It's about "Time"

Hello Everyone!

Today I have a mixed media inverted canvas that I would like to share with you all using a selection of Powertex products.

I started off with a 12" x 9" canvas which I decided to invert to ring the changes.  This creates a lovely frame to use as a feature. 

Ivory Powertex was used throughout the project. 

I decided to use a variety of fabrics to create texture and these included cotton sheeting around the framework and as you know this creates some really lovely pleating which is how I created the draping on the corners.  I also used hessian on the background as this added a rustic look.

As you can see I have used lots of plaster moulds to add all the detailed pieces including the frame, face, cogs, screws and flowers.  I also included a few die cuts which included the main clock.

Sand and balls in different sizes added interest and dimension in the right top corner.

Easy structure through a few patterned masks created more interest on the frame.

The theme of the canvas was Time so I chose a phrase that I felt sums it up very well.

A mixture of Scrabble letters, printing from the PC and wooden letters added variety in the way that I added the words.  Glossy accents were then put over the top to protect the letters and also add thickness and gloss.

When it came around to colouring I have been itching to try out the new inks from Powertex and I am loving how they were so easy to apply and how effective and bright. It really made the project pop !

a little Terraviolet Colortrix finished the project off a treat and highlighted specific areas.

I hope that you have enjoyed checking this project out and that it has inspired you to have a go at an inverted canvas.

Bye for now,

Jo :) x

Technology - enabler or thief?

Hello there

Over the summer I got to spend time with some of the younger members of our family and their friends.

It was lovely to get some playtime or so I thought. They all arrived armed with their latest ‘couldn’t be without’ gadgets ps3, ipads, mums iPhone to name but a few.After a fizzy drink and piece of cake they all found their own comfy spot and went on to conquer their own digital universes!!!

I was all ready for crafting, mud pies to beat Mary Berry into submission, rose petal perfume that Dior would die for, French skipping, British bulldog and hopscotch to name but a few.

What would these small people do if this was all taken away, would they find their inner creative and start inventing new games or revisit the ones I played as a child.








So it raised a question in my mind - Technology - is it an enabler or a thief of innocent childhood pastimes? Which in turn inspired this piece of artwork.











Using the beautiful rice papers from Powertex UK - hop onto the website here and have a look at the amazing range that is now available there really is something for everyone.

Along with Ivory Powertex, bisters, lace embellishments and the inner gubbins of an old computer destined to be crushed.


















I worked out my frustration at being cheated out of a game of tig and came to the conclusion that yet again it is all about balance, there is a time and a place for both

Happy creative adventures

Annette

Fi Potter's Powertex Hat

Hi there long time no see!

I took a nice break and enjoyed 2 weeks in Cornwall in September and October just seemed to disappear!  Then November came along with a fabulous Hobby show at the NEC and I had a great time with the Powertex UK team demonstrating all kinds of texy things.

There was a lot of interest in the hat I bought along to alter with Powertex and so as promised here is a quick step by step photo story of how this old felt trilby was transformed into a bit of goth type magic. 

I started with a selection of fabrics and added MDF, Plaster and sand embellishments.

Once it was dry I added a variety of pigments to give it colour and to bring out all the fabulous textures.

It really was a great project to make and I wore it the following weekend at Ministry of Mixology, Coventry and here is the finiished hat.

Products used were all Powertex:

• Black Fabric Hardener
• Powertex UK MDF embellishments
• Powertex 3D Sand balls in small, medium and large
• Easy Varnish
• Powercolor Pigments - Burgundy, Ultramarine and White
• Colortricx - Pearl

Have fun and happy 'Texing

Bye for now

Fi

A fishy tale

Hello Powertex Lovers!,

I would like to share a project that I put together for Tracey and Anna's show on Hochanda.

As you can see I have used the MDF fish that was part of a kit on the show.  It was an excellent canvas to show some of the brilliant effects that Powertex can produce.

Firstly I put the few pieces of the MDF kit together which is simple and explained on the packaging. I went on to paint the MDF in ivory Powertex to give it a base and then in certain places I adhered 3D structure paste where I wanted to add texture and dimension. 

I have been collecting egg shells over the last few weeks thinking that I would want to use them for something in the near future (as we all do with odd bits and pieces I'm sure!) and this project was shouting out for them to be used to give a scale like appearance. I broke the shells up quite small and then embedded them into the paste which held them perfectly. 

I also wanted to include some bits and pieces which would probably be found on the sea bed so I included shells, which I distressed, netting (which had oranges in from Asda!), sand and a little bottle with a message in.

Natural brown, yellow and green Bisters were used to add a base colour and then dry brushing with a variety of power colours.

Oh and don't forget the googly eye to add a bit of fun!

It was a great project to have a play with and you can achieve many other equally eye catching results with this MDF blank canvas.

Thankyou for popping by and hope this project has given you some inspiration for one of yours that you may do. Don't forget to save the egg shells for excellent texture!

Bye for now

Jo :)

A crackalacking time!

Well, what an amazing time we had recently! Powertex Uk Hq was a buzz with a wonderful visit from Brigitte Grade, the creator of Powertex. We had a CRACKALACKING time!! 

Thanks to the organisation of Tracey, Garry and the Powertexuk Team a handful of lucky tutors got to spend the day under the tuition of Brigitte. Learning some marvelous new techniques and having a jolly good time.

The weather was kind to us and we had absolutely beautiful setting in the marquee in the garden and we all came away with works of art to be proud of. 

It was so lovely to catch up with our Powertex family, seeing some old friends and making some new friends. Frankie and Maurice quickly made friends too!

What a magical product Powertex is to bring so many people together!

As you can see from the video and photos much fun was had. We’d love to share the new techniques with you however we are going to be a tease this time and dangle the carrot. Don’t worry we will let you in on  the new products and secret recipes soon we promise!  Stay tuned for more snippets of inspiration!

If you like what you see press follow us on the google button so you don’t miss out or even better give us a share! After all a world without Powertex is like a world without chocolate!! RIGHT? oh and if you have any questions be sure to leave a message at the end of the page and I'll answer it for you 😊 if I'm allowed to of course! 😉

Toodle pip Anna xXx

Mermaid with a Message by Fi Potter

Hi there hope you are having a great summer so far...I have been loving this gorgeous warmth!

My favourite place is the beach, I love beach combing and seeing what's been washed up that can be used in art like bits of wood and sea glass.  But more and more I feel sad that our oceans are being cluttered and devastated by plastic, discarded fishing nets and so much more, and it is damaging marine life.  So I created a Mermaid with a Message for a recent Mannequin's and Mermaids workshop.

I used a polystyrene torso and and wood/metal base from Powertex UK .  I then used some 2mm aluminium wire to create the tail shape and extended up her body.  I secured using masking tape and used cheap tin foil to create the tail shape and then wrapped with masking tape.  I used Powertex Lead  and Stone Art to cover the torso.  I used knitted scrim for the tail on the reverse as this gives the impression of scales.  

I added Powertex to some lace trim and placed around the top of the tail fabric and added small  3D balls to the body and tail for texture and to imply those little balls of plastic that are found in cheap cosmetic scrubs that find their way into the water course and out into out oceans.  I then painted the base with more Powertex and embellished with tissue paper and more 3D balls in varying sizes.  Finally I rubbed Powertex into some net fabric and draped over her, as if she were caught while swimming.  I then left her overnight to dry.

I then used Easy Varnish with Powercolor and Colortricx pigments to add colour, I didn't go too far with this as I wanted to help her to get her message across, plastic and waste are damaging our oceans!

Finally I used some rusty wire to make some barbed wire and added to her body. This will be available in my etsy shop once I've had time to create one!

Hope you like this project and want to have a go yourself.  Post some photos on Powertex Addicts United  if you do we love to see what you create.

Bye for now

Fi xx

Thou shall have a fishy

So this was a really fab project. It's always fun to create something out of the box with products you wouldn't have thought of using before. This was a piece I created for a sample to be shown on Hochanda. I had a nice mix of Powertex UK mdf shapes and embellishments and lace to use. And this is what I came up with...

https://www.powertex.co.uk/home/390-mdf-penny-washers.html

As usual I gave thought to the layout of the piece. This did change as I progressed but it's much nicer to have a dry run before everything gets messy and covered in Powertex.

Top Tip: When you're making your stone art clay make a job lot of moulded embellishments. This saves you more time to play and concentrate on your project when you come to it. I've used the daisy moulds from Powertex UK I just love them!
https://www.powertex.co.uk/moulds/367-fossil-mould.html

Then I took some structure paste and using some of my templates including my Powertex UK arty quote stencil, I randomly stenciled the base. Once dry I had a play with some lace and textured material to give the base some more depth. I love the woven mesh, it has to be my favourite product and you can find some here in this pack:
 https://www.powertex.co.uk/additional-products/238-mixed-media-texture-pack-2.html

Once happy with the layout and composition I coated the whole thing in Ivory Powertex and I totally forgot to take a picture of it. But then sprayed with black bistre. And when I spray my bistre I like to completely saturate the piece.

Top Tip: I added some bling. I would recommend you do this right at the end with some transparent Powertex as when you come to dry brushing you tend to go over the gems and then you have to try and scrape the varnish and pigment off.

I used a damp sponge to take some of the black away and leave whiter areas in places. This look gives a smoother, softer finish than just using straight black powertex. Then it was on to dry brushing with yellow ochre, red ochre, and burdgundy powercolor with varnish and then some gold and pearl colortricx and varnish to add a bit or sparkle.
Enjoy and have fun creating. ❤ Toodle Pip Anna xXx ❤