Just Gelling

My poor finger tips are rubbed completely raw and I probably don’t have any finger prints left! The Gel Medium Transfer worked fine on the steel after a couple of test prints but the

rubbing became a bit tedious. I tried to use some overhead transparency film onto the Gel Medium as in the video but the image didn’t transfer at all. Maybe my film was old? It even rinsed clean! I did like the effect of one of my powerline images on the film though…that can be another project in the near future. There are several methods you can use in transferring images. For the Gel Medium Transfer process I did, I painted a thick coat of Golden’s Gel Medium onto the steel and placed a fresh, full color laser print image down

onto the gel. the images I used were both digital images I have taken myself of Ravens and Nature as well as a few Royalty-free images I have on CD's. I usually digitally enhance the images in Photoshop to bump up the saturation and sharpen the overall photo for better contrast. Next, I Burnished the paper smooth to remove any air bubbles, making sure that the laser image was in full contact with the gel and steel substraight. After about 2-3 hours of drying time, I moistened the paper and began to rub the paper off of the now “acrylic” image. I also needed to apply a clear coat of spray enamel to further enhance the images. To give the wall sculptures a more artful look, I hammered words onto pieces of copper and cold riveted the copper to the steel. I used a set of leather punch alphabet tools and my anvil to hammer the words. Overall I like the effect but want to experiment further with the idea of transferring a clearer, graphic image onto steel. And I have not given up on finding a straight

pass through ink jet printer. There were a couple of used units on Amazon but I’m leary of buying any used computer equipment let alone over the internet. We’ll see, I still have a whole roll of aluminum flashing just waiting for that art making project!

Transfer Fits and Starts

How is it when faced with a deadline my head becomes filled with additional ideas and projects?! I can shoot off in a completely different creative direction at any given moment when faced with a deadline –and still force myself to make the deadline! My advertising agency days not only taught me the art and discipline of billing in 15 minute increments but creative multi-tasking must have been seared into my brain as well. At this point in my career I admit it wears me out. Or to be honest, when I shoot off in another direction, with all of the effort I exert I expect success with every endeavor. I realize that’s not very realistic or conducive to the art of making art.

Where things took a left was when I became inspired after watching a

YouTube video on “Recycling a Beverage Can to a Digital Print.” (I know, being on the computer can be such a time-waste-vortex!) My mind raced with ideas of imagesI wanted to transfer onto the steel bases with welded “branches” as borders. I was going to cold rivet the aluminum panels onto the steel bases –even using funky, cool copper rivets with little brass and aluminum washers as added details. On his visit to the hardware store, Daddy-O was even kind enough to buy me a big role of aluminum flashing to feed into my as yet un-purchased printer! I’ve mentioned before I am constantly intrigued with learning how to use various transfer methods on EVERY type of sub-straight material. My original idea was to use the Lesley Riley TAP Sheets I purchased a few months ago, and had been saving, onto the steel but it didn’t work so hot. I ate up 3 of the package’s 5 sheets trying for a smooth and even image. I’m not sure if the paper is too old or what, but I was really disappointed. I even visited the office supply store yesterday to buy a "straight pass through" ink jet printer as

shown in the video (this would be my 4^th new and different type of printer) that could be fed the thicker media like the aluminum but I can’t find one in town with the straight pass through feed feature that’s under $1,000. I’m back to probably using a Gel Medium Transfer with color laser prints (thankfully, I already have a really nice HP color laser printer). I’ll need to go to the art supply store today and buy more Gel Transfer Medium -but at least I know the transfers work on steel because I’ve used this process before. I just really wanted to try this ink jet application on aluminum –darn-it!

My First Friday Show opens at Katie Sevigny’s Gallery, Friday, June 3^rd. THIS FRIDAY –how can it be June already, where did May go?! For the last few weeks I have been working on several pieces that I’m really pleased with, including wall sculptures that I’m finally using my clay “Pods” in. I will also have a couple of masks using hand built clay combined with plasma cut and welded steel and copper.