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Saturday, January 23, 2010

Blueprint: More CitraSolv Backgrounds

I have been busy making more backgrounds from the CitraSolv technique that I mentioned in my last post. I think I love this latest batch even more than the first one! I want to use some of these in my art journals as backgrounds and also experiment with painting and adding to them on canvas, fabric, etc.

What I love to do first is scan my favorite ones into Photoshop to have a "clean" version always available. Then I can have fun digitally painting a canvas. The digital piece above started out with this CitraSolv background:

The photo doesn't do it justice. The colors are gorgeous and it just looks full of texture. I think this is my favorite one so far. I added a lot of layers, images, brushes, etc. to get to the finished digital piece but I like the idea of always having this one in my archive.

Here are a few of my other favorites from this latest batch:

And there's usually a surprise or two that surfaces as I'm working through the process. While I was "painting" the pages with the CitraSolv every once in a while I'd come across a page of pure text. I usually would leave that page alone since there was no color to blend and I would just saturate the opposite page in the spread. In this instance shown below, I thought the colors around the man would blend really well and make a pretty background. I was working pretty quickly and didn't saturate the page very much. Much to my delight when I went to remove the pages, this happened:


The photo of the man transferred to the text page! How cool is that?! Evidently I left enough of an air pocket when I closed the magazine for the image to mirror itself onto the opposing page. And the fact that one eye was left with a blank circle...this all happened by chance! What are the odds of having that inkblot cover just his one eye so perfectly? I couldn't have planned it better if I'd thought of it myself.

That's what is so fun about this technique. There are so many little things you discover as you go along. I will definitely be using this guy (embellished) in more of my art.

And speaking of surprises, after I posted my last entry I heard from the folks at CitraSolv. What a wonderful group of people they are! They were so kind in commenting on my post and I was excited to learn about their website where they post the artist's results using their product.

Check out all of the info they have posted about different ways to use CitraSolv in your art. But the biggest surprise of all was this that arrived in the mail a few days later. Notice that they included a few National Geographic magazines, as well:

Thanks again to Melissa and the gang at CitraSolv. I will definitely put these products to good use! Now I don't even mind doing a little cleaning here and there... ;)

12 comments:

Jackie said...

Omg! How exciting and thoughtful of the citrasolve people. I have to try that technique. I love your pages and I have to say the transfer of the man on the text is my FAV.I love your digital pieces ,your going to have to teach me how to do that!!

Anonymous said...

Great technique! Can't wait to try it and the people at Citra Solv sound amazing!

-Amanda

Unknown said...

Awesome blog and great description of your process with Citrasolve. I teach a Collage Mixed Media class and have known about this process for a while- yet I had no idea there was a " movement" out here of collagists experimenting and blogging about it! Very cool, cannot wait to share with my students.
I love the box-o-goodies you received from the Citrasolve company.
Thanks for sharing.
Karen Arp-Sandel
www.karenarpsandel.com

Anonymous said...

This sounds fascinating! Am I correct in thinking you made your CitraSolv paper - put it in the printer and then printed a photo or such, on top. In addition, you scanned the CitraSolv paper into your computer to reuse ?? Did you have to use any type of spray adhesive when done?
great stuff!

Pam Tucker said...

Hi! No, I didn't run the CitraSolv through the printer. I made the backgrounds, scanned those into the computer and then created this piece digitally in Photoshop. I used the scanned copy as my background and added all the other images in Photoshop. I can now print out this piece onto fabric, paper, or whatever I choose.

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to try. Bought the CitraSolv. Have you ever tried anything other than National Geographic? Love this website. Thanks for sharing.

Pam Tucker said...

Hi! I have tried it on some fashion magazines but no luck. I think it has to do with ink that National Geographic uses; specific to them. But I DID have a bit of luck (not as vibrant) with pages from Elle fashion mag. I had to leave the CitraSolv on for about 30 minutes or more. Best results with National Geographic, though, by far. Thanks for your comment!

Terri Smith said...

Goodness Gracious Alive! What a glorious treat to have found you this morning! I'll spend the remainder of my day on the hunt for this product. Already telephoned my local health-food store..no luck there. I live in rural Bonaire, Georgia, so no real surprise there. Most likely will have to order this.

But my point: Pam, you gave so freely the information that could assist so many others in their pursuit of art. May you be blessed again and again.

My name is Terri Smith, I'm a visual artist. I work primarily with Oils but want to try this technique to see where it leads. Everything crossing our paths are there for a reason. And I sincerely thank you for crossing mine!

Julaine said...

What a delight to see what you've done with the Citra Solv. Melissa sent me a box of samples for me to try. What a nice company...

Elizabeth Golden said...

I just did a little thing on my blog about two months ago on this. I have been usig this technique on and off for about three years. I also scan and then use the sheets I have citra solved, I also use the original for various things. I love your Warhol one. How nice that citra solv sent you that neic little package of their product. Thanks for sharing.

Marrianna said...

I found your blog when I did a Google search yesterday. Right now, I have pages drying. It's very dry in Flagstaff, AZ, but it's also cold right now. I see a few interesting things in the drying papers and have a better idea of the types of Nat'l. Geo. mags to look for at Goodwill in the future. Thank you for your generosity in sharing the technique. I'll make sure and put a link to your blog when I finally get the little suckers dry and scanned and maybe even a piece of art. Marrianna in Flagstaff, AZ

pchickki said...

I guess I am behind the times. I just learned about Citra Solv Art and I love it! What you have done here is amazing!