Making Molds and Milagros

I love to add dimensional details to my art with Creative Paperclay®. These little items are the sweet part of my paintings that add POP to the piece like the heart in this piece of art.

This lesson shows how to make a mold with Creative Paperclay® and then use the clay to make multiples. You get two tricks for the price of one

SUPPLIES

Milagros or dimensional objects
Creative Paperclay®
PAM no-stick cooking spray or talcum powder
Polymer Medium
Black acrylic paint
Krylon's foil metallic spray (in silver)

After rolling out the clay, I impress a vintage milagro into the clay before letting it dry. When dry, I seal it with polymer medium to seal the surface.

To use this as a mold, I either spray PAM on it as a mold release or apply talcum powder to it. Then I apply my clay to the mold and pull it out immediately.

The cast object is cleaned up with an exacto knife and edges are smoothed with water.

I am a happy accident kind of person so when this heart came out of the mold with a crack through the center, I was thrilled. This will go into a piece about a broken heart.

I use sandpaper or Sand-Its to clean up the edges. Sometimes, I like a raw, aged look.

Now it's time to paint. For my milagros, I spray Krylon's silver foil metallic spray paint. When that has dried, I apply a black acrylic paint that I wipe off while wet. This sticks in the crevices and gives it an aged look.

Of, course, Creative Paperclay® can be painted any color, gold leafed and more.

Dream in Color!

DarleneOliviaMcElroy.com

Quick & Easy Facelift for a Frame

Found this funky frame and painting at a junk/antique store and could see the potential in it. You can find these frames everywhere and don't worry if they are not perfect because we can fix that with cast objects. There are basically three easy steps to change the look of the frame.

As a mixed media artist, the hunt for these treasures it part of the joy when I do a piece of art. The magic of art is the other part.

SUPPLIES

Creative Paperclay®
Black spray paint (Krylon)
Fondant molds
E6000 glue

I have a large collection of fondant molds as well as silicone molds that I have created. Depending on the piece of art or the time I have, I may leave the paper clay in the mold until it has dried. If a piece has delicate edges this is a great way for it to dry. It also prevents warping. I keep a square of linoleum in my studio that I put my "wet" cast objects to dry. They tend not warp when I put them on the linoleum.

Next, I glued the cast pieces on to the frame with E6000. I like how fast it sets up. When working on a painting there is so much waiting time for paint or clay to dry. To spray the frame, I used a Krylon matte black.

 Close up of section of the painted frame with cast objects.

Finished painting collaged with part of the original painting an placed in the updated frame. Not only fun but looks so much better than the original. Now, wasn't that easy?

Dream in Color!

Darlene Olivia McElroy