Crafty Mask Question

[mlerules]

A friend has posed this query which I'm spreading further afield b'c I know I've got a whole mess of crafty-type folks on my FL who may have useful suggestions:

I have a mask, made of that plaster stuff, of my face. I would like to have a collage on the mask of some photographs. The pictures have been scanned, and I'm wondering, what would work best--printing on high quality paper, or photo paper, or? Any ideas?

Comments

[stacymckenna.livejournal.com]

Photo paper is usually stiffer so will be harder to form to the contours of the mask, and it will work with a smaller set of adhesives. I would advise a high quality paper.

[anansi133.livejournal.com]

If this person uses inkjet printed photos in the collage, then a water based glue like elmer's is likely to make the colors run. I'd use a spray glue like super 77. (nasty stuff, protect your lungs and do it outside!)

The better papers are also going to be stiffer, and harder to wrap around the curves of the mask. The more expensive papers make a better image because they're shinier.

Assuming that the mask is a negative of their face, what I've done before is to paint the inside of the negative with gesso, to seal the surface. Then you can make positives from that mold, as many as you like. If it were me, I'd print my images on plain paper, and cut each image so that it will fit inside the mask. Starting with the nose, I'd work my way out to the chin and forehead, using white glue, but in very small amounts and letting it dry fully between each layer. Thin layers of pulp mache would beef provide a solid base for the image.

If you don't want to use waterproof inks (kinkos might could help you with that) just treat the bleed as watercolor, part of the art.

When the inside piece is fully built up, pull it out of the negative, and you can try it again if you want to improve. This would likely take several versions to get a good result.

[mlerules.livejournal.com]

Thx so much!

[mlerules.livejournal.com]

Thx for the tip!

[vonvoncake.livejournal.com]

If you want to use something like Elmers then you could get copies made on a color laser, which won't run.

[ebony-sphynx.livejournal.com]

personally, I would print on regular paper or light card stock and then decoupage the stuff on. But that's me and not necessarily the "right" way to do it.

[lorriet.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Emily, that's sweet of you.

Thanks for the tips, also, friends of Emily! Some interesting ideas that I hadn't thought of.

[fknsellers.livejournal.com]

I'm no expert, but what about printing on self adhesive labels? (Stickers)Then trying to spray something like Shellac over it to protect it. Of course a test would be needed to see if the adhesive back is strong enough and to make sure whatever coating is used doesn't make the ink run.

It's a thought.

-Sellers

[jimkeller.livejournal.com]

I've never attempted such a thing, but I would avoid photo paper, as it's designed *not* to take bending well, and is generally resistant to moisture on the end where you'd want to attach it, and prone to bleed on the imaging side. My personal instinct would be to find someplace that can do the printing on canvas, and then affix that. However, a color laser print on regular paper should be a good compromise. Avoid inkjet printouts and dye-based printing, as both will tend to smear when doing the attachment.

[sidhefire.livejournal.com]

Just adding my two cents... I've done this and I would not use photo paper; I would use color laser paper on paper with a high cotton count. For glue-type-substance I use acrylic gel medium brushed under and then over as a sealant after everything is attached.

[clayshaper.livejournal.com]

Craft Mart (marysville) and Michael's (everywhere) and some other big craft stores (monroe) carry a special art goo that takes photographs and allows you to transfer them to objects like that, exactly:

http://www.michaels.com/art/online/projectsheet?pid=25324

VERY handy dandy stuff, and VERY versitile. I highly reccomend it! It is easy to use, and gives GREAT results.

You can also use a printed to print ink directly on thinner tissuepaper or thin fabric, if you 'back' it with a sheet of plastic like a transfer sheet (for overheads). It bleeds through when you glue or spray it sometimes, but as another poster said, you can either MAKE that the art, or use 77 Spray to avouid any bleeding.

I reccomend the transfer gel tho. Honestly. It's more foolproof if you haven't used other materials in your inkjet before!

[clayshaper.livejournal.com]

Also, she can experiment with this technique:

Buy an overhead-projector sheet- the kind NOT meant for inkjets, but for write-on or sharpie pens.

Print a photograph onto it with your inkjet printer, as if it were a sheet of paper.

VERY CAREFULLY, and RIGHT THAT MOMENT- turn the plastic sheet face-down onto either thin (and smooth!) Fabric, or tissue-paper.

Press down, like you were monoprinting- do NOT slide the two apart- make sure once you lay it down, it stays down. Give it a couple gentle rubs of pressure.

Lift it. (You don't need it to stay there for any length of time, because the wet ink transfers and the rest dries right away)

Now, use that fabric or tissue in your artwork.

Re-use the plastic by washing it gently- do not use abrasives, or the shiny surface will be ruined. :/ they're cheap if you buy them at your local college bookstore, usually!

[mlerules.livejournal.com]

Cool - thx for the suggestions!

[mlerules.livejournal.com]

Thx! I thought you'd done something like this before and appreciate the input. :-)

[mlerules.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the input, appreciated.

[mlerules.livejournal.com]

Input muchly appreciated - thanks!

[mlerules.livejournal.com]

:-) More've come in since this morning, too. Hope it helps.

[mlerules.livejournal.com]

Thx for the suggestion - very much appreciated! :-)

[mlerules.livejournal.com]

Thx for the tip. :-)