Quick collage: rummage through your art box to create these one-of-a-kind gifts

Expression, Nov-Dec, 2005 by Sarah Hodsdon

What could be easier? A project that only takes a few hours, and a chance to use all the staples in your studio--paper scraps, inks, dyes and ephemera. It's a great way to justify those bags o' trinkets bursting at the seams, that tangled ball of fibers, and those over-whelming piles of scraps filling your boxes. See, you knew they would come in handy someday! Make it even better by giving these great collages as holiday gifts to your lucky friends and family. You can tailor each one to the recipient by choosing themes and colors that match their style.

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INSTRUCTIONS

Take care to use appropriate safety procedures when using strong adhesives (like E6000 or dry pigment powders) in closed spaces without proper ventilation. Hence all the fine print on the packaging. Mica powders can be bad for those with breathing problems and should really be used while wearing a mask.

Preparing The Paperclay Piece Purchase fresh Paperclay from your neighborhood craft store--look at the expiration date--you want fresh stuff. Note: I prefer to use White Paperclay and color it myself by adding tempera paints, dyes, or dry pigment powders. 1. Using a rolling pin, roll out the clay on wax paper to about an 1/8 to a 1/4 of an inch. If you are going to add color to your clay, now is the time. Remember, this is a dimensional piece and the thinner the layers, the easier it will be to fold and create dimension without fissures. 2. Using your favorite stamps, textured material, wood blocks, or whatever else will leave an imprint without residue in your clay, push the image into your prepared product. Option: You can ink the stamp before stamping into the Paperclay for more definition. 3. Once you have your piece the way you'd like it, let it air dry. If you'd like to speed up the drying process, you can pop it into the oven at 200-250 F on a cookie sheet for about one to two hours depending on the thickness. Remember to turn it over after the top is dry to complete the drying on the back. Note: No matter how impatient you are (I know, I am the queen of impatient-people), don't crank up the oven to speed things along. You will crack your piece and risk the danger of it burning. Trust me on this one.

Making The Background While your piece is in the oven, raid your scrap pile and handmade-paper drawer for bits and pieces of collage materials. Nothing is off limits--fibers, metal, beads, wire, hardware, tackle-box trinkets and trash. The sky is the limit! Place the mat that came with the frame on top of a piece of cardboard. Trace the opening to determine your image area. Attach assorted papers, fibers etc., with glue to the image area and create your background.

Finishing The Paperclay Piece 1. Time to color your completely cooled piece. I used latex and acrylic paints coupled with Perfect Pearls mixed in a spray bottle with water, Twinkling H2O's, various pigment inks rubbed on with my fingers, metal rub-ons, and a variety of faux-finish techniques. 2. Make sure your piece is sealed to prevent moisture from coming in later and destroying your handiwork. The acrylic paints do a good job sealing the piece. 3. After the piece is colored to your satisfaction, you may paint on Duo Embellishing Adhesive here and there for effect and add the gold leafing when it's dried. 4. Add any other embellishments such as, beads, trinkets, fibers, etc. 5. Attach the finished piece onto your background and frame. Let cure for a day or two. Wrap, give and go shop for more stuff!

RELATED ARTICLE: THE LOWDOWN ON PAPERCLAY

It's The Humidity Paperclay HATES moisture. If left in high humidity after the piece is completed, it can mold. Always seal your piece with a varnish or protective sealer (matte or glossy).

Kid-Friendly This is a perfect technique for new parents who want to get their baby's handprint. Unlike some of the harder compounds, which require you to exert great pressure on your baby's hand to get a good print, Paperclay is soft and very easy to use. And, it's non-toxic. You can easily let your young ones help and create a very special gift for their loved one.

Coloring Your World Never color your Paperclay on a porous countertop. Tempera paint and dry pigments can wreck your surfaces. The same goes for your hands. Unless you like having blue and green hands for a few days--wear gloves.

Rock & Rolling Rolling on wax paper protects your surfaces and will prevent the clay from sticking and tearing. You can also easily transfer images onto Paperclay by rolling onto newspaper or ink-jet-copied pictures (make sure the inks are wet enough).

RELATED ARTICLE: MATERIALS

CREATIVE PAPERCLAY

(I used white.)

ROLLING PIN

WAX PAPER

VARIOUS INKS, PAINTS, DYES, OR PIGMENT POWDERS TO COLOR PAPERCLAY BEFORE DRYING

RUBBER STAMPS OR TEXTURED MATERIAL

VARIOUS INKS AND PAINTS TO EMBELLISH PAPERCLAY AFTER DRYING

(I used latex and acrylic paints, Perfect Pearls, Twinkling H20's, various pigment inks & metallic rub-ons.)

VARIOUS PAPER SCRAPS, BEADS, FIBERS, METAL, WIRE & TRINKETS