Friday, February 22, 2013

Getting Creative with Grafix Films



Lucky for me, I was recently asked by Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine to participate in an artist's challenge sponsored by Grafix Creative Plastic Films. Even luckier for me, Grafix sent me a package of some really cool products for free! Included in the package: Rub-onz Transfer Film, Ink Jet Transparent Plastic Sheets, Shrink Film, and Dura-Lar Matte Film.


When I opened up all the products, I wasn't sure how I would use these lovely, smooth sheets in my typically texture-filled creations. To be honest, I was a bit nervous. So, like any good crafty one, I just started playing around with everything. I quickly learned that I could use ink, pencil, paint, scissors, and my ink jet printer on these films and that 3 of the 4 could be sewn with my sewing machine. As I worked with the films, I became inspired by their shiny, smooth, layered, and transparent qualities.

For a few months, I've been toying with the idea of making a handbag out of stitched paper. I decided to make one, using these films as both my inspiration and as embellishments for the piece.

I started making my fabric by stitching dictionary pages together, coating them in gesso, and painting them with a thin layer of acrylic paint.


I lined the paper fabric with bright green tissue paper and matte gel medium.



Next, I used Illustrator to create a series of pink and orange feathers (scanned from one of my hand-carved stamps).



Using my ink jet printer, I printed a sheet of these feathers onto the Rub-onz Transfer Film. I cut them out and rubbed them onto my paper fabric in a random pattern. I will warn you...  you will need to read the directions for this film. Being a break-it-first-then-read-the-directions kind of person, I wasted some of my free samples. But let's not talk about it here...



To seal my fabric before sewing, I coated both the front and the back with a generous coat of pouring medium. This gave the whole piece a shiny, plastic-like appearance. Next, I printed a few sheets of the feather design onto the Transparent Plastic Sheets and used them as embellishments for the paper fabric and a fabric tie. These were super easy to use. They printed well, were easy to cut, and stitched beautifully in my sewing machine.



After stiching all the embellishment feathers to the paper fabric, I folded and stitched to create a flap closure and two pockets for my handbag. 


I really had to hold my breathe as I stitched. I wasn't sure if my sweet machine could manage all the layers of paint, paper, matte medium, pouring medium. To my surprise, she made it (yes, my machine is a lady!)



I'm not sure where I will use this little number. I like to imagine showing off my tan in a cute little sundress and carrying it out to a nice dinner, beachfront somewhere. But, that would mean working on a few things... a tan and getting to a beach. Both actually sound pretty fabulous right now!


Challenges are, well, challenging. I know I've got a good one when I feel a little bit nervous and frustrated. These feelings are good because they force me to move out of my comfort zone and work in new ways. In the end, I am always grateful for the growth, even if I am not sure about the end result. 

How do you keep challenges affect you creatively?

16 comments:

  1. Wow! Jenny, the purse is so cool! Your creativity amazes me.

    I'm working on a group themed artwork that is turning out to be a chore/challenge. Hopefully, after I'm done, I will have figured out what I have learned....

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  2. Thanks Mia! Sometimes those chores turn out to be the best challenges! good luck!

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  3. Art challenges me every day! I get together with my BFF a couple of times a month and generally teach techniques neither of us have ever done. This week was our first go at encaustic and wow! Do we have a lot to learn but we know we'll do it again! We're in our 60's so you're never too old for new tricks! We laugh a LOT!!

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    1. Good for you with the encaustic! That is on my secret I-want-to-try list, but ... I am afraid I will burn my house down! I need to have a challenge buddy. There are so many things I want to try too!

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  4. I bet they didn't see that coming! I love how your handbag turned out. So unique and cool looking. And yes, it would be perfect for the beach and a tan, but also to add a punch to a little black dress outfit.

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    1. Loulou, I am confident you would have the perfect outfit including shoes and vintage jewelry to pull this off!

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  5. Pouring Medium?? What is that ---? VERY cool project

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    1. It is a fabulous Liquitex product that you can literally pour onto canvas, paper, wood, etc. to create a glossy sheen - almost like you have put a layer of shiny clear plastic on top. There are all kinds of other things you can do with it, but I have not explored those techniques yet. Here's a link:
      http://www.liquitex.com/pouringmedium/

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  6. Came out great Jenny. I love the juxtaposition of that bright green inside and the white with pink and orange out...It would be good for the summer and an evening out.....What a creative way to use the plastic film....in it's various forms. xox

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  7. fantastic! can't wait to see what you do with the rest, no pressure of course. Have faith. Art is weird that way - pressure to 'perform', yet people spend hours watching/playing/practising sport and still might not 'achieve' anything, they just enjoy it. We are our own worst judges... i'm always having 'training' sessions....

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    1. Thanks Tara. You are so right with the sports comparison! I like the idea of comparing our work to "training" sessions. We do indeed have to practice. Who said every act would be genius? And how boring would that be?!

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  8. what a fun purse Jenny!! I can't wait for a tan and the beach either :) I love how creative you got with new product. For me, sometimes a "new to me" project will create fear and doubt, but once I just delve into it, it's usually just fine. Had to chuckle about your sewing machine-mine's a very old Sears one which I have no fear of ruining because I SO want one that I can learn free motion stitching with-something I can't do with my current one :)

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  9. Thanks Linda. I too would LOVE to have a free motion machine! Mine is just a basic back and forth, but she's been so good to me... I hate to complain. Sometimes I am thankful that she can't do more. I think it forces me to be more creative.

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  10. Hi Jenny - I found you through the comments on the Possibilitarian blog post on KRR. This is an awesome project! I love that you used your hand carved stamps in it. Those transfers look fun. Looking forward to seeing some of your other projects. - Tricia

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    1. Thanks Tricia! I'm so glad you stopped by... now I am headed over to check out Daringhue!

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