own entertainment. <S> Another tool for the toolbox for me! <A> Is the paint landing in the wrong place, or landing in the right place and then "blotting" or seeping to the wrong place? <S> There might be tiny holes in the plastic bag, the paint pools on them and <S> the cloth pulls it through by capillary action. <S> Try using card instead, cut it to the rough shape and use tape at the edges. <S> If the tape isn't stying down, try placing small weights - coins, stones - to hold it. <S> Build up the colour slowly, make multiple passes and let each one dry before doing the next. <S> Trial and error, it seems. <S> If that's your first effort it's not so bad. <A> • <S> You will not get a very crisp line using Batik. <S> • <S> Michael's method (above) will work perfectly for you! <S> Just be sure to use a non-yellowing shellac/sealer. <S> Even some "clear drying" products can yellow slightly over time and UV exposure. <S> • <S> Option 2: <S> Follow Michael's instructions except use paint instead of shellac to seal your fabric. <S> Then apply tape to define your stripes or numbers. <S> Before spraying on the new color, first spray the tape edges with paint matching the existing background color. <S> Spray flag with white paint (front and back) to seal fabric. <S> * Apply tape to mask-out (blue) numbers. <S> Spray <S> the edge of the tape (or the entire number) with white paint (the background color/the color adjacent to the number color). <S> If any paint seeps under the tape, it won't show - it's the same color as the background. <S> The tape edge is now sealed so no blue paint from the next coat will get under the tape. <S> Spray the numbers blue and let dry. <S> Slowly peel off the tape as soon as paint is "dry to the touch", but before it is fully cured. <S> If the tape is left on too long, the bond between the two paints (blue and white) can become stronger than the tape, and the tape will be difficult to remove, and the line may not be as crisp. <S> NOTE 1: <S> Use caution when taping over new paint - some tapes will cause paint to lift when removed. <S> NOTE 2: Test your fabric. <S> It may not be necessary to spray the back of your flag with paint or shellac. <A> In order for paint and even markers to be applied and not bleed the surface must be sealed. <S> Get a clear shellac or spray clear off the paint shelf and coat the surface lightly on both sides. <S> The fabric will remain flexible. <S> The mediums dry quickly and you will be able to paint on the dried surface and retain sharp edges. <S> Since you are using tape there is another step to take. <S> After tape is laid down spray or paint the edge of the tape with your sealer of choice and it will fill the voids between the tape and the surface that your paint would have otherwise seeped into.
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Your best option for "precision" may be a craft known as batik.
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How to remove Corona bottle printing? I'm planning to use recycled Corona bottles to pack some juice I'm producing, but to put my own logo on these bottles, I want to remove the original printed brand. In my city, and even in my whole country there is no recycling plants so there is basically nowhere to get help. I tried using paint thinner, paint remover, acetone, and brushing, only the last one worked but the bottle was unsuable after that. So, the question: HOW TO REMOVE THE PRINTED BRANDING IN A CORONA BOTTLE? <Q> A commercial paint remover of sufficient potency may solve your problem, although great care should be taken in handling and use. <S> A friend runs a shop using aircraft paint removal chemicals. <S> Once applied and placed in sunlight, the paint bubbles and scrapes off easily. <S> The same chemical burns like a match if even the smallest drop touches skin. <S> Perhaps slightly safer and possibly as effective <S> would be automotive brake fluid. <S> Every bottle of the stuff has warnings about damage to paint, although there is a possibility that the silicone based stuff would not be as damaging. <S> A quick Google check shows that silicone based brake fluid DOES NOT damage paint. <A> I took an 18-gallon plastic tub and stood clean/empty beer bottles upright in the bottom until there was no room for more. <S> I then filled the tub with water from the hose and of course, the bottles all tried to float. <S> One by one, I pointed the hose into each bottle until it filled and sank. <S> Once the water was above all of the bottle openings, <S> I poured in about 2 ounces of StarSan sanitizer (which is available at most home brew supply stores). <S> Then I put the cover on the tub and left it that way for about a month. <S> When I opened it up, all of the paper labels were floating on top. <S> The (corona and sol) bottles which had not had paper labels still had a little of their original ink on them <S> but again it came off with either finger pressure or under an old tooth brush. <S> I used a razor blade on the tough spots but soon had about fifty bottles which were almost ready for use. <S> Just to be careful, I ran them all through the dishwasher then dipped them in a fresh batch of starsan and let them air dry. <S> I have no idea if starsan could have cleaned off the bottles quicker than the one month that I gave it. <S> I chose that time because that is how long I let my beer mature in the carboy before bottling. <S> One word of caution. <S> Several of the bottles which I carefully prepared for reuse had screw-on caps. <S> When I resealed them using a manual capper and crimp-on caps, the seals were not airtight and the beer never carbonated. <S> The little glass ridges, which help the screw-on caps stay in place, ruin the seal for crimp-on caps. <S> Only use bottles which have smooth openings at the top. <A> I have posted this question on HomeBrewing SE site at the same time I did here, and the problem has been solved. <S> I wanted to share the answer for anyone who can find it useful. <S> Thanks for your answers. <S> NOTES: <S> -The part of paint remaining on the top, was not inside the acid. <S> -The bottle itself was not affected . <S> It's still shiny and without a single scratch after the proccess. <S> -The paint doesn't disintegrate inside the acid, so the acid could be used multiple times . <S> You can see the result here:
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This was the solution for me: Hydrochloric acid alone worked perfectly , the bottle was put into it for less than one day, and after that it was rinsed with water (almost no rubbing was needed) and everything was removed in less than 10 seconds. Some of the bottles which had hosted those paper labels still had a little glue on them, but that glue rubbed right off with finger pressure.
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How can I paint consistently coloured lines with acrylic paint? I like the idea of being able to dip my brush into the paint and then paint a shape in one shot, without having to go back over it. In my experiments so far I am having to go over each line several times to stop the background colour from showing through the acrylic. Even when the background is only white. I am painting on MDF which has been primed with an undercoat of shellac and then some spray paint over that. The effect I am going for is shown in this video of Keith Haring: https://youtu.be/VWRRQKwtB90?t=2m26s He never has to go over his lines because the colour is consistent for as long as he drags his brush. I an thinking it largely has to do with the paint and the brush that I am using. But am yet to figure it out. Any help wold be greatly appreciated. <Q> In my experiments so far I am having to go over each line several times to stop the background colour from showing through the acrylic. <S> Even when the background is only white. <S> This is probably caused by the quality of your paint. <S> Pigments are usually the most expensive ingredient in any paint, so the cheaper the paint, the less pigments are in it. <S> In order to cover your background color you need to create a layer of pigments over it. <S> There are usually 3 categories of paint: <S> Hobby quality: Very cheap, full of fillers and almost no pigment at all. <S> Mixing colors is a gamble at best and impossible at worst. <S> Useless for any crafting project. <S> These can be found in dollar stores and similar shops that don't usually have art supplies. <S> College / art student quality: Good price-performance-ratio with acceptable amount of pigments. <S> They're often offered in a wide variety of colors that usually mix well. <S> These are best fit for crafting projects and can be found in most craft shops and some DIY or construction stores. <S> Artist quality: <S> Most expensive but usually contain the most (and purest) pigments and least additives. <S> They're often thicker in consistency than collage quality paints and some very special pigments (like ground up semi-precious stones) may only be offered in artist quality paints. <S> Use these when you need absolute coverage of any color in small areas (like miniature painting) or when you need consistent coloration despite extreme dilution of the paint. <A> Asian calligraphers, I'm sure you've witnessed people painting characters or logograms with a brush and ink, make beautiful forms that need no touching up. <S> In the West we have a kind of painting called "Toll" that also uses multiple single strokes to create images, usually botanical but not limited. <S> Both the calligrapher and the Toll illustrator have common threads. <S> The brushes are soft and the medium is more liquid than paste. <S> The trick they master is to lift and lower the brush while making a stroke. <S> Lowering, or putting pressure on the hairs or bristle end, thickens the stroke and lifting thins. <S> Moving the brush along the surface determines the length and direction. <S> Another trick they employ, is to twirl the brush while lifting. <S> Doing this with a tapered sable will leave a point where the brush left the paper. <S> This is a common way to end a letter or character stroke. <S> Toll painting also uses this technique when making single stroke leaves. <S> Many inexpensive Toll painting books can be found on Amazon.. <A> As already mentioned the concentration of pigment is important to the ability to cover. <S> Yes, high quality paint will usually have a higher concentration of pigments, but bear also in mind, that some pigments are more opaque than others. <S> For example, the colors "madder Brilliant" and "cadmium red medium" (primacryl from schmincke) have almost the same brilliant red color. <S> However, the first is comprised of a transparent pigment while the other is highly opaque. <S> So you have to ckeck for opacity of your color before using. <S> The concentration of the pigment is still important if you want to thin your color to a liquid consistency. <S> If you want to thin your color a lot, colors with highly concentrated pigments (often called artist grade or professional color) are preferable. <S> There are also acryilic inks that are quite liquid, but for these you still have to check the opacity, because different applications require different transparency. <S> When it comes to brushes, you need to use a brush with a high capacity for holding paint to achieve consistent lines. <S> Look for watercolor brushes or asian caligraphy brushes with long soft hair. <S> I prefer cligraphy brushes with a mixture of hair from goat (soft hair) and marter or badger hair (a bit more rigid). <S> It looks like haring is also using a caligraphy brush in the linked video. <A> Something the other answers have missed is your priming method. <S> There is B-I-N shellac which is specifically a priming shellac that is designed to cover stains, but other typical shellacs may dry to a hard glossy finish. <S> The paint you are applying has to have something to grab on to. <S> If the primer layer is too slick or non-compatible with your paint much of the paint in each stroke will just slide along the surface, leaving the inconsistent lines. <S> So if your lines are well pigmented (the paint is solidly opaque) but have gaps or streaks <S> then it is the priming* and not the paint. <S> Beyond that, your paint (as the others have noted) has to be quality, well pigmented, and thinned to the right consistency to go on smooth but not so much that it makes the paint too dilute. <S> *You may also need a brush with bristles that are longer and softer so the brush delivers the paint without "scratching" or scraping it in the process.
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If your paint doesn't contain enough pigments, that can only be achieved by putting several layers of paint over each other.
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What is the purpose of an underpainting? As I got interested in painting in oil and acrylics (and other covering techniques), I came across the term 'underpainting', i.e. a painting under the actual painting, that sometimes exhibits color, and sometimes only the tonality of the image to be. It seems that the underpainting is almost always completely covered once the painting is finished. So what is the purpose of an underpainting when you could also directly paint on the real image (supposing that I sketched out my design with graphite or charcoal)? <Q> I use under painting for a variety of reasons. <S> Conventionally, it is useful for extremely faint variations in color, implied-texture or reflectivity. <S> In this respect, it is similar to adding a wash over a portion of the dominant color, as it subtly affects the final appearance without adding distinct brush strokes or delineations. <S> I find under painting to be slightly easier to control than washes because the pigments which I use for under painting are less dilute and therefore quicker drying than their wash equivalents. <S> A less conventional usage is to mark the center point of a zone or to layout a grid upon an area which will ultimately be invisible in the final product, but is useful for determining proportions prior to the addition of the outer obscuring layers. <S> For example, when laying down shadows which are being cast by multiple identical objects and at nearly identical angles to the light source, it is helpful to have an almost invisible grid (like graph paper) present. <S> It helps me be more consistent and to adjust the angles with uniform variation between each of a series of shadow-casting objects. <S> My final use for under painting is for low risk experimentation. <S> Laying out a rust pattern or a dirty spot on an otherwise pristine rendered subject is daunting. <S> You've finally got the thing looking exactly like you want <S> and now you just need to scuff it up a bit to make it look more real. <S> But a little too much or even a little in the wrong spot will ruin your hard won rendering. <S> These are the moments that make brush hands quiver. <S> Which is why I design my rust and scuffing before hand, to get it right before I add all the pretty paint and shine. <S> Then, if I have to go back and strengthen the abused area after it has become too pretty, I have the still barely visible tone of the under painting ( or at least my memory of it ) to guide my hand. <A> Some of the underpainting my not be so subtle, it can be vivid or even bright. <S> More layers of paint help the finished look. <S> It can make your painting look cheap if it seems you are being skimpy with your paint. <S> It is a good way to build texture. <S> Cheaper, unappealing, or leftover mixed colors can be used up first, which means saving money and is more environmentally conscious than throwing it away. <S> Depending upon your support (canvas, wood, etc.) <S> and its finish, <S> meaning how porous it is, can determine how much paint will be sucked up. <S> If you don't or can't add a layer of gesso, the underpainting can help seal the surface. <S> Once a painting is blocked in with an underpainting, details are easier to imagine and build on. <S> This is especially true when it comes to the composition, shadows, and proportion. <S> You should regularly step away from your art to take a break and see it from a good viewing distance, which depends on the size, but at least 10 ft or more and the underpainting is easier to see, then the first step of a simple outline drawing. <S> It's good to practice, helps to figure out which brushes are working for that particular painting, and is way easier to make changes to both. <A> Two main stages of underpainting Underpainting (or toning) eliminates <S> the harsh, intimidating white canvas and allows you to paint freely without worry about ‘filling in’ the white. <S> Use a big brush to paint a wash of burnt sienna. <S> That's a quote from Seven Steps to a Successful Painting on the Thought Company website. <S> Each step is illustrated and, I think, offers a foolproof approach. <S> Underpainting is a crucial early task. <S> Why? <S> It helps you identify the major values (darks and lights.) <S> By identifying these, it forces you really look at your subject, and see if the composition will work. <S> As a beginner I had no idea how important values were until attending some well-run art classes. <S> Wish I had known earlier! <S> I have included a sample of a still life and value study from underpainting, at yesterday's oil class. <S> The next stage is to add colour. <S> I have probably made mine too detailed, but that's okay. <S> I got excited. <S> Mitchell Albala's website has an excellent discussion covering several ways to do underpainting (illustrated): <S> What Color is Your Underpainting? <S> The Monochromatic and Two-Color Methods <A> The underpainting is for glazing. <S> You put transparent pure color very thinly over your underpainting, dry, glaze, dry, glaze. <S> These thin washes add volume without eliminating or covering up the underpainting. <S> If you use white paint with any colors, it's no longer translucent.
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The reasons I like to use underpainting when doing art in oil or acrylic are: Sometimes having small/subtle areas where the underpainting shows through can add interest to the painting.
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Which glue should I use to attach paper to glass? When making things that go in bottles (primarily beer), I want to add labels to the bottles. I like the look of matte paper labels such as those found on fancy wine bottles, but I'm having difficulty attaching the paper to the glass. Superglue and PVA soak through the paper and somewhat spoil the effect, while glue sticks don't do a good job of adhering to the glass. Which glue should I use to attach paper to glass? If at all possible I'd like to avoid the need to rough up the surface of the glass. I could just use sticky labels, but they don't look nearly as nice. <Q> We make beer. <S> We occasionally make labels for that beer. <S> The easiest, best cheapest way to attach the labels is... ready for this... <S> you sure??? <S> Milk. <S> Don't know why, don't ask why. <S> It works. <S> You won't be able to wash the bottles without the label coming off <S> but if you're brewing, by the time you're washing the bottle, you probably want the label to come off. <S> Because you're getting the entire label wet, it will evenly discolor <S> but I haven't had major issues with the colors running or smearing. <S> There's a helpful guide for it on " OnlineLabels.com ". <S> They even have a comparison photo of a sticker label next to a milk-application. <S> Of course, they want you to buy their labels, so they make it sound onerous to do the application process. <S> We've done a full 5 gallon batch pretty easily, so don't be too concerned about it. <S> And if you try it once and hate it, well... you could switch to sticker paper. <S> Apparently a lot of people use Avery brand sticker labels (the ones you might use for mailing). <S> Based on their instructions, they have you dip the paper in the milk... <S> we found it was much easier to use a basting brush (or a cheap 1-inch chip brush from the hardware store) than to try to dip the paper. <S> For other options, see the related/identical question to this on our Homebrewing site - here . <S> This answer , specifically, talks about using milk. <A> I have yet to try this for my own home brew bottles <S> but I've read ( here , for example) <S> that unflavoured gelatin powder dissolved in water also works in the same way milk does. <S> Labels are supposedly easily removed when you wash them, and you avoid the possibility of the milk going sour and creating an odour. <S> I haven't tried the milk method either, so I can't confirm the odour complaints of some home brewers. <A> We made a bunch of homemade hot sauce from ghost peppers and I made a label for it. <S> I scanned the label and printed it on regular printer paper and cut it out. <S> Then I glued it to the bottle with good 'ole Tacky Glue. <S> Works really well. <S> I just used a little spatula and spread the glue on nice and thin. <S> No bumps, and it sticks really well. <S> Of course, if the bottle gets too wet, the paper dissolves, but that's the paper's fault, not the glue. <A> For labels that should not come off when the bottle gets wet, hot glue. <S> Best on smaller labels, to allow you to spread the glue and attach the label before the glue cools too much. <S> And of course, keep the bottle on a reasonably warm temperature if you can, to stretch the working time.
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In factories they use big(ish) machines to spray the glue on the bottles, but you can use a hand held hot glue gun as well.
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Hand painting with spray paint? Is it possible to take spray paint, spray it in a cup, and use it to hand paint with? I have a bottle of it, but no other paint and I want this hue. Just wondering if I can use this temporarily. <Q> Spray paint, by design is in a pressurized container, to belabor the obvious. <S> When used, the material is converted to an aerosol by the pressure, which then travels some distance at a good speed. <S> If you are attempting to spray it in a cup, a good portion of that force will result in back-spray, pushing the paint out of the cup. <S> This is undesirable. <S> A couple methods can be used to mitigate this problem. <S> One is to use a large container, not a cup, something bucket sized and hold the nozzle near the edge of the bucket. <S> Spray in a direction to cause rotation of the pressure as well as angled slightly downward, to keep the spray in the bucket. <S> A portion of the spray will be wasted by coating the side of the bucket, making this a less than optimum method. <S> Common sources are compressed air cans, also known as computer dusters, lubricants such as WD-40 and others. <S> If the nozzle and straw come from such products, be sure to clean the material thoroughly to avoid paint contamination. <S> A suitable receptacle for this method might be a tall soft drink can or even a wide mouth tallish jar. <S> Position the spray straw in a manner similar to the bucket method, pointing slightly downward and in a rotational manner. <S> You will get some back spray, as the pressure has to go somewhere. <S> You can reduce that problem by spraying under a rag or similar open-weave cloth or through a hole in the fabric. <S> Spray paint is also more volatile, and you will likely have shorter working time with the paint that collects before it dries or becomes too thick to use. <A> Here is a very simple method that I came across. <S> This may not work on all spraypaint nozzles because you need one that has a spray tip that can have a bendy straw or flexible tube <S> slide snugly over the place where the spray comes out. <S> Basically you take the jar you want to decant the paint into and tape up the opening, enough to both stop the gas escaping but also contain the pressure. <S> Then you make a small cut just big enough for the straw or flexible tube. <S> Slide <S> the straw/tube over the nozzle spray tip (shake your can first) and feed into the hole in the tape. <S> Place <S> both upright on a table or flat surface and spray until you have decanted enough paint for your requirements. <S> Remove the tape and put the lid on the jar immediately. <S> Spray paint is highly volatile <S> so you need to keep it airtight. <S> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH6nT8H0wYA <A> Yes, but be careful. <S> Also, a lot of paints can eat through plastic. <S> Like Rustoleum enamel, it ate through a cup I sprayed it into. <S> Using something like glass would be better. <S> Also, there are some different caps you could try. <S> I know that MTN Paints make a variety of caps, and other companies do to. <S> You could try replacing the cap with a smaller one and see how that works.
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Another option is to find a nozzle from a product using "spray straws" that direct the substance. As you probably know, spray paint dries very fast, so spraying it into a container could result in it drying.
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How to Sew Up "Cut Outs", (Shapes Cut Into Fabrics)? I would like to cut letters INTO a piece of cloth, but - I would like to "fold" the inside edge under itself to make a nicer edge, (perhaps helping prevent it from unravelling/tearing in the future ...). But, when you fold the fabric under itself, you either have to cut slits into it, creating a tear vulnerability, or - you create folds into the fabric ... Is there a best way for sewing up "cut-outs", (the shapes or letters you cut INTO fabric)? Or, maybe - Is there any way to create the "folds/wrinkles" evenly? Please help reword this if you know the proper terms that I am missing! Thanks! <Q> Here are some additional details on the sewing and gluing methods mentioned in my first answer: Sewing a Satin Stitcheither by hand or by machine: a satin stitch is lots of horizontal stitches (vs. vertical) all very close together. <S> Here is a YouTube video showing both methods of satin stitching, by hand and by machine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eTurIxJlFg <S> Note: <S> the video shows how to sew (fasten) <S> cut out letters onto another piece of fabric; you are cutting out your letters from the piece of fabric. <S> Satin stitch along the outline of your letters before you cut the letters out. <S> Let the glue dry for about 15 minutes, and then cut your letters out. <S> Note: <S> I’m not sure what the iron is for (the advice you got at the store). <S> You don’t need to use an iron with a fabric glue. <S> Hope this helps. <S> Good luck with your project! <A> Abbie's answers are great and should work! <S> However I wanted to provide a couple other options. <S> Folding the edges under <S> It <S> can work. <S> When you cut out your letters, add a seam allowance to all edges. <S> Clip the curves and cut the corners with nice sharp scissors, then fold under and stitch. <S> Clipped corners, done properly, shouldn't fray a lot. <S> However, you can always add a dot of fray check to the clipped points if you are worried about it. <S> Make a facing <S> The preparation is similar to folding the edges under, except you are attaching a separate piece of fabric to the edges and folding that under instead. <S> To do this: Before cutting, add seam allowances to the edges of the letters <S> Do the cutouts along the edges (with seam allowance added), <S> both on your visible layer of fabric, and on the facing fabric (will end up on the back) <S> Sew the facing to the front along the cutouts <S> , right sides together <S> Clip facing, turn, press; optionally topstitch along openings <S> You can finish the edges of the facing fabric however you like since they won't be visible. <S> However, this technique wouldn't work well with sheer or thin fabrics, as the facing could add visible bulk. <S> This will also mean the finished piece is not reversible. <S> Bind the edges <S> Get or make some binding, depending on if you want it to match or contrast. <S> Woven binding tape is cut on the bias, which allows it to stretch a little around curves. <S> However, on corners you will either have to make miters or folds. <S> It can be tricky to apply properly, so you may want to practice first if you haven't worked with binding before. <S> This will add a little bulk on the edges and (if you are careful with your stitching!) <S> can result in a reversible piece. <A> It is very difficult to cut out the letters and fold the edges under as you describe. <S> The first reason is as you state, you will likely have either wrinkles or slits that can fray. <S> The second reason is the shape of the letters as you have cut them will likely change once you start folding under the fabric. <S> One way to accomplish what you want is to trace the letters in the size you want (not adding any material for folding under), and then machine stitch around the tracing. <S> Most sewing machines have basic decorative stitches that you could use, even just a small zig-zag stitch might work. <S> Then cut the letters out. <S> Another way would be to trace your letters with Fray Check (fabric glue) which you can find online or in fabric stores. <S> Once it dries, cut out the letters along the sealed edges.
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A crisp cut will give the fabric flexibility to fold under neatly, and you can roll it a tiny bit more to hide the clipped spot. Using Fabric Glue (one brand is Fray Check): use the fabric glue bottle like a pen, squeeze a thin line along the outline of your letters.
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Why aren't there mechanical pastel pencils? I like mechanical graphite pencils (e.g. 0.5 mm), because they are sharp, they do not contain wood (are eco-friendly and do not generate any waste) and they do not require sharpening which can consume the pastel core as well. And I like pastel pencils because I like drawing small and detailed images. But why there are no best from the both worlds - mechanical pastel pencils? Or maybe there are? Some 30-40 years ago the Soviet Union existed and I remember that they had mechanical pencils with wider cores, I don't know exactly, but they may have even 1-2mm cores and the cores could be graphite or something similar to colourful chemical pencils (watercolor pencils). I am not sure whether it was mass product and whether they were just exploring the technologies. Well - Soviet Union used lot of such pencils in postal work and so on, they had not printed labels and small-printing, that is why the writing devices should have been made and they did as they could. <Q> I don't know much about pastel pencils--so there could be something like a mechanical pastel pencil out there, and if so, hopefully someone will answer this question with information about such a pencil. <S> But, I have a hunch that they don't exist because of the different composition of the "lead" in a pastel pencil vs. that in a mechanical pencil. <S> I have only ever used pastel sticks, so I had to look up the details of how a pastel pencil is created. <S> I found this description of the Caran d'Ache brand of pastel pencils on the Dick Blick website : <S> Caran d'Ache Pastel Pencils are made from pure raw materials to create a pastel pencil paste that is fed by hand into round moulding dies, oven-dried in special baskets, carefully glued between two strips of the finest California cedar, and cut into lengths to produce several pencils.... <S> As a final step, the pencils are sharpened in a double-cone process, a particularly delicate operation for such a fragile product <S> ( I added the emphasis to the last line ) <S> It sounds to me as if the ingredients that make up the "pastel pencil paste" simply don't have the structural integrity to hold together as individual sticks of lead without being enclosed inside a protective shell. <S> Manufacturers might be able to make the pastel sticks of the appropriate shape and diameter to work inside a mechanical pencil, but those sticks might be too delicate to be transported to customers. <S> They could also be too delicate to be able to function with the type of mechanism that advances the lead in a mechanical pencil; depending on the softness of the actual pastel lead, the compression mechanism that advances the lead in a standard mechanical pencil might actually crack/shatter/smoosh (that last is a scientific term) <S> the pastel lead. <S> I know, for example, that my regular pencil sharpener does not work well to sharpen my colored pencils, which are wax based <S> --I actually have a special sharpener designed to work with colored pencils that is MUCH more effective. <S> My guess is that there is something similar going on with the pastel pencils that mean that they simply cannot work with the mechanisms in a mechanical pencil. <A> I agree with @magerber. <S> There are a couple reasons why. <S> 1: It's soft. <S> 2 <S> :You want a wider tip for coloring areas like that. <S> Have you ever tried doing any piece of art with just a mechanical pencil? <S> It takes forever, and the shading is difficult. <S> 3: If you made a piece that was wide enough, the pencil would have to be wide too. <S> It would almost be as big as a clutch pencil. <S> 4: Changing colors. <S> Think about how many times you change colors when you do a piece of art. <S> Taking out a color, then putting another in, then getting the right length would take a lot of time. <S> 5: <S> Grip. <S> Grip is how well a mechanical or clutch pencil can hold the graphite under pressure without it sliding back in. <S> For pastel, the pencil wouldn't be able to grip it and hold it, and the end inside would get all chewed up and slide back in. <S> So these are the reasons I could think of, but I'm sure that soon, someone will overcome all of these obstacles and make something like this. <A> There are mechanic pencils with coloured lead! <S> Pilot has them (Pilot ENO Color Mechanical Pencil).
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For a lot of mechanical pencils, the lead will break, and for clutch pencils, it will let it slide back in so that you don't damage the graphite. Having it in such a small diameter would most likely break it.
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How to intentionally fray curved edges in fabric? Closely Related: - How to Sew Up "Cut Outs", (Shapes Cut Into Fabrics)? In the related question , there are solutions for prevent frayed edges in fabric. But, could you avoid the complexity of sealing, folding, or stitching those edges - by intentionally leaving "nice" pre-frayed edges ? Example: If you were to cut a circle into the fabric, and stitched closely (1cm??) from the curved edge - what methods could be used to leave a "consistently" frayed edge? Are the fabric's "weave", "thread-count", or other factors, important for this? <Q> You have the right idea. <S> Sewing near the edge but leaving the actual edge raw will achieve a frayed edge. <S> Things to keep in mind: <S> This will only work on a woven fabric, not a knit. <S> Because of the nature of a woven fabric, the threads are horizontal and vertical. <S> Certain places around the circle (mostly when you hit the bias area), the fraying will change or may not show up at all. <S> The weave does matter. <S> If the fabric has a very open weave, it may not have a very frayed look, but look like loose threads. <A> I would stay stitch close to my intended edge and manually snip the fray. <S> Easy peasy. <A> On some items that were a no-sew diy that I want to make with burlap an <S> I wanted to have with very lil freying so on the back side <S> I squeezed tacky glue in a real fine & slim line around the burlap shape I wanted; an right before the glue started to draw good <S> I took my finger making it flat an smooth to where was not visible from the front <S> and it stopped freying everywhere inside the glue shape an <S> i cut about 1/8 excess past my glue line shape to create a freyed edge but solid every where else ! <S> I know this works for burlap type fabrics but as for other fabrics that are going to be sewed I am not sure ! <S> I'm not on my silhouette Cameo machine <S> I have a great cutting blade that does a wonderful job on every fabric I have tried so far...
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Most importantly, not all edges will fray equally on a circle shape.
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Creating Color Bleed From Magazine Cutouts Im currently working on an art collage project where I want to cause the dyes and inks from magazine cutouts to bleed, smear, and run across their paper. I have tried paint thinner, bleach, vinegar, fire, but nothing is creating this bleed effect that I desire. Is there some household products I can combine to create this effect? Are there chemicals that I can buy that would be relatively safe to use (indoor or outdoor)? <Q> A technique that will get the result you are looking for would be to transfer the imagery from the magazines to something that you could then transfer again onto your work of art. <S> Color copies of the 'zines would probably work best, saw a lot of that in art school. <S> Not sure the solvent used on the copies but pretty sure it is one of the things you tried for the magazine prints, probably rubbing alcohol. <S> That will give the running and smearing effect that a "proper" transfer would lack. <S> The magazines themselves are printed in inks that are too permanent to dissolve before the paper breaks down. <S> The copying process allows you another point of manipulation as well, as you can scale the pictures up or down, copy multiple images, move them around during the scan, etc... <A> CitraSolv? <S> Look up Cathy Taylor's Altered Papers tuts on YouTube. <S> She also has success with highly colored junk mail. <A>
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If the magazines are glossy then it might be a bit tricky, non-glossy ones should work fine when treated with White Spirit She uses NatGeo for hers because the paper is impregnated with clay.
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Remove duct tape adhesive residue from fabric I have an article of clothing that had duct tape on it at one point, but after pulling off the duct tape residue remains. I've debated buying Goo Gone but I am worried about discoloration. The fabric is all black, no patterns. What would be the best way to remove the duct tape adhesive residue, without affecting coloration? Has anyone used Goo Gone before? Are there alternative methods that can be used? EDIT: I've confirmed with the company that manufactured the clothing that it is 94% Polyester and 6% Spandex <Q> Goo Gone and similar products work quite well on hard surfaces for removing adhesive residue. <S> You will find that the recommendations for such products also include testing on a hidden portion or similar piece. <S> Once soaked for a while, a detergent wash is likely to be needed to remove the oiliness of GG. <S> Alternatives to GG include WD-40, with the same oiliness factor, as well as baby oil, mineral oil and peanut butter. <S> Work the selected substance in the fabric frequently to ensure good distribution. <S> A quick search using "goo gone fabrics" shows that many posts have been made to indicate the product works on clothing. <S> Of all the above, I think peanut butter involves the most effort and perhaps the lowest risk of discoloration, but I've never used peanut butter! <A> There are three key variables to consider with this problem: fiber content, fabric construction, and dyeing method. <S> The fleece fabric construction is sort of a worst case because there is so much surface area for the adhesive to stick to that you won't be able to freeze the fabric and try to scrape it off - which is a good technique for getting sticky stuff like gum or adhesive off of flat fabrics. <S> If the fiber content is polyester, you probably can safely use a goo-be-gone product because it's most likely that the fiber was solution dyed, which means the dye is actually part of the fiber, not an add-on. <S> (Dye is added to the solution before being extruded into a fiber shape.) <S> Even though goo-be-gone should be OK to use on polyester fleece, it's safest to apply a little with a Q-tip somewhere that doesn't show, like the inside of the side seam. <S> If the fleece is a natural fiber like cotton, you definitely need to do a test first because the dye will likely be less stable. <S> Textile dyeing can be conducted at the fiber, yarn, fabric or garment stages. <S> The earlier in the process the dyeing occurs, i.e at the fiber or yarn stage, the more stable and durable. <S> However, fiber and yarn dying are typically more expensive processes than fabric or garment dyeing so it's done less often. <S> Possible complication: <S> Sometimes black fabrics of any fiber content have been overdyed - the fabric or garment may have been dyed a fashion color that didn't sell well, and then dyed black. <S> There is much about end-use textiles that is invisible to the human eye and to the average consumer. <S> Always test on a place that won't be seen, or take the item to a reputable dry-cleaner. <S> Good Luck! <A> Eucalyptus Oil. <S> Apply with an old tooth brush, scrub gently until the residue starts to loosen, clean the brush with a paper towel and reapply oil until residue is gone. <S> Wash as normal :) <A> You can use vinegar mixed with water or small amount of nail varnish remover (acetone). <S> By using it gently and using less nail varnish remover nothing will happen to your fabric colour.
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It's likely that Goo Gone will work and you may be able to soak the fabric in the liquid to allow better penetration. Without knowing fiber content and how the item was processed and dyed, there is always a risk when experimenting with chemicals on textiles.
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Crafting a sturdy, not heavy mask for shows I have a metal band that use costumes for shows, I need to craft a mask that is durable but not too heavy, since I will use it on live presentations. I tried to make it using plastered gauze, but it seems too flexible. Here's visual representation (the grid part is inside). <Q> Plaster that is thick enough to be reasonably strong and rigid will probably be too heavy. <S> Masks are often made from papier mache , essentially building up strips of paper soaked in paste over a former which dried to a fairly strong but lightweight material. <S> Other methods involve pressing paper pulp into a mould. <S> You could also use your plaster original as a former as long as you coat it with wax, Vaseline ect to act as a release agent and prevent the paper from sticking. <S> An quick internet search will find many tutorials on making masks in this way. <S> The big advantage of papier-mache is that you don't really need much in the way of tools and equipment to work with it and teh raw materials are cheap and easy to get hold of. <S> There are also many other options depending on your particular priorities, moulded leather, sheet metal or cast resin or composites <S> would all potentially be pretty cool <S> but there you are looking at either a substantial investment in time, practice and materials or engaging a specialist to work with you to make it. <S> Having said that you may find that if you reach out a bit you may find an artist of fabricator who is sufficiently interred in the project to give you a good deal. <S> I would certainly be interested in something like this but equally if you want at a good deal based on collaboration you need to be prepared to give up some creative control of the project. <S> So you need to make sure that you have a similar vision in mind. <A> There are several tutorials and patterns available - see here and here . <A> If I didn't have the fifty bucks to buy one from a costume supply and had the time and patience to create; my affordable project would need: old adjustable ball cap Velcro or leather boot laces (laces are more attractive) <S> Hot glue or stapler cardboard (not corrugated, unless in a pinch) <S> metal stud from <S> Thrift Store or Dry wall nails Pleather, naugahide, or any strip of faux leather <S> Now cut the bill of the ball cap to form a beak. <S> Then remove the crown as well, but leave room for the eye holes. <S> Should the adjustment strap on the back not be enough, add the Velcro or (my preference) leather laces. <S> Make room for the bridge of your nose if need be, then try on the mask foundation. <S> Make it comfortable and then proceed. <S> Take your cardboard (old monopoly box top), cut out a long slim triangle and bend to shape. <S> If you wet it the bending will be easier and the board will hold some of the form when dry. <S> Now staple or glue the formed beak to the bill of your cap. <S> When affixed move to the faux leather. <S> Cover the beak <S> and, if there is enough, make a hood. <S> Glue or staple to cap. <S> Trim off excess. <S> Don't forget the eye holes. <S> Find some Krylon and spray every bit of the creation in your favorite color or lack of color in this case. <S> Then stud it up, hiding the staples. <S> Drywall nails have large heads and bend easily (aluminum) and can be as eye appealing as metal studs. <S> They will need glue to stay in place. <S> Now go into the world protected from biting fleas and good luck at your future events. <A> My go-to materials for something like this would be craft foam or Worbla . <S> These two materials are easily heat-formed into lightweight, reasonably sturdy pieces. <S> For craft foam, a gas stove or heavy duty hair-dryer can be used as the source of heat, but for Worbla something more substantial like a heat gun is ideal. <A> If you can borrow or build a vacuum former <S> it's quite easy, especially as you have something to use as a mould (which might need reinforcing <S> but you would no longer care about the weight). <S> Many plastics will vacuum form; some of them are easy to cut out of the parent sheet once cooled and some of themwill take appropriate paint very well. <S> Example build instructions for a quick-and dirty vacuum former
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I'd recommend first making a pattern for the mask out of taped-together construction paper and then using that to cut out & shape foam or Worbla pieces to your liking. While papier-mache is undoubtedly the easiest way to make this type of 'plague doctor masks', the originals were made of leather and if you have the skills/tools/patience to do so you may find that you prefer the look (if not the weight) of the results.
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How to remove coating from metal ring? I've got this here ring. It's covered in some sort of grey paint or varnish that I can scrape off to reveal a copper base. I'd like to remove all of the varnish, and scraping will only do so much - I cannot, for example, scrape off the varnish on the inner edges. What can I use to remove the varnish? <Q> Start with acetone (nail polish remover) and see if that does the trick. <S> Agitating with a Q-tip can speed things along. <S> It all depends on what the coating is, but acetone won't hurt the copper so it's a good place to start. <S> If it works but isn't fast, you might try soaking it for an hour or so. <S> A more aggressive approach would be oven cleaner, but it's likely to remove any patina from the copper and shouldn't be left on there too long. <S> Also make sure to rinse thoroughly with water afterwards to remove any caustic residue. <A> If the acetone suggested earlier doesn't work, put the ring into paint thinner to soak (or mineral spirits, but paint thinner is somewhat less expensive and simply a less refined version of mineral spirits). <S> Let it soak at least 15 minutes, then brush with an old stiff toothbrush. <S> Let dry. <S> If the varnish does not come off with a 15 minute soak in the paint thinner, then soak for increasingly long periods of time, up to an hour, followed each time by vigorous brushing. <S> Whenever it does come off, finish up with several rinsing soaks in fresh paint thinner. <S> If after longer soaks the 'varnish' still isn't attacked by the paint thinner, then it is probably some sort of epoxy resin coating, or enameling that has been fired on, and only mechanical methods, such as scraping, will safely take it off. <S> (Paint thinner will soften epoxy resins but scraping is still necessary to remove it--brushing will simply spread it around. <S> Also there are very aggressive approaches such as hydrofluoric acid that would attack enameling, but the safety risks are not worth it.) <A> Another thing you could try is lemon essential oil. <S> It's very strong in this pure form and tends to eat away at things. <S> It won't have any effect on the copper.
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If the varnish comes off, put the ring into fresh paint thinner to soak a few minutes, in order to remove the final residue, wiping the ring between rinsing soaks.
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Which needle size will give me the longer scarf? I bought two nice skeins while on vacation, and cannot go get any more of the same wool. Now I want to knit a scarf, but I'm afraid it may be a bit too short for my taste, so I want to maximize the length. I want to use a specific pattern and cannot change the number of stitches per row. The length is flexible, it works up to any number of relatively short repeats. Under the circumstances, I don't know which needle size to use to maximize length. If I were able to do a fixed width no matter how many stitches it takes, large needles would be a better choice, since I would then have higher rows and use less wool per row. But now that I will be doing a fixed number of stitches per row, no matter what width it creates, I am not sure - if I use small needles, I will get more rows out of my fixed length of wool. Can I predict which scarf will be longer under these conditions (fixed stitch number and fixed amount of wool), or does it depend on the exact size of the needles and yarn thickness? Update: Swatching is not an option here. I cannot afford to use up my wool on swatches, and don't want to open and reknit because the yarn is on the fluffier side and will probably change after being knit once. Also please note that I have already made all my decisions about pattern, etc. I am certainly not going to add pieces in another yarn, change the stitches per row, or some other such solution. The only variable I want to change is the needle size, and I want to change it in such a way that the physical length (not the number of rows) is maximized. <Q> Take a yarn in a similar weight, measure out a few yards - knit it with the smaller needles you considered (3mm).Take that same yarn and measure out the same length - knit it with the larger needles you considered (6mm). <S> Measure both. <S> I really think the trade off between "more yarn used in a stitch but taller stitches" on the larger needles and "less yarn used in a stitch but shorter stitches" will be neigh-on impossible to predict without either a swatch or at least physically measuring a stitch. <S> My prediction is that the larger needles will result in a longer fabric for the same length. <S> This is based on the idea that larger needles = a less dense fabric which means more "air space" incorporated. <S> A smaller needle will result in a denser fabric which means more space filled by yarn and less by air. <S> This is a theory, please at least swatch in a different yarn. <S> This may also help. <S> I actually just stumbled on it yesterday: <S> http://www.knitdarling.com/blog/needle-material-affects-on-gauge <S> The link contains a summary of an experiment a blogger did on how needle MATERIAL affects gauge. <S> The metal needles made the longest test piece for her and the resin needles made the shortest . <A> In general, larger needles give less bunching up, and therefore bigger dimensions. <S> But you don't want to go too big because then you'll end up with some strange sort of fishnet. <S> You may want to reduce the width of the scarf a bit in order to achieve a longer length. <A> The best way to figure out the answer to your question is to think about it logically. <S> Each stitch is slightly longer than the diameter of the needle you use. <S> A very large needle might require one inch for each stitch, but a smaller diameter needle might only require 1/2 inch per stitch. <S> The problem here is that using a smaller needle might result in a final fabric that you really don't like. <S> Depending on what type of stitch and the type of yarn, smaller needles can create very stiff, very thick fabric that you would never want to wear. <S> This is a situation where working a swatch is really important. <S> Another option you might think about is to find a coordinating yarn that you can use along with your yarn to make the scarf longer. <S> Think about working two rows in the yarn you have, then two rows in the new yarn and repeat. <S> If you don't want obvious stripes, try to find a yarn that doesn't strongly contrast with the yarn you already have. <S> Try to find something that has similar care instructions. <S> Depending on the pattern you are using, you can go with something that is a similar weight, or if you go with a much finer yarn you will get stripes of solid fabric interspersed with stripes of lacey fabric. <S> You have lots of options, but in all cases--please plan on knitting a swatch. <S> There is really no way to make sure you will like your final scarf without testing first.
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If you can't change the number of stitches, the only way to make sure you have enough yarn for more rows is to use a smaller needle.
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How to improve control of hand whilst drawing on tablet? I got a tablet yesterday and had been drawing for almost 2 hours straight, drawing over the outline of already drawn figures in photoshop. I have always wanted to draw so when I saw a sale of a tablet for 35 euro's I went for it. The problem is, I can create some nice lines but when I get to the end of the line my hand makes a wierd movement. I tried controlling it by focusing more but that didn't help either. What do i need to do to make my movements smooth and gain more control of my hand? Thanks in advance! <Q> This might seem like a cop-out answer, but... practice! <S> I've been using a drawing tablet for 10 years <S> and I still make mistakes. <S> The key to drawing lines is to use long, quick strokes rather than trying to hold your hand steady while you trace your outline. <S> Each stroke will likely take several tries, so don't feel bad if you don't get it right away! <S> Lastly, as @whrrgarbl pointed out, make sure that your tablet is calibrated properly and that your drivers are up to date. <A> Easy fix: get a Matt screen display protector like for a tablet. <S> The added texture is enough to give your drawing surface a bit of extra tooth . <S> I did this on an iPad Pro <S> and it changed the experience to one of utter joy. <S> Really, it helped very much. <S> Do the application of the protective foil in a humid room like the bathroom after taking a long hot shower so you don’t get bubbles, and make sure to really clean the surface beforehand. <A> [edit: misunderstood initial question, so please disregard answer... unless it’s of use to you. <S> Answered from the point of view of someone who uses a stylus to draw on a tablet not a finger] <S> Wrists are fantastically flexible, but sometimes that works against you. <S> For flowing, fluid movements control a pen/stylus/brush from as high up your arm as possible holding the wrist stable. <S> ... <S> and, as @jackwise says, practice.
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If you find you need further assistance, software like Lazy Nezumi will stabilize your strokes, giving you much smoother lines in general. Try holding the pen (stylus) higher up (away from the ‘nib’) and moving the stylus using your shoulder and elbow. Practice is the main way for you to improve your control and line quality. The ‘weird’ move is quite possibly down to your wrist.
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Fabric alternative for leather I'm planning to sew a costume based on a character who is wearing what appears to be a leather duster. I'm trying to pinpoint what fabric to use, as leather is expensive and I can't afford to buy enough at a time to make a full jacket. I'm considering other options such as upholstery vinyl, but it doesn't have the same weight and looks visibly thin when it drapes or folds (maybe backing it with interfacing would work....? I haven't worked extensively with interfacing.) What alternatives to leather are there? I'm looking for options less than $15/yard, give or take, that closely mimic the texture and weight of real leather. <Q> Waxed cotton has the weight and drape. <S> Here's a wiki link https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waxed_cotton <S> Another benefit to waxed cotton is its ability to "heal". <S> Once punctured leather, pleather, and vinyl will keep that hole. <A> Check your local thrift and goodwill stores. <S> You might be able to find a suitable sized duster which only needs a little repair, some leather treatment or a good cleaning to fill the bill. <S> If not, you might find a larger sized leather (or leather-like) garment from which you can harvest enough quality leather to make your costume. <S> If not even that, you might find multiple smaller garments, each of which can provide some of the leather(-like) fabric that you need. <S> When all else fails, the back panel of even a beat up leather coach will usually be in better shape that the rest of it. <A> Bonded leather comes to mind. <S> Bonded leather is made by shredding leather scraps and leather fiber, then mixing it with bonding materials. <S> The mixture is next extruded onto a fiber cloth, or paper backing, and the surface is usually embossed with a leather-like texture or grain. <S> From wikipedia <S> This is already used in clothing, accessories, upholstery etc. <S> In its basic form it is particles of real leather glued together. <S> Generally is pretty cheap. <S> Since you can make this have a feel and texture similar to real leather it would be a good choice depending on what you are ultimately going for. <S> They would come in a wide variety of colours and texture depending on supplier availability. <S> Keep in mind that thinner bonded leathers can tear easy from sewing at the seems and are usually backed with some cloth like material to help with the hold. <A> There is a paper/synthetics mix out there which is advertised as vegan leather <S> (I'm sorry, I wasn't able to find this in English). <S> You can wash, iron and sew it, as well as paint on it and iron pictures on it. <S> I worked with it and I have to say it is quite hard and sturdy, but I only washed it at 30°C and did not wrinkle it very well. <S> It has a leathery look and comes in different colors, but the product from snappap is a bit expensive. <S> There might be cheaper alternatives from other companies though. <S> This might not be the right material for clothing, but for small leather like applications it's suitable. <A> Fake leather isn't nearly as strong as the real thing, but for a coat this shouldn't be an issue. <A> Check out this seller's items on eBay - numerous choices of "faux leather for costumes," etc. <S> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Matte-Pleather-Faux-Leather-Stretch-Polyester-Lycra-Spandex-Fabric-BTY/222687551531?hash=item33d936602b:g:NMMAAOSwXeJYJOBl:sc:USPSPriority!92602!US!-1 <S> The fabric in this link looks very supple and drapes <S> well - it comes in black and brown and the price is right, $6.99 a yard, and shipping is only $3.50. <S> A major feature of this (and most) faux leather yardage is that the fabrics are typically 60" wide. <S> You'll need much less total yardage with this wide width because faux leather typically doesn't have a grain, you can cut your pattern in any orientation. <S> Real leather is actually quite stiff and doesn't drape nicely - unless it is suede or lambskin which are both super expensive. <S> Since you say you are making a costume, I assume it won't be worn everyday (but you never know!) <S> , so I wouldn't go to the trouble to try and retrofit a used leather garment or piece things together. <S> Real leather is difficult to sew, either by hand or by machine, and as it ages it gets quite stiff. <S> Faux leather - as others have indicated - is also an ethical alternative to real leather and you can rest easy knowing that only two or three Polyesters were sacrificed for your costume. <S> Note: <S> be sure to practice on a test swatch before you start sewing your actual garment. <S> That will help you get your technique down and let you get a feel for how the fabric handles. <S> Good luck! <S> Sounds like a cool project.
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Fake leather (AKA 'pleather') is widely available in your chosen price range, and the weight and texture are (as you'd expect) pretty close. Also waxed cotton would be great as your mockup so you can tailor and make adjustments.
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Soldering iron to make holes in sticks? I am making hamster toys and equipment. I have successfully used a soldering iron to make holes in plastic and cardboard. My question is, can I use it to make holes in small sticks? (As in small pieces of tree branches.) If you need to know what kind of tree -- probably willow or apple. <Q> Plastic will melt and flow away from the iron leaving a hole. <S> Cardboard is really just paper with air gaps between the glued layers <S> so there's just a little bit of material to burn. <S> A wooden stick is going to be solid wood. <S> It doesn't melt and move out of the way - if anything the burned area of wood actually gets harder (and more brittle) as it turns to charcoal. <S> You're not going to just burn a hole through it. <S> The right tool is, of course, a drill. <S> It will also work for the plastic and cardboard, and in my opinion, will be safer than using a burning hot iron. <A> Echoing above answers, but wanted to add that for something so small and easily broken <S> you should consider a pin vise hand drill. <S> This is basically just a tiny hand powered drill, you basically turn it to drill the holes. <S> This might be useful if you want to insert wire or pins, or when the item you are drilling is particularly fragile. <S> Here is a video explaining the use of one. <A> JPhi is right; a drill is the best tool for this. <S> On the other hand, it's really tricky to start a drill on a small, round surface. <S> Ideally you would use a drill press that could take very small drill bits, and then clamp your sticks down onto the drill press table. <S> Assuming you aren't going to want to invest in all that stuff, maybe you could find an easier way to accomplish your goal than to drill holes in little sticks. <S> If you really need these little sticks with holes in, I would flatten one side of the stick in the spot where the hole goes, maybe with a pocket knife. <S> That will make it a little easier to get the drill bit started into the wood. <S> Make sure you keep your fingers in safe places and give it a try. <S> If you have a rotary (like a Dremel) tool, that might be easier to use than a full-sized drill. <S> It would also be helpful to conscript a friend (unless you have three hands.) <S> ;-)
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You may be able to use a sharply pointed knife for a smaller stick, but a drill really is going to be your best bet.
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Cheap alternative to glass? I recently researched alternatives to glass for permanent framing/protection, and I found that glassine paper is supposedly a good cheap alternative. I ordered it on Amazon, but I was very unhappy with it. It was barely transparent and the glassine obstructed the viewer from seeing my art and appreciating the colors and the beauty, it was like looking through a smokey window. So now I'm looking for any other suggestions for paper that would protect my art and have a generous amount of transparency. <Q> Soft pastel is literally the most difficult "painterly" media to protect. <S> (See my drawing below.) <S> This is a pretty material-intensive method, but it serves to isolate the pastel from touching anything, including the glass. <S> You have probably noticed that applying fixative to soft-pastels will change them, dulling the whites etc. <S> There is, in my opinion, no cheap way to protect pastel drawings, but I do have two suggestions. <S> Find cardboard boxes with clear plastic inserts, like gift boxes where you can see inside them. <S> Take a high resolution photo and print them at the local drugstore or at an online service. <S> Frame them as you would any photo. <S> The second option is probably the only way to cheaply conserve your pastel. <A> Glassine is used for protecting drawings, prints, etc while shipping or storing them, and not for displaying them. <S> The proper way to permanently frame and display your artwork would be the one suggested by @Nothingismagick. <S> The cheaper alternative to glass that I know of is Plexiglass . <S> Glass vs. Plexiglass Framing <A> I'm not sure in what way you want to protect your art with plastic. <S> If you want to package it so it can be seen and sold, you can get crystal-clear bags from clearbags.com. <S> I've purchased from them and been very satisfied. <S> They have a wide range of sizes. <S> As "Nothingismagick" said, pastel art requires more protection than this, but watercolor, acrylic, thoroughly cured oil painting, colored pencil, and most other mediums should do fine in these bags. <S> They really show your work to advantage. <S> If you're looking for an alternative to glass in framing, then you want some kind of plexiglass. <S> In most cases the best place to look for this is in your local (preferably smallish) hardware store. <S> This isn't likely to save you money since the better plexi-type glass alternatives are not cheap. <S> However, it does have the advantage of not being so fragile (though most of it is easily scratched). <S> If you're trying to find a less expensive way of framing your watercolor or other fragile work (but NOT pastel--whether chalk or oil), it is possible to spray your artwork with an archival varnish. <S> Spray both sides, and keep coating it until it repels water on both sides. <S> If you want to end up with a matte finish, use matte varnish ONLY for the final coat, as it will slightly obscure the artwork--not noticeable with one coat, but with many coats it will be unsatisfactory. <S> Ideally you would use a watercolor board as opposed to a flexible paper, or if you do use paper, you will need to mount it on archival foam board or other lightweight, rigid, acid-free backing--but you were going to do that before framing anyway. <S> Watercolors, charcoals, pencil or colored pencil, or similar mediums treated in this way can be framed without matting or glass because they can be gently wiped clean with a damp cloth.
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Generally speaking, the appropriate way to protect pastels is with a so-called shadow box, where the paper or board is floated above the backing plate of the frame and still has air-space to the glass.
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What markers are like sharpies without the fumes? My 5-year-old's gotten really into drawing all kinds of things with sharpies, but the smell is pretty awful (and mildly unhealthy). What marker has the look-and-feel without the fumes. The super-permanence of sharpies is not necessary. In fact, not bleeding through typing paper would be a plus! <Q> They are not always available but often one or the other shop has markers with wider barrels and chunky tips. <S> Look in the toy section rather than in the 'grown up's' art section. <S> I would go for toy or kiddies supplies as you get many more markers for the same money <S> and I do not think a 5 year old child minds if it is a lower grade, as long as he gets replacements while he still likes the activity. <A> You can get acrylic based markers of high quality, which are nontoxic. <S> My favorite ones are Posca . <S> I personally believe that children should always have access to the highest quality art supplies, because cheap tools invariably lead to bad experiences. <S> Bad experience turns people (and children are people) off from things that could otherwise be enjoyable and exciting. <A> I liked the fat Crayola markers with the single sharp conical tip for my art kids at the YMCA when I taught there. <S> I tried cheaper brands, but in the long run the Crayola ones lasted longer, worked better and ended up costing less. <S> Be sure to teach your kids to put lids back on right away, and to press LIGHTLY <S> and they should last a long time. <S> If they do get dried out before they get emptied of ink, you can sometimes revive them by dipping the tip in hot tap water for a few seconds. <S> I believe you can get Crayola with tips on both ends. <S> I've never found double tips to be a valuable feature with my own higher quality Copic markers. <S> I never use the chisel tip. <S> The shaped tips sometimes on offer (like stamped stars, forked tips, etc.) <S> are just kind of a gimmick in my opinion. <S> For my classes I also bought thinner Crayola markers for the older kids. <S> These offer a smaller tip and are good for greater detail, but if I were buying for my own use, I'd get the fat ones (or more likely some of both). <S> They're not archival, or I WOULD use them. <S> They're very nice.
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If I was looking for such markers in my area I would go to the shops where they sell toys and craft items for kids, specially the kind of shop where they sell the cheaper items.
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How can I remove glue from leather without ruining the leather? We've been doing some leather work and we're using super glue to hold the edges together uniformly before stitching for a better hold. The issue I keep having is that if there is any glue residue on the leather, the stain I'm using doesn't stain, and instead leaves a rather obvious mark where the glue is. A few things I've tried: Sandpaper - this didn't work well. It left scratch marks on the leather that the stain seeped into and it pretty much sucked. I used a fine paper but it still scratched. nail polish remover - this worked OK but effected the stain. I had to do a couple rounds of using it across the whole project to make it uniform again. Diminished the effects of the glue but didn't get rid of it completely adding more stain - this didn't work hahaha. just made my project super dark and some what blotchy which I had to fix with more nail polish remover. Open to trying people's suggestions and reporting back. <Q> Once they are dry, try each of the following solvents to see which ones remove the glue with a minimum of discoloration to the leather. <S> Then stain the leather to see how the solvent treated leather accepts color. <S> clean water, water with dish-soap, rubbing alcohol, acetone ( <S> nail polish remover) <S> dilute ammonia dilute bleach <S> Never mix the solvents with each other. <S> Apply each solvent to a separate dot of dried glue using a q-tip or folded paper towel. <A> These are all just guesses. <S> Give the nail polish remover more time to dissolve the glue. <S> Give the nail polish more time to dry before staining. <S> Try vinegar as a solvent for the superglue. <S> Since sandpaper was too abrasive, try an art eraser, Softscrub, toothpaste, or shaving the glue away with a blade <S> If the glue is only visible on the edges of the leather pieces, then stitch over it to hide it. <S> Seal up the scratches before staining, by buffing or conditioning the leather. <S> Try a different application of the stain, to control it better. <S> Dilute it, or apply with a dry brush. <A> There are quite a lot of different superglues (cyanoacrylates), but many come off in boiling water. <S> You may need to scrub, but hopefully no soak for long. <S> How well the leather handles this is another matter.
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Take a scrap piece of leather and apply several dots of glue to it, then let them dry.
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Seeking inspiration - are there professional watercolor pencil artists and if no - why not? I like watercolor pencil technique very much. Are there professional artists that work in watercolor pencil tehnique. If no - then why not? Soft pastels and soft pastel pencils are accepted and rather widely used medium by professional artists. What about watercolor pencils? I would be happy to get inspiration for my own efforts and to be sure that my efforts using watercolor pencils have perspective to achieve more higher level of acceptance as art. <Q> Look up Gary Greene. <S> He has some beautiful work and also instructional materials available on Youtube, ArtistsNetwork, Amazon and probably elsewhere. <S> He does both colored pencil and watercolor pencil work. <S> Watercolor pencils are a natural extension of straight colored pencil work. <S> CP artists will sometimes melt their cp pasages with various solvents. <S> Watercolor pencil uses a similar technique, except that the solvent is water. <S> As I'm sure you're aware, it's the beauty of watercolor pencil (and also the use of other solvents with straight cp) that some passages will be dissolved and others left untreated, according to the discretion of the artist. <S> You can use any medium in a professional art career. <S> The key here is not the medium used but your own creativity, skill, salesmanship and most of all, hard and persistent work. <S> If your favorite medium is wc pencils, then dig in. <S> It's a great medium to use. <A> To go at this from a different angle <S> My research for this question suggested that that art pencils were invented in the 1920's and watercolor or water soluble <S> pencils were invented in the 1940's which means they have been around for less the 80 years. <S> Compare this to watercolor cakes being invented in by William Reeves in 1780 and watercolor painting <S> came to western artists in the late 1400s. <S> Meaning it's been an art form for over 600 years. <S> Oil painting, according to Wikipedia, has been around even longer. <S> Although oil paint was first used for Buddhist paintings by Indian and Chinese painters in western Afghanistan sometime between the fifth and tenth centuries,[1] <S> it did not gain popularity until the 15th century. <S> Its practice may have migrated westward during the Middle Ages. <S> I hypothesize that watercolor pencils are relatively too new still. <S> I know some watercolor painters use the pencils for fine details. <A> This is not a direct answer to your question but rather some things to draw your attention to: Artists using the same medium as you for inspiration Looking for inspiration by searching for artists that use the same medium as you do is the closest thing that comes to one’s mind (and it looks good on paper if you are an art teacher) but it is a rather superficial way of approaching the problem. <S> Although you may both be using the same medium, you will most likely be approaching it in a very different way, and using it for very different purposes (have different subjects of interest to draw). <S> You should rather look for : thigs that explore your interests (in whatever respect), be it in art or other areas of life things that have similar aesthetics to the one you appreciate, in any art medium (photography, cinema, oil painting) or in other areas of life <S> Professional artists <S> Whom do you consider professional artists? <S> Those who are famous? <S> Those who sell well? <S> These things may have more to do with how well they promote their work, rather than the actual work. <S> For this reason you should better look at separate artworks, rather than artists. <S> (The internet is very convenient for that purpose, but you may want to consider deleting your cookies beforehand – you are looking for new inspiration, not the same things you are familiar with) <S> Accepted art medium <S> Do you consider ballpoint pens a respectable drawing medium? <S> Take a look at some artwork made with ballpoint pens . <A> I believe that in the medium and long term (with tendency for this time to become shorter and shorter) the art market assigns the right price to the artwork. <S> I wanted to know specifically the artwork which represent creativity and novelty and not just reproduce the reality images or is just pleasant picture. <S> It appears that one should seek the auction sites for the answer and there are some colored pencil artworks ineed: <S> http://www.sothebys.com/en/search-results.html?keyword=colored%20pencil%20on%20paper <S> e.g. Roy Lichtenstein colored pencil artwork was sold by 975.000 USD. <S> As usually, Christies has more modest lots: http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/searchresults.aspx?sc_lang=en&lid=1&entry=colored%20pencil
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Generally speaking, any medium becomes respectable when there is an artist acclaimed by some critics (whose opinion you should better ignore; consider your own instead) that uses it.
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What type of glue to stick paper on paper without curling? I want to make super thick invitation cards. When I use white glue, it looks great for a day but then it starts curling. Any idea what I can use ? <Q> Glue stick doesn’t curl paper. <S> You have to be careful what brand you chose, though (some just don’t stick well). <S> Of the ones I know <S> UHU stic would be a good choice – it’s quite strong. <A> I just did this - I wanted to make thick business cards myself, but my printer won't print on any paper thicker than regular copy paper. <S> So I printed my card template out on regular paper and then used iron-on sewing interfacing <S> (Wonder Under) to glue it to thick watercolor paper. <S> No bubbles, looks great - made some cards with one layer of 110 pound paper and one with 2 layers of 110 pound paper and one layer of colored cardstock in the middle - here's a pic! <A> YES paste <S> is a glue often used in book-making, because it is more reliable and provides a higher-quality result. <S> You can also dilute the glue to match the heaviness of the paper, which can greatly reduce curling as well. <S> Edit: Another solution is to leave your cards under a flat weight (like a big book) for the first 30 minutes of dry time. <S> This will help with adhesion and limit how much the paper can pull away. <S> Watch out for exposed glue though, which can stick to the book and tear up your work. <A> After applying it to one or both sides and spreading it out VERY evenly, place the glued pieces between two layers of waxed paper and then press with a heavy weight or clamp between two boards for 24 hours. <S> Don’t dilute it with water, because that’s a great way to introduce wrinkles. <A> Expensive but - how about spraymount? <S> Might be worth using for such an expensive/important multi item project - where weighting every sheet as it dries is going to take you forevvver. <S> I would try it on a few first, and try stacking 5 or ten cards with a larger flat sheet of card and a weight on top like a heavy flat book, as they dry. <A> Try ensuring that you glue papers of the same thickness as I believe the different gsms (weight of paper) might cause curling as they dry
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Try either an acrylic medium or PVA glue (like the kind for woodworking).
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What features should I look for in circular knitting needles to make them easier to use with my arthritis? I have arthritis in my hands and the smaller length needles are a little hard to hold onto. Would longer needles help, if they exist? Is there anything else to consider, such as needle material (wood vs. metal vs. plastic) that would make gripping the needles easier? <Q> Longer needs can be helpful for this. <S> Addi makes a set of interchangeables with 5.5" (approx 14cm) tips (most interchangeables have 5"/12.5cm tips). <S> They are called Rocket Lace Long Tips. <S> http://www.addineedleshop.com/click_system/lace_click_long.htm <S> I found the same set on Amazon by searching for "Addi long lace tip circular knitting needles." <S> Amazon also has these needles in fixed circulars. <S> I would suggest starting with just one fixed circular or one set of tips and a cord before buying the full set to see if half an inch is enough extra length to make a difference. <A> Wood needles would have a little better grip. <S> Using square needles might be helpful if you can get used to the shape. <S> There are only a couple of brands carrying square-shaped wooden circulars that I know of, and they both come from the same manufacturer. <S> Both come in interchangeable or fixed circulars. <S> KnitPicks Foursquare <S> http://www.knitpicks.com/cfNeedles/Needle_List.cfm?ID=300313&media=blogpost&utm_source=media&utm_medium=marketing&utm_campaign=blogpost <S> Knitter's Pride Cubics https://www.amazon.com/Knitters-Pride-Cubics-Interchangeable-Needles/dp/B0076TFF08/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517857551&sr=8-1&keywords=knitters+pride+cubics <A> In 2017 Prym introduced needles designed to work well for people with difficulty knitting, you could try those. <S> They're plastic, triangular in cross-section and have a tiny ball on the tips. <S> I have not used them, but talked to some people who did. <S> The consensus was that there is nothing special in them for abled people (and the ball at the tip surprisingly doesn't impede knitting), but one person, who had a broken wrist and was slowly returning to knitting at the time said they were wonderful, she was finally able to work more than a few stitches and the physical therapy could progress better because of them. <S> The needles are called Prym Ergonomic, here's an Amazon search for them <S> And this is what they look like: <A> Bamboo is lighter than metal and most other woods, so that would be a good wood version. <S> One ideas is to knit circular but with several long double-tipped needles, as you would with knitting socks or a hat in the round. <S> You knit from needle to needle around and around. <S> Here is a source for longer-than-usual (10") bamboo double-tipped knitting needles, in various diameters. <S> Good luck! <S> https://www.amazon.com/BrilliantKnitting-pointed-knitting-needles-0-10-5/dp/B0028P4FYW <A> everydayhealth.com has a list of tips on knitting with arthritis. <S> For needles: Occupational therapist Theresa Leto, DHS, an assistant professor of occupational therapy at the University of Findlay in Ohio and a knitter, recommends bamboo knitting needles because they create less friction between needle and yarn. <S> Other options include needles that are modified to prevent your work from slipping off the end, such as circular needles. <S> Other tips including warming your hands before working, keeping a looser grip, wearing gloves, and switching between projects to avoid repetitive strain. <A> I would also look at the join between the needles and the cable between them. <S> I often find that lower-grade needles have abrupt changes in size between the two, and advancing my stitches onto the right needle sometimes requires significant gripping and pushing. <S> Of course, this is tension-dependent to some degree. <S> On better-designed (and more expensive) circulars, the cable-to-needle join is much smoother, and advancing stitches is considerably easier for me. <S> Whenever possible, try to see and hold the needles before committing to a purchase. <A> I ended up buying every size wood needles and every length cables from Knitpicks. <S> I also find that taking breaks and flexing my fingers every 20 mins helps, and applying arnica cream after I’m done.
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Wood needles may be easier for you to grip, as would larger diameter needles.
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Fasteners other than Hook and Loop I am looking for fastener options to attach 2 fabrics and also keep them detachable. I am working on an adjustable knee brace so small hook and loop patches are a good option but they are difficult to sew on. So, I have also tried snap buttons that can be easily punched instead of sewing but they are usually metal or plastic. I want to avoid hard material as falling on the knee while wearing the brace could cause extra damage because of the hard buttons. So, I am looking at different options like self adhesive hook and loops about which I am exploring in another thread. Just wanted to see if there are any silicone based snap buttons or some soft non metallic snap buttons that could be used as fasteners or any other fastener options that could be used. Laces are another option but they tend to open up. <Q> You might consider using grommets, then lace it up. <S> You can get a grommet kit for about $10.59 which includes grommets. <S> They are really easy to install, and they actually look pretty cool in addition to their functionality. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B076BGJ7KB/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1516452247&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=grommet+kit&psc=1 <A> I suggest fine velcro, or else tiny sew-on plastic snaps, sold for sewing onto underwear garments. <S> You can buy them in a fabric and notions store. <S> Here is a picture of snaps. <S> These look like they're probably the metal kind <S> but I couldn't find a picture of the plastic kind. <S> Plastic snaps are small and quite thin. <A> Do not omit the mighty Zipper from consideration. <S> There are probably more types, materials and variations of these than any other closure device, not all of them needing to be sewn. <A> Any other fastener option is going to be hard, with the exception of using laces with buttonholes (not grommets, which are also hard), but you've also specified issues with using laces in your post, and I do not know if you are comfortable with sewing buttonholes. <S> Additionally, for a piece put under tension like a knee brace, anything other than the laces is going to be prone to separating under stress. <S> In the case of the punch-in snaps you mentioned, they will often tear free from the fabric under tension, damaging your brace; in the case of the self-adhesive and iron-on hook and loop products, they will similarly detach under the tension needed for a brace. <S> There's a reason commercial knee braces tend to use hook and loop fasteners, and that's because it's the best tool for the job. <S> As you didn't offer any information on how you're constructing your brace, it's hard to know why you're having trouble, other than your description of using "small patches." <S> The smaller a piece gets, the more challenging it is to stitch in place , and with hook and loop, smaller pieces also have less grip. <S> Your best option to solve all of your issues is to use larger pieces , which will both be easier to sew down, and will have a greater grip strength when closed up, thus offering greater support for your knee. <S> If you are constructing a fairly standard brace with straps that wrap around the leg to hold it in place, you may want to consider double-sided hook and loop (branded as Velcro One Wrap), which could be used with very minimal sewing, as it would take the place of the entire strap. <S> This material is designed with the hooks on one side and the loops on the other, so that it will stick when wrapped around itself. <S> Remember as well that when you are adding whichever form of hook and loop you choose, to always have the hook portion positioned to face away from the body , to avoid discomfort from any exposed hooks. <S> Ideally, you would also set the strips within the borders of the fabric, as the edges can also be stiff and uncomfortable against the body. <A> Reusable "sports wrap" or "sports tape" will offer some support, and doesn't require hook and loop, or any hard materials. <S> The down side is, you can probably only reuse it a few times before you have to replace it with another piece. <S> One upside, it comes in lots of fun colors and patterns!
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For soft, adjustable, with a firm connection, that won't hurt when you fall or kneel on it, you really only have one option: sew-on hook and loop fasteners. Plastic will have more give than the old-fashioned metal snaps.
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Does anyone know how to add color to a piece of art (paint, ink, art) I know this is an odd question, but I get really confused and frustrated when I try to add color to something I draw. I don't ever get any farther than line art because I get confused as to how to add color for things like shading or whatever. Does anyone know a general process or something for how to add color to a picture? <Q> One option is to scan your line drawing into a image file for your computer, then use that to experiment with colors on your computer screen where mistakes and poor results can be undone with a mouse click. <S> There are several computer programs out which allow you to mimic different brush and paint types on the screen. <S> I use the free software that came with a Wacom tablet which I bought a bunch of years ago, but I have seen videos for Photoshop and CorelDRAW brushes which look a lot more capable than what I use. <A> Firstly, pick your color scheme . <S> The colors you choose should work aesthetically well together, and will help communicate a certain "mood" or "feeling" in your work. <S> A color wheel (which you can find easily online) can serve as an excellent reference for this purpose. <S> Some common color schemes used in art include: <S> Monochromatic: <S> Use only one hue of color, lightened with white for lighter/brighter highlights <S> Analogous: <S> Use ~3-5 consecutive hues on the color wheel. <S> Often warmer colors are used for highlights, and cooler hues for shadows. <S> Complementary: <S> Use colors opposite each other on the color wheel. <S> (All sample artworks are my own, to avoid copyright issues) <S> You can find several other color scheme descriptions on Wikipedia ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_scheme ) and in the chart below. <S> Color Brewer ( http://colorbrewer2.org/ ) can also provide some really interesting color scheme ideas. <S> (While Color Brewer was designed to produce color schemes for graphs/charts/maps, it can still provide some really neat color scheme ideas that you can use in artwork). <S> Next, determine the order in which you apply the colors . <S> This depends on the type of coloring medium you're using. <S> For colored pencil, pastels, and water color, you should work from light to dark. <S> For acrylic paint, if you're using opaque colors, it's generally easiest to paint the background first, and work your way to the foreground. <S> I'd also suggest testing the colors you're using first on a scrap sheet of paper (the same type of paper you're using for your final drawing) to make sure you like how they look before you start coloring in your picture. <S> Also, I sometimes find it helpful to watch process videos on YouTube to see how other artists use specific types of media to create artwork. <S> Good luck! <A> I would recommend using watercolors. <S> If you use a pencil the shading will not bleed when you add the water color and it will add a layer of color without erasing your shading. <S> If you want to add shading to colors, just add a tiny bit of black color to the color paint to create a darker shade, giving you shadows within your color drawing. <A> I think that part of what must be understood with adding color are several things. <S> What are you trying to communicate in the art? <S> Do you need color at all to communicate the message? <S> Is a drawing the intended final product or is it the beginnings of a larger project in a different medium? <S> Have you looked for the emotion or psychological meaning portrayed with color? <S> Do you feel an attraction or repulsion to certain colors, and what does that mean to you? <S> If these aren't concrete answers, that is fine. <S> Perhaps, pick a color that you like and use it in a study so you get comfortable with color. <S> I hope that this helps.
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Once you find a set of colors which work for your particular drawing, you can either print it out on a color printer, or if you are looking for more authentic, human results, you can brush in the chosen colors on the original canvas, turning your line drawing into a painting.
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Patch for a rip in the lining of a down jacket An Eddie Bauer down jacket has a rip in the lining which according to the label is polyester. It's a very thin fabric and it looked reminiscent of nylon but the label is quite clear that the lining is polyester. Right now I am holding the down inside with a couple of pieces of scotch tape but would like to apply a less temporary patch. Ideas: iron on patch? Maybe an iron even on low would be a bad idea? duct tape? paper tape? some special sealant? hand-sewn patch? I am good at sewing on patches but feel unsure about putting even a fine needle into this very fine fabric. We're not there right now, but some day this jacket will need washing. So ideally the patch would hold up in the wash. (The label says it is washable with TLC - tender loving care.) Edit : If the following is successful I'll post it as an answer. I read that Misty Fuse is [a] fusible web product that adheres two layers of fabric together. Misty Fuse performs the same function as other fusible web products but is very sheer, light weight and does not add stiffness or bulk to the layers of fabric joined. Misty Fuse does not have a paper backing. Misty Fuse can be used with very sheer fabrics and lower temperatures. That's what I plan to use. (I found out about a product called "Tenacious Tape" which according to some Amazon question answerers can't be relied upon to stay put during washing.) Another update. I started to feel uncertain about using an iron at all, even on a low setting, so I called Joann Fabrics (which sells a lot of notions) and they recommended Liquid Stitch - extra strength that allows for dry cleaning. (The regular version allows for washing but not dry cleaning). So that's my new plan. Along with a very lightweight black patch with pinked edges, tucked inside the rip. They said I'll have time after applying the adhesive to position the patch just right before applying pressure for the bonding. <Q> When i worked at a tailor shop, we had single side fusible backing to repair the liners of the tuxedos. <S> It came in black or white, was placed on the inside of the tear, ironed into place and then, if it was a large tear, hand stitched. <S> If you want to buy the interfacing, look into Pellon Shape-Flex Interfacing. <S> Instructions are below the image. <S> Quickly looking online, the example above is the closest thing I can find to what I remember using without actually touching it. <S> It was malleable and had a knit texture to it, this example says woven, so the texture may be different. <S> You'll want to find something that matches your repair fabric. <S> The fabric shop may sell facing by the foot or yard. <S> (editorial - You really do not need an entire bolt unless you're going into the repair business. <S> A little goes a very long way.) <S> Instructions: <S> You only need to cut as much as you need to hide the tear. <S> The facing goes inside the tear, adhesive side touching the lining. <S> Then iron with a press cloth to protect the polyester. <S> As stated above, if it is a large area, it's good to hand stitch the tear for extra security. <S> For a hole, place the facing inside the hole, adhesive side against the lining, then place a small piece of matching fabric over the facing, use a press cloth when ironing. <S> Then hand stitch if necessary. <A> This may sound surprising, but check your local outdoor store for repair kits. <S> Many of them sell special tapes for repairing rips in the fine nylon of tents, jackets, etc. <S> These are meant to be durable, washable, and light, and often come in several colors. <S> If using some kind of fusible or tape product, cut the patch in a circle or oval that is clearly larger than the rip. <S> Corners will often rub and catch on whatever is around the jacket, and will eventually come off or stress the area even more. <A> If you have a sail maker, or yachting supply store, in your area you can find repair kits for Nylon spinnakers (the big sail out front of the yacht while sailing downwind) that can handle a lot of stress. <S> Not the cheapest but a strong solution <A> use fabric glue around the edges of your patch to give it a stiffness and using the fabric glue around the edge of the hole also. <S> ( As a footnote did you know that you can use cattails ( aquatic plant that often grows around ponds.) <S> as a suitable type of down stuffing substitute?
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The easiest thing to do in this situation if you don't need to stock up on this type of product, is to take the jacket to a dry cleaner or tailor shop and get a quote on the repair. I would suggest using a patch of the same type of material that you are sewing onto.
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What kind of glue to use for **large area** paper to wood that is visible while wet? I am having trouble getting a gluing process that I like for large surfaces. I need to attach wrapping paper to 4'x8' sheets of plywood. For small paper-to-wood gluing, wood glue works great. For slightly larger regions, up to about 11x17, 3M 77 works great. But at the multiple square feet scale, I find myself getting gaps in my coverage -- it's quite hard to see when the whole surface is covered by the spray -- so when I later cut the wood on a laser cutter, parts of the paper peel away from the wood. Another problem with the 3M 77 at that scale is the fumes -- just about killed myself with that much spray all at once, even outdoors with good breeze! I tried using wood glue over an entire sheet-- that experiment ended poorly. An entire bottle of glue barely covered the top quarter of the plywood! So while it seems like I would like some sort of spreadable, visible glue that I could lay down on, I think most of those options are out. In my dream world, there's some sort of magic, odorless, 3M 77 blended with spray paint so I can tell when I've got even coverage because the wood changes color when sprayed. I don't think anything like that exists. So... how close can I get to that dream? <Q> This sounds like quite a similar situation to applying wallpaper. <S> Wallpaper is normally hung with wallpaper adhesive, a thickish paste with a relatively long drying time. <S> The advantage of this is that you can apply it to the paper and let it soak in for a few minutes before attaching the paper to the plywood, which should help ensure you don't miss any bits. <A> Typical solvent based contact cement can be overpowering in non-ventilated areas and more recently water based contact cements have been appearing. <S> Contact cement works in a manner somewhat reversed to using glue. <S> One applies the adhesive to both surfaces to be bonded and left to dry. <S> This seems counter-intuitive, but I've used it <S> and it works great. <S> It's important to keep the two surfaces separated when joining them, unless you can be assured of perfect alignment (or alignment isn't critical). <S> It's common to spread wax paper between the two surfaces, then align and carefully slide out the wax paper. <S> In some circumstances, with more rigid material such as veneer, wooden dowels (or plastic ones!) are used as separators. <S> For sheets of paper, wax paper remains a better choice. <S> http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Using_WaterBased_Contact_Cements.html contains some other users' experiences with the water based stuff. <S> I had poor results in the past with water based contact adhesives, but after reading the link, I realized that I did not allow sufficient drying time. <S> What I've read in my research for this answer is that many of these products change color when dry, making it fit one of your requirements. <S> Also, you may have to invest in a simple sprayer to use the adhesive. <S> Another quick search for "refillable spray can" provides multiple sources, including Amazon and Home Depot . <A> Using a heavier paper stock and using the procedures for gluing laminate might work well. <S> Which is contact cement ad a foam paint roller. <S> Spray adhesives, which have to be liquid) are made clear so they do not discolor the paper as they soak into it. <S> For museum mounting I have found it all comes down to lighting and practice t get a even complete coating of normal spray adhesive.
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A product that comes to mind when reading your post is that you may benefit from using contact adhesives, also known as contact cement.
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Is it possible to make a scissor-like hinge out of cardboard? I came up with an idea for a tool to measure how many heads tall a figure is. Problem is, I don't know how to make the hinges work. What I mean by 'scissor hinge' (I don't know if that's the correct term or not) is a 'hinge' where two long flat pieces (let's just say cardboard for now) have some kind of rotational joint connecting them that let's them move like a pair of scissors. I don't know how I can make such a thing. I'm sure that this isn't a new idea, but I'm certain that even if someone is mass producing these, that crafting one myself would be much cheaper. But I don't know how I can make such a hinge out of cheap materials. I mean, I'm building this thing out of cardboard (specifically the cardboard of a cereal box). And the thing will need a lot of these hinges. I estimate probably 31 will be needed. And its not that complicated of a device either. Its more like... a chain of simple devices. Also, this tool will have to be pretty small to make the measurements I need. So that also limits what kinds of materials I could use for the hinges. <Q> Small brass eyelets could be quite durable in this application. <S> These are sold for card-making and scrapbooking and used to appear on certain kinds of office supplies in very similar applications. <S> They might also be sold at leather crafting outlets. <S> They would require a hole be punched in the cardboard first, for best wear characteristics. <S> Also, how far you set them is critical to getting the right resistance to rotation of the two cardboard pieces. <S> Their use requires a punch and die that would be sold at the same place for a few dollars. <S> It's possible there is a pliers-like version as well. <A> While the two prongs are sticking straight out, they are pushed through both pieces of cardboard, and then the prongs are flattened out to either side to secure them. <A> The answer for using brass fasteners is quite elegant and there are larger diameter plastic fasteners that work in a similar manner, but if you want "cheap and easy," consider the following: Cut two circles of your cardboard to be of say, the diameter of a coin (US $0.25 piece, for example). <S> These are the outer caps. <S> Cut two or three more pieces of a smaller diameter, perhaps US $0.10 sized. <S> Use two or three of the thickness of the pieces to be joined. <S> These are the inner hinge/rotation parts. <S> If you use two and have two pieces joined, you will have a snug joint. <S> If you use three and have two pieces joined, you will have a looser joint. <S> Glue them together, keeping as careful alignment as possible. <S> If you use a compass to draw the circles, you'll have a center point to assist the alignment, perhaps using a pin or similar thin item. <S> Obviously, the last piece to be glued will have to be done after the assembly has been inserted in the joint to pivot. <S> In cross-section, those pieces are the shape of a spool or an uppercase "I" (letter "eye"), preventing separation, while allowing rotation. <S> The larger the diameter of the inner portion, the more durable they will be, as the forces are spread over a greater surface area, although your design will certainly limit the size. <S> You don't want the portion of the tool to be narrower than the hole diameter, to keep the forces balanced. <A> If I were you, I'd bore a hole of e.g. 4 mm through both cardboards, add polyamide flat washers on top, in the middle and at bottom of the cardboard stack. <S> Then I'd add normal washers on top and bottom and put a blind rivet through the stack. <S> The final sack might look like /==== <S> ====\ <S> WWWWW|| <S> ||WWWW <S> PPPPP|| <S> ||PPPPPCCCCCCCCC|| <S> ||CCCCCCCCCC <S> PPPPP|| <S> ||PPPPPCCCCCCCCC|| <S> ||CCCCCCCCCC <S> PPPPP|| ||PPPPP <S> WWWWW|| <S> ||WWWWW <S> //#####\\ <S> ||#####|| <S> \\#####// <S> With C=cardboard, <S> P=polyamide washer, W=metal washer, everything else belongs to the blind rivet. <S> The washers distribute the pressure to a bigger area of the cardboard, the rivet forms the hinge due to its perfectly round shape and the polyamide washers <S> reduce friction so the hinge can move despite the pressure applied by the rivet. <S> All in all rather inexpensive, except you don't own a rivet gun, but the cheap ones are available for 10 € at amazon and probably for a comparable price at home depot.
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Brass fasteners can be used to connect two pieces of cardboard so that they rotate about the connected point.
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Which of those pictures is more abstract? Let's consider the two following illustrations from the NASA posters collection: N°1 N°2 My questions are: Would it make sense to state that one of these picture is more abstract, in an artistic meaning, than the other one? If so, which one would be deemed more abstract? (Optional) If none of the above make sense, what would be the best categories to use to distinguish these two styles? <Q> Neither of these are abstract, but the second one is definitely moreso than the first. <S> The first has clearly defined objects and flow; it simply looks like a stylized art piece. <S> The second one, though it has clearly defined objects, lacks flow and is more open to interpretation. <S> It has some abstract elements, but overall, it is not. <S> Keep in mind that the term "abstract" is used to define art that does not resemble any other visual references in the world. <S> It is a bunch of baloney that leaves the viewer to be the one to interpret it. <A> Neither are abstract, #1 is Impressionist and #2 is Cubist. <S> Impressionism <S> a la MonetCubism a la Picasso <A> In the first one I can clearly distinguish what resembles a sea, boats with people in them rowing, and the planet Saturn. <S> In the second one I can distinguish what resembles a shutter, a disc and other gadgets, plants, drops, etc. <S> Assuming that abstract art does not refer to the visual world, it doesn’t seem that either could be classified as abstract . <S> They clearly are different poster styles, though. <S> I'm not an art historian but the second one seems to me more like a first-half or middle 20th century style poster, whereas the first one seems more like a 21st century style poster or a digital painting. <A> (also known as Non-Objective) in the rubric of Clement Greenberg, the art critic whose writing on the subject was taken as gospel in the heyday of Abstract Expressionism. <S> To summarize, anytime paint on canvas pretends to be anything other than paint on canvas <S> it becomes representational, as opposed to abstract, art. <S> Now this would be a subjective take, but it seems clear to me that the second example is alluding to Russian Constructivism, a graphical style, embraced in the propaganda of the early Bolsheviks, which proceeded from the precepts of Suprematism, Kazimir Malevich’s school of idealized, geometric abstraction. <S> In contrast, the first example strikes me as not so clearly defined, but the loose brushstrokes certainly suggest an affinity with the plein air (‘open air’) painting of the Post-Impressionists —which is an umbrella term to encompass multiple styles in the wake of Impressionism. <S> In short, the key distinction, in the given examples, is that both constitute abstracted representations of life, as opposed to formally abstract art.
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I would suggest that the second example is more abstracted since it is less naturalistic in appearance than the first, but that, strictly speaking, neither constitutes the “formally pure” definition of abstract art
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Kinds of paper to use with watercolors? I mainly use Bristol, but it becomes wavy after a few coats of water. I have some regular watercolor paper, but I'm not a fan of the roughness of it. Are there other types of watercolor paper I should be aware of? <Q> Cold pressed has some texture to it. <S> If you like a smoother paper, get the hot pressed, it has a much smoother texture. <S> Id suggest getting artist grade papers in at least 140lb. <S> I like both Arches and Fabriano Artistico Hot <S> Pressed 140lb. <S> If you buy paper in the large sheets from an art store and cut it down to size it ends up being a better value. <S> Ive has some luck with the Fabriano Artistico Studio grade paper in pads, it comes in both cold pressed and hot pressed. <S> Its a great quality paper for practice and learning and is a bit cheaper than the artist grade papers. <A> Sounds like you're seeking something you'll have more control painting on. <S> Try Arches 140LB hotpress ..tape it to masonite with moistened gummed paper tape. <S> Don't let the water from the wet tape get on your paper though because it'll dry clear but repel pigment so, before sticking tape to the paper-edges on the board, shake the excess water off the tape AWAY from your piece of paper <S> THEN adhere it. <S> Smooth the tape flat with your hands, being careful to not swoop any water ONTO your paper. <S> Let it dry &, when it is & the paper's taut, commence painting. <S> Tip. <S> Draw VERY lightly your plan on the paper beforehand. <S> That way, after painting, (& all paint is dry <S> ) you can erase the lines with a white or gum/kneadable eraser. <S> Never erase on damp paper. <S> It'll eat into the sizing. <A> Steve (The Mind of Watercolor) on YouTube uploaded the " SHOWDOWN! <S> Cheap vs Good Quality Watercolor Paper " video last March in which he compared several watercolor papers against the brand he prefers to see how the paint behaves on each one. <S> As part of his comparison, he briefly explained that buckling is caused by lighter weight paper, so you'll want heavier paper to prevent the buckling, regardless of brand. <S> He also demonstrated the difference in how the types of paper absorb and disperse the water. <S> You might want cotton paper since it disperses the water quickly and evenly. <S> Another thing he discussed was how the smoothness of the paper affects the behavior of some paint, so since you you mentioned not liking the roughness of the your paper, you might want to give that part a look as well to see whether smoother paper would work well with the types of paint you use and/or the effects you're after. <A> In addition to the paper weight, content, and texture (as discussed in Little Girl's answer, each of these factors definitely plays a huge role in how the paint responds to the paper, and how the paper responds to the paint), you can also physically fasten down the paper or stretch it to keep it flat. <S> You could physically tape the paper down to a flat surface prior to painting using water color paper tape, or blue painter's tape, and then remove the tape after the painting has dried. <S> Some water color paper blocks have each page glued down along the edges to each other, which produces the same effect. <S> This blog ( http://somecallmebeth.com/keep-watercolor-paper-warping ) offers some useful tips and videos on different methods of stretching/taping paper to keep it from warping. <S> If you have a finished, dried painting that is buckled that you'd like to flatten out, this blog provides some useful information: https://www.strathmoreartist.com/blog-reader/how-to-flatten-a-buckled-painting.html Good luck! <A> Generally there are 3 kinds of water color paper 1.hot-pressed watercolor paper 2.Cold-pressed watercolor paper 3. <S> Rough water color paper Hot pressed is smooth paper with no bumps on it. <S> It is a super fine paper, with grains that are plain and smooth. <S> It is easier to paint on the hot-pressed paper because there are no bumps. <S> Moreover, the hot-pressed paper is ideal to paint for larger and even strokes. <S> A cold-pressed watercolor paper is slightly grainy. <S> It is not as smooth as the hot-pressed paper. <S> If you are looking for a textured surface to paint on, the cold-pressed paper is perfect in that case. <S> Rough and cold-pressed papers are similar in a way that both of them are grainy. <S> However, the rough paper has bigger pumps and the absorption of the watercolor is much easier on the rough watercolor paper. <S> In this blog they have mentioned different kinds of water color paper: <S> https://allpaperworld.com/best-watercolor-paper-brand/ The main difference between the hot and cold press paper is of the graininess. <S> The hot-pressed paper is smooth. <S> However, the cold-pressed watercolor paper has grains and bumps. <S> The hot-pressed watercolor paper refers to a more smooth texture and finish. <S> Whereas, the cold-pressed watercolor paper is coarse paper with a bumpy finish. <A> there is a watercolour paper by crawford and blake. <S> There is also different gsm's too. <S> Also another one called Bockingford 300gsm
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There is cold pressed water colour paper and hot pressed.
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How can you make a costume with opaque eye covers? Basically, my question is: is it possible to make a real life costume in which the eyes of the person wearing it are fully covered with opaque material but the person can still see through it, and if it is possible, how can you do it? In the case of Dead Pool, his eyes are covered with what seem to be white covers that are part of the mask. I imagine this is to conceal his identity but it's never explained how he can see through that thing. Is this even possible to construct at home (say for a Halloween costume)? What material would it have to be for it to be transparent only in one direction? <Q> Vision was only very slightly reduced -- much more so by the small eye openings (and loss of peripheral vision) than by the gauze. <A> The concept being used in this example is the same as that which is used for perforated vehicle window wraps, frequently used for advertising on buses and business vehicles. <S> According to this web site, Streamline Print and Design , perforated vinyl is the key: <S> There are so many of these holes that a significant amount of the material is removed. <S> The amount of vinyl removed usually ranges from 30 to 50%. <S> For example, 60/40 vinyl, is 60% vinyl and 40% holes. <S> Light-colored perforated vinyl signs are opaque when seen from outside a window because our eyes naturally focus on a bright, well-lit surface rather than on the holes and the relative darkness of whatever is behind the surface. <S> The inner side of perforated vinyl, however, is dark colored. <S> Here the eye naturally focuses through the dark vinyl to the light and motion outside the window. <S> Because of this, people inside a store, home or automobile see through the back of the sign to the world outside. <S> I learned a bit of new info from this page. <S> The idea of dark inside and light outside makes sense, but is not necessarily intuitive, especially in the case of masks and eye holes. <S> One aspect not covered in vehicle wrapping is that the closer one's eyes are to the holes, the smaller they can be. <S> This can be demonstrated with a piece of black paper and pinholes placed in various patterns and sizes. <S> It's not unusual to see costumes, specifically sport mascots, with large black gauze panels through which the human bean within will view the surroundings. <S> The gauze is mostly holes, a very small percentage of area which is not holes, but the darkness inside and especially the greater distance from the panel to the human's eyes provides "invisibility" to the crowd. <S> This does not apply in the case of a close-fit mask. <A> In theatrical use on a larger scale, scrim is used for this sort of thing. <S> It's a fairly open-weave fabric. <S> Unless black, it reflects light when illuminated from the same side as the viewer, but transmits light to the dark side. <S> Black scrim is often used in the eyes (or mouth) of character suits so the occupant can see out. <S> You can see quite clearly through it from close up, like the bank robber's stocking mask (TV tropes) . <S> Note that the term scrim refers to quite a lot of fabrics <S> , so you need to be careful. <S> I thought you might find offcuts on eBay, but instead came across something in ribbon form that might work. <S> Another option that is inherently silver or gold rather than white is space blanket . <S> Most space blankets, and even "foil" crisp ( <S> US:chip) packets are only semi-silvered because the layer of aluminium is so thin. <S> You could see out through them if outside was brightly lit and inside completely dark. <S> If you want to do this, it's best to gently stretch the material <S> so it's smooth. <S> A third option (again shiny) would be to glue the lenses of mirrored sunglasses onto the inside of the helmet. <S> Scrim has the advantage of providing some ventilation as well, though eye holes are small enough that it probably doesn't make much diference.
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Peer through the holes and you can see (or not see) that even tiny holes will provide good viewing. For this Lego Batman costume, we covered the eyeholes with white gauze (ok, actually patches cut from some old pantyhose). Perforated vinyl is exactly what the name says, a sheet of vinyl material with a pattern of tiny holes cut through it.
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Is there a name for this style and/or "subject matter" of art? Is there a particular term for style of illustration found on Codenames: Pictures cards, and/or is there a term for the subject matter? Ideally I'd like a term, or phrase, or something to describe the subject matter specifically -- this weird combination of everyday objects, like the butterflies coming out of the steam of a teapot, the ice cream cone with the 8-ball, the briefcase with the house inside, the fish on the hamster wheel, or the snowman-bee thing with the flower. <Q> I agree, "Clip Art" or "Graphic Arts" would seem an appropriate answer. <S> Also, they might be described as "icons" or "avatars" in another usage. <S> Again, the answer to this question is perhaps largely a factor of where the clips are used, what they are being used for and how they are included. <S> There is a lovely "quirky" humorous flavour to them. <S> They could be used in a "satirical" way, or perhaps just as a "quirky" or even "geeky" personal avatar by different people. <S> I actually like them. <A> The subject matter has a dreamlike hybridity, as it always seems to conflate two visually or associatively related but causally illogical or impossible, unlikely, and mostly absurd, objects. <S> In that sense it can be described as dream art or surrealism , although both are quite broad terms. <S> The cartoon-like art style directly reminds me of that of the animated TV series Archer , which art style is described as " mid-century comic art ", although in both cases the shading is a more modern, digital-age, toon shading . <A> I would classify these as surrealist graphic icons, maybe? <S> If you find this style interesting though, and your goal is to immerse yourself in similar images, try your hand at these searches: <S> Simple iconography, Simple surrealism, Line art illustrations, Vintage illustrations, Vintage surrealism, Vintage instructional art... <S> I say instructional, because there is quite a bit of interesting and simple art that has been produced in the style of small, easily digestible cards and pages. <S> You might like what you find. <S> Then again, I could be totally off base! <S> Either way, happy art hunting!
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There are definitely simplified elements of surrealism here.
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Which glue should I use to bond sea shells to steel and/or stone? What kind of glue should I use to glue sea shells to steel and sea shells to stone? These will be displayed outside. I have tried a hot glue gun but it doesn't do well outside. <Q> Depending on how ‘shock-proof’ you need it to be, you have a couple options: silicon or epoxy. <S> Silicon is a bit more flexible, so if people or pets are going to be touching it, then this is what I would recommend. <S> It is waterproof and really sticky until it dries. <S> My advice is to get the transparent type used in bathrooms. <S> Two-part epoxy is theoretically stronger, but it might actually be too strong and might not bond well-enough with the steel. <A> Whatever glue you use on steel, the preparation is extremely important to maximize the bond strength. <S> The science behind it has to do with surface energy and other cool phenomena, but the gist of it is if you scrub the metal with Comet (yes, the old-school powdered bathroom cleanser) <S> you'll get the best possible bond. <S> The test for whether you've succeeded in activating the surface is to place a drop of water on it. <S> If it beads up, you've got more work to do. <S> If it spreads out, you're ready to go. <S> Don't touch the surface after scrubbing it. <S> Just rinse it thoroughly and leave it to dry or hot air dry it if you want. <S> If you do this before epoxy, the bond will be all but unbreakable. <S> There are a lot of other considerations like visual appearance, flexibility, having-some-around-already, etc. <S> that can narrow your choices, but proper preparation will make a lot of things work that wouldn't work at all otherwise. <S> I bet you'd get surprising performance from white glue (Elmers) with good preparation. <S> I couldn't say about the stone, from personal experience anyway, but I expect a good scrub with Comet will go a long way with that substrate as well. <S> The conventional wisdom of using solvents to clean with might improve the surface, but will always leave behind a micro-layer of hydrocarbons (oils) that interfere with bonding. <S> These contaminants get on everything exposed to air, so you don't have to necessarily handle the item to contaminate it. <S> Sunlight (UV rays) will degrade many adhesives over time, so that's another thing to consider. <S> I expect most epoxies would hold up a long time on that count, although of course they're not the most convenient to use. <A> Transparent epoxy used for jewellery shall do the job. <S> However this is to be tested for this specific case. <S> Surfaces have to be cleaned. <S> You can use alcool for this. <S> Scratching the surfaces also help. <S> Ensure the surfaces are dry afterwards.
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There are other acrylic adhesives that will also bond well to metal, and polyurethane glues etc.
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Do you need a buffer to get a shiny finish on jewelery? Having a giant electrical machine just for buffing metal isn't convenient for me. If I could, I would prefer to just sand away. Is it possible to obtain as good of a finish as you would see with a buffer by using continuously less course sand-paper layer by layer? <Q> Specialty bits are available for carpentry drills and Dremel which have the buffing cloth already attached. <A> No, you definitely don't need a buffer Image from Wikimedia Commons <S> This gold belt buckle dates from the 6th century - long before buffing machines were invented. <S> However, you can't get this kind of finish just with sandpaper Going up through the grades of sandpaper <S> is a good way to start, but to achieve a truly smooth finish you need something finer. <S> There are a few different things that are available now for final polishing, but the traditional one is ferric oxide , also known as jeweller's rouge . <S> You can use this by applying a little to a polishing cloth, and polishing the piece until it's done ( you'll need to wipe the rouge off afterwards ) <A> Using a Dremel or Rotron tool with a buffing or polishing wheel mounted will radically shorten the time needed to get a high polish on any surface. <S> If you mean to limit yourself to non-mechanical methods then jewelers polish, diamond paste, or aluminum oxide pastes are what you need .. applied to a sponge, cloth, or bit of soft leather. <A> A Dremel can be used to buff many things. <S> They are afdordable & have multiple uses
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You could repurpose a carpentry drill, Dremel rotary tool, or even a makeup nail buffer to serve as a small buffer. Finishing jewellery by hand is the traditional way to do it, and as you can see the results can be excellent.
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Can I use oil paints without also needing special cleaning supplies? I have a bunch of oil paint tubes that I got as a gift a while back. I really want to try them out but I don't want to use any solvents, thinners, nor have any loose materials that need to be disposed/cleaned in some special way. Is there a way to do this? <Q> You can use a palette knife (or bend a butter knife’s blade by 45 degrees) to apply the paint to a wooden board. <S> Squeeze out some paint on the surface, mix the colors with the knife and try some impasto painting. <S> Use toilet paper to clean off the palette knife and dispose in the trash. <S> If you get any paint on your skin, wash it off with warm soapy water. <S> But be prepared to wait at least several weeks for the paint to really dry. <A> You don't need thinners to paint with oil. <S> You can use linseed oil to make the paint more loose if you find it to be too thick. <S> (This will slow down the drying a bit, but not that much.) <S> For cleaning your materials (brushes, pallete, etc.) <S> Keep in mind that this doesn't work once you've let the paint dry. <S> A piece of glass (with white paper underneath) works great as a pallete and is very easy to clean (the way mentioned above). <S> Not making a mess is a completely separate matter, though. <S> It depends how you personally go about using the paint (some people are just very messy, others are not). <S> If you are worried about the paint going everywhere, just tape some newspaper around the place where you'd be working. <A> You do not have to make any mess. <S> Just organize everything following few simple rules: After you use a certain color, always close the tube. <S> This will make the color inside of your tube clean, it will not start dripping and if something gets in contact with it, it will not get dirty. <S> Place color tubes horizontally, next to each other. <S> That way, theywill not interact with each other's tube. <S> In a case there is somecolor left on a tube, other tubes won't get dirty. <S> Place them on apaper towel which you can easily throw away later. <S> If you are afraid of getting your clothes messy, use a lab coat - many painters do this. <S> You can also use some clothes you do not plan on wearing. <S> Keep in mind that oil color can be cleaned if it gets on your clothes <S> but it is better to prevent that from happening. <S> As mentioned above, you can use painting knifes instead of brushes. <S> They are really, really easy to clean. <S> All you have to do is wipe them. <S> Just be careful <S> when you press it with paper (or whatever material you will be cleaning them with) <S> - they can be a little sharp sometimes. <S> Keep in mind, more color you add, longer it will take to dry. <S> After you are finished with your painting, place it somewhere safe. <S> It will not be dry, so if it falls down, it will get surface dirty and even worse - painting might get dirty. <S> If somebody touches it, they might get dirty or remove some paint which will require you to fix it. <S> I am not using any of the above except the first one. <S> If anything gets messy, then those are my hands <S> but I am fine with it. <S> If you are afraid of getting your hands dirty, you can use surgical gloves. <S> I think that is how they are called. <S> They can be bought at any pharmacy. <S> Have fun.
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you can use cooking oil to loose the paint, wipe as much of the oil off as you can with tissue paper, and then wash the materials with hot water and soap.
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Replicating a silicone object There are lots of articles and how-to guides on the web showing how to replicate a plastic, wood, or metal object by making a silicone mold and using a hard acrylic or epoxy resin to create the object. I have the opposite problem. I want to replicate an object that itself is made of silicone. My current plan is to try to create an acrylic mold of the original silicone piece, and then to use the acrylic mold to cast silicone. Is there any other way to go about this that would make sense to someone with more knowledge than I have? Warmly,Eric <Q> The benefit of getting good at this technique is that you could then caste replacement silicone earplugs using the mold which you just made out of silicone. <S> If you need more protection for your original, you could probably cover the original with tin foil, using embossing tools to smooth the foil into all the nooks and crannies, and maybe some modelling clay to smooth out the foil seams. <S> Once the original was completely protected within its foil armor, it could be caste as normal. <S> You might also want to search the term "silicone on silicone casting" on youtube. <S> There seem to be a few mold release products which can handle that requirement. <S> Not sure that any of them are safe for your expensive original. <S> Have you considered self-hardening clay for the first mold? <A> If you're using a two-part pourable silicone, you can make a mold of the item with a reusable gelatin-glycerin mold material you can make at home. <S> There are a lot of variations on the formula resulting in different characteristics. <S> The material, itself, is also molded into special effects prosthetics instead of using latex rubber. <S> To investigate the variations, Google "gelatin glycerin reusable mold". <S> A good start is this tutorial by a chemist who dabbles with stuff like this to refine it. <S> You warm the material in a microwave oven <S> and it turns into a liquid. <S> You pour that over the item in a form or container. <S> When it cools, it's a rubbery mold of the item that captures fine detail and is dimensionally stable. <S> You can't cast hot materials in it because that would melt the mold. <S> For resins that are very exothermic, you can often freeze the mold and then use it. <S> You can get several uses from a mold. <S> Then you just warm it back to a liquid and make a new mold. <S> The material has a very long shelf life. <S> You can make a big batch of it, use what you need for a particular mold, then either save the mold or melt it and add it back to the supply. <A> You can use a silicone to make a mold in this case too. <S> I've done it in the past. <S> You just have to spray the original silicone piece with the separation spray before you pour the silicone into it like you do the first part of a two part mold.
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I agree with #torjek that a separator (mold-release) spray or liquid would make it possible to caste a silicone object with silicone as the mold making material.
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How can I affix a ball bearing to a metal shaft without welding? I am making a ball joint for a figure and have decided on ball bearings since they're easy to source in the correct size. I need to attach the ball to a shaft of some sort, like a small steel rod. The bearing will be small, approximately 1/4 inch in diameter. The shaft will be 1/8 inch or smaller. The ball needs to be completely static and strong enough to support some weight, a pound maximum. I have steel reinforced epoxy putty, but it's hard to work with and I can't imagine in sticking to the smooth surface of the ball. I do not have tools to drill a hole in the bearing, and have not found pre-drilled balls of the right diameter for purchase. What can I do? I'm looking to do this withing welding, soldering, brazing, or anything that requires high heat to accomplish. <Q> As much as I like the brazing answer, it's unfortunate that it won't work for your purposes. <S> A search using the terms "drilled steel ball" resulted in many returns for of threaded and non-threaded balls of various materials. <S> Most of the returns are for larger than 1/4" as you've requested. <S> If you can adjust your design, there is a source of 8 mm drilled (unthreaded) balls on Etsy . <S> It should be possible to use an epoxy to secure this type of ball to a rod. <S> Etsy also has a listing for a drilled threaded version . <A> Silver-brazing is strong and very doable with a propane torch. <S> If you can grind a small flat on the bearing ball that will make it work much better; getting a concave surface in the end of the rod is much harder, even if you have a lathe available, which I assume you don't. <S> Carefully pressing it against the side of a bench grinding wheel will work fine if your hand is steady; only grinding will work on the hardened steel bearing ball. <S> You'll need silver-brazing wire like this, along with the brazing flux and a propane torch: If you're going to buy a new propane torch, I recommend the Bernzomatic TS8000 which is high-heat and rugged: https://www.amazon.com/Bernzomatic-TS8000-Intensity-Trigger-Start/dp/B0019CQL60/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1531620201&sr=1-1&keywords=bernzomatic+ts8000&dpID=31N7a0ztQML&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch <S> But most of us have one hanging around somewhere and whatever you can lay hands on <S> should get the job done at this scale. <S> Silver brazing is sometimes known as silver-soldering. <S> Actual silver soldering takes place at a much lower temperature and isn't as strong. <S> YouTube has many videos on silver brazing, often associated with jewelry-making. <S> This guy does a nice job of running you through the basics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_UjkGvht_4 <A> I have successfully glued balls to the tips of screws in the past using epoxy. <S> Then make sure everything is completely clean and grease-free, and use a slow-setting epoxy (even better one that requires heat to cure, but that's more for industrial use). <S> Allow to cure with the ball sitting in the screw undr its own weight. <S> This works with quite a range of materials; in one case the balls were synthetic ruby and the screws brass. <S> I've generally done this using balls up to the diameter of the screw, or only a little larger. <A> Drill a small hole in both pieces, get a small piece of thick wire, number 9 worked for me, and some jb weld. <S> I was bored at work one day and made a statue of my buddy with scrap metal and used ball bearings as his biceps. <S> 10 years later it's still in 1 piece.
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The first step is the hardest: drill out the tip of the screw to form a cup that will locate the ball (in all but one case I've been able to get this done on a lathe). You'll get best results (easiest brazing and strong joint) with high-silver content brazing wire.
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What's the difference between cheap pencils and crayons for coloring? I heard that colored pencils use wax (or clay) as a pigment vehicle, and crayons (wax pastels) use wax as pigment vehicle. I found recently that crayons are mind blowingly cheap (96 crayola crayons for $6), whereas colored pencils tend to go for at least $2 for a pack of 24. I am starting to think I should just switch to crayons for when I need to get some color down, especially if I intend to take photographs of them rather than frame them. I tried searching for what the differences between crayons and colored pencils were, but I couldn't find anything. My question are: Are there any drawbacks to blending crayons with pencils (such as crayola/prismacolor scholar)? Are there any drawbacks to using crayons over pencils? I couldn't find any lightfastness information, and can't think of any reason for them to behave any differently than a typical pencil other than not having wood, and being softer. <Q> Quality will be much higher with pencils. <S> The softness of crayons dramatically reduces your precision when drawing, and they have a tendency to "skip" - I guess because of the higher amounts of wax involved. <S> This is why crayon drawings rarely have a uniform color field, and don't blend well. <S> You will use up your crayons much faster than pencils as well, because the soft wax smears much faster. <S> As you mentioned, the wood of the pencils also lends durability. <S> I've never had much luck mixing the two unless I want to see the different marks - the materials are different enough to stand out next to one another. <A> Cheap or expensive, crayons are softer, pencils are harder. <S> Pencils will scratch off crayons <S> but I see no problem with using crayons over pencils. <S> However, cheap crayons are really not worth it. <S> Cheap colour medium, in general, means more filler and less pigment resulting in dull colours and unsatisfactory reaults. <S> If you can't afford decent quality colouring products, I'd suggest you do the colouring digitaly, instead. <A> I've bought some pencils which would literally cut lighter weight papers just as good as a Xacto knife and some crayons which were so hard <S> I wondered if they were actually some sort of prank prop. <S> My experimentation actually led to a realization that what type of paper and mediums I was using made the biggest difference. <S> If you want to use both pencil and crayons finding something the pencils will not tear or indent, but will also grab the pigment of the crayons is necessary. <S> I would suggest a mixed media paper around the 90lb or higher weight, with a rougher surface and a fine tooth. <S> On another note - a good way to reduce art supply costs is working with a limited palette and learning to make a variety of colors through blending and layering. <S> That way you're only buying a few items versus a whole set.
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I have found over the years that sometimes the cheaper crayons and pencils can be better than the expensive ones, but it takes time and experimentation to find what works well and what is truly junk.
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Sewing machine problem: machine won't tighten the loops under the material A year ago I loaned my Brother XL-2600i to my kid's school, and only now have I tried using it again. Yep: they messed it up. The thread tangles up around the bobbin, and it makes grinding noises. Disassembling it, I found a broken needle inside, under the bobbin case. I removed that, cleaned it all out, and still it isn't functioning smoothly. So, I'm guessing something got bent when the needle whacked into it and broke. Trying to figure out what got bent, I disassembled everything, trying to find out what isn't working smoothly. When I removed the bobbin case, I revealed the drum with the hook that holds the bobbin, and turns under it (the black hook is visible on the right under the white plastic piece): Now the drum spins smoothly, and there's no more grinding noises (not surprising, as there's not a lot there). However, if I replace the bobbin case, when I run the sewing machine the bobbin case rocks back and forth (moving about ½ mm each way): It looks as if when the hook moves under the bobbin case it pushes the case back and forth. Here's the question: is this normal motion of the bobbin case? Or should the bobbin case be truly motionless, and this shows that my problem is with the case and/or the underlying drum? (I'd also be happy with any other suggestions of what might be going wrong.) Edit: I'm adding some more information that led to the solution. When malfunctioning, the loops of thread under the cloth being sewn that should have been pulled tight, weren't. Each time I tried sewing I had to pull a wad of these loops out of the mechanism under the sewing platform. Here's a picture of the loops (showing the underside of the cloth): <Q> The bobbin case rocking back and forth is normal! <S> In order to form a stitch, the top thread has to cross under the bobbin thread and back up. <S> It does that by looping all the way around the bobbin case - you're seeing the wiggle room to allow that, called the escapement. <S> It is hard to say what the problem might be from your question, but has the machine been oiled recently? <S> Cleaning, oiling, and new needle cure a lot of machines. <A> Reve gave me the tip that led to the solution. <S> As part of each stitch, the upper thread has to be pulled around and under the bobbin case; the loop is then pulled tight against the underside of the cloth. <S> But, in the process of chewing on the broken needle, the bottom of the bobbin case was scored and abraded, and the thread wouldn't smoothly slide under it. <S> This left the machine unable to tighten each loop, and all hell broke loose. <S> I checked, and although it wasn't obvious, there were clearly rough spots on the bottom of the bobbin case. <S> I used fine sandpaper (280, 320, and then 600 grit) to clean off every rough spot I could find. <S> I reassembled, and I believe the bobbin case was rocking less than before (although it's tough to tell). <S> But, the most important change: it all works again. <S> Yee haw. <A> I had a similar problem and the result looked the same (neat stitches on top and a chaos of loops on the bottom). <S> In my case the bobbin case jammed when I inserted it into the machine. <S> It looked like it was sitting in the right position, but it wasn't pushed all the way into its slot. <S> As a result, the bobbin case protruded a millimeter from its case and the thread got caught.
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A slight push on the bobbin case every time after inserting it solved the problem for me.
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Is it possible to darken a pencil drawing to match the colour of charcoal? I am busy sketching the Mona Lisa using pencil and charcoal (unfortunately I cannot add the picture).I used pencil to do her face and head in the beginning and then used charcoal to start doing the dress. The problem I ran into was that the dress was way darker than the head because of the use ofcharcoal. Now I need to make the head darker as well, to match. Is there I way I can do this? Is it even possible? The detail looks just like the original but now the 2 different tones on the artwork make it look pretty crap. <Q> I think that there are a couple of ways of dealing with it. <S> Rework the head with charcoal, possibly using an eraser and add some pencil marks to the rest so that you have a bit of cohesion everywhere <S> Leave the skin as it is (with pencil) and use charcoal everywhere else Use fixative (or hairspray) to knock back the darkness of the charcoal Use a mist of white spray paint to subdue everything <S> Take it in stride as a learning experience and make another drawing <A> Have you tried using a matte workable fixative? <S> I have found it works well in subduing the gloss of harder pencil lines which can make them appear fainter and also adds a mild sheen to charcoal which can make it appear a bit lighter. <S> Also, if you were using soft stick charcoal on the dress area, using a harder charcoal pencil in the face area to add more depth in the darker areas might also work well. <A> You can maybe cover the pencil shades by using the charcoal pencil. <S> This will make it even darker, but I think that a tiny bit of erasing would just be fine.
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The charcoal can also be lightened up a bit by carefully blotting with a dry soft cloth, paper towels or kneaded eraser if you need to do so.
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How can I draw right angles with just a ruler? If I am trying to draw a rectangle or square on a piece of paper I can use existing corners of the paper as a start point. However I lose accuracy when completing the square or shape on the inside of the paper. In some cases I plan on cutting this and using it a template. I measure corner to corner to verify accuracy and I usually have to settle for good enough. If I had a square (ruler) I don't think I would be having an issue or at least not be adjusting my lines as often. Using just a plain ruler and pencil is it possible to draw a perfect or near perfect square or rectangle? i.e. set of 4 right angles. <Q> You can use the 3-4-5 method of creating right angles. <S> Make a mark. <S> You can use millimeters (preferred) or inches or anything in between. <S> Draw from the zero point at a right angle as closely as possible. <S> Measure from the zero point to a 4 point. <S> Make a mark. <S> If so, you have your right angle. <S> If not, you will have to erase or otherwise ignore the second line and create yet another. <S> I prefer using metric measurements for this type of project. <S> You can adjust the numbers to fit your workspace. <S> Let's say that you have a small piece of paper on which you wish to create your square. <S> The first line could be 90 mm long (3 * 30), while the second line would be 120 mm (4 * 30) and the points should be 150 mm apart (5 * 30). <S> Instead of drawing the second line as described above, consider to have a piece of paper with the length necessary for the conditions (120 mm) and position it with the zero point on the first line. <S> Move the paper in an arc until it meets with your 150 mm point on the ruler. <S> You can then mark the base paper with your points for a perfect square without having to erase misplaced lines. <S> As noted in the image below, greater accuracy is gained with larger distances. <A> Draw top and bottom of the ruler to create parallel lines. <S> Rotate the ruler and repeat using the original lines to create a parallelogram. <S> Draw the diagonals of the the parallelogram, thus creating a right angle at the centre. <S> Continue drawing parallel lines with same width using the ruler and adding the diagonals. <S> A square will present itself. . <A> This is not possible using only a ruler. <S> The only way I know of to do this in the physical universe as absolutely perfectly as possible is to use a compass and a straightedge. <S> This method requires no measuring, but only accuracy. <S> Pick any point on the circle as the position for the center of a circle with the exact same radius. <S> Draw a line through these two radii and use the intersection of line and circle to place the center for the third circle and draw one there. <S> From the center outward, draw lines through the intersections of conjoining circles. <S> Where these lines meet, draw a line down the center to construct your perpendicular and solve for the bisection of the circle. <S> Connect the dots. <S> Image is my own work. <S> CC-BY <A> If the question is really the math challenge in the title, and the explanation about drawing rectangles was just to make this on-topic here, you already have some good answers. <S> However, if the objective is actually drawing good rectangles, and the mention of right angles is just clarification of the problem, there's a simple approach that hasn't been mentioned yet. <S> The paper has perfect right angles at the corners and you can take advantage of that. <S> If you measure only along the edges of the paper, you don't have to worry about error due to the ruler not being perpendicular. <S> Use the ruler just for measuring and drawing straight lines. <S> Say worst case is you need a rectangle somewhere in the middle of the page (if it is at a corner, that saves some work): <S> X and Y are the dimensions of the rectangle needed, and A and B are the distances from a corner. <S> (clean up the lines beyond what's needed: <S> If the rectangle needs to be in an arbitrary rotation on the page, do the exercise above on another sheet of paper, but start the rectangle in a corner of the sheet. <S> There will be <S> only X marks top and bottom, and Y marks on the sides, with one horizontal and one vertical connecting line. <S> That will leave excess paper on just two sides of the rectangle. <S> Use the lines that run across the sheet as guides, align the sheet edges, and fold back the excess paper, making a sharp crease on the two folds. <S> You now have a rectangle to use as a template. <S> Put it in the location and orientation required on the "good" sheet and trace it. <A> If you're planning on cutting anyway fold the paper. <S> For squares you can measure along your straight edges and then fold up a triangle using your 2 marks for your corners. <S> You can then trace the edge of the paper to get the other sides of the square. <S> Rectangles you can fold each side.
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If you were precise, you've got your perfect rectangle with accurate right angles. First draw a circle, making sure to leave a mark at the center. Use the ruler to measure those distances along each edge of the paper and mark those locations: Align the ruler with the matching marks on opposite sides of the sheet and draw the connecting lines The quality of the measuring instrument also plays a factor, but only a minor part. Measure from one of the marks to the other and it should be a 5 point. Begin with a construction line and mark a zero point and a 3 point. Notice that I'm not using units of measure.
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Type of adhesive to use to attach seashells to a frame already glued to a wall Some of the hot glued shells have fallen off the frame. I didn’t sand the frame since it has the color/finish I like and I don’t want to “cover” the frame entirely. I used Tacky craft glue but it took too long to dry. Crazy glue didn’t work because not all shells have a smooth surface to attach to the smooth surface on the frame. Gorilla glue didn’t work because I had to apply water to one surface and then “clamp” it - impossible to do. <Q> There are two challenges to your project as I understand it... <S> The frame (and maybe even the shells) has a nice smooth finish which glues don't adhere to well. <S> The frame is mounted on a wall, making clamping difficult. <S> Abrading the backs of the shells with a wire brush may roughen them up, allowing glue to hold onto them better. <S> Drilling small holes through the frame finish in spots which will be covered by shells would serve the same purpose for the frames. <S> As for clamping, use painter's tape. <S> After you glued a shell where you want iton the vertical frame surface, secure it with tape to give the glue time to dry. <S> The tape may not be able to supply much pressure to the drying joint, but immobility alone can help form a strong bond. <S> With those challenges behind you, the choice of glues is based solely on the materials involved. <S> I've always had luck with gorilla glue which comes in a gel version for flow-challenging uses. <A> Technically, I think what i'm about to suggest might be friction, rather than adhesion, but depending on how large the shells are and how hard the frame is, you could try sticking the shells onto your frame with thumbtacks. <S> This would allow you to use a slower-acting glue for the shell/thumbtack bond, as well as allow precise placing of the tack-mounted shells once they're bonded. <S> If there is any risk of the thumbtack being visible make sure to paint the heads with nail polish in a color to match either the shell or the frame. <S> If you are clustering the shells, you might be able to avoid exposed tack heads by gluing them on in these prearranged clusters. <S> When you get to mounting the shells onto the frame, I would advise you to gently "pre-poke" placement holes with a needle pushpin and then slide the thumbtacks in. <S> Ideally you would make the hole smaller in diameter than the thumbtack pin, but if it is loose, a tiny dab of glue would work here too. <S> If you really screwed up and made a large hole, dip a toothpick into elmers glue, stick it in the hole, break it off, then stick the thumbtack into the mushy wood of the toothpick. <A> I like using E6000, it works with nearly every surface unless its too slick. <S> If the frame is lacquered and shiny, I would use just a bit of some acetone just on the spots where you are gluing, just to de-slick a little. <S> I also agree with the painters tape to hold things in place while the glue is curing. <S> so, be careful where your fingers are. <A> I have made many seashell covered frames over many years so I completely understand the problem you are facing by having to glue the shells on a vertical surface. <S> I am confused though because you say that you like the finish on the frame-I usually make sure that the shells completely cover the frame, so it hardly matters what the frame looks like. <S> And if there is any frame showing, it would be minimal. <S> So acetone and sandpaper would really help! <S> With that in mind, I would definitely opt for E6000 and maybe some very sticky clay. <S> The clay would just be for positioning, the E6000 would be for fixing. <S> And, perhaps, you could even make a mix of the two, that gravity would not pull down. <S> It’s worth a try <S> and not very expensive!Good luck!
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An alternative to the E6000 that I've used and like is Aleene's Jewelry & Metal glue, its like superglue gel...
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How to drill a hole on diecast toy using dremel? I just bought a new-ray helicopter diecast toy . I want to modify it a bit, and one of the plan is to make holes for the windows (square, around 5mm by 5mm). What I'm thinking is to use dremel to drill a small hole (around 2mm diameter) and then enlarge the hole using dremel metal grinder bit. However, I'm not sure how to start. Dremel bit catalogue has drill bit for metal , for soft metal. I am not sure what kind of metal the diecast is. The thickness of the diecast is around 1mm.I also checked dremel speed guide chart , but could not find the speed for drilling. Is it ok to use these drill bits for that purpose? What speed should I use? <Q> For delicate work in soft materials, I still like to use my old wheel brace (hand drill). <S> I've used it on plastics, wood and aluminium when I don't want to risk marring the surface as I break through. <S> Securing the workpiece is an absolute requirement as it's a two-handed tool. <S> I'd start with a 2 mm drill bit, then use a 4–4.5 mm bit so you've got the minimum at the next step. <S> You could then square off the corners with a needle file . <S> My square needle file is about 2–3 mm at the widest point. <S> This will give you much squarer corners than any rotary tool can provide. <S> Even if you start with the dremel, you may need to finish off with a needle file. <A> It is zinc, it will drill easily but a dremel is very high RPM. <S> I would suggest an electric drill , battery or plug, and a regular bit. <S> Then square off the corners with a dremel. <S> Zinc is so soft a hand crank drill could do it <S> but I don't think anyone has them anymore. <S> A small chance that it is aluminum - all comments the same. <A> I agree with @blacksmith37 that the material is certainly soft and drilling will be quick and painless. <S> The (typical) speed of a Dremel is just fine for a drill bit of such small diameter in that material, especially since the material is thin. <S> If your Dremel is variable speed, you can run it about half-speed to be conservative. <S> I would center-punch (gently and with backing if possible) <S> the intended hole location just enough to locate the drill bit tip <S> so it doesn't wander. <S> 1/16" might be easiest to find at a hardware store (depending on your country/location) and is roughly the right size (1.59mm). <S> 1/8" might work as well, but might be pushing it for the high Dremel RPM and may have more of a tendency to grab when going through. <S> In any case you should secure the work somehow (perhaps using a clamp or padded vise) rather than hold it in your hand while running the Dremel with the other.
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Any drill bit of the right size will work fine here.
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Is there a grade or type of paper that will take glue without wrinkling? Most of the question is in the title: I'm trying to find a kind of paper that I can slather in wet glue without it wrinkling. I've seen this question - How can paper be glued to cardboard without creating wrinkles? - which suggests either giving the paper a coat of acrylic or using spray adhesive but neither is ideal for me. I'm hoping to produce something at scale, so spraying individual sheets isn't a great option. And I need to paint the glue on, so spraying it is not an option. I'm currently using PVA but if there's an option for a wet but non-wrinkling glue, I'd accept that. Presuming there isn't, is there a kind, weight or grade of paper that will take glue without distorting? High-quality paper is expensive, so I'd rather know up front what to go for rather than experimenting. <Q> I have some experience with these materials. <S> Paper made with cellulose absorbs the water from the glue and wrinkles. <S> You just need a thin layer, if you apply a lot of glue the paper may wrinkle. <S> This glue is wet, transparent and allows the use with a paint brush. <S> I use this kind of paper to paint watercolor <S> and I layer lots of water on top of it. <S> Make sure the paper you're going to use is 100% cotton too! <S> (there are 60% cotton / 40% cellulose watercolor papers that are not that great ) <A> Rubber cement is a good option for adhering paper without causing wrinkling. <S> It is made of rubber and a solvent to keep it in a liquid state; as the solvent evaporates, the rubber remains behind, creating a flexible bond. <S> Because rubber cement is not water based, paper cannot absorb water from the glue and cause wrinkles. <S> Rubber cement is applied with a brush. <S> Some bottles even come with a small brush attached to the inside of the lid that is stored permanently inside the bottle. <S> If you use your own brush, keep in mind that you will not be able to wash it out with water since it is not water based. <S> Rubber cement is available in lots of sizes from 4 oz to 1 gallon. <S> I would recommend a small bottle to test, then to purchase a large tin since your project is at a larger scale. <S> Other useful attributes of rubber cement are that it allows for fairly easy removal if needed and once dried, drips or excess can be rubbed off easily without leaving marks behind. <S> This can be done with a finger or a small rubber block (even an eraser if that's what you have on hand). <S> For your convenience: Amazon listing for 1 gallon Elmer's No-Wrinkle Rubber Cement <A> If you are trying to make a textured design, have you thought about using Modge Podge? <S> I've had good luck with Modge Podge onto thicker papers (and cardboard). <S> I usually use thin scrapbook paper, or newspaper.
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You can try using styrofoam glue or other alcohol-based glue, this way the paper will not soak up with the glue. Additionally you can use paper made with cotton.
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Which paint and glue to use for a golden walnut? My goal is to craft a "golden" walnut by painting two empty shell halves and then glue them together. So, my requirements on the paint are: color will be golden if this matters should not smear off should not hide surface nuances somewhat water proof, but not expected to be put into water Then, I'm going to glue the shell's halves together. The glue must be reliable and yet allow though to easily open the shell (one time is enough, but if you could stick the halves again, that would be awesome). <Q> For “medium- to large-scale production” (e.g. making golden walnuts as tree ornaments), we’ve successfully used both golden craft paint and spray paint. <S> Especially the latter is a bit messy, but retains the surface structure very well. <S> Glue the halves together <S> (wood glue or standard white craft glue will do), sandwiching a ribbon loop as hanger in between. <S> For the spray option, protect the ribbon with masking tape, loop the hangers over a kind of rod, lining the ornaments up with a bit of distance in between. <S> Spray, either outside or with a large cardboard box put on end to catch the excess paint. <S> Let dry while still hanging on the holder. <S> Remove tape, done. <S> For a hanger-less version, push a toothpick in the part of the shell where there’s a little natural gap, stick the other end in a piece of styrofoam or similar. <A> Use gold coloured oil paint . <S> Apply with a small paintbrush, dilute with (a mixture of oil and) a solvent like turpentine to increase the paint's thinness, so it will more easily crawl into the crevices and other details of the walnut. <S> Depending on the kind the glue might solve the paint a little, so just apply it carefully with a brush. <S> Once dried, it should be able to withstand water. <S> As an alternative you can use acrylic paint , but that's both thicker (resulting in a greater loss of detail) and less resistant to water. <S> Simple wood glue would suffice for glueing the two parts together. <S> I suggest glueing the walnut first before applying paint. <A> You could choose the genuine material (kind of pricey) or a gold-colored metal. <S> Especially the latter should be available in a good craft store, together with the adhesive and brushes to lift, apply and press into the small crevices of the walnut’s surface. <S> Depending on the chosen metal, a layer of sealant may be a good idea if you want to keep the nut for a while. <S> And if you are actually going through the process (which is a bit more tedious than gold paint or spray), I suggest you consider the mini-hinge suggestion mentioned in a comment.
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A slightly “fancier” version than paint is gold leaf.
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What is a castable gold-coloured metal that is less expensive than gold? I have plans for a table with a gold inlay. Problem is, gold is expensive and the inlay is quite large (it's not a 'wire' inlay - I'd be casting a pretty substantial piece and setting it into the table). I'd like to use a different metal that I can effectively seal to prevent excessive oxidization (and etc.) that is at least vaguely gold-colored. So far I've been toying with brass or copper, but I wanted to see if anyone knew of any other metals that might provide a good substitute. <Q> Maybe you could use epoxy resin instead of metal. <S> It's not exactly cheap and you'd have to do some research as to <S> which resin is best suited for your purpose (or suited at all), but there are tons of YouTube videos of how to design tables with epoxy. <S> The coloration could be a problem because depending on the pigment it won't look like metal at all, even if the pigment is golden. <S> If you want to take this approach, I propose you buy colored resin instead of coloring it yourself. <S> If you're interested in epoxy resin, you should research the following topics before executing your first project: <S> The different kinds of resin and their properties. <S> Some are only suited for thin layers, others only for thick layers. <S> If you use improper resin, it might stay soft and sticky. <S> The safety measures! <S> Always wear goggles and gloves and keep the area well ventilated, even if you don't smell any noxious fumes. <S> How to get rid of bubbles. <S> This is a common problem with resin but less severe with opaque colors. <A> Brass is the most readily available that will have a gold color. <S> There is also a very wide variety of bronzes that will let you choose a precise color. <S> But Copper alloys are maybe not the best option have here. <S> It is very heavy. <S> There is a wide variety of option to get something gold colored. <S> Aluminium can be gold colored using specific anodising. <S> Aluminium is lighter, cheaper, easy to tool... <S> JetMetal is an industrial process that can project a thin layer of gold colored copper alloy on any surface, including plastics. <S> A layer of gold colored copper alloy can also be deposited in a electro-chemical process on any metal.. <S> TiN deposited by PVD is very thin and It will be breached one day or another.... <A> For a gold color , with no coating, you are limited to copper alloys. <S> They come in a wide color range from red bronzes to silver "German silver".
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There is no other easily available alloy than Copper based ones that are gold colored.
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Fixing cracks in air-dried clay? Whenever I work with air-dry clays, the sculpture shrinks in size and there occurs lots of cracks. It is really time consuming, and hard to fix. So far, I tried filling in the cracks with glue and clay, then I sand the sculpture to get a smooth surface as much as I can. However, it is never very smooth, and like I said time consuming. Are there any other ways to fix it? (I let it dry covered with a plastic bag to increase the drying time.) <Q> My experience so far is that cheaper air-drying clays tend to shrink more than quality clays while drying. <S> Many types of clay list the expected shrinkage on the package. <S> If there is no information about shrinkage, you should expect it to be non-negligible (sometimes as much as 10%). <S> As far as I understand it, different fibres added to the clay are to blame. <S> Cheap clays use fibres that soak up more water because you pay by weight. <S> More water in the clay means less expensive ingredients by weight. <S> "Super soft" and "super light" clays are also full of fibres. <S> I would always prefer a clay with the texture and consistency of natural clay. <S> Slowing the drying process down is a very good idea. <S> If the outer layer of clay dries and shrinks faster than the inner layer, it cannot shrink uniformly and has to crack. <S> If there are badly mended cracks in the soft clay, they tend to reopen while drying. <S> The thickness of the clay may have an effect as well. <S> When you form very thick structures like a fist-sized ball, you should substitute part of the clay with another material like a ball of aluminium foil. <S> If the fresh clay won't stick at all, it's a sign of bad quality clay. <A> I let it dry covered with a plastic bag to increase the drying time. <S> That is probably one of the best choices. <S> I will tell you a short story, even though it is from a totally different context. <S> A loooong time ago, they applied a thin layer of some kind of cement-based mix on my grandmother's house - mostly for decorative purposes. <S> That was some tedious work, done manually, but the interesting part just follows. <S> For the next XY days (I have no idea how many, maybe up to a week or more), they richly wetted the entire surface (the new layer of cement), on a daily basis. <S> The explanation I was given was that without the water, the new layer of cement would crack. <S> So you might want to try it on some test "shape". <S> Make it as usual - the kind of way that would lead to cracking, and after it is finished, abundantly spray water on it "as often as needed" (you are the expert of your work, so <S> you decide what that means). <S> Depending on the details, soaking might be an alternative - you need to make the analysis yourself. <A> Try using Sakura air dry clay, from Japan. <S> It's a paper clay, if that suits your purpose. <S> It is light weight and dries crispy, like very hard but light card. <S> It is very strong. <S> What I like is that you can build directly on top when dry. <S> It doesn't crack. <S> I build in smallish parts as, after 5 minutes of modelling, the clay enters a fragile breakable stage until it hardens in about 24 hours. <S> But you can build components and stick them together. <S> I use Uhu glue to join pieces; it avoids them snapping apart later. <S> For heavier needs, I add the weightier Das, in the base for example, to help it stand up.
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When your sculpture cracks, you should moisten the cracked area, fill it in with fresh clay and really rub it into the crack to attach it to the dried clay.
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Can I be a painter as colorblind? https://enchroma.com/pages/moderate-protan Based on this and previous, "normal" (with doctor) tests I'm having red-green color blindness. As for real life experience, I don't think it's very strong, I can see the difference in tone and color more or less (at least I think). I'd love to learn to paint with oil paint and tempera and later I would try to learn at art university too. I can draw with pencil relatively good based on objective opinions (not from family or friends) and I tried painting in the past. Now after 1-2 year gap I'm drawing again and want to paint as well. I want to paint nature, landscapes, surreal and futuristic / sci-fi art. These would be the main field of interest. My English isn't the best, sorry for the mistakes. - <Q> You can be a painter, but you should expect to encounter more obstacles and limitations than a person with normal color vision. <S> Have a look at the color wheel <S> : Color wheel <S> If two opposite colors look so similar to you that you would confuse them, you're going to have problems. <S> You may not be able to paint some red or green objects in a realistic way. <S> If you paint a red apple in a way that the painting looks like a perfect copy to you, it may look different for a person with normal color vision. <S> Red and green behave totally different if mixed with different colors. <S> That might actually help you identify the paint on your pallet, but it may cause problems and accidents as well. <S> Red is a "warm" color, green is a "cold" color. <S> Using the wrong color might totally destroy the mood of a painting, but you could use this as a contrast as well. <S> You'll have to learn to paint like anyone else, but you'll also have to learn to cope with the fact that you see colors in a different way. <S> This doesn't mean that you cannot become an artist. <S> You have to find your own style like anyone else, but some art styles might be impossible for you to be good at. <S> You could buy an inexpensive set of colors and experiment with different motives. <S> Read and learn about color theory and show your works to friends and family. <S> I doubt you'll get it completely wrong. <A> In general, I can't see how color blindness on its own can be a serious barrier. <S> Anyway, overwhelming majority of visual information is carried by strokes, gradients, contrast, i.e. achromatic image. <S> In simple words: most of the time color hues are unimportant for perception of information. <S> Of course color hues may be more important for specific objects, e.g. when representing flowers or in specific contexts where colors are used as 'codes', e.g. warning signs or user interface elements. <S> But it is not necessary to make color hues central in your paintings. <S> There are millions of ways to express yourself in arts. <S> Actually many serious art movements and techniques are all about the form and informational component of the image. <S> For example Chiaroscuro technique. <S> If you are unsure how a color painting made by you is perceived by others - you should just ask their opinion. <S> Just remember - contrast is what makes an image, and hues are additional layer on top of it, not even necessary, and sometimes even distracting. <A> Colorblindness should not impede an artist. " <S> Art" is incredibly open, and you could be successful while avoiding color entirely if you wished. <S> Many past and present day artists have overcome the obstacle of colorblindness in their creative expression. <S> One contemporary example is the artist Daniel Arsham. <S> A full video interview, specifically about his experience using glasses as an artistic tool and approaching color as a color-blind artist can be found in the article "See Color" on Quartzy . <S> However, other artists are successful without such aids by avoiding color or realism altogether. <S> Others still, let color-blindness lead their color choices resulting in unique and vivid styles. <S> You said your specific interest is in "nature, landscapes, surreal and futuristic / sci-fi art", and these themes suggest high color to create a sense of fantasy. <S> As an example of a colorblind artist successfully working in this subject matter (without the aid of glasses like the first artist mentioned), I suggest taking a look at Mark Liam Smith for inspiration. <S> He paints vividly multi-colored fantasy-based paintings. <S> You can visit Mark Liam Smith's Website to see some of his work or watch a video interview at the Gallery Youn website . <A> Of course. <S> We all perceive things differently anyway... <S> The fact that you see things and find them worth painting is what matters here. <S> [personal opinion] <S> Good luck
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One option, used by some, are to use special glasses that allow someone with colorblindness to see more color.
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How to free this sewing pin from the finished shirt I had something rather silly happen today. I altered the cuff of a storebought shirt, then machine washed the shirt. While hanging it, I noticed this: There is a pin left in the cuff. Its head is stuck between the two layers of the cuff piece, and its length pokes through the fabric. The shirt is made from plain, rather thin, cotton broadcloth. The offender is a glass-head pin, with a 2-3 mm head, and the head is larger than the stitch size I used to close the cuff. I don't want to: Open the nicely-turned-out, finally-finished, seam. Make holes in the fabric. Wear a shirt with a sharp pin poking at me. I am willing to sacrifice the pin itself, if that would help somehow. <Q> Try crushing the glass head with a pair of pliers. <S> If you're lucky, the metal head inside the glass is small enough to be removed without opening the seam. <S> If it's still stuck, cut the head of with wirecutters like Henry Taylor described. <S> Keep in mind that the needle head may rust after being washed several times. <S> You should tuck the left-over head into a corner that's as invisible as possible. <A> Detached from the head, the majority of the pin's shaft should then be easily removable. <S> Once the pin has been reduced to a pinhead, push any still visible shaft material into the space where the pinhead has been captured, then roll the pinhead around in that space until it reaches an out-of-the-way corner, where it can remain until its presence bothers you enough to open a seam and let it out. <S> Getting the metal part removed and leaving the head still present but tucked away invisibly, is probably the best solution you can attain without reopening the seams. <S> EDIT : <S> One more quick thought. <S> Take a similar pin that is not trapped in a garment and grab the head with a pair of pliers. <S> Then grab the shaft with another pair of pliers and see if you can pull them apart. <S> If you can, then pulling might be a better solution than cutting the shaft as it won't leave any of the potentially pointy metal trapped inside. <A> Pop one stitch with a seam ripper while holding the pin and slide it out. <S> Done this one a bunch of times.
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Most of the metal shaft of the pin (including the pointy part) can be removed by cutting through it with wire cutters, being careful to minimize the length left still attached to the head, while simultaneously not damaging the fabric with the cutters.
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Paraffin candle burnt (or rather melted) WAY too quickly? So... I'm new to candle making; I got some paraffin (nobody here sells soy wax), molds, stearic acid and other ingredients. Today I was trying the second candle I made; it was not a small candle at all, it was about 6cm x 10cm; I used about 240 grams of wax for it, plus stearate, color and fragrance. It looked pretty ok, I light it a while ago, left home and when I came back roughly 5 hours later, I found this: So, what might be possible causes for this? What did I do wrong? One thing I know for sure I did different from another candle I made a while ago is this time I used a somewhat thicker wick. Could that be the reason? Was that one of many contributing factors? <Q> You did not do anything wrong, except leave a candle burning for hours unattended. <S> Candles melt when burning, and five hours is not a short time in a regular candles life. <A> Commercial candles normally have a higher melting temperature wax on the outer surface. <S> This retains a pool of low temperature wax to be drawn up the wick by capillary action. <A> It seems the wick was to blame . <S> Apart from the consistency of the wax, the wick needs to be able to 'guide' enough of the wax towards the flame. <S> If too much wax melts before it can reach the flame to properly combust, the wax will just run off. <S> You mention a smaller candle, about half the size of the one depicted, was burning properly for 24 hours on a smaller wick, so try increasing the diameter slightly, and see if that works.
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What's important, I think, is not the size necessarily, but the diameter of the candle that's exposed to the flame. So my guess is the capillarity of the wick was too low.
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What is the best way to sew knit/stretchy fabrics? I’ve done my research and actually tried some of them but the end results are the same: wonky. I’m using needles specifically for knit fabrics, I have used a knit foot. I have tried adjusting the tension…I have also tried placing a paper underneath the fabric. They all failed. I have ordered a walking foot online so I’ve yet to try that route. So for the meantime, I thought I’d ask here. <Q> I would suggest iron-on soluble interfacing. <S> That should keep the fabric stiff enough that it won't stretch while sewing (and suggested to use zig-zag stitch if using really stretchy stuff like spandex). <S> When you're done sewing, just wash it and it'll dissolve in the water. <A> Are you pulling the fabric through the machine as you stitch, or are you pushing it through? <S> Also, does your presser foot have a pressure setting? <S> My machine does, and I find lowering the pressure setting of the presser foot for thick and stretchy fabrics makes for a better outcome. <A> If you have access to an overlock machine, you'll get really good results. <S> I've heard that people like to put woolly thread in their overlock, but I haven't tried. <S> I like how the overlock gives me a nice stretch stitch even with regular cotton threads. <S> The inside looks clean and professional. <S> If you are using a regular sewing machine, use a zigzag stitch. <S> Play around with the width and length, but I'd start with a 2.5 in each and try to keep them the same (longer width, longer length). <S> I really like the walking foot. <S> When you use that, line your fabrics up and if you need to, use pins to keep them together as you near the needle. <S> Make sure they are feeding at the same speed (you'll notice if they aren't if one of the pieces of fabric is stretching longer than the other by the next pin). <S> Lower pressure setting of the pressure foot will also allow the fabric to feed "easier", without it stretching as it sews, so it'll help the two pieces of fabric feed at the same rate.
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I mostly sew with stiffer, woven fabrics, and have good luck gently guiding them through the machine from behind, but with a stretch fabric, it's important to make sure you're not pulling it through.
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