Thursday, June 23, 2011

A new to me technique

This is a very long post, so I hope some of you find it useful.


Before I begin, I wanted to show a bit of unexpected serendipity. I laid a couple of wet fabric scraps on top of some dry paper towels I used to sop up the excess dye ink I used last week. You can see, the paper towels bled onto the fabric. The darker areas are rust, the lighter ones are from the paper towels, which lost some of their color, especially on the left.


On Monday, I showed a sneak peek of some white scrapbook pages I made using dye inks. After seeing how the dye ink dyed the sheet I laid the paper on, I said I had an idea for a really cool project. Actually, I have two projects I want to work on. Here are the supplies for both minus


the distress inks I forgot to include in the first photo. I have to crop these photos because I also have another project I'm working on sitting on my desk that I don't want seen. In the back, with Wendy lounging over it, is a pan that I'm going to put the shaving cream in, then add distress ink to. I've never used distress ink for shaving cream papers before, so I hoped this would turn out well. This is NOT the same pan I used the first time. This time I used a lot more shaving cream, filling it nearly full. I should have used a thinner pan.

For those of you who have never made shaving cream papers, I have a tutorial, but it is hard to follow because I was never able to get the images lined up properly with the instructions. So, I will re-post the tutorial below, because the other one is extremely old. If you know how to make shaving cream papers, please scroll down to the last four images of this post for the "new to me" technique.


From left: Cookie sheet, pick, knitting needle, reinkers (distress reinkers were not used in this tutorial), shaving cream (not gel), various papers, photos. Not shown: credit card


Shake shaving cream, then squirt it onto your cookie sheet or baking pan. Be sure the pan is larger than the paper you will be using.


Spread shaving cream with a credit card.


Continue spreading until the shaving cream covers an area larger than your largest sheet of paper.


Make sure the shaving cream is relatively level.


Place a few drops of one reinker color randomly on the shaving cream.


Add a second color, and a third if you wish.


Don't use more than three colors at a time or your shaving cream will get muddy.


Drag your favorite tool (I used the hair pick), through the shaving cream and reinkers. Don't press too deeply, just skim the surface.


Continue doing this until you have a pattern you are happy with.


Lay a sheet of paper over the shaving cream and GENTLY press into the mixture.


Carefully lift the paper from the shaving cream. Most instructions tell you to scrape the excess shaving cream away from the page, but I'm going to offer an alternative suggestion.


As an alternative, gently lay another sheet of paper on top of the first sheet.


Press the top paper gently into the bottom sheet, being careful to not rotate or move the bottom paper.


You now have a mirror image bonus page.

At some point you're going to have to add more ink to the shaving cream. This is the time to change colors if you wish. You will not have to add any more shaving cream, especially if you used as much as I did for this latest batch.

Clean up is easy: just use warm water to remove any excess shaving cream, then follow with soap and hot water.

I like how my studio smelled so clean and fresh after I finished the paper. The shaving cream has a definite appealing scent, unless you are allergic to, or affected by, any scent. I also like how soft and pliable the paper is when finished. Since the shaving cream has very little liquid and no water, the pages don't curl or warp like they do with many other background techniques.



These are some of the papers from this very first batch, including some made from brown craft paper.

So what is the technique that is "new to me?"

First, I only used blue and red distress reinkers. Now I know all you TH fans know the names of the ink, but it is something like brick red and blue jean blue or some such. However, the papers are NOT a surprise.


It's the fabric I dyed (using that sheet I tried to color mist last week) using the same shaving cream mixture. Follow all the steps as above to get a similar look, with the following exception. At first I thought I would have to tear strips that were quiltlet size,


then realized fabric is not the same as paper. Unlike paper, it can be folded. So, I tore some fabric that can be used for visual journal covers.


And although I preferred the other one (see photo above this one) because it didn't have as much color misted colors on it, this is the one that was in focal view of my camera.

So now I can add another way to dye fabric. I'm really enjoying dyeing fabric. The appeal is in finding ways anyone can dye fabric, rather than having to invest in lots of chemicals, steamers, and dye bath times. You will be able to find this on my tutorials page, so you can find it easily when you decide to use this technique for dyeing fabric.

15 thoughtful remarks:

Darla said...

Wow! Great way to dye fabric. I have avoided the whole dye business because I felt it was too involved for the little I might do. This looks like something I will try.

Darla

Healing Woman said...

I never would have thought of using shaving cream in art! You have blown me away again Elizabeth. Holy cow! Also, like the serendipity of the bonus dyed scraps that were placed over the wet, ink soaked paper towels. You had extras of everything this time. I will come back to this tutorial again. Thanks so much for sharing.

voodoo vixen said...

You manage to find the most interesting ways to produce fabulous looking stuff!! Can't wait to see what these all turn into!!

Terri Kahrs said...

Whoo Hoo! Your tutorial is fabulous, Elizabeth! I love how you got a 'bonus mirror image' page - waste not/want not!!! And I'd have never thought of using fabrics. Awesome!!!! Hugs, Terri xoxo

Dianne said...

a very productive day! lovely papers and fabric.
the results were amazing. the shaving cream technique is not one that I've seen before...

Curtains in my Tree said...

love that process and going to try it

I wrote a long comment and it went away

anyway will try it this fall when I do my inside projects

now travel & flea markets & mow the yard

elle said...

This is fantastic, Elizabeth. Definitely do-able. Thanks, I'm going to convince dhubby to shave his beard!

Sue said...

Hi ya hun
wow what a brill tutorial, luv the shaving foam paper, neat idea, as for ya commenting when blogger did that to me i changed to firefox, then again i am now on google chrome, you may have tried doing that already, dont have any other helpful ideas!! sue,xx

Gez Butterworth said...

Fabulous technique Elizabeth. Especially seeing how well the fabric samples turned out. I've tried shaving foam and alcohol inks before but not distress inks.. will definately give this a try. I would love to have a go at making a fabric journal..it's taking that first step into the unknown. Thank you for the gentle nudge.
Hope you are having a fabulous week. I have missed calling..off for a catch up. I just know you gorgeous artwork will inspire me to create. Best wishes to you and Bleubeard. Glad I brought my cuppa ;-)

Esther said...

The Shaving foam technique is one of many on my list to try...but I keep forgetting to buy the foam...Other Half uses gel which is no good so can't even pinch that !! This has inspired me to try really really hard to remember to get some..I love the effects...oh and thanks for your E-mail, you say such lovely things...Esther xx

Halle said...

I love the smell of the shaving cream papers. :)
Nice to see you are getting creative again. Me too! A little bit at least.

Priti Lisa said...

Thanks Elizabeth. How do I not know about all of this magic? I am even kinda inspired to shave my legs...kinda☺
xox

Unknown said...

Your tutorials are so thorough .... I have tried the shaving cream technique, years ago, and only remember it being messy and somehow wasteful .... But your suggestion to use paper for the mirror image and not just scrape it all off to start over again is brilliant :)

Karen said...

ooo I have tried this before and it really does work a treat doesn't it? Sort of marbling without the water hahaha! xxx

Dianne said...

Your papers are beautiful!