STUDIO TIP #2

Make Creative Use of Your Paint Palettes!  If you have ever taken a workshop with me you know that I am a bit obsessed with not wasting art supplies. This includes extending the use of my acrylic paints.  Artist grade paints like GOLDEN, which is the brand that I use, cost a bit more so I like to get as much bang for my buck as possible.  Additionally, we are fortunate here in the US to have easy access to an abundance of quality art supplies.  There are many parts of the world where quality materials are not so readily accessible or affordable.  Therefore, I try not to take them for granted.  And, the less stuff that goes into landfills the better IMO.

After a few painting sessions paint palettes usually look pretty great.  Here’s an easy and creative way to use your paint palette after it has a few layers of paint on it.  You are going to make a paint skin out of it that can be used as collage material for use in other art work!  To do this, I use paper palettes from the art supply store, the waxy side of freezer paper, or large plastic baggies as palettes for painting.  What’s great is that not only can you use those gorgeous palettes that are created during the painting process, but you can also reuse your palette paper.

@Christine Sauer, polymer mediums for coating paint palette

@Christine Sauer, polymer mediums for coating paint palette

©Christine Sauer, brushing medium on paint palette

©Christine Sauer, brushing medium on paint palette

            

Pictured above is a recent palette after a few painting sessions with several layers of acrylic paint on it.  My preference is to use a palette with a variety of colors.  If you have a palette that is monochromatic that will also work.  You can always brush on extra color if desired.  To make the palette a bit thicker and easier to peel off of the backing without tearing, brush on a coat or two of polymer medium.  Here I’ve combined gloss and matte for a satin finish.  Let dry completely.

©Christine Sauer, peeled paint palette skin

©Christine Sauer, peeled paint palette skin

Once the coated palette is dry, take a pair of scissors or a utility knife and carefully cut through the skin on one of the corners just enough so you can grab the skin and start pealing it up.  Go slowly to so that you get a large piece without tearing it.  You’ll notice that the reverse side will have a uniform surface and may also have interesting color and brushstroke combinations that are usable.  It’s a twofer!

©Christine Sauer, pear shaped paint skin

©Christine Sauer, pear shaped paint skin

Pictured above, I cut the paint palette skin into a pear shape with scissors.   Adhere the skin to your painting surface by applying a liberal coating of Soft Gel Matte or Gloss to the back of the skin.  It may take a couple of hours to dry completely depending on temperature and humidity.  "Network II", pictured below, is a painting where I used a paint skin on the right-hand section as part of the overall design.  Paint skins can be used in a myriad of ways so give them a try!

*** Store them flat and individually between sheets of wax paper, parchment or sheet protectors.  I keep them in shallow drawers so as not to stack too many on top of each other.  Handle them carefully as they will stick to each other and are hard to separate without tearing.

©Christine Sauer “Network II”  8x8” , acrylic and paper on canvas

©Christine Sauer “Network II”  8x8” , acrylic and paper on canvas

STUDIO TIP #1

Increase Productivity with Storage Bins   As an artist it's important to keep the work process flowing. Putting strategies in place to stay organized is key to maximizing your studio time and to reducing wasted time and frustration.  If you have to spend a lot of time organizing your supplies before starting a painting or any artwork, it’s an obstacle to productivity.  If you are a beginner, or a veteran artist, you know how easy it is for your studio/work area to devolve into chaos.  The chaos is fun and enhances creativity during the work process but the aftermath and clean-up, not so much!  

Paints are organized by type such as all High Flow Acrylics together and by warm and cool color family together. This makes it easy to find what I'm looking for without a lot of digging.

Paints are organized by type such as all High Flow Acrylics together and by warm and cool color family together. This makes it easy to find what I'm looking for without a lot of digging.

I like to start a studio session with some kind of order and to be able to clean up and put things away quickly.  Having spent many years as an art educator in schools, I got in the habit of using storage bins and drawer units of all kinds and sizes, from shoebox size to the giant 30 gallon, for almost everything.  They are affordable, easy to clean, and they are easily purchased in dollar stores or other big box chains.  Bins are also flexible to use since they can be moved around easily, fitting into nooks and crannies.

Collage materials are organized by type such as painted papers, printed papers, etc.  These drawers are convenient because they can be pulled out and taken to wherever you are working.

Collage materials are organized by type such as painted papers, printed papers, etc.  These drawers are convenient because they can be pulled out and taken to wherever you are working.

My favorites are clear plastic so that I can see what’s inside.  I tend to forget what’s in my stash if I can’t see it.  I also use a label maker. Snap top lids are great too particularly to keep out pets and dust and to make stacking easier thereby increasing your vertical storage.   I try to keep a consistent look to the bins as well, such as all lids the same color or mostly from the same brand. This cuts down on the visual clutter which can be overwhelming in a studio crammed with supplies.   And if you move, everything is organized and ready to go!