Street Sweeping

Next time you take a walk, look down and see what you can find. Over time, the story goes, one man collected enough money to take his wife on a second honeymoon. An old friend of ours is a fanatical collector of rusty objects and bottle caps that she makes into exquisite objects of art. Call me crazy, but I find rust as alluring as gold leaf. In fact, I tend to rust many of the things I find on my walks, like buttons, bottles and keys. Create a whole art piece, use your objects as embellishments or turn them into jewelry.

TECHNIQUE ONE: Glue It

Use the appropriate glue for small rusty objects. For larger elements, a two-part epoxy is best.

Step 1

Spread a layer of glue on your surface.

Step 2

While the glue is wet, lay your objects on your surface and press gently to bond. Allow the glue to dry completely.

FLIGHT

Darlene McElroy

TECHNIQUE TWO: Embed It

You can use mortar, molding paste, pumice gel or ceramic stucco as your glue. These mediums can all be tinted with acrylic paint.

Step 1

Apply mortar, molding paste, pumice gel or ceramic stucco to the surface.

Step 2

Embed your objects into the adhesive while it is still wet. Let the adhesive dry, and then continue to paint or embellish as desired.

TECHNIQUE THREE: Sew It In

Imagine a rusty but delicate piece of art hanging in your window. The shadows and colors would change during the day. If the piece is hung outside, it will rust even more due to exposure to the elements.

Step 1

Sew rusty objects in pockets between two layers of light all-natural fabric.

Step 2

Lay on a sheet of plastic and spritz with water or vinegar. Add salt to speed the rusting process.

For more information on the rusting technique mentioned in step 2 visit createmixedmedia.com/mixed-media-revolution.