Polymer Painting Experiment with Alcohol Inks

16 x 20 Finished Painting
 Anyone who knows me knows I love to experiment with materials and color.  When the Prescott Art Market sent out the invitation to artists for the quarterly 'Changing of the Colors', I knew it was time to experiment with polymer clay in a new (for me) format.  Rules: a set size (16" x 20") canvas, all sides were to be painted black, and a set color scheme.  These will be hung June 2 and voted on.  Someone will get a prize so if you are in the Prescott area after June 2, please have a look and vote!

A good friend of mine makes beautiful colorful quilts and I've watched her make the 9 patch pattern.   With a little guidance about quilt patterns from her, I decided to make a '9 patch' painting using alcohol inks, a straw, acrylic paint, wood and polymer clay.

5 1/2" square of white polymer with a coating of liquid polymer
White polymer needed to be the base for the alcohol inks so their bright colors stayed bright.  A thin coat of liquid polymer over the white base to make the alcohol inks flow and a straw to blow the ink in the direction I wanted it to flow and I was ready!

Alcohol inks in trays with blending solution
The alcohol inks went in trays with blending solution.  The inks dry pretty fast so I really had to be prepared.   Blowing into the straw to guide the flow of the inks took some practice in knowing how hard to blow and what angle to hold the straw.  Also the fumes can be a little disturbing.  It would be better to wear a mask but then how do I blow?

It's so much fun to watch the inks flow into each other and spread to form the designs.

3 of the patterns I used in the painting
 I made 6 different small paintings (5 1/2" square) 5 of which would become the 'fabric patterns' of my quilt.  One always needs some selections.  After they were made and dried I embellished with ink, gold foil, chalk and silkscreen.




The 5 1/2" plain colored squares were made and textured  and the next step is to form the border.
I made several strips of polymer stripes.  My high school math teacher would be proud! 

Border strips
 All the pieces were cured (baked in the convention oven I use only for polymer).  Heavy books were stacked on them while still warm to ensure the pieces would lay flat. 
To separate the main large squares from the border pieces of 1/4" wood were painted and fitted together.  Carefully gluing all the pieces starting from the center, trimming where necessary and the piece is finished.  I'd say it was a successful piece with lots of learning involved!


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Location: Prescott, AZ, USA

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