I love image transfers so much that I wrote a book about them. The texture and whiteness of Delight® is the perfect substrate to use a colorless blender pen and toner image transfer on.

SUPPLIES
Colorless Blender Pen
Delight®
Substrate (masonite panel shown here)
Scissors & mark making tools
Polymer medium
Toner Image

After rolling the Delight® into a thin sheet, I placed the toner image face down. The image will be in reverse which was fine with me. I then applying the colorless blender pen on the back of the toner image. As I did this, the image starts to appear on the back of the paper. Lift the paper to see how well it is transferring. If it looks light, apply the blender pen some more. Save the toner image to put in a collage. Nothing goes to waste in my world.
 

After cutting my transfer into a loose shape, I added curtains to give the feel of a stage and used my tracing wheel to add texture to them. To make sure that the Delight® adhered tightly to the background, the surface was coated with polymer medium before laying down the pieces. I love the opera so I am naming this Sweetheart of the Opera.

After painting the piece, dimensional letters were added. What else can you do with this technique besides using it in art? Gift tags, holiday banners, etc.

For other transfer techniques, see www.amazon.com/Image-Transfer-Workshop-Mixed-Media-Techniques/dp/1600611605

Dream in Color!

Darlene Olivia McElroy

darleneoliviamcelroy.com

Making Images on Creative Paperclay®

I love image transfers and have even written a book, Image Transfer Workshop, for Northlight so thought I would do a piece doing a transfer directly on the Creative Paperclay®. It turned out better than I expected.

SUPPLIES
Creative Paperclay®
Toner image
Chartpak Admarker Colorless Blender
Micaceous Iron Oxide paint

I started by gluing a doily on my panel and applying gesso when the glue had dried. Next, I applied a shape of paper clay to the surface that fit my toner image. I rolled out the clay and cut the shape on some waxy paper then laid it on the surface and removing the wax paper.

Next, I laid the toner image facing down on the dry paper clay and applied the blender pen to the back in small areas. I burnished the image then reapplied a second time before moving on to a larger area.

You can do a perfect transfer with a little patience. I prefer a slightly grunge look that I paint back into.

I added a wash of the Micaceous Iron Oxide paint and let dry.

Next it was the small details.

Have fun with this cool product and Dream in Color.

Winter Story

I am feeling cold with all the news stories about the upcoming winter so I took out on old canvas to put down a story of how I feel about winter. Brrr. I am such a summer girl that I cringe just thinking about cold weather.

SUPPLIES

Creative Paperclay® slurry
Waxpaper
Soft gel matte
Wax paper
Toner image
Colored pastel pencils
Gold rub

I start with pouring a paper clay slurry on my canvas then brayering it flat. I put a sheet of wax paper before brayering and leave it on until the slurry is totally dry.

I apply a layer of gel over the dry slurry and let it dry. Because I plan to do a dry gel transfer and will use moisture to remove the paper, it is important that I seal the surface. Next I apply gel to both the face of the image and the surface, lay the image face down and brayer flat. I let this dry overnight. I usually do this at night so I have something fun to do while the coffee is percolating.

I slightly sand the paper, then spritz with water and rub the paper off. The ink will stick to the dry slurry.
After it has dried, you may see some paper ghosting just spritz again and rub it off.

I then add paint, gold rub and some pastel and more soft gel matte to ghost the image more. I wanted that cold, ghosty of feel of a show storm. I finished by patching up a few areas of where the slurry got rubbed off with my enthusiasm.

Tell your story with imagery and paper clay.

Dream in Color and Play Hard.


—Darlene Olivia McElroy

Rosy Creative Paperclay® Bouquet

I love adding Creative Paperclay® and dimensional objects to my paintings to give them texture and depth. Creative Paperclay® was used three different ways. - stamped, embossed and image transfer applied circles.

SUPPLIES
Creative Paperclay®
Chartpak Admarker colorless blender
Toner images of roses
Bottle caps in different sizes






 

I used different size bottle caps to make the circle shapes on the Creative Paperclay® rolled onto my art panel. Once the shape was made, I trimmed off the excess Creative Paperclay®. I then let it dry before sanding.

Showing before and after the circles were made.

I taped an edge of the toner image of a rose and transfered it to the clay disk with the Chartpak Admarker colorless blender. I work in small areas with the blender, burnish it down and repeat until I have covered the complete disk. You can add color glazes and colored pencil after this is done.

Detail of finished roses. Of course, the art was sealed with an isolation coat of polymer medium before finishing it off with a MSA satin spray by Golden. Now it's off to my dealer in California.

Dream in Color and Take Time to Play

— Darlene Olivia McElroy

Image Transfers on Creative Paperclay® Slab

I love transfers, wrote a book on transfers (Image Transfer Workshop) and it is my favorite thing to do so I had to try it on Creative Paperclay®. It works great!!! The texture is porous enough to take the transfer well. Just make sure that the clay is thoroughly dry and fairly flat. The one I did here has rough edges which is my preference but you can spend more time and get a more perfect transfer. Great for shrines, mobiles or ???
You can draw or paint on top of the finished transfer or even sand it back in areas.

Supplies

Black & white or color toner image
(must have good contrast-soft prints won't work well)
Chartpak colorless blender
Creative Paperclay®
Colored pencils (if desired)

 Step 1 - Lay your toner image face down on your flat disk of Creative Paperclay® and apply the Chartpak colorless blender to it liberally. Best to do this process in small areas at a time.

Step 2 - Burnish in all directions, apply the blender & burnish again. Continue steps 1 and 2 until you have done the whole area.

If you burnish only in one direction, the strokes will show. I use the end of my blender pen to burnish as it is already in my hand and ready to go.

Check periodically to see how it is transfering.

Try it and post your projects to the blog. We would love to see them.

Have fun!

Darlene Olivia McElroy
darleneoliviamcelroy.com