Experiment, experiment, experiment!

‘Don’t stick to the same painting techniques — the time comes to take risks’

Shirley Trevena

Well, Michael has certainly taken this advice seriously. Members were amazed and enthralled with the techniques he demonstrated.

Dendritic technique

He used plexi glass rather than traditional glass for this technique. He recommended Soden Plastics in Leicester; 477 Welford Road, Knighton, Leicester LE2 6BL.

1. A paper template was placed under the plexi glass, this acted as a painting guide. 
2. Acrylic paint (buttery consistency) was painted over the plexi glass.
3. A second piece of plexi glass was gently placed over the paint (avoid sliding about).
4. Slide a knife between the two sheets and carefully lift it off.
5. Lay paper over the paint (little heavier than writing paper) with your fingers gently smooth the paper down. Do not slide or smudge the paint.

One off prints

1. Create a see through door by sticking cellophane to mount board with a larger aperture than you want for your finished print.
2. Place your paper template underneath the cellophane, this is your paint guide.
3. Use masking tape on one side of the paper you wish to print on, stick it on your board so that it can form a hinge.
4. Apply acrylic paint to the cellophane keeping within the template guidelines.
5. Tear random shapes of paper and lay over the acrylic paint.
6. Put the print paper over the paint and paper shapes, and draw onto it with the pointed end of the paint brush.
7. Lift the paper up and look at your image, you can add more to it by rearranging the paper or tearing different shapes, place the paper back and redraw.

Prints using oil blocks

1. Put the template under the plexi glass as this is a guide to where you put the oil.
2. Put masking tape on the plexi glass around the guide area, so you get a clean edge
3. Use a knife to remove the skin off the oil bar, and rub over the plexi glass within the masking tape (NB you can use many different colours).
4. Tape down on one side of the print paper, so you can form a hinge and check your work.
5. Once you have laid your paper down, you can use many different mark makers to create your image (String block, wheels on children's toys,fork).
6. Keep the print in line by opening the paper like a door, check the work and make your improvements.

Wire wool

1. Use coarse wire wool and dap it into acrylic paint (don’t pick up too much paint).
2. Dab the wire wool on the mount board.
3. Pick up another colour and repeat number 2 to build up your picture.
4. You can draw and or paint into the textures you have created.

Acrylic ink

1. Drip, drop and or draw acrylic ink onto white or black mount board.
2. Spray water around the borders of the mount board.
3. Angle spray the water across the acrylic ink, and allow the paint to flow.
4. Gum arabic can be added to the ink to make it granulate.
5. Iridescent and or crackle fluid can also be added to create different effects.
6. It works best if you let the ink settle naturally rather than moving it.
7. Allow a couple of days for the ink to dry out.

Michael makes up words to give his work titles as he doesn’t want to influence the viewer thoughts. Ambiguity is where art begins. Art relies upon a form of elusiveness, the title could leave no room for a viewers own interpretation.

Shirley Trevena’s also strongly believes in experimentation. She says anything  can be used to put paint onto paper for example, bamboo, rollers, twigs. She believes you have to take risks to almost destroy a painting to make it exciting and vibrant (the alternative is painting by numbers).

So there you have it, be like Picasso.

‘I begin with an idea and then it becomes something else’.