Also, we want some transparency, so the white of the tile can help make the color brilliant. So, we have chosen both a glazing liquid and flow release along with water as our diluents.
In a small medicine or other plastic cup, pour Flow Release to a depth of about 1/8" and fill the cup to a depth of about 3/4" with water. Stir this mixture well. If flow release comprises more than about 15% of the mixture, you can have a tacky surface so try not to exceed that ratio.
Put equal size drops of fluid acrylic - whatever color you are using, and glazing liquid right next to each other on your palette.
Using plain water, thin a half & half mixture of the paint and glazing liquid to the consistency of milk (regular, not low fat).
Paint in an area, being careful to avoid your inked lines if possible. If you do get some paint on them, they can be fixed up later (after the paint is dry) with the Sharpie marker.
After you have filled in the area, clean your brush in water and blot on paper towel. Then, wet you brush in the flow release solution and go back into the center of the area. This will move the paint toward the edges and also cause it to sink in. Picking some of the paint up with a dry brush will give you a shaded effect as well.
Shading always looks more “painterly” than flat color, but it looks even better when a second color is introduced. Here we used burnt sienna to shade the yellow ochre we had as our first color.
Using the flow release solution, dilute a little of the second color, and with a barely loaded brush, outline the painted area. Working wet-into-wet, the color will flow and blend, giving you a much more interesting look. Continue to work it with your brush to control the flow.
Have you ever gone up nose close to a perfect looking painting in a museum or gallery, and noticed that it’s not so neat and tidy close up?
This is probably a first, but we are actually pointing out our imperfections, so you will feel better during your painting process. Nobody can actually “stay in the lines” - especially when working with very fluid paint on a porous surface, so relax and enjoy the process.
Our yellow in the sun went right over the tail line before we could catch it, and when we blended the red, it got even worse. The green grass jumped right out of its boundaries. But it’s all ok, we will clean up later with a Sharpie.
Years ago, in our foolish youth, we used to do some consciousness-altering, which made activities like watching grass grow fascinating. Another huge entertainment was watching watercolor do its own thing, while taking us along for the ride.
Art is a relationship between you and the media, and as in any relationship, the other party will have its say. Fighting it gets you nothing but the illusion of being “inside the lines”. And, there actually aren’t any lines. Ponder that for awhile.
By the way, what came between “foolish youth” and “doddering middle age”? We must have missed it. We were watching the grass grow and the paint flow.
Borders are another control illusion, but this time, painting the edges made the pieces look more finished. We used the Periwinkle Blue Decor-It ink again, and used a wedge of foam sponge (with a flat surface) to apply an even coat to all four edges. Tap the paint on very lightly to avoid getting any on the front. If the sponge bends much from the pressure, it will deposit paint unevenly on your “good” surface.
It’s always nice if your coasters don’t damage your furniture and don’t slide around either.
There are a number of packaged felt or cork dots etc. that you can stick on the underside of your coasters. We went for overall coverage, however, and cut adhesive backed felt to size for the backing. This gives a nice finished look, and you can stack them without damage.
If you are giving these as a gift, stack the four together and tie in two directions with raffia - like you would tie a gift box.
Ceramic supply stores (intended for clay artists) will usually have bisque tiles for sale as will some of the “paint-your-own-ceramics” studios. Sometimes, but not often, you can find them at a tile or home improvement store. They will have rough backs which will require an application of felt.
The bisque tiles we carry at Cre8it are the best we have found. They are very finished and smooth on both sides, so if you really mess up the front, you just turn it over and start again (that protective felt backing can hide a lot!). You can order them through our Shopping Cart and there is a discount for a set of four. Please be advised, however, that four tiles weigh 1 lb so shipping charges will be adjusted to meet cost.
