Autumn Colours: Tyvek Leaves

I don’t know if you are one of those folk rubbing your hands together in glee at the thought of Autumn? I tend to reluctantly face the fading of summer as I love long days and sunlight. However, I do love some aspects of Autumn, log fires and the changing colours of the leaves to name a couple.

So in crafting, it is autumn leaves I turn to for inspiration at this time of year.

In July I shared how I use painted Tyvek sheets for the sky in textile art landscapes, but once painted there is so much more you can do with Tyvek! Amazing things happen when you apply heat.

(You can apply heat using an iron, craft heat gun or a soldering iron.
Take care not to breathe in the vapours, working in a very well ventilated area and wearing a respirator if doing more than a small piece. At my workshops we are able to use the conservatory for the heating part, working by the open French Door).

The first step is to paint the Tyvek paper sheets. Water-based paint acrylic paint is fixed when completely dry whereas watercolour will dissolve in water. Don’t dry on paper which will leech the colour from the sheet, I painted one side a reddy brown and then waited for that to dry before turning over and painting with a mixture of green acrylic paints. But if you’d like some Autumn sparkle, before each side dries, Spray on a little water and then sprinkle on a little Brusho SprinkleIT. I used gold and copper. The great thing about using Tyvek for this project is that the paint does not go through so each side can be different.

Look at the lovely effect, you get on Tyvek when it’s dry:

You can either draw on a leaf freehand or if you, like me, are not so confident in your drawing skills, draw around leaves. Mark on some veins too.

I then sewed the main stem and centre vein using satin stitch over paper-covered wire. Variegated thread looks good. Because each side of the Tyvek was a different colour, I used different variegated threads in the needle and bobbin.

Sew the veins with a straight stitch or free machine embroidery.

Sewing on clusters of beads with invisible thread adds more sparkle! There is a pack that has some gold and pinky colours in that work well.

I painted the exposed paper covered wire and then sprayed the leaves with gold Brusho Shimmer spray for even more Autumn glow.

Now to apply heat. This will distress the Tyvek, causing it to bubble, curl, and produce holes. The leaves will become firmer, and look more realistic. The trick is to not distress it too far so you are left with no leaf.

Protect your iron and ironing board with baking parchment, placing the leaf between two pieces.

Use a dry iron but don’t press! Hover the iron over the sandwiched leaf. Note my hand position for how I find it easiest to do this. Keep checking how the leaf is applying short bursts of heat until you are happy.

I added a few extra holes with a craft soldering iron. I made a pad to do this on with newspaper with foil on top.

Here it is held up to the light.

I then curled the wire stems around each other to create my Autumnal table decoration. I think it looks great on a mirror tile as you get the reflection of the underside.

I couldn’t resist taking it outside to the garden to see how realistic it looked. What do you think?

Happy autumn, Helen x

Winter dandelion seed heads by Rebecca Yoxall

Happy New Year!

Hope this post finds you well.  Did you get any new art materials to play with? 

Some of my students have confessed recently they have received great quality paper and new paints but are too afraid to use it in case they spoil it. Well let this year be the year that you feel free to use the best materials you can when you create. Enjoy the beautiful paper and play with the best paints/inks/brusho that you can afford. Don't keep things for 'best' or some point in the future when you think you'll be able to paint better. 

So for my blog this month I have picked a wonderful rough cotton watercolour paper, Colourcraft acrylic inks, Brusho and SprinkleIT to produce my winter dandelion seed head painting.

I drew out my design with a soft charcoal line

I then applied a wax stick all round the edges of each dandelion and for the stalks

The wax will smudge the charcoal and give a nice soft effect as well as preserve the white of the paper surface.

The wax will prevent the layers of ink from seeping into the dandelion shapes

I picked up the turquoise acrylic ink and brushed it onto the left hand side of the paper.

Whilst the ink was still wet I sprinkled in the Ultramarine Brusho and Black Brusho.

The colours blended into the ink a little so I helped them along with a dab of water on a brush

I continued this process around the whole background

I allowed areas to drip and move by tipping the paper at different angles. 

For the centres of the dandelions I applied some water and sprinkled the Dark Brown Brusho

Onto the wet centre I spinkled the wonderful SprinkleIT iridescent gold powder.

The half seed head was finished off with a bit of dark brown Brusho as well as some individual little seed stalks that I painted in with white acrylic paint.

The little seed stalks also enhance the other dandelions as well as a few floating away in the breeze which adds a whimsical feel to the piece.

The stalks were painted with more white acrylic and the lovely rich copper acrylic ink by Colourcraft.

I few white paint splatters and voila. 

Let us know what you think and if you have a go at creating your own wintery dandelion seed heads remember to treat yourself to the best materials you can afford and ENJOY!

Bec

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Golden haired nylon brushes

15g brusho

Wax resist sticks

Xmas Notebook

Hi Everyone,

Sarah here with you today on the blog with an altered notebook, perfect for keeping you on track on the run up to Christmas.

Lots of lovely Colourcraft products used on my project today, including SprinkleIT, Soft Form Relief Paste, Brusho, Acrylic Paints, and Acrylic Spray mist.

Step 1

Take a plain kraft covered notebook, wooden star and letters

Step 2

glue down the letters onto the wooden star and paint with colourcraft white acrylic paint.

Step 3

Take a stencil of your choice and apply to the front cover of the book using soft form relief paste and a pallete knife, then dry with a heat tool.

Step 4

Apply a layer of Colourcraft white gesso to the outside cover of the book, and wooden star and dry with a heat tool

Step 5

Take a water bottle and spray the front cover of the book and tap on some moss green brusho and dry, then some shimmering gold spray mist and gold sprinkleIT and add until you get the look you desire..

Step 6

Fix the wooden star to the front of the book and you are done and ready to use your new Christmas notebook

Thanks for popping round today.. and wishing you all a very merry Christmas, and I shall see you here on the blog with another project before the end of the year.

Sarah x

Soft Form Relief Paste	Colourcraft BRUSHO Crystal Watercolors	Brusho Shimmer Sprays	Clear Spray Bottle	white gesso
Golden haired nylon brushes