Happy New Year, 2017!

 Happy New Year!!!

In my Facebook group -

Zentangle All Around -

we are starting a year long adventure!

You should come on over and join us.

One of the features I'm adding to the blog

this year that we will incorporate into

the 2017 extravaganza is

Art on a Shoestring!

Art 101.

Art on a Budget!

Also known as Walmart school supplies!

 On Facebook, and here on the internet,

I am often called the Queen of Color.

And I have to admit I love it!

Bright, vivid, lovely color!

Can you get that on a budget, you ask.

Yes! You can!

In the top photo you see a simple pan watercolor set that came 

from the school supply aisle at Walmart. 

I paid $1.29 for it a long time ago.

It's one of my favorite.

Gather that, 

a watercolor/mixed media journal - or similar paper, 

some water, and a big brush.

Start by slopping a bunch of water all over

that paper.

I usually put splash guards (computer paper)

under the edges so the color doesn't get

on the rest of my journal.

 Once your page is wet, load some color onto your paint brush. 

Then just drag the color - swish it back and forth - through the water.

 If you have enough water on the page

you will notice the color start to move.

Movement is good.

 Then start dropping in some other colors.

Load that brush with water and have fun!

 I know there are lots of studies on the

color wheel and which colors go with each other.

I don't worry myself about any of that.

I know what colors I like and those are

the ones I use. 

 Add as many colors as you want.

I usually go with anywhere from 3-5.

Or so.

Depending on the size of my paper.

 Keep adding water as you need to.

If your paper gets too dry

just mop some more water onto it.

Or spray some with a spritz bottle.

At some point you may get too much

water in one place.

 Did I mention I keep a 45 gallon trashcan

and a 12 pack of paper towels in my

studio at all times?

And I usually fill that trashcan up each week.

Hahahaha!

When you have too much water you can

dab or blot it with a paper towel

or

you can even roll the paper towels right across

the top of the whole page.

 That's going to pick up a lot of the color.

 So you add water and layer more color on.

Layer.

Layer.

Layer. 

There's going to be a test later

Hahahaha!

 Keep adding back the colors you were using before.

Seem wasteful?

Not really.

As you add the color back, it will pick up

some of the color that was left behind

and you start to get beautiful combinations

that you didn't have the first time.

 I didn't even use yellow the first time

but it just seemed right at this point.

 And any time you keep adding water

you are going to get a puddle.

There are other ways to handle that puddle

but for the sake of this post,

dab it up with a paper towel.

 I just dabbed.

I didn't roll.

So most of the color is still showing.

 You can use a heat gun

(or a hair dryer - budget tip!)

to dry your page.

You could let it air dry

but I am just that impatient.

 Voila!

You have a beautiful background 

to tangle on,

or to use as a base for an art journal page.

And it was affordable.

*** Notice I made this page directly

in my art journal. ***

 Sometimes it is more fun to work on 

individual sheets of mixed media paper.

I like to keep a stash of them to use

for collage, or to tangle on - they travel well,

to make journals out of (we will do that later.)

And while I'm thinking about it -

never throw your scraps away.

Get a ziplock bag or envelope and stash those

beauties away for later.

This particular watercolor set runs about

$3.99 at Walmart.

And I added in a spritz bottle of water.

An old plant mister

or an empty and washed out hairspray bottle

will work just as well.

 This little page is going to be a tip-in

page for my art journal.

(That will be another post.)

Cover it with water.

 Load your brush with your favorite color . . .

 . . . and drizzle it across your page.

 Start adding more color.

For this page I went with larger sections

of color to start with.

 My paper was getting too dry

so I just dropped more water onto the page

with the brush.

No fancy technique here.

 I didn't used to use yellow

but I noticed it brightens up any page.

 We will work more on this in 2017,

but

here when I added too much water

I tipped the page and let the color run.

Love it!

 And I didn't blot up the color this time.

I used the heat gun to push the color

and to dry it.

Well, that was fun.

But wait.

There's another side to this paper

and I still have water in my cup.

Hahahahaha!

There you have it! What I did on the reverse side. A second background of beautiful color, interesting texture, cost effective, and super  easy to make. And since I will use it as a tip-in I will be able to use both sides of the paper.
Added after post was made: I was asked on Facebook what kind of pen works on top of these watercolor papers. Any pen you use to tangle with will work. I have never had a problem with microns, Pitt pens, Sharpie Fine Liner, copic multiliner, Staedtler fineliner -  I've pretty much tried them all. AND before you tangle,  feel the surface of the watercolor. If it feels rough or gritty or dusty - buff it with a paper towel before you draw.
Art on a Shoestring is where it's at in 2017. Check it out in Zentangle All Around on Facebook. Knock on our door and I'll let you in.