Transparently Collaged
Oh, for a pair of rose-colored glasses to make the world appear more saturated. A subtle hint of color, the glimpse of an image or a slight shift in hue: These little things can make your piece of art sing. Our gift to you is your own pair of rose-colored glasses.
TECHNIQUE ONE: Ghost It
Step 1
Spray a ghost transparency (an inkjet transparency that you’ve already used as a transfer) with a workable fixative.
Step 2
Add a glaze to a piece of Plexiglas.
Step 3
Adhere your transparency to the Plexiglas with either gel or adhesive spray or film.
Step 4
Seal the transparency by brushing a layer of gel over the top of it.
Step 5
Add another transfer to the back side of the Plexi. Here I used a waterslide decal.
Step 6
Brush over the surface of this transfer to remove any bubbles.
Step 7
To add metallic leaf to the back of the piece, first spray the piece with adhesive.
Step 8
Lay the leaf over the fixative and press to adhere.
Step 9
Peel the backing paper off the leaf.
Step 10
Notice the difference between the right side and the left side (which is not leafed).
Step 11
For added texture, stamp some paint on the front of the piece. You can stamp paint on the back of the piece but you have to do it before the leaf is added.
SHADOWS
Sandra Duran Wilson
For a full photographic step-by-step demonstration on making and using waterslide decals visit createmixedmedia.com/mixed-media-revolution.
More Ideas
• You could substitute any number of transfer techniques in this project. The paper transparency transfer featured in Image Transfer Workshop would be a particularly good alternative.
• For covering over the transparencies, we used gloss gel. If you use gloss gel, lightly sand the Plexi first to ensure better adhesion.
• If you’d like your image to appear even more ghostly or diffused, be sure to use matte gel instead of a gloss gel.
• Be sure to save those little bits and pieces and edges left over from making a waterslide decal. You can use them for mini transfers. Writing and doodling on these small pieces is also a great way to use them up.
TECHNIQUE TWO: Seal It Up
Take two pieces of mica and put feathers, dried grasses or other found texture between them. You can use aluminum ventilation tape to seal the edges, or you can solder the edges with copper tape, solder and a soldering iron. Add jump rings if you want to hang the finished piece.
FOOTLOOSE IN FRANCE
Sandra Duran Wilson