Altered Silver

FINALLY! At long last, the local library held their annual book sale. I only had about an hour since I had to cram the time in between a bunch of other things, but I made good use of the time I had. I picked up hardback books of various sizes that begged to be altered and others (hardback and paperback) that wanted to donate text and pictures to the cause.

If I'd had more time available, I would have bought even more. Or, if I'd just reached and grabbed, I would've bought more. As it was, I first flipped through each book that caught my eye, with definite ideas about whether it would be a book to alter or one to deconstruct. If I couldn't think of even one "maybe" use for it, I put it back on the table.

Flyers posted around the room announced that hardbacks were $1.00 and paperbacks were $.50. The total of my sale came to a mere $20.50, and I exited with two sacks of happy books both large and small (I'd brought my own paper bags for carrying the goodies.) The condition of the books range from clearly used (children's items and mass-market paperbacks) to excellent (nearly everything else).

I don't think there's any way for an altered artist to lose when attending a library book sale. The enormous stack of books I acquired will absolutely keep me busy for many months to come...maybe even until the 2006 sale!

August already, and I haven't made any entry since July 27. Well, it doesn't mean I haven't been working, in fact I've been quite active with the art (and purchasing additional supplies for it). The days have been very busy, even when the heat rose to nearly 100(F) degrees. I've been painting, folding, pasting, sealing, priming, deviating, experimenting...and trying to remember to take photos all along the way. They'll all show up here at some point.

Cutting Rubber
I also spent a few hours each day for about 4 days applying mounting cushion to rubber, then cutting out the stamps of the rubber. Back in time unmounted stamps would've been laughed at, but today, they're at least half the market. The disadvantage: you can't really use them until you get them mounted first, either to foam or cushion or wood or something, and that means buying extra materials and cutting them out yourself. The advantage: storing and organizing them is as simple as a three-ring binder, plus the unmounted stamps are generally half the price of the mounted versions.

Sentence Clipping
Another interesting activity: I've been going through a book I decided was worth sacrificing (since it's glue-bound and paperback) and snipping out interesting paragraphs, sentences and phrases that seem to stand on their own. I get a kick out of reading these clippings completely out of their original context. (Example:In fact, they're still appearing all over the place. Doesn't that just spark ideas? Who or what has been appearing all over? Are they friendly or threatening?) As I clipped, I put the clippings into a small box to keep them together, but I realized it was going to be very difficult to find any particular one when it came time to use them. I needed to store these somehow in such a way that it would be easy to review them plus easy to pick one out as needed.

I found the solution in a stack of stuff on the corner of my work table. It's one of those "magnetic" photo albums (which aren't any good for keeping photos). It had been sitting there for many years, totally ignored, waiting to be noticed at just the right time. I added the clippings into it and presto, I can see all the clippings at a glance, and picking one out to use simply involves pulling up the plastic oversheet and removing the clip.

Good to know those "magnetic" photo albums are good for something after all.

Awesome, simply awesome. One of my purchases has arrived containing a totally awesome item that I didn't even know existed until a few days ago: clear gesso!

I made my acquaintance with gesso (as a primer, sealer, adhesive and medium) back in the late 60's, and we've been good pals ever since (with a little over a decade apart while I explored digital art). For all that time, gesso was available in one variety: white. During my digital hiatus, gesso spawned a brother: black. That was news, but not all that exciting because gesso has always had the capability of having a base color mixed into it. To be able to buy it in black was a mere convenience.

But clear--! My creative muse simply sings for this development! Imagine applying gesso over something like tissue paper without changing the visual qualities of the paper. Particularly in terms of altered books, imagine applying gesso to a book page and having it strengthen and seal and provide a ground without a visual clue to its presence!

Oh, the ideas that spring up just from contemplating the possibilities of this delightful treat!

While I was busy with all that sealing and priming, I was also busy shopping online for supplies, then waiting for shipments to arrive. I've spent hours and hours Googling for sales and clearance prices on the supplies I want as well as checking around for the best prices on recurring needs like gesso and acrylic medium. Since I'm mainly shopping for bargain rates, I can't simply get everything I want to get - not all at once, anyway. One store might have great prices on sponges and brushes but not much else, so I'd purchase sponges and brushes and not much else.

Hence, the shopping aspect is still in progress, still needing several things to complete my initial shopping list. But I've been pleased with the acquisitions I've made so far (with the notable exception of the ProvoCraft scissors from hell), and I'm enjoying putting my new toys to use.

Most of my altered art acquisition shopping has been with online stores, but the initial excursion was to a brick and mortar store: a nearby crafts chain called Michael's. I took $100 with me that day, but spent only about half of it. There were too many decisions to be made, most for which I wanted more time to consider or more research.

I was encountering frequent "sticker shock" while looking at the price tags of items. Those small decorator punches I had from years ago? They cost about $2@ back then. When I looked over the decorator punches on today's market, I didn't see anything under $7. Plus it seemed you couldn't just spend the $7 and have something to use, the $7 was only for a die; the actual punch to use the die was sold separately (and considerably more than $7). If you wanted larger or smaller punches, there were entirely separate sets for those.

I saw one price marker in the rubber stamp aisle and that was enough to let me know to skip the rubber stamp aisle. (The punches started seeming cheap in comparison.)

So I only picked up things I felt certain about, which included a set of 24 watercolor markers, a set of 8 glitter-glue pens and a length of jute twine that I just wanted for some reason. I spent time more than anything, looking at all the paper craft items, up one aisle and down the next (except the rubber stamp aisle). Two of the items I bought have particular significance.

One of those items was a tremendously useful crafts tote for about $20. It has pockets front and back, one of which holds a plastic box with sorting compartments. Unzip the tote and there are several sections inside with many, many clear-view snap-close pockets in three sizes, and one end of the interior has those elastic loop areas for holding pens, scissors, whatever. It was love at first sight for me; it seemed to be the ideal method for storing whatever specific-for-altered-art stuff I would soon be acquiring.

The other significant purchase was a small (6x6") spiral-bound sketchbook with plain white canvas covers and 20 heavy, white, watercolor paper pages. It was again love at first sight, and I decided right there in the store that this little sketchbook would become my first altered book.

Well technically it can't be "altered" since I'm not diverting it from its original purpose, but it would mark the alteration of myself. This 6x6 would be my canvas of initiation back into the world of physical, dimensional, tactile artwork after having worked solely digitally for over a decade.

Adhesive for altered art can be just about anything from common white glue (PVA) to model airplane glue (plastic cement), but there are two types to definitely avoid: mucilage and rubber cement. Both of those glues will lose cohesion and cause permanent staining wherever they are used for any length of time, even in as briefly as a month. With the mucilage and rubber cement out of the question, that still leaves a vast array of adhesives in liquid, spray, tape, solid and other forms.

For collage, the best adhesive dries completely clear.
For book art, the best adhesive contains no oils, sugars or solvents and very little water.
For any artwork, the best adhesive is going to continue doing its job for at least half a century without ruining the art.

My choice is liquid acrylic matte medium for almost everything. Additionally, when desired, I'll use liquid acrylic gloss medium or Mod Podqe gloss decoupage medium. I'll use glue sticks for positioning certain things on lower layers that will be more securely anchored as the project progresses. Gesso or modeling paste can be used as an adhesive for dimensional objects. And in the spirit of mixed media collage, I'll probably also use Scotch tape, masking tape, linen tape, duct tape, staples, clips, wires, elastic, fusing mesh, twine, brads, eyelets...whatever will hold things together to the best effect.

As I jumped into this altered art phase, my fresh 36-ounce jar of matte medium was consumed in just over two weeks. I'd never used that much medium in such a short timespan before. My next container of medium is a gallon.

Naturally I had scissors already. Good Fiskars. They cut a straight line reliably every time. But what if you don't want to cut a straight line? There's a bunch of cool alternatives on the market these days, lots of fancy deco scissors, short for "decorative"; they don't cut a straight line. They cut scallops or ripples or squiggles. Cool stuff with a lot of potential. So I wanted to get some fancy scissors. And I did, I used them on my first project, and they injured me.

No, I didn't cut myself, but I had balked at the prices of $5-$11 for each pair of deco scissors, knowing I wanted to get several of the fancy cutting designs. So I shopped around and found the cheapest scissors. The brand is ProvoCraft, and I found them for $.99@. What a deal, huh? I bought nine of them to start, assuming I'd buy more of them later. I put them to use immediately, for cutting 160 short (1.5" - 3") snips, giving 40 paper rectangles a kind of fancy edge border. I expected this task to be fun, but it became painful and more harmful than I realized at the time.

First off, they performed miserably. The initial bit of a snip would cut properly, then the remainder would simply be chewed by the blades, requiring the use of those trusty Fiskars to cut the chewed parts properly. In my research, I'd taken note of tips from deco scissors users; they advise cutting into aluminum foil to help sharpen the blades and cutting into wax paper if the blades don't work smoothly enough. So I took the advice and cut through aluminum foil and wax paper, several snips and snips and snips. Back to the paper (which was only a single layer of 20#), it was still disastrous. This "simple" plan to cut a pretty little border on these bits of paper turned into a massive and aggravating chore.

Additionally, the handles of these fancy scissors are extremely thin, apparently to help keep the cost of production lower. Yeah, you get what you pay for. Because the handles are so thin and the scissors required so much exertion on my part to get them to come close to doing their job, I ended up pinching a nerve in the lower base of my thumb which deprived my thumb-tip of sensation. I didn't realize the extent of the damage until after the task was as good as I could make it. By then, I was already making plans to replace these ProvoCraft pieces of junk with a set of Armada or even Fiskars.

Feeling slowly returned to my thumb, but it took four days before the thumb felt vaguely "normal" again and even now, over a week later, the healing isn't fully complete. Don't waste your money (or risk your hand) to the ProvoCraft "Paper Shapers"/edgers deco scissors.

Sure I had paper at home already, but most of it is white and some is even covered with blue lines. Plus I had a few newspapers and magazines. There is potential in all of these (view Aisling's pages), but it depends on what direction you want to take in the artwork. I enjoy color, and although I had colored paper on hand already, all of it was of the solid tone variety in 20# stock. (That's like the paper used for flyers or newsletters, and none of it is archival quality.) I yearned for some variety.

One definite desire was for a hefty supply of tissue paper. That's the colorful stuff used often in crafts for making large paper flowers or decorating piñatas. It is excellent for collage work as it comes in a vast range of colors or designs and is translucent when glued.

Another desire was for some fancier papers, like rice papers, lace, handmade, something with variations of color tones and perhaps texture. Because these papers are heavier than tissue paper (anywhere from 16# to 80#), I knew I didn't need a large amount, but I did want a nice variety to work with. And I can happily tell you the answer to my need was found in collections called "Paper by the Pound" and "Sensational Scraps"; they are assortment collections of smaller sheets. Perfect for what I wanted.

Searching around the studio, I discovered I still had a rip collection of objects, pictures, words, colors and textures torn from magazines which I had collected many years previously. They were still here, in a hanging-folder bucket-style heavy plastic file with a handle on top. I appreciated the excellent storage system chosen by my earlier self, and I was surprised to find the file much fuller than I remembered it. This was a wonderful prepared set of materials to have on hand.

One caution I'd offer to anyone brand-new to collage or altered work these days: when looking for paper, avoid the scrapbooking section of crafts stores. There is a myriad of enticing paper designs offered for use in scrapbooking: colors, designs and textures that are very attractive and appealing. BUT:
- Scrapbooking paper doesn't really have a texture (with the exception of some machine-embossed designs or corrugated board). Any perceived texture is only part of the appearance, a trompe l'oeil. The paper itself is completely smooth, like a hot press surface.
- The design or texture of scrapbooking paper is printed on the paper which is single-sided. The backside is plain white, or printed with the maker's logo/info. (And in the case of pastel colored paper, that logo/info can be seen through the paper.)
- Scrapbooking paper typically comes in 6x6", 8.5x11" and 12x12" sheets. Yes, those dimensions are mere inches. Each single sheet is extravagently priced at an average of $.85 (USD)!
- Scrapbooking paper is uniformly heavyweight (excepting vellum and a few rare specialty papers). The most lighweight sheet I've seen was about 25#; most of them weigh in at 65# or 70#.

So, save your money and get your paper from a legitimate art supplies dealer. Your $.85 will go a lot further, and you'll have more cash remaining for other items.

What supplies does a person need to work in collage? Only a few common items; it couldn't be a simpler artform:

Paper
Scissors
Adhesive

That's it, that's all one needs, which can be found in just about every home, and some very impressive collage work can be made with them such as what Aisling has on display.

So why the need for shopping? Well, once you've established the essential needs, it can get a little complicated after that, depending on what you're planning to do. My initial list looked like this:
books: Of course I had plenty of books around, but they were for reading or reference. The books I needed would become my new canvases to work on, so I needed some books in good condition that no one cared about as books anymore.
handmade paper: I love paper, the appearance, the texture, the feel, the aroma. It would be a pleasure to shop for.
tissue paper: Tissue paper comes in a vast range of colors and even patterns. It's a translucent paper with enormous potential for many effects.
glue sticks: Glue sticks are only for temporary convenience while planning a composition. On the plus side, they have very little water content (the less water added to a book, the better). On the minus side, whatever you stick together with them will not remain stuck for more than a couple years.
fancy scissors: Decorative edge shapers can be found all over these days. All I had was pinking shears, so I thought it would be fun to have a fancy set.
paper punches: Many years ago, I picked up three of these to punch tiny little hearts, stars and butterflies. During subsequent years, the market and production has grown immensely. These days, one can get tabletop or handheld die-cut punches in almost any shape and size. I remember them as having been kind of fun, so I added these to my list to check into.
templates/stencils: I already have a large selection of templates, mostly alphabets, but templates are just plain fun and can be versatile as well. I added them to my list because, heck, you never know when you might come across something especially interesting.
markers: Nothing fancy here, just in need of a good set of basic watercolor markers because they dry out when sitting on a shelf for a decade.
sponges: For special effects with paint and faux finishing.
acrylic medium: A mainstay. This is my adhesive of choice for collage, and it also makes a nice finish with paint, too.
gesso: My gesso supply was too old to use. Gesso is an acrylic primer that accomplishes two tasks; it strengthens the canvas (in this case, book pages) and also seals it. By using gesso as a base, I'll have more leeway in applying fluids to my pages. Gesso can also act as an adhesive, and by building it up in layers (letting it dry between each one), it can be used similarly to modeling paste. It's a very versatile tool.
brushes: I wanted some basic bristle brushes plus a bunch of those cheap foam brushes.
brayer: This is a smooth, hard roller on a handle. Excellent for pushing inks or paints across a surface, it would also come in handy for compressing glued pages and removing air pockets and reducing curl.
rubber stamps: Because they can be used in ways that nothing else can replicate, and also because they're fun. Mostly, I was interested in alphabets.
stamping ink: As long as it dries permanent (waterproof), I'm not particular whether it's dye-based or pigment-based. The transparency of dye-based ink can be useful in layered effects.
wax paper: To prevent freshly-glued pages from sticking together, and to help keep paint or glue away from places where I don't want it.
sequins or something: You know, something. Some special whatever something that can easily be added to book pages. Usually classified as embellishments, this can include sequins, glitter, eyelets, brads, string, dimensional charms, yarn, ribbon, thread, wire, paperclips -- pretty much anything that doesn't weigh too much, has minimal bulk and could fit into a book. I didn't have anything specific in mind as I added this to my list, but it was there to remind me to keep an eye open for something interesting of this category.

And so, I went shopping. I also began being observant for stuff around the house that might look like trash but was actually treasure, things like the plastic mesh that arrived beneath a delivered pizza. That mesh can be useful for creating an interesting background texture, or pieces of the mesh could be snipped and adhered to a page at some point. Therefore, I began a stage of collection: some collecting had a price and some didn't.