Not so Heavy Metal

I don’t always use foil in artmaking but it’s worth exploring. This isn’t the same foil used in the kitchen, this is made for arting.

Hello Hello!
Welcome back.
I’ve just returned from a “Trash to Treasure” sale at our local Senior Center. If you know me, you can guess what I was looking for.

I could not be more grateful!! This is Liz in the hat and her daughter wearing that fantastic embroidered top. They were so generous that even after I bought all that yarn, they kept giving me MORE! Liz had an amazing array of yarns but is downsizing and I may even go by her place and buy more in the coming weeks before she relocates.

One of the yarns from Liz included this super soft skein from NEW ZEALAND. Look at the label, have you ever heard of POSSUM yarn!??!!

my haul! $15 total. The ladies had so much more yarn but I stopped here. Feeling so lucky!!

I have been excited to work on the butterfly series and to use some of my copper and aluminum foil in these works. It’s not hard at all if you are using the right supplies and aren’t going to get all uptight about perfection. Cutting the foil can be a little challenging because it’s metal-ish. Cutting curves can get tricky.

Amaco makes these and also (next picture). Because theyre for embossing, they are very malleable-soft and the needle will pierce thru to create the stitch, but this material also can rip somewhat easily.

If you want your metal look to not get so wrinkly or malleable, you should look into just these plain sheets. Thicker than kitchen foil.

There’s different foils to order. You can buy it in sheets or in rolls. There’s different metallic colors- copper, steel, aluminum, pewter, brass etcetera.
Blicks art supplies & Amazon have Amaco Artemboss metal sheets. These are soft and meant for embossing designs on and they usually come with a wood stylus to emboss on the soft metal sheets. These are easy enough to cut but again cutting curves is tricky so be sure to have sharp scissors, small blade scissors are best but I didn’t have mine nearby when I took the photos here.

I am setting up to cut a butterfly out of the aluminum. I am taping a scrap to a piece of Foamboard.

Here is the butterfly silhouette that I taped over the foil. There’s a wood stylus I could use to trace the shape of the butterfly onto the foil.

I just wanted a clear outline but couldnt find my metal stylus but found a ball point pen which worked out fine.

Now to unattach the paper to see the butterfly shape but keep that butterfly taped o to the foamboard.

Creating a design on the foil is easy using a stylus (or a pointy inkless pen)

To attach the metal, you may sew it in or like the butterflies, attach it with a simple stitch. This foil works with the Dritz European Darners, which you know I love for the large eye, long shaft and super sharp piercing point.

I added only the slimmest line of glue to the “spine” of the butterfly to put it into place. The stitch is added when the glue has dried. Again, not lots of glue – if it spreads it will dry and be yucky- only the slightest is needed to keep the Butterfly steady.

My current Lady/Goddess/ not sure is coming along. I decided I wanted that cool looking dark silver grey made by Katia yarns but alas, again not in any of my go-to yarn shops so I had to do a search and found it on sale over on eBay.
The great news is the seller is in California so it only took a few days to arrive. I accidentally ordered sheets of holographic vinyl. It arrived and was very cool looking. More like mylar tape once I realized that these were actually adhesive sheets, instead of thicker vinyl. I’m still adding it to the canvas and it’s going to be super shiny. You’ll see!!

Once I thought of this yarn for her hair, I had to have it. Thank Goddess for Annette Shirley! Could not find it anywhere for such a nice price ($8.!)

So I wasn’t careful and thought I ordered something else. These are meant for cri cut machines but I am using them for my artwork. See the patches that will be on the new canvas.

Dirty hands not okay for stitching but just fine for playing in the backyard with my crystals.

My other work in progress is the crystals in the trees in my yard. Did I mention that I’ve begun to install more crystals on previously unadorned trees. Waiting on the delivery of lots of glass and crystal baubles and beads. It’s going to be amazing!!!
Have a happy weekend!! Next week is the ‘Get The Guide” party at 111 Minna Gallery and I will have a review of that and who knows what in my next blog.
Cheers,
Irene

Not so Heavy Metal

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