A powertex workshop

Butterfly brain here has not settled on any projects recently.  Have been trying to teach myself to silver solder jump rings, mistressing this will give my sterling silver jewellery a nice finish and then I might be able to add them as an option to the shop.

Fortunately for me I discovered a Powertex workshop locally, knowing that my friend Jill is interested in this medium we went along.   I've been using this medium for a couple of years now but not had any form of tutorial or workshop experience with it previously.  We had a lot of fun and my ideas of working with this have been expanded.  Jill the tutor was interested in having someone with previous experience at the workshop, like all mixed media artists she in also interested in learning how other people do things.

Had so much fun I'm going back at the beginning of September for their next workshop.  The providers are Purple Meadow Arts and Crafts.

I opted to decorate an MDF seahorse.  I did not realise until we were done that we were using Black Powertex, a new base for me.  It is not different than another colour just black and that was a surprise.   All the fabric and embellishments were provided for us and that also shows different ideas to try.  Next new to me fact, the initial drying of powertex can be done with a heat gun.  Knowing that warmth softens previously set projects it had not occur to me that it would work to help the initial drying process.   That fact alone will make a big difference to my approach in future.   

When everything is touch dry, dry brushing is used to apply colour.  How much or how little you use is entirely personal.  Most people opt for very colourful but I've always just used touches to bring out the pattens and textures of the fabric layers and embellishments.  This means that my seahorse is darker and might seem duller than the others.  My two pictures above show it in a less well lit spot in the living room, cream wall.  And against the pink shower room wall facing the window.  I did debate adding more colour when i got home but decided against it.

Here are the results from the workshop today, 3 of us worked on seahorses, the other 4 encased wine glasses.  Those glasses are another very interesting and tempting idea.

I'm sharing my seahorse with my favourite mixed media/altered art challenges that are Anything Goes or have themes that it fits into.

A Perfect Time to Craft - A monthly Anything Goes Challenge.

Altered Eclectics - A monthly Anything Mixed Media/Altered Art Goes.

Country View Challenges - Monthly with the theme Sun, Sea, and Sand.

Love to Craft - A monthly Anything Goes Challenge

Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenge - A monthly Anything Mixed Media Goes challenge.

Not all my favourite challenges are here, got to keep a challenge or two in reserve for another project or two.  Getting on me bike now!