More Tips For Creating Collage With Mediums

Posted by admin on February 23, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Since I started creating collages I have asked a few friends for advise, and came up with my own solutions. Typically almost everyone will use a Matte Medium of some kind to do their collage work, but I have discovered that it is not as clear as most gloss mediums. Matte medium works a little like plain white glue, when it dries it is slightly opaque while gloss medium dries like glass, transparent.

I am finding there are pros and cons to both. Gloss medium has seemed to punch up color when it is applied as a varnish, and when you plan to add a final gloss coat using it to apply the collage is an excellent idea, it will avoid the clouding caused by matte medium. Gloss is nowhere near as forgiving as matte, it requires a lot more massaging to prevent the paper from puckering or wrinkling. Excessive massage of the paper is dangerous for tears as the medium dries. The idea is to squeeze out as much medium from under the paper as possible.

Matte medium is much more forgiving for application of paper. When you lay down the paper and massage out the excess it is not necessary to be as thorough, the matte medium will flatten wrinkles that are mild as it dries. Being a perfectionist I must remove as much as humanly possible when applying paper, wrinkled collage makes me insane.

The above image shows the pieces after their final gloss coat, the blue piece was done with gloss and the magenta with matte. There are still small wrinkles in the blue piece that you cannot see unless inspecting it closely, but they are in fact there. On the matte piece, the wrinkles disappeared as the medium dried and shrank.

At this point, I am using diff technique for gloss and matte when applying a collage piece. Either way, I have found that you should let the piece cure a MINIMUM of 24 hours before applying the collage, 72 hours would be better especially when using matte medium and wiping away the excess with a wet cloth.

Matte:

1. Apply a liberal amount of Matte medium to the area where the collage is to be applied (spread even with #6 brush)
2. Apply a liberal amount to the back of paper to be applied (spread even with a #6 brush)
3. Position the bottom of the paper while holding the top off of your piece.
4. Squirt some matte medium on top of the paper while holding it up, for lubrication.
5. Using the same #6 brush, start at the bottom and brush hard from side to side as you lay the paper down a little at a time.
6. When the paper is all the way flat, use a damp cloth to wipe away the excess around it (not touching the paper)
7. At this point I rub out the excess medium from under the paper with my fingers
8. Wipe off excess again
9. Using same brush, make a few light passes over the paper to make sure the medium brush strokes go in the same direction as the paint.

Gloss:

1. Apply a liberal amount of Gloss medium to the area where the collage is to be applied (spread even with two inch wash brush)
2. Apply a liberal amount to the back of paper to be applied (spread even with a two inch wash brush)
3. Position the bottom of the paper while holding the top off of your piece.
4. Squirt some gloss medium on top of the paper while holding it up, for lubrication.
5. Using a #6 brush, start at the bottom and brush hard from side to side as you lay the paper down a little at a time.
6. When the paper is all the way flat, use your fingers to squeeze out any excess
7. Use two inch wash brush to spread the gloss evenly across the paper and painting
8. Use fingers to remove excess again if necessary
9. Using same brush, make a few light passes over the paper to make sure the medium brush strokes go in the same direction as the paint.

Remember to work AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, both mediums dry very fast, the gloss faster than the matte, even though it appears to be opposite to the eyes. Gloss medium will require more work to keep the paper flat, working fast is key.

At this point the mediums we speak of are “Liquitex Matte Medium”, and “Liquitex Gloss Medium And Varnish”

Filed under Other Artwork · Tagged with acrylic, Acrylic on canvas, art, education, Fine art, gloss medium, james pickett photography, liquitex, matte medium, origional artwork, pop art, Visual Arts

There are posters of my work for sale.

Posted by admin on February 22, 2010 · Leave a Comment

My dear friend Kim who owns Visual Winds Studio, one of the best fine art printers in New York, has started a new business, Ink As Art. Ink As Art is a website designed to sell photo and art posters inexpensively. Being a customer of Visual Winds and a friend Kim has asked for some work to have on the site. You can view my gallery and purchase posters on my Ink As Art Page.

Filed under Random · Tagged with ink as art, james pickett photography, posters, visual winds studio

Making It To The Olympics As A Photographer…

Posted by admin on February 9, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Making it to the olympics as a photographer is more difficult than making it as an athlete. Photographing the winter Olympics has always been one of my professional goals from the first time I ever picked up a camera. This professional “dream” as it has become is an extremely difficult thing to accomplish. As A skier the task of achieving olympic attendance is easier (if you have the talent.) than attending the olympics as a photographer. Before anyone takes an angry defensive approach to my previous statement, I will explain. Winter athletes have a clear cut set of rules they must follow to qualify, as well as competitions and tryouts they can attend, the path is clear cut. Athletes have to follow rules, go to tryouts, qualify for standard competitions in which they KNOW olympic team scouts will be in attendance they simply have to work their ass off, have the right character, and be of extraordinary talent. The road to the olympics for an athlete is paved with hard work, determination, and obstacles. This worldwide contest is one of men and women, not politicians and as a human being I hold it in the highest regard, and respect its purity. There is no victory more pure than those accomplished at the olympic level.

As a photographer desiring olympic greatness there are no clear cut competitions, there are no qualifying shoots and there is no “talented enough”. Some of the worlds best shooters will be working the olympic events, but there are some that just don’t belong there. The sad truth about photography is that the business is almost entirely who you know, and has nothing to do with how good you are. Audi USA has done an amazing job at illustrating what it takes to achieve olympic greatness as an athlete with their film “Truth In Motion”, A documentary about the US Ski Team’s journey to Vancouver.

On the off chance that anyone is looking to hire a photographer for Vancouver on very short notice, clearly I am available. (And will donate half of my earning to a deforestation charity.) As it stands there are no films about my lifelong struggle to be a legend in our industry, and I doubt there ever will be. Most of us do not sacrifice our lives and our selves the way I have, and no one will likely notice how close my struggle has been, to the struggle of every olympian that has ever lived. It has been a tragic story of lost love, emotional and psychological battles, determination and perseverance. One day I will achieve what I desire, I just wish it was now, as the struggle has taken its toll on me. Hopefully I will be at the next worldwide winer games, even though it would be nice to attend on my own continent.

My heart and wishes of luck go out to all olympians, especially the US ski and snowboard teams.

Filed under Diary · Tagged with Audi USA, james pickett photography, US Ski team, vancouver

Fashion Institute, Going back to school.

Posted by admin on January 31, 2010 · Leave a Comment

There are many people that believe I have no need for a further college education, personally, I cannot learn enough. My intention is not to learn photography, but to perfect my craft, make some new friends, network a little, and earn a degree. Photography may be a profession that you can enter based on talent alone and be successful, but if I am going to teach at a college level in 15 years I have to complete a degree. One of the two professors that interviewed me and reviewed my portfolio said I should just be downtown working, then left the interview to ask the assistant chair to the dept. if I could skip the first two years. (I did not prompt this action in any way.) Turns out it doesn’t matter how good you are, you must complete all four years.

Not to worry if you are a client or a potential client, with the knowledge base I already have, most of my work at FIT will be time I would be shooting for myself anyway, now someone will just be judging the work and adding a GPA to it. I am looking forward to the experience, I should have done it a decade ago.

Filed under news · Tagged with fashion instute of technology, FIT, New york city