A Pretty Talent Blog

Tuesday, 23 April 2019

Product Test - Clear Gesso Trial Sample: Test 4 - Decoupage

One of the things I sometimes do in my journaling, is to decoupage, especially with serviettes. I wondered if I would be able to do this with the two sample products I had been given to test. Both were rather sticky in the drying phase and I suspected I might be able to do so. I put this theory to the test in today's blog. If this worked, it would open new worlds in terms of craft painting and art, for I sometimes use a combination of decoupage and paint on my mixed media works, but have found the regular decoupage mediums to be slightly resistant to other mediums. This gesso has proven itself very willing to accept other mediums and may very well open new doors in areas other than journaling. The photo I show is of an earlier work in which I combined decoupage with acrylic painting. I also used markers in these works.

I started by cutting some pictures from serviettes, after removing the backing paper from the serviette.

I then painted a page with Sample 5.

I was very impressed with how smoothly the serviette applied to the page. It was even easier to apply than with any of the regular decoupage mediums I use! I coated the serviette with Sample 5.

I then coated a page with Sample 6.

Once again I found that the serviette applied more smoothly than with regular decoupage mediums. I coated the picture with Sample 6.

Sample 5 dried beautifully and was glued down completely.

Sample 6 was equally successful.

I will be honest and admit that I would be hard pressed to use any of my regular decoupage mediums now that I have discovered these mediums, at least as far as serviettes are concerned. The results are incredible, albeit surprising! To top it all, it provides a friendly base to other mediums, making it so much easier to work with after decoupaging. I will need to explore the possibilities further in future by testing it on thicker papers, fabric, etc, but initial tests are very favourable.

You can watch a short compilation video of the steps above on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/WvHqhBTpXLg

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
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Wednesday, 17 April 2019

Product Test - Clear Gesso Trial Sample: Test 3 - Pencils, tape, etc.

I have started a series of blogs in which I share my findings with you after having tested two trial samples of Clear Gesso, produced by a local manufacturer. One of the main problems I experienced with the Clear Gesso available on the market, was that it was so excessively rough, making it virtually impossible to use my colouring pencils on a surface treated with it. The samples I had been given, did not have this problem. However, other mediums that I have tested, resisted the colouring pencils, making it very hard to work with. I wondered how my pencils would fare on these two sample products. In today's blog, I continue my testing, this time on pencils, etc.

The first pencils I tested on Sample 5 were: Derwent Tinted Charcoal, Derwent Drawing, Derwent Academy, Derwent Coloursoft, Charcoal stick, Faber Castell Pitt Oil Base. All of these applied well to Sample 5.

All of these applied very well to Sample 6 as well, but some products seemed to experience slight resistance, such as Derwent Drawing, Derwent Academy and Derwent Coloursoft. As the slightest imperfections matter in colouring, this could prove problematic, and I took note, even though it was barely perceptible.

Back to Sample 5, I tested the following pencils: Polycolor, Cretacolor, Giotto Mega, Marco Raffine Color, Memoris Precious, Faber Castell Studio. All worked well on Sample 5.

I tried the same pencils on Sample 6 and again there was a marked difference. The cheaper pencils seemed to have more problems, but even the more expensive ones struggled more than on Sample 5. Notably, the following resisted on Sample 6: Giotto Mega, Marco Raffine Color, Memoris Precious, Number One and Faber Castell Studio.

I tested the following pencils on Sample 5: Derwent Studio, Metallic, Art Therapy, a nameless pencil. None of these had problems on Sample 5.

In contrast, all of the pencils had problems on Sample 6, especially the cheaper pencils.

I then moved on to the watersoluble pencils. I applied all of these dry before painting them with water. I left two samples of each; one wet and one dry. These are the pencils I tested on Sample 5: Faber Castell Aquarella, and Derwent Graphitint. Both applied and painted well.

In contrast, both resisted on Sample 6, although the playing field evened out when I painted it with water.

I then tested the following watersoluble pencils on Sample 5: Derwent Watercolour, Derwent Aquatone, Derwent Metallic, Derwent Inktense pencils and bars. All applied smoothly and painted well.

When it came to Sample 6, I found that again all of the pencils resisted when applied dry. However, they all painted well. The findings on the tests on pencils conclusively led me to decide that Sample 5 was the better product of the two as far as journaling was concerned. Pencils do not require a surface treatment, but anyone who wishes to mix mediums on a page, will find Sample 5 the more user-friendly version of the two samples provided.

As an afterthought, I also decided to test my decorative tapes on the samples provided. I have found that the existing product on the market does not allow me to use stickers or tape on it, unless I apply it with double-sided tape, which defies the purpose of ready-glued products. I found that different types of decorative tapes applied very well to Sample 5.

Sample 6 also proved very tape-friendly.

Overview of Sample 5.

Overview of Sample 6.

I still needed to check for bleeding, especially with the wet products. Sample 5 had prevented all bleeding.

Sample 6 had also prevented all bleeding.

You can watch a short compilation video of the steps above on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/oRxpPb7R-Sc

Tuesday, 16 April 2019

Product Test - Clear Gesso Trial Sample: Test 2 - Markers, Pens, etc.

In the previous blog I told you about being sent two sample products of Clear Gesso, by one of our local manufacturers, to test. I started the testing on paints and similar mediums and proceed the process in today's blog with markers, pens and other similar products.

The first products I put to test on Sample 5 are as follows: fountain pen, Sharpie Marker, ProMarker, Staedtler Triplus Fineliner, Giotto Turbo Glitter, Giotto Turbo Dobble. The last two, I also blew onto the page, as I know these pens to bleed through, especially when blown through a straw. They sat well on the gesso.

I then tested these on Sample 6 as well: fountain pen, Sharpie Marker, ProMarker, Staedtler Triplus Fineliner, Giotto Turbo Glitter, Giotto Turbo Dobble. The last two, I also blew onto the page, as I know these pens to bleed through, especially when blown through a straw. They sat well on the gesso.

Next up on Sample 5 was: Faber Castell Artist Pitt pens with different points, Pigma Micron pens, Mont Marte Adult Colouring Duo Markers, metal pens, highlighter pens and an actual Pentel highlighter. All sat well on Sample 5.

They worked just as well on Sample 6.

Then I tested the following on Sample 5: Faber Castell OHP-Plus Permanent, Faber Castell Multi-Mark Permanent, Faber Castell OH-Lux, Staedtler Lumocolor, Pentel Pen, Faber Castell Ecco Pigment, and a Posca marker. All applied effortlessly to the gesso in Sample 5.

I had equal success with Sample 6.

The next pens to test on Sample 5 were: Artline Markers, Sharpie Marker, Penfelx Projector Pen, a Bic pen, and a Schneider Max Universal non-permanent marker. All of these applied well to Sample 5.

And again Sample 6 was equally good.

I then tested some more pens and markers on Sample 5: a random orange pen without a name, a Brush pen, a gold Sharpie marker, an Art Therapy Marker, a Metallic Marker, a Penguin Permanent marker, and a chalkboard pen. All of these applied successfully to Sample 5.

They applied equally well to Sample 6.

I had some space left at the bottom of my page and tested some random 'pens' here: Fabric liner, Fabric pen and an Acryl pen. All of these are meant to be used on fabric, but applied well to Sample 5.

They also applied well to Sample 6.

An overview of Sample 5.

An overview of Sample 6.

The real test comes in the bleed through. Some of the products had bled through Sample 5, although only feintly. The Giotto products came as no surprise. However, most products did not bleed through, and I remained very impressed!

The Giotto products proved a challenge for Sample 6 as well. However, no other products had bled through Sample 6. At this stage, I was beginning to lean slightly towards favouring Sample 6. But my next battery of tests would prove Sample 5 to be the better of the two products.

You can watch a short compilation video of the steps above on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/4nTEVz_aAuk

Monday, 15 April 2019

Product Test - Clear Gesso Trial Sample: Test 1 - Paints, etc.

A while ago, I sent emails to two local paint and art product manufacturers, here in South Africa. I complained to them that the Clear Gesso available on the market, did not fulfill the need of its users. I sent them an explanation of what I was talking about, and being a blogger, I fortunately had a selection of photos to support my claims. I asked them if they would be willing to look into the possibility of putting a product on the market that would meet the needs I had specified. Both manufacturers were quick to respond to my emails and both were eager to look into the development of the product, used largely for journaling, namely, Clear Gesso. Then one of the manufacturers contacted me to ask if they could send me two samples to test. I jumped at the idea. In the following couple of blogs, I will share the results of these tests with you. Hopefully, by the time this blog publishes, the product is already available on the market and in your hands, as I am working a couple of months ahead of schedule. In the photo below you can see the samples that were sent to me for testing. In this first blog in the series, I test paints and similar mediums on the samples.

I decided to put Sample 5 to the test first.

I found the consistency to be creamy, but slightly runny.

I prepared a couple of sheets of paper with the gesso and left it to dry.

Now it was time to try Sample 6.

This one was more like a paste and quite a bit thicker than Sample 5.

I prepared three more sheets of paper with this product and left it to dry. My first impressions left me preferring Sample 5 as far as consistency was concerned. I was simply easier to cover the pages with it and it seemed less thick. I have found that the extra thickness from the surface treatments, is making my Bible bulge out of proportion, and I am only starting in Leviticus now.

I found that Sample 5 was very accepting of Acrylic paint.

The same could be said for Sample 6.

Oil paint proved to sit well on the gesso as well in Sample 5.

Sample 6 accepted oil paint equally well.

I then tried watersoluble oil on Sample 5 and it worked well.

The same was once again true for Sample 6.

I decided to test products that I would not necessarily use in journaling, but which I might use elsewhere where I wished to use a Clear Gesso. The first to be used was Blackboard Paint. I worked a charm in Sample 5.

Again, it worked equally well in Sample 6.

I then tested Chalk Paint on Sample 5 and found it worked very well.

There was no difference in Sample 6.

I tried it with Craft Paint. Sample 5 accepted the paint beautifully.

Sample 6 had no problem with Craft Paint either.

I then ventured into the ridiculous, but decided I wanted answers to these questions anyway. I tested Sample 5 with Fabric Paint and was very satisfied.

No difference on Sample 6.

I also tested Fabric spray on Sample 5 and was satisfied.

I also had great success on Sample 6.

I then tried Acrylic Drawing Ink on Sample 5, with great success.

Sample 6 handled the Acrylic Ink equally well.

I then tried a Pentel Paint Marker on Sample 5. No problems!

The same could be said for Sample 6.

I then decided to venture into my pastels. The first to be tested was a soft pastel. I sprayed it with fixative afterwards and found no problems on Sample 5.

Again there were no problems on Sample 6 either.

I then used oil pastels on Sample 5 and had success.

Success was to be had with Sample 6 as well.

I tried a watersoluble oil pastel, which I painted with water, on Sample 5. Success!

Success on Sample 6 as well.

I then tried Derwent Artbar, which is also a type of watersoluble oil pastel. Iworked beautifully.

Sample 6 also delivered no problems here.

Next up was Faber Castell's Gelatos, which I once again painted with water. It sat well on Sample 5, both wet and dry.

The same could be said of Sample 6.

I then tried stamping Tim Holtz' Distress Ink on Sample 5. It worked very nicely.

It also worked nicely on Sample 6.

I also tried Pretty Color ink on a stamp and it worked well on Sample 5.

I worked equally well on Sample 6.

I then used embossed stamping. This was a rather important test, as I have found in my Bible that my pages would stick together when I applied heat to the embossed stamp. The heat did not seem to affect the surrounding area too much, giving me hope for future use in the Bible. The Embossed stamping worked well on Sample 5.

I also worked very well on Sample 6, possibly even slightly better, but the difference wasn't remarkable.

I then tested some Poster Paint successfully on Sample 5.

I also had success on Sample 6.

I then tried Cottmans watercolours successfully on Sample 5.

I also had success on Sample 6.

I had equal success when I tested Gouache on Sample 5.

The same was true for Sample 6.

I then tested watercolour in a pan on Sample 5. I have had very success with this in my Bible on the other gesso and was hoping for success here, as watercolours is a favourite of mine to use. I found that I could build up the layers beautifully!

And once again the same was true for Sample 6.

I wrote the names of the test mediums on the page with a fountain pen and took a picture of the page as a whole for Sample 5. Literally not one single medium proved to be a problem on this gesso and was getting very excited over the possibilities that were opening up for me.

However, I still was no closer to an answer as to which product was the better. Both were absolutely brilliant and handled all of the mediums well. Most of these mediums would probably not be used in a journal. I was wondering if the thicker paste of Sample 6 should not be recommended for use on surfaces, other than paper, with the thinner Sample 6 recommended for use on paper. But these were early conclusions and I still had loads of mediums to test on the samples.