Changing Faces, Changing Stories

This is my favorite Creative Paperclay® post while being on the Creative Paperclay® Design Team and I wanted to share it again. To me it is all about paint and texture and I thought the paint match job came out perfect.

As a narrative artist I find that I am always adjusting the stories around me. This clay mask has been hanging around the studio for years. It has been cast, been in videos and I felt it was time for a facelift. Because it was clay, I knew it would take Creative Paperclay® very well.

SUPPLIES

Object
Creative Paperclay®
Acrylic Paint






I started by slightly dampening the surface with water then building up the butterfly shapes with the clay.

Next I added texture with a variety of tools from a wood skewer, ceramic mark making tools and something I do not know the name of. Maybe for cooking (not my specialty). Finished by smoothing the edges with a little water.

Next I applied a wet brown paint, I immediately blotted it for a stained effect. This was just my base color.

Since I wanted it to look like it was part of the original mask I added a wash of titan buff and grey paint. While wet I salted the paint to give it the feel of the mask.

Play with Art, and Dream in Color!

Texture, Texture, Everywhere

It doesn't matter where I am. I am always looking for things I can cast or use for stamps. I make marks of all kinds on squares or tiles of Creative Paperclay®. When they dry, I will try different surface techniques on them.  I found this textured roller at a local flea market. Yes, I drawers full of stamps and texture plates but this is more of an adventure for me.

SUPPLIES

Found Objects
Creative Paperclay®

On a hike I found a volcanic rock with great texture. I love the natural texture it gives to the clay.

I had a bag of gold crumbles that I decided to play with. I tried mixing it in the clay and it disappeared. So the best way is to roll out your clay and sprinkled it on the clay. The final step was to brayer it into the clay. There is so much more to explore with this but that is for a later date.
















I have drawers full of lace. I thought this would turn out differently but I do love the contemporary stamp it made. This is why we are the "mad scientist artist". I push a product to its limits and I make new discoveries all the time.

Mark making is important to me as an artist. These are rough marks made in the clay with an African porcupine quill. I can change the look just by wetting my fingers and smoothing out the marks.

I decided to use my alphabet stamps in no particular order to make a pattern. I was not trying to make words just a design. This is something that I can see using quite a bit.

I decided to raid my coin jar for a circle design in the clay. Fun.

Experiment. Be crazy. Dream in color.

Darlene Olivia McElroy