How to make a wooden needle? I am recently exploring a new craft: Nålebinding. I started using regular large plastic needles. But sadly, these are a little bit too small and soft for this craft, so the eyelets often break.

I have seen people using needles made from bone, antler or wood. Since I live in a woody area, I would like to know if anybody has experience in making needles from wood? It would have to look something like this:

I have some small woodworking tools, but I have never used them. They were a gift from somebody else that gave up on woodworking after not succeeding a few times.

So, my questions basically are:

What is a good sort of wood to make a needle from?
How do I start? Do I make the eyelet first, or the needle shape?
Are there any things that I, as an absolute beginner, should be aware of?

Disclaimer: I've never actually made a needle for naalbinding, but I have done some other wood carving and the principles are the same.

The site from which you (presumably) got your picture lists a few materials that naalbinding needles can and have been made from, including the following:

juniper
rowan tree
honeysuckle
lilac
olive tree
fruit trees (like apple tree)
ice cream sticks

From the above, you can probably conclude that any reasonable wood (I.E. not balsa) will do.

I found a tutorial that suggests making the basic shape first, but given that making the eye is probably the trickiest bit I would make it first before carving the shape.

As always, the main thing to be aware of is safety. If using a knife, always cut away from you, and take appropriate steps with whatever other equipment you may use.

Apart from that, the only thing that's required is a small amount of (what looks to be very cheap) material and some practice.


How to make pistachio shells stick together for decorations? When looking for images of nutshells in order to make a witty snarky reply to CreationEdge♦ in chat, I came across some wonderful pictures of pistachio-shell decorations:

How inspiring and beautiful these things are! Next time I eat pistachios, I might keep the shells and try to make some decorations out of them. But I've never tried gluing nutshells together before ...

How can I make pistachio shells stick together to form decorations?

In a nutshell, the answer is your old friend the hot glue gun.

Pretty much any time you need to glue things that are of odd shapes to get them to stick onto other things that are odd shapes you need a glue that takes up space and bonds well (well, I guess "bonds well" is up for debate but... I don't know you'd be expecting these things to be something you can pass down through the generations)... that pretty much means hot glue.

This is supported in a tutorial here and here, which walk you through the entire process. Also, a YouTube video here.


Does anyone know how to add color to a piece of art (paint, ink, art) I know this is an odd question, but I get really confused and frustrated when I try to add color to something I draw. I don't ever get any farther than line art because I get confused as to how to add color for things like shading or whatever. Does anyone know a general process or something for how to add color to a picture?

One option is to scan your line drawing into a image file for your computer, then use that to experiment with colors on your computer screen where mistakes and poor results can be undone with a mouse click.

Once you find a set of colors which work for your particular drawing, you can either print it out on a color printer, or if you are looking for more authentic, human results, you can brush in the chosen colors on the original canvas, turning your line drawing into a painting.

There are several computer programs out which allow you to mimic different brush and paint types on the screen.  I use the free software that came with a Wacom tablet which I bought a bunch of years ago, but I have seen videos for Photoshop and CorelDRAW brushes which look a lot more capable than what I use.


Thread slipping out of tension discs, off spring, upper lever or bobbin thread slips out of tension While sewing along a nice straight line the thread bunches, I look at the thread path and it is out from between the tension disks or not on the spring or the bobbin thread is out from under the tension. I do not understand what "machine gremlin" is attacking me.

That sounds frustrating! The easy things to do first are to be sure you are using good quality thread; rethread your machine, both top thread and bobbin thread; replace your needle with a new one and make sure it's inserted all the way and in the right direction (the flat side toward the back is how I insert mine); make sure you have the correct bobbin size, that the bobbin is inserted correctly, and that the bobbin thread was filled correctly (not loose or crooked).  From there, if these haven't solved your problem, you need to check your bobbin and thread tensions.  Most machines have a little screw on the bobbin case that you can loosen or tighten.  Adjusting the top thread tension is different on different machines, but I've used machines with those tension disks you mention and suggest you make sure you start out with the thread between the disks and not to the side. Then adjust the tension by tightening or loosening the disks, there is usually a thumb screw for that.  If you have the User's Guide for your machine, there should be a section about thread and bobbin tension, how to adjust them, and a table showing ranges of tensions for commonly used fabric types.  If you don't have that Guide, you may have to experiment.  You may also have to experiment every time you sew on different thickness and fabric types.  Good luck!


Can I use oil paints without also needing special cleaning supplies? I have a bunch of oil paint tubes that I got as a gift a while back.

I really want to try them out but I don't want to use any solvents, thinners, nor have any loose materials that need to be disposed/cleaned in some special way.

Is there a way to do this?

You can use a palette knife (or bend a butter knife’s blade by 45 degrees) to apply the paint to a wooden board. Squeeze out some paint on the surface, mix the colors with the knife and try some impasto painting. Use toilet paper to clean off the palette knife and dispose in the trash. If you get any paint on your skin, wash it off with warm soapy water.

But be prepared to wait at least several weeks for the paint to really dry.


Can we cut and score on colored card stock paper? I am a paper craft artist. My work usually involves printing the template on A4 colored card stock paper and then cut, score.
I wanted to know whether any machines are there for cutting and scoring on a colored card stock paper?
Thanks.

As many have described in the comments, there are a variety of computer-guided cutting machines, ranging from the cricket and silhouette level machines which are designed for home use, to more serious home-manufacturing devices like the silver bullet.
These devices differ from each other in terms of price, the size of media they can work with and the variety of bits which are available for them.  They all share a very significant failing in the way that they secure the media to the cutting bed for the cutting/scoring process.  Each of them without exception (in my experience) use a sticky plastic mat to hold the media which is to be cut or scored.
That mat insures that the machine can maintain a firm grip on the media so that accurate registration can be maintained during the process.  But when dealing with certain media, for example card stock paper, that sticky plastic mat often does more harm than good.  The problem is that the adhesive on the mat is often stronger than whatever is holding the paper layers together.  Small cut pieces often tear and shred into wafers when after cutting, you attempt to remove them from the mat.
It is very frustrating to have a cut performed perfectly by one of these brilliant machines and then to unavoidably destroy the result while trying to release it from the adhesive mat.
There are low-adhesion mats available for some of these machines, but I have yet to find one which provides both enough holding power to prevent slippage during cutting/scoring and enough ease of release afterwards.


How can I cut a near perfect circle out of a plastic bottle? I am hoping to make a simple spinner treat dispenser for my Australian shepard. Basically it is plastic container with a rod/dowel suspending them in the air. Treats or food are put inside and the weight holds the bottle down. If the dog uses sufficient force the bottle will spin around and some treats will fall out. There are many different overall designs but it basically looks like this:

Image from goodshomedesign.com

I am likely overthinking this but would like to know either way. I need to cut out circles from these bottles. Cutting the circles with something like a box cutter seems likely but that is hardly a precise tool. Theoretically I will be applying pressure to force the blade where I need to cut. If the plastic gives I will be putting in hard edges instead of cutting curves. This bothers me since hard edges might prevent the bottle from resting properly in the device, spinning around or could cause it to start prematurely tear the plastic.

I realize it is just plastic bottles and they can be replaced but I think this is something still worth knowing. I suppose I could melt a perfect circle into the bottle but I am not so sure about that. I could score a circle into the bottle first but I still think that might be difficult with a 2L bottle.

How can I cut a relatively perfect circle out of a plastic bottle like a 2L pop bottle?

Kind of off the wall, but here goes:

Fill the bottle with water and put it in the freezer until the water becomes solid ice. (best not put the cap on in order to allow for expansion of ice.

Using your drill press or hand held drill make your hole.


Building an elliptic paraboloid How would I build a shell of an elliptic paraboloid as accurately as possible (in terms of its mathematical properties (all parallel rays end up in its focal point)).

Preferably it should be:

Made out of a material which is easy to process (like cardboard/paper)
Without the use of expensive tools etc. (like 3D printing, milling, ...)

Depending on the accuracy you require for your shape, you can certainly use cardboard to create the reflector. If you don't require it to be a reflector, it gets easier!

Consider that the shape is a three dimensional revolution of a two dimensional curve. One will have to presume that you can create the curve on cardboard using the formula of your choice.

Cut the curve from cardboard, then slice it in half vertically, removing a bit more from the center vertical cut line. With a sufficient number of these half-parabolas, glue them standing vertically on a suitable base (cardboard!) with all the center cuts pointing inward. The reason you remove a bit at the center cut line is that the thickness of the cardboard would otherwise prevent optimum alignment of each curved piece.

If, for example, you chose to use eight pieces of 6 mm cardboard, you'd have an octagon at the center with each face/edge of the octagon being 6 mm long. As you increase the number of "fins," the polygon in the center becomes larger and has to have that many more faces.

You can also increase the number of fins by cutting more away from the center cut and expanding the placement of that cut outward from the center.

When you have the skeleton/backbone/structure created, you can apply a surface treatment to the cardboard. This could be as simple as paper sheets glued to the cardboard edges. If a reflector is your goal, mylar film carefully stretched to the fins may provide the surface needed.

You could create the surface treatment by gluing cardboard between the fins, keeping it below the level of the cuts. Apply a layer of waterproofing such as paint or epoxy or similar and then slather on a light coat of wallboard compound. Once dry, you can sand a smooth shape to the surface to get even better results. I'm not sure how you'd get an optically reflective surface on wallboard compound, but it would provide a smoother surface for a mylar covering.

Because one word is worth one one-thousandth of a picture, I'm hopeful the attached image will be useful:

EDIT: Using a thinner material will allow more "fins" with smaller gaps and reduce the interpolation referenced in the comment section. Perhaps a primary support of cardboard with intermediate segments constructed of heavy paper with interspersed segments of ordinary paper will provide higher resolution with the compromise of being more difficult to construct!

Yet another solution, perhaps easier to construct. Consider to rotate the planes of cardboard from parallel to the axis of rotation to perpendicular to it. Solve the equation for x and make a series of circles in cardboard based on the y-thickness of the material. Thicker cardboard means lower resolution, fewer sheets to cut, thinner means higher resolution, even to the level of paper thickness.

The ease of construction comes into play because you need only to stack the sheets. You can make a negative or a positive form by using the holes or the cut-out portions. Alignment can be accomplished with a common location (the center of the cut-out circles) or a pair of holes outside of the cut-out circles, then pushing dowels through them.


Which kind of paper should be selected for graphite, charcoal, and pencil colors? Type of paper may have an effect on the medium of drawing used.

Which kind of paper should be preferred for graphite, charcoal, and pencil colors, respectively?

Also, please mention the standard name for said paper type. (This will be helpful while purchasing the paper).

There are many types of paper finishes and each have their own unique characteristics you, the artist, can decide which you want to use. With that in mind, there are some guidelines you can use to select the best paper for your project:

Paper for Graphite

Smooth Bristol (Strathmore) papers are ideal for graphite drawings. They provide a smooth surface ideal for pencil drawings. some others include Stonehenge, Pastel Paper (Strathmore), and Strathmore 400 and 500 series drawing paper.

Stonehenge Paper:

Paper for Colored Pencils

Colored pencils require a little texture to the paper to effectively draw and blend colored pencils. There is a much wider variety of viable papers in this category, but some include: Stonehenge, Illustration Board, Suede and Artagian paper (Strathmore).

Paper for Charcoal

Charcoal is a chalky and generally messy medium. It requires a porous or textured paper to effectively hold the charcoal particles on the paper. Simple quick charcoal sketches are often done on Newsprint paper due to its lightly porous nature, and its low cost (sketching can burn through paper).

For finished works using Charcoal there is Laid Paper which has an old "hand made" style and feel to it. This finish contains horizontal and vertical lines on the paper which create small grooves that are good at catching bits of charcoal and keeping charcoal on the page where it was placed.


Is it possible to get a "crutch" when learning to draw that will stop you from drawing well? Recently I have started learning to draw. I watched some proko tutorials to learn the basic idea (that I'm generally supposed to think in 3D, what are bodies made of etc), consulted some books, watched some paintings from the past to see what they did etc. At the moment I still need a lot of practice (of everything, basically) so I still draw like an elementary schooler, but in general I've been having fun and I liked where I was going.

Recently, however, I recall that way in the past I heard some statements by people who uploaded images on the Internet who were greatly dissatisfied in their ability to draw, and where they are as an artist, and blamed that on learning to draw some way which permanently (?) gimped their ability create the art they want. Usually they referred to manga-style, but I've also heard of someone who tried to copy pictures by hand (in an effort to be a hyperrealist artist), realised that despite being able to copy extremely well he does it a "wrong" way he's dissatisfied with (I think he couldn't do anything beyond copying), and had to relearn everything from the start.

Are those real dangers I'm about to get myself into? I don't really recall any skilled and accomplished artist to talk about it, is it because they never encountered any such problem, or is it a made up issue? Is there a way to avoid such a great flaw?

I'm not great and accomplished artist, but I do spend a great deal of my time and passion drawing. Take my thoughts as you will.

No, I do not think there is any legitimate concern about learning to draw a certain way and then being stuck that way throughout your career, so long as you continue to practice.

What, how, and how often you study and practice are going to have the largest effects on your outcomes. If you only practice exaggerated styles, like manga, anime, or cartooning, then you are very likely to struggle with the anatomy-based styles of Western comic books. Or vice-versa. If you only draw people, then drawing animals won't simply come naturally. You can't just jump from point A to point Z.

There's always something else to learn and practice, or ways to elevate your current skills. The biggest challenge may simply be recognizing what your current weakness is (that you wish to address) and how to actually address it.

Consider this "short" list of drawing and drawing-related skills, and you'll begin see that there's a wealth of areas to practice and grow in:

Pencil control (straight lines, round circles, light vs heavy)
Line economy
Drawing what you see (vs what you think you see)
Using tone
Light and tone
Shading techniques (each technique is really a separate discipline)
Line weight
Perspective (there's many kinds to learn)
Human anatomy (each part of the body can realistically have its own course of study)
Animal anatomy
Facial expressions
Exaggerating features
Cartooning principles
Defining features of the "genre" you're targeting (anime, comics, cartooning, animation, French animation, etc. etc.)
Plants
Landscapes
Backgrounds
Technical drawings
Thumbnailing and silhouetting
Vehicles and machinery
Building design
Folds and drapery
Clothing design
Contour drawing
Negative space
Composition and layout
Constructive anatomy
Caricature
Concept design and the iterative process
Sequential art and storytelling

I'll stop there, but be aware that this really is a short list, and each bullet point itself has a number of sub-topics, and the amount of time that can be put into studying each thing has no upper limit.

While that may seem obvious, I find that the non-artists I'm exposed to are often not aware it. Drawing is often seen as something as people are either "good at" or not, but the fact is that the people that are good at art put in the time, just the same as any other skilled hobby or profession. Your favorite works of art often represent hundreds, but more likely thousands, of hours of dedication to the craft.

Just be careful to not get intimidated by everything that's out there! View it as opportunities, and a well that won't run dry.


What are good ways to spray paint a QR code on a footpath? The QR would be of a URL. The QR should be big enough like 4 A4 size papers. I though of cutting out the white boxes from a printed paper and spray on it but what about white dot islands. The precision needs to be good enough for a cell phone camera to detect it on the floor from standing distance.

Here's a QR Code Stencil Generator which automatically generates thin bridges between islands.

As mentioned by @Aloisdg : It is a Processing project and it is hosted on GitHub.

I tested it successfully on the pavement last year. The pavement should be as slick as possible, though.


How are these pouches opened I am trying to DIY a pouch similar to the one shown in the first image below.

First Image

However, I cannot figure out how the pouch can be opened once the ribbon bow is attached to it.

If the bow was tied as in the second image, we could untie the bow and open the pouch. But, since the bow in the first image is made and attached, I wonder how the pouch can be opened.

Second Image

Can anyone give an idea so as how the pouch in first image is made?

(All images above are rightfully owned by the respective creators. I am simply trying to create something similar for personal use.)

1). The decorative bow could be on an elastic band that is closing the bag.

2). The bow is attached to a pin that is holding the bag closed.

3). There is a drawstring inside the bag at the close. The bow is only attached to the top layer, not sewn through.

4). The maker attached little magnets inside the bag that keep it closed.

However, it is entirely possible that the particular image you shared is not meant to be opened. It could be a bag of potpourri, meant to look pretty and go in a sock drawer, but never to be opened.


What specs should I look for in a hobby milling machine? I am thinking about buying a small milling machine for home usage. I have worked with this one during an internship and really liked it. It is a bit too large and too heavy though, to put in my small flat ;)
Does anyone have recommendations on specs for a milling machine to have? What I should look out for? Things like speed, size of tools, etc. What features are reasonable and don't make it too expensive?

I just want to make small metal projects, but it should be able to hold at least a 10mm-sized tool.

Most hobby machine tools are made by a couple of Chinese manufacturers (notably Seig) and branded by the importer. However, while the basic machines are pretty similar the detailed specifications do vary and some brands will make a few key modifications and may provide more rigorous quality control.

One thing to bear in mind is that, while you can do a lot with a fairly flimsy lathe, milling machines tend to need to be a bit more robust to be useful, unless you are only ever working with very light materials.

There are a lot of very good hobby forums and blogs  which specialise in getting the most out of economy machine tools and these are well worth a look and often have long lists of modifications of varying complexity to improve their performance.

The budget imported machines tend to be fundamentally sound but often lack somewhat in attention to detail in their design and construction so you can get a lot of benefits from a few simple mods.

It's also worth pointing out that the machine itself is the bare bones of what you need and so it is wise to set aside a reasonable budget for tooling and accessories. For milling work holding is particularly important ie how you attach the work to the bed and things like indexible rotary heads can get quite expensive.

I would also say that on this sort of micro scale for hobby work I wouldn't necessarily consider a milling machine to be essential and you can do a surprising amount (as well as achieving good dimensional accuracy) with good quality hand tools.

So my advice would be to set up a workbench and start with a hand tools and learn what machines you really need. I would also recommend that you read this book despite the title it covers a huge spectrum of metalworking  techniques with an emphasis on basic traditional techniques.


How can I artificially age paper without staining or dyeing? For several applications, I don’t like the cool look of modern bright white paper. For some valuable prints, I prefer natural white paper without optical brightening agents. In some cases, however, I also want the paper to look old. Therefore, I am looking for a technique to age paper.

The paper should look like a page in an old book, not just yellow like paper with optical brightening agents that was exposed to the sun. The result of artificial aging should resemble naturally aged paper. However, the “forged document” does not have to stand up to forensic analysis. Preferably, the process should not leave any residue that isn’t naturally found in old paper. Thus, I don’t want to simply stain or dye the paper (e.g. with coffee, tea, or brown watercolour). The use of volatile chemicals would be acceptable.

The artificial aging should not unnecessarily damage the paper. The paper should not become warped and wavy (cockled).

The content of the paper is written or printed in black (calligraphy ink, woodcut, letterpress printing, or laser printing). Some fading or discoloration of the black content would be acceptable or could be even desirable.

(Note that the question “How can I prevent my drawings and paper from yellowing over time?” is about the opposite situation.)

Place the paper in a sealed box or plastic bag together with an open jar with a bit of ammoniac in it and leave it. The fumes will age it (works well with wood too).

Another way is to bake the paper at around 100 C (200 F). It will give you an even brown colour.

You can put some steel wool together with vinegar in a jar and leave it for a week or 2. Then apply it to the paper and let it dry. It will give a nice yellowish colour. This method also works very well for staining wood.


What techniques can I use to stop paint getting under masking tape? Issue: When painting on rough surfaces like concrete, paint has been bleeding through the edges of masking tape (painter's tape). The bleed makes edges of the objects appear fuzzy.
Workflow: I clean the surface (which already has a base coat of primer/paint). I then use masking tape to create stencil-like outlines of letters, shapes, etc. After that I block in the stencil using a paintbrush with water-based acrylic. Once the paint is dry, I remove the tape (revealing the bleed).
Question: How can I reduce the bleed to make the edges appear sharper?

There's painters tape designed to seal much better with latex paint (e.g., Frogtape); it has a material that sucks up water and gels on contact so water-based paint can't flow past the edge.  However, it's designed to work with smooth surfaces.  On a rough surface like concrete, high spots keep any kind of tape from making good contact with low spots.
To get a clean edge on a rough surface, there are a few things that will help.

Create an edge with a material that will conform to the texture, like rope caulk, also called caulking cord weatherstrip (e.g., Mortite).  It's a removable clay-like cord that can be pressed into place.  Put a straight-edge where you want the paint edge, and press the rope caulk onto the concrete against the straight-edge.  That may be enough, or you can stick some tape onto the rope caulk to protect a width of concrete.
BTW, whatever you use (tape, rope caulk, etc.), it's better to remove it while the paint is still wet but not runny.  At that stage, the mask will pull off cleanly.  If you wait until the paint is dry, you can mess up the integrity or appearance of the paint edge, and it may make it more difficult to remove the masking material.

Use much thicker paint rather than something watery.  It should be a consistency where a thick application will stay where you put it without running.  Paint used for rough surfaces, like using a stencil to paint symbols on an asphalt roadway, is more like applying paste. That's why it doesn't wick under the edge of the stencil.


How to create depth in this rectangular zentangle drawing? My aim was to create a kind of photo frame. That frame has a thin outer board attached to it and inside we can put photos.
The outer thin board on borders is fat and that creates a kind of depth that shows that we are looking in the frame.
Example:

Why is my drawing not having this depth and what can be done to achieve that?
Please show with diagrams.

You can use shading.
As light naturally comes from above, the most logical approach to create a sense of depth is to add shadows to receding areas based on an imaginary light source straight above it, like this:

Also note that the frame you are referring to has a lot of relief that similarly obscures and catches light, which has a huge effect on a sense of 3-dimensionality.
This you can likewise easily simulate by shading the decorative patterns, like this:

Because your drawing seems to have been done in pen, you can - depending on the paper - add these shadows using a large variety of mediums, from pencils to paints, with charcoal being the easiest and quickest way.


Can anybody identify this clay? One of my friends found a bunch of clay in their basement, still sealed, but outside of the original package. However, I am unable to figure out what kind of clay it is. I've checked the EberhardFaber site, but they no longer seem to sell this specific type, or I simply can't recognize it because it's outside of the original package.

Things I've tried:

Airdry it, it's sat for a day without looking like it'll harden in
the slightest.
Bake it for a few minutes on a high temperature, the clay goes runny and melty.
Bake it for 15 minutes on a lower temperature, the clay also goes slightly goopy. Does not harden after cooling down again.

This is non-hardening plasteline, also known as plastecine.

For the record, although it is labeled as children’s modeling clay, I do not trust it to be non-toxic. Having worked with exactly this product in the past, I did find it to be great when building seals in damming walls of casting molds. If you want it to be harder, you can cool it / freeze it. This will not harden it, as you are only performing a state change in the oils / paraffins that are used to keep the mass malleable. I would be very cautious of overheating it, as you are likely to generate toxic fumes.


How can I draw right angles with just a ruler? If I am trying to draw a rectangle or square on a piece of paper I can use existing corners of the paper as a start point. However I lose accuracy when completing the square or shape on the inside of the paper. In some cases I plan on cutting this and using it a template.

I measure corner to corner to verify accuracy and I usually have to settle for good enough.

If I had a square (ruler) I don't think I would be having an issue or at least not be adjusting my lines as often.

Using just a plain ruler and pencil is it possible to draw a perfect or near perfect square or rectangle? i.e. set of 4 right angles.

You can use the 3-4-5 method of creating right angles.

Begin with a construction line and mark a zero point and a 3 point. Make a mark. Notice that I'm not using units of measure. You can use millimeters (preferred) or inches or anything in between.

Draw from the zero point at a right angle as closely as possible. Measure from the zero point to a 4 point. Make a mark.

Measure from one of the marks to the other and it should be a 5 point. If so, you have your right angle.

If not, you will have to erase or otherwise ignore the second line and create yet another.

I prefer using metric measurements for this type of project.  You can adjust the numbers to fit your workspace. Let's say that you have a small piece of paper on which you wish to create your square.

The first line could be 90 mm long (3 * 30), while the second line would be 120 mm (4 * 30) and the points should be 150 mm apart (5 * 30).

Instead of drawing the second line as described above, consider to have a piece of paper with the length necessary for the conditions (120 mm) and position it with the zero point on the first line. Move the paper in an arc until it meets with your 150 mm point on the ruler. You can then mark the base paper with your points for a perfect square without having to erase misplaced lines.

As noted in the image below, greater accuracy is gained with larger distances. The quality of the measuring instrument also plays a factor, but only a minor part.


Why do artists use pigments instead of dyes in paintings? Is there a reason why many famous paintings and artists use pigments instead of dyes as colorants? Some pigments are quite expensive and I am not sure why artists chose them over dyes, which are usually cheaper.

While more historical artists likely didn't understand the chemical processes behind the behaviors of the two options, the biggest reason is permanence.

Dyes are organic substances that are either soluble in their medium or in their application. This means the structure of it breaks down as part of the application. The structural breakdown, coupled with the organic state is ultimately why dyes are less permanent.

Pigments may be organic or inorganic, but do not break down in their binder or application. Because the structure of the pigment remains intact after application, their application is more permanent assuming it continues to adhere to the surface of the support.

I'm sure that a fair number of artists initially tried dyes over pigments, but in time the knowledge of the behavior differences would have spread from teacher to student. For practice, many may have chosen dyes, but when it came to important works, not likely. Bearing in mind that the expense of many pigments was often born by patrons of a number of the artists, so quality was very likely more important than cost.

It's also worth noting that the extremely expensive pigments, such as lapis lazuli used to make ultramarine, were often reserved for the most important of subjects such as very wealthy nobility or religious works. Less expensive pigments would be mixed for close approximation in other cases.


Issues in mixing brass with concrete? I want to create a necklace made from concrete, but use a brass crimp tube for the chain hole. Is there anything chemically wrong with doing that? Will either the concrete or the brass corrode over time by mixing them?

Different metals have different issues.  For example, aluminum is highly reactive with the alkaline concrete (the reaction is used to create foamed concrete).  Iron rusts and decomposes all the way through.  Besides losing its integrity, the rust can crack the concrete.
Brass is much less affected by the concrete.  The concrete can accelerate development of the patina and pitting on the surfaces in contact, which would not be visible.  This won't affect the integrity of either the brass or concrete.  And concrete covering one portion of the brass won't affect the exposed, visible brass.
Perhaps a more important issue is just that brass tarnishes, even when it's well protected by a finish.  If the finish is at all permeable to air, the brass will tarnish underneath and the finish just makes it harder to polish the brass again.  If you want the patina as part of the intended design, great.  But if you want the brass to look polished, the concrete will make life difficult.  Concrete is porous, and cleaning the brass later will stain the concrete.  You could try to seal the concrete to facilitate cleaning the brass later.
If you go this route, don't embed the brass in the concrete when you mold the concrete; that would make it almost impossible to seal the concrete where they meet (and they expand and contract at different rates).  Instead, mold or drill a hole for the brass.  Seal the concrete, and you may want to seal the brass.  Then put the brass in the concrete.  I wouldn't try to crimp the brass after it's in the concrete, as it will create stress that could break the concrete (it has very little tensile strength).  I would glue the brass in place if it is necessary to hold it there.


Rectangle-Cylindrical Enclosure ideas? Sadly SE doesn’t really have a great fit subsite for my specific question, and the DIY stack exchange is mainly for home improvement. Thus, I post here.

I have designed a usb device and ordered and assembled the circuit boards. This looks ugly, and I would like to make an enclosure for it. DIY electronics enclosures are dinky, ugly and too big. I want a professional look. Sadly, I do not have an assembly agreement with a plastics factory. If I did, I would have a custom enclosure poured with sleek, black plastic. Instead, I will have to make the enclosure DIY before pitching the product to potential sponsors. My entire design could fit inside the USB plug shown below.

Credit: Amazon

Ignore the male plug, my design will has only female plugs. I want an enclosure for my device with very similar style and dimensions as what is pictured above, only black plastic instead of silver.

I have thought of using some kind of specialized pipe and cutting the ends. I have also thought about pouring the enclosure in epoxy but that would just be a mess. I have tic-tac containers I could spray paint but that seems a little less professional than I would like. Are there any opaque containers that could achieve such a look?

As your objective appears to be the requirement to present a product, you aren't asking for production methods. This suggests that a suitable method is to use 3D printing, specifically resin printing, to create the enclosure.

3D resin printing is nearly layer free (strong magnification required) and presents a smooth professional appearance. It can be painted to provide the necessary coloration.

You'd be able to have an enclosure designed specifically for the components to be placed within, providing structural support for circuit boards, switches, LEDs, etc.

Online services such as Shapeways will create these prototypes or you may find local resources. A nearby makerspace would also be a resource.

Another alternative is to create a plug/mold/part system. Carve, cut, sand or otherwise create a duplicate of your design in any convenient material. Even balsa wood serves the purpose as long as the surface is sealed.

Pour molding silicone around the plug and when cured, remove it and pour resin to create your final component. Resin can be colored as required, rather than to resort to applying paint.

The above is a summary, as the process is slightly more involved than described, but is an option for you to have a reasonably professional appearing enclosure. Considerations involve resin pour path and venting, mold parting and alignment, etc. Additional research is recommended if this is your selection.


Hydrocal/Ultracal (plaster) alternative in Europe I'm looking for a detailed hard casting plaster, like Ultracal or Hydrocal. However I can't find a distributor of these two in Europe (England, Germany...)
Besides some overlypriced bags, sold by individuals on Amazon (however they usually have only one or two bags).

Is there an alternative to these Materials that Europeans use? Because I can hardly imagine that they don't make plaster/stone castings.

I've heard, that you could use something like dental plaster.

The material you are looking for is sold in europe (or at least in germany) by the chemical name: calciumhydroxid (ca(OH)2. You can purchase it as a paste oder in powder form practically everywhere; your next door pharmacy, home depot store, aquaristic store or online.


Patch for a rip in the lining of a down jacket An Eddie Bauer down jacket has a rip in the lining which according to the label is polyester.  It's a very thin fabric and it looked reminiscent of nylon but the label is quite clear that the lining is polyester.

Right now I am holding the down inside with a couple of pieces of scotch tape but would like to apply a less temporary patch.  Ideas:

iron on patch?  Maybe an iron even on low would be a bad idea?
duct tape?
paper tape?
some special sealant?
hand-sewn patch?  I am good at sewing on patches but feel unsure about putting even a fine needle into this very fine fabric.

We're not there right now, but some day this jacket will need washing.  So ideally the patch would hold up in the wash.  (The label says it is washable with TLC - tender loving care.)

Edit: If the following is successful I'll post it as an answer.  I read that

  Misty Fuse is [a] fusible web product that adheres two layers of fabric together. Misty Fuse performs the same function as other fusible web products but is very sheer, light weight and does not add stiffness or bulk to the layers of fabric joined. Misty Fuse does not have a paper backing. Misty Fuse can be used with very sheer fabrics and lower temperatures.

That's what I plan to use.  (I found out about a product called "Tenacious Tape" which according to some Amazon question answerers can't be relied upon to stay put during washing.)

Another update.  I started to feel uncertain about using an iron at all, even on a low setting, so I called Joann Fabrics (which sells a lot of notions) and they recommended Liquid Stitch - extra strength that allows for dry cleaning.  (The regular version allows for washing but not dry cleaning).  So that's my new plan.  Along with a very lightweight black patch with pinked edges, tucked inside the rip.  They said I'll have time after applying the adhesive to position the patch just right before applying pressure for the bonding.

When i worked at a tailor shop, we had single side fusible backing to repair the liners of the tuxedos. It came in black or white, was placed on the inside of the tear, ironed into place and then, if it was a large tear, hand stitched.
    The easiest thing to do in this situation if you don't need to stock up on this type of product, is to take the jacket to a dry cleaner or tailor shop and get a quote on the repair.

If you want to buy the interfacing, look into Pellon Shape-Flex Interfacing. Instructions are below the image.

Quickly looking online, the example above is the closest thing I can find to what I remember using without actually touching it. It was malleable and had a knit texture to it, this example says woven, so the texture may be different. You'll want to find something that matches your repair fabric. The fabric shop may sell facing by the foot or yard. (editorial - You really do not need an entire bolt unless you're going into the repair business. A little goes a very long way.)

Instructions: You only need to cut as much as you need to hide the tear. The facing goes inside the tear, adhesive side touching the lining. Then iron with a press cloth to protect the polyester. As stated above, if it is a large area, it's good to hand stitch the tear for extra security.

For a hole, place the facing inside the hole, adhesive side against the lining, then place a small piece of matching fabric over the facing, use a press cloth when ironing. Then hand stitch if necessary.


Should the hole in polymer clay beads be made before or after baking? I want to make beads out of polymer clay. Is it a better idea to form the holes before baking, or drill them after? (I'm concerned about weird shrinkage or other effects around the hole during baking, affecting the size.)

Much simpler if you do it before.

You will always deal with some shrinkage with polymer clay, so just make sure that the hole is a bit larger than you will need it.  If you are really worried, try a couple of samples and measure how much they will shrink.  But it is fairly minimal, so unless you need an exact fit, it is nothing that major.


Frosting on a glass surface to have specific patterns I was trying to create crystal patterns on a glass like in the following video:

Crystal pattern example on YouTube

But how should I proceed in order to get a snowflake pattern, for instance, or other specific design using the above similar frosting technique? Is this possible?

TL/DR

Use a sponge and cut it to shape.

Loved an excuse for a quick experiment. So, the patterns in the video are made from an Epson salt solution with the following ingredients per the linked video.

  1/2 cup of hot/boiling water
  1/3 cup of Epson salts
  Teaspoon of dishwashing liquid

I tried a few different techniques to make specific patterns. The basic idea is to control the amount of liquid applied. Too much and it will bleed and drip down.

Napkin snowflake

Picture taken after solution was applied

So I wanted to try something that would hold liquid and not tear easily after it was cut. Most common napkins are frail so I used a heavier duty one. Any absorbent cloth would work but napkins are easier to come by.

Tried to keep my face and dirty kitchen out of the picture. You don't need more detail to know it looks awful

This didn't turn out quite good at all. It was hard to get the right amount of liquid applied and keep the detail. Only my first attempt mind you. Read onto sponge for and improved version of what I was trying for here.

Sponge

This is where I think you will get the most out of this project. This sponge I used for testing is perforated as you can see. I wanted to test fine details with this application.

Look at the detail!

The level of detail retained from this application was next to perfect. I would highly recommend sponges for your application. You can pick some up cheap and cut them to shape. This will make it very easy to get applied control and maintain shape.

Napkin ball

I know you are likely looking for more detail oriented designs but for completness sake I wanted to make larger items so I just balled up a napkin to make a heart design. This way my wife should not get made when she sees what I have done to the kitchen windows.

 I jumped the gun for the photo but it did eventually fill out nice

This worked as well as I would have hoped. The shape I made is what appeared on the window. It did bleed from the bottom so perhaps too much liquid was used. Easy to clean after the fact though with some water.

Fingers

Much like in the video using fingers would be a useful tool as well. In the video it is shown drawing after the solution was applied to the window. The difference with me is I used my finger to apply the solution to the window surface.

Expected results here as well. Design showed well except where some bleeding occurred. I made a happy face which ended up looking more like a horseshoe. Other pictures are a star, the characters A&C and an isometric box (that is not in the picture at all).

I recommend the sponge for sure because it helps with easy controlled application. Once you get a feel for the amount of liquid you can easily get the design you want without the salt solution creeping.


To draw anything, is it necessary to draw its wireframe first? See the pitcher plant drawing here, where they have actually drawn the wireframe first (see image below).
What will I gain by drawing the wireframe first? Why not draw the outer lines directly?

The reason for drawing wire frames, or any construction method, is to properly develop the forms of the object. By laying out the underlying structure, you can get a better sense of volume, proportions and arrangement of the 3D object you're trying to map into a 2D art form. This lets you get the foundation ready before laying down time-consuming details that may be hard to fix later.

If you focus first on the outline, you might recognize the plant as a plant, but you'll lose out on the understanding of the curved blades that make the leaves, or the cylindrical shape of the pot.

Generally speaking, if you start from the edges, the following mistakes become common:

Incorrect proportions, as the base layout wasn't developed first
Poor impression of depth, since outer lines become over emphasized compared to spatial relationships
Too much time spent on making the outline "perfect" leads to slow progression and hyper focus on small areas and not the larger image

These problems can leave the drawing looking dimensionless and misshapen.

Additionally, as you practice construction of real objects, you develop your natural understanding of how objects work. This allows you to become increasingly capable of constructing objects from imagination, or filling in blanks of objects you can't fully see. This is a skill that only comes about with practice.

Now, there are methods of practice and application where you focus on drawing the outline. One exercise is drawing the negative space around an object, effectively leaving you with a silhouette or outline. In such a case, you focus strongly on the relationship of angles and distances between empty spaces. Here, you're also training your eye to interpret 3D objects as 2D forms.

This is also an essential skill. So to answer your question about whether it's always necessary to draw the wireframe first, I would say no. Specifically, learning to draw negative space is highly valuable, and can be combined with your understanding of construction to make believable objects.


How to reproduce faux tortoise shell material I'd like to mimic this faux tortoise shell material:

Ideally I need the material to be like a thin layer of plastic (probably less than 2mm).

I tried using clear epoxy resin + colors, and I almost got satisfactory results (at least for the first try):

But by the time the resin was curing, the colors were all mixed together, and the final result was a single color. So I guess I need to find another way of doing it.
Any suggestions? I was thinking about using acrylic colors on a thin sheet of plastic, and then using clear resin over it when the colors are dry.

I've recently viewed a YouTube'r creating pen blanks with two different colored resins and pine cones. She placed a timer in the camera view and after mixing the two parts of the respective resins waited for a specific time before pouring the resins into the mold.

I did not pay sufficient attention to the elapsed time and it would depend on the resin being used. I've seen resins that gel up in three or four minutes and another product that has forty-five minute working time.

You may be able to use your existing resins if you are able to determine the edge of the gel period.


Whats is the mm equivalent of US / old UK knitting needles? When converting from US or old UK knitting needle sizes to mm, what are the conversions for these?


How can I safely sharpen a small craft knife? I have a small craft knife (almost like a scalpel, really) that's become rather blunt over the years. It's no longer safe to use because it's so blunt, so I need to sharpen it.

What are the safest ways to do this, considering its small size?

The blade itself is about 2.5cm / 1in long
The knife is made of stainless steel

If the knife is really that blunt, I recommend taking it to be professionally sharpened. Many craft stores offer this service either as part of their regular services or on a part-time basis (once or twice a month). Otherwise, you may have a knife sharpener in your city who would be able to do it. The cost is generally based on the length of the blade, so should not be very high for your knife.

Unless you have a good-quality mechanical sharpener at home and know how to use it well - or have learned how to use a whetstone and steel, it will be difficult for you to return the knife to the necessary level of sharpness for crafting.

Honers can only realign the blade slightly and are for daily knife maintenance, they can not actually sharpen a knife.


How do you accurately mark fabric without a pattern? I’m trying to use a pattern for a bag, courtesy of a friend. The pattern instructs me to “cut two rectangles, 14 by 16 inches from main fabric”. I have sewn for a while now, but never without a pattern.
I tried using a yardstick to mark the lines on the fabric, but it kept being inaccurate and changing the position.
How do I accurately cut a rectangular shape from fabric without a pattern to trace?

There is always the option of making a pattern - i.e. an appropriately sized piece of paper. Then you can use it as you are accustomed to.
For rectangular patterns, remember that when you fold an edge onto itself, the resulting crease line will be perpendicular to the edge. This helps a lot when constructing a rectangle.
So if your fabric is sturdy and not prone to distort, arm yourself with an iron and start ironing, folding, and ironing, etc., always measuring your distances. If however your fabric won’t necessarily hold its shape, I recommend the homemade paper pattern route.


How can I do my Poké Ball decreases so they appear tighter? A continuation of my Poké Ball woes: I want to improve my decrease technique. Consider the image of the tops of my balls (where the balls are finished and tied off):

The very top where the tie-off occurs has already been addressed in another question, but that does not help the decreases leading up to the end. The picture hides it more than it appears in real life, but you can easily see the Poly-fil between the stitches.
To clarify, this is how I decrease:

Insert your hook into the next stitch.
Yarn over and draw the yarn through the stitch.
Insert your hook into the next stitch.
Yarn over and draw the yarn through the stitch.
Yarn over and draw the yarn through all 3 loops on your hook.

The issue is exacerbated with a project where multiple decreases - both beside and on top of each other - occur.
How can I do my Poké Ball decreases so they appear tighter?

I think you'll enjoy trying what's called the "invisible decrease".

By running through two stitches but not actually making the base of both of them, it tightens up the space and only shows a single stitch. It can actually be challenging to see where the decrease is after it's completed.

From the linked article (there are images included for both right and left-handed users to help if you visit the blog):

  Insert the hook into the front loop of the first stitch (2 loops on hook). DO NOT YARN OVER:
  Insert the hook into the front loop of the next stitch. To do this, you’ll need to swing the hook down first so you can insert the hook under the front loop. (3 loops on hook)
  Yarn over and draw through the first two loops on the hook. (2 loops on hook)
  Yarn over and draw through both loops on the hook. Invisible decrease completed

As a note, because this is specifically geared towards amigurumi figures, it expects that you're using single crochets. I'm not sure if there's an adjustment that allows this to work with other size stitches.

To compare, here are images that show the three options for decreases.

These first two images are skipping a stitch and the standard single crochet two together (sc2tog). In both cases, the decrease is pretty obvious.

And here's what the invisible decrease looks like, which is nearly indistinguishable compared to the other two:


Tool To Create Folding Plans I'm trying to design a leather box, I've got the plan penciled out - but now looking to create a scale model out of card.

I'm looking for a tool that will allow me to make my scribbles into a to-scale print out which I can then use to take the project forward.  Something similar to:

A free or cheap software tool would be ideal.

Thanks guys

I had to do something similar recently.

Starting with a pencil sketch and a cutout (could be just a sketch in your case), I took a picture of it using my phone:

I imported the picture into FreeCad (yes, it is free) and used its Sketcher workbench to trace over the image. That produced a "proper" engineering model (where I could control sizes, placement of elements etc):

I then used Drawing workbench to create a technical drawing which I exported to PDF at scale, printed it out and in my case glued to cardboard to cut the final box out of:

Now, I must warn you that the learning curve of FreeCad is pretty steep, but I think it is a great tool to keep in your toolbox.


can you identify this fabric I would really like to find another pair of trousers like these but I don't know what this fabric is called. It is heavy cotton, and there is a slanted pattern to it. In the picture, I've put a  pencil to give a sense of scale.

It's a woven rib twill (diagonal pattern) like denim except that in denim the twill pattern is tighter and smaller in scale and the blue yarns in the rib cover the white yarns.  In this fabric the brown and the tan yarns both show.

Chinos (khakis) are also a woven twill, although tighter and not as bold as this twill, and both yarns are usually the same pale tan color.

Fun fact: the reason jeans look whiter over time at high-wear points like knees and hems and the edges of pockets is that as the blue yarns are rubbed away with wear and tear, the white yarns underneath begin to show through.

Probably the best way to describe this fabric when looking for another pair is that it's a heavy twill in which there are two colors in the diagonal.  Best yet is to take these with you if you shop in physical stores.

Good luck, this is a nice fabric.


How to color with an even darkness? I want to draw a certain design from a stencil and fill it in evenly in black, but using any drawing utensil I know of, like markers, sharpies, colored pencils, paints, etc., I will inevitably be able to see the strokes. I want it to be uniformly dark and not see the strokes. Does anyone know of a special paint or other coloring utensil that I could use that can do this?

The issue is half medium, half technique.

First, your medium. You need something with high opacity. In wet media, we're talking black ink, and probably a wet one. Examples of Black inks which can be easily manipulated to produce an even distribution are sharpie markers, India ink, the proprietary uni-ball brand's ink pens, and Copic markers of the darkest black. For dry media, you want something soft and easily blended, with a really dark color. You want charcoal, or the softest B graphite you can find. I have found that eyeliner pens also work, as weird as that sounds. I'll talk about watercolor pencils at the very end. In either case, even the best tool is not enough. A mark which shows no hand in its production is a very difficult thing to create in traditional drawing media. My own college level instructors told me it was so difficult, it wasn't even worth chasing. (I disagree with them. Mastery of material and technique is always worth pursuing.) It is much easier in painting and printmaking techniques. Doing it with drawing media just takes practice and patience, but using the right tools for the task will make it easier. Black is always the best choice in this regard, as it is usually the most opaque pigment on any palette. The more translucent the pigment is, the harder this becomes.

The technique:

Keep in mind, this technique takes a long time to practice and master. It requires a ton of patience and endurance. It is a meditative task, in that it is slow, repetitive, boring, and more than a little uncomfortable. It is a trial of tolerance, and demanding of a quieted but focused mind. I would not do this in a place where you are likely to be distracted. Learning this technique is how I learned what it means to meditate.

1. Be gentle:
Press just hard enough to apply the pigment, and absolutely no harder. The weight of the tool alone should be more than enough. Most of an artist's hand is exposed by the damage it does to the paper. By preserving the finish of the paper, you hide your mark. Love your paper: that original finish is why you are doing this in the first place, after all!

2. Go slow:
This is especially important with inks, but just as important with dry media. Go just fast enough to leave your mark. Going too fast will pull at the texture of the paper laterally, changing the way light reflects off of it. With ink, you still need to keep a decent pace; the slower you go, the more ink soaks into the page, and the more it bleeds outward. If you're using ink, draw from where you know your bled edge will be, not where the edge of your nib is. Having a really tightly packed paper, something machine-pressed, with poor absorption, is a good thing here, as more ink will sit on the surface, making the mark take longer to dry, and getting you a darker result. For dry media, you'll want something stiff and toothy, something that can carve out your marking tool like sand paper. You won't always get to choose the best paper for the job, but if you have the choice to use the best, then you should make the choice to use the best.

3. Full length strokes:
In even, straight lines, at a constant pace, scan from one edge of the shape to the other. Do not break this line until you arrive at the opposite edge. Be careful to make the ends of each mark flush with the edges of your shape. The ends of a mark have subtle differences due to minute changes in pressure and timing as your physical hand changes direction. You want to "hide" these subtle marks by putting them in the edges of your shape. If you make the mistake of coloring a large shape in "blocks", then the mark ends line up and the series of subtle marks become a visible line of their own. If you color at random, the many marks form a texture which telegraphs your hand to the audience. So, while it is painfully slow, color it one line at a time, scanning back and forth like a computer printer. Your hand will cramp. Adjust your grip slightly with each mark to delay and reduce discomfort. If you are using dry media, you can rest your hand every few marks, but ink is far, far less forgiving.

4. Overlap:
Each mark you make, make sure you overlap the previous mark by slightly more than 50%. The thicker your mark, the easier this is to do. This is especially important with ink, as the repeated overlap ensures maximum deposition of ink at the surface, helping to hide the effects of drying time differences from one mark to the next. This is why ink is so much less forgiving. You want to finish each mark before the previous one has finished drying. The faster the ink dries, the harder this becomes without damaging the paper. Slower drying inks, like dip inks, are often preferred. This urgency imposed by the drying time for inks makes this technique rather stressful if you are not comfortable with the ink and paper yet. Reactivating inks, (like copics) which begin bleeding again when exposed to their wet medium, are a very good option, because the overlapping marks will bleed together somewhat, reducing the need of good mark timing.

5. Two coats:
Go over the work a second time, angling the strokes of the second coat by about 30°. Be even more gentle than the first pass, as you have already weakened the paper's finish. Ink will have significantly altered the absorption rate of the paper, as the dried ink will have infused its binding agent into the fibers, and your technique will need to adjust accordingly. If you are working in a gloss-finishing medium, like metal point or graphite, the smooth deposit of material is effectively a new finish for the page, and it will change how the next layer is deposited, no matter how soft your pencil is. The main purpose of this step is to get maximum color at the surface. In dry media, because you are being so gentle, you likely won't produce a very dark surface. You'll need to go over it several times, possibly many, many times if the paper is very soft or thin, depositing pigment in many thin, even layers, until the surface is completely coated, blotting out the paper fully. In ink, you always lose some color to absorption. After the initial coat, the fibers are generally clogged with dried binding agent, so the second coat is usually almost perfectly the same color as the dry pigment alone, as most of the ink will dry on the surface, rather than as a stain in the paper. In both cases, with media which blend easily, (charcoal and copics) the second layer allows loose material to blend, obscuring your mark.

Why not some other angle, like 90°? You want a slight angle for one purpose only: crushing any subtle damage your initial marks made. Provided your second coat is just as gentle, the slight angle will maximally wipe out variance from the first coat. Think of it as polishing the finish, only much more gentle. At the commonly proposed 90° angle, your second coat would create the same kind of damage as your first coat, but will intersect with the initial damage in highly concentrated points, arranged in an even pattern, forming a checkered texture. Using a slight angle spreads out the intersections, and creates a broader, less even pattern, making it much harder to see.

6. Blend it if you can: This only applies to media which can be blended and worked after application. (So, pretty much just dry media, with the special inclusion of Copic markers) Using a tortillion, makeup brush, finger, or other blending tool, gently swirl the pigment in a soft, "fluffing" gesture. This moves any loose material around, allowing you to carefully even out its distribution. (With copics, you need a 0 ink pen, that's the one containing nothing but binder and medium. Just make quick, feathery full-length strokes back and forth across the area at a slight angle to your last coat. After quite a bit of work, the marks will begin to bleed together even more. Not all reactivating inks are available in an unpigmented form- in fact, Copic is the only brand I've seen that does it.)

Dry Media: The Other Method

One of my classmates called it cottonballing. I think she just made that up herself, but it's appropriate. That's what it feels like while you're doing it: soft and fluffy. Using a soft, dark, dry material, such as charcoal, begin coloring in your shape with a very light, gentle mark. Be careful to preserve the finish. Do not lift your tool. Color the whole shape in one long, slow, gentle, ponderously meandering mark. It is, in essence, the most delicate form that scribbling can take. Make no sharp angles or straight paths, always be curving, and do not stop moving. Keep your whole shape in sight, watching for an even distribution, and take whatever arbitrary path leads you through the uneven spots most frequently. Don't watch your tool tip, allow your subconscious take care of that while you focus on the work as a whole. To quote Bob Ross, "Think like water. Let it flow." Eventually, you will have applied a thick enough layer that the surface is completely coated, and cannot possibly get any darker. As long as you avoided patterns like the plague, and preserved the paper's surface, no discernible hand will be visible. Head to an edge and feather it off, following the contour.

Watercolor Pencils

If you plan to use this tool, use appropriate paper that can stand up to localized moisture.

These tools are kind of a gray-area hybrid between watercolor painting and traditional drawing. They are pencils containing dried, brick-form watercolor paint as a lead, plus some additional ingredients to make them less brittle and a little stronger so they draw smoothly. Unfortunately, there is considerable variation in WC pencil hardness, and manufacturers have not thought to advertise their relative pencil hardness. Some brands actually have different hardness from one pencil to another depending on the pigment! Find a set with a very soft black. (Actually, in general, find a set with the softest pencils you can find; they react to water activation better, as they apply as a loose dust rather than a dense accretion.) Use one of the methods from above for dry media to color normally, as though it were just a pencil. Now get out the water and use a damp brush to carefully soak the surface. You want to activate the medium and take up as little as possible. A shorter-bristled brush with a wide surface works best here, as they have less of a belly for pigment. Work the surface until all of the paint has been evenly activated and blended while wet. Let it dry.

If this sounds like it sucks: You could always do what my teachers suggested: take up printmaking. I wasn't satisfied with that answer. Other artists have their own techniques for hiding their hand. It's something of a technical mastery "magic trick" in the arts. These techniques are mostly found among hyper-realists and photo reproduction artists. If you know any of them, or meet one, and notice that they do a good job of obliterating their hand from the finished work, ask them how they do it in a polite way. Most artists are pretty down to chat about technique- especially if you buy a commission off of them.


What exactly are carbon pencils? A recent question on What are the types of charcoal pencils and how do they differ from each other? had an answer that discussed the relationship of charcoal pencils and carbon. It got me doing a little research in an effort to understand the relationship for myself. It actually left me more confused than anything.
An answer in the aforementioned question talked about Wolffs carbon pencil's which at least on that site are described as:

The carbon pencil is the perfect combination of charcoal and graphite.

The name carbon, for a pencil, is misleading to me since I know natural graphite is pure carbon. Should graphite pencils not just be called carbon pencils then?
I wanted to read a little farther into it and found a page discussing different pencil compositions.

Graphite or “lead” pencils:
As you probably know, pencil ‘lead’ contains no actual lead, just graphite, so it is non-toxic and very stable, and graphite is a form of pure carbon.
...
Carbon pencils:
These are usually made of a mixture of clay and lamp black, but are sometimes blended with charcoal or graphite depending on the darkness and manufacturer. They produce a deeper black than graphite pencils, but are smoother than charcoal.

The description of carbon there is inline with the Wolff's pencil but suggests there are other materials that can be used as well.
It is possible the answer is in the question here but if someone more experienced can chime in that would be helpful.
Why are they called carbon pencils if that is basically what graphite pencils are? Is it being used as a manufacturer buzz word?

The carbon the pencil producers refer to is to be understood as an abbreviation for 'amorphous carbon' one of the three most common allotropes of Carbon (i.e. stablilized multiatomic structures of atomic carbon) The other well know allotropes are Graphite and Diamond. If you had a diamond pencil you would also have a pencil made of carbon - however a much harder carbon allotrope. Hence it will not produce any line (at least not on paper). See also the wikipedia artikle.

'Carbon pencils' will contain amorphous carbon along with other ingredients to produce a deeper black without the scratchyness of pure charcoal.


How does light affect saturation? Based on my current knowledge, light increases the saturation of a color. If that's the case, then the form shadow of an object should have lower saturation than the part of the object hit by light (not the highlight; just the part of the object that's between the highlight and terminator).
However, after studying both traditional and digital artists' works, I noticed that many people increase the saturation in the shadows and decrease it in the light.
Why do they do that? Are they simply using artistic license because they don't want to lose color in the shadows?

Let's take a look at a photo of a colored object.
This is a simple, bright blue 20-sided die. I picked this because the shape and lighting make it easy to see multiple levels of brightness.

I then took this image and imported it into Adobe Color Wheel, which has quickly become one of my favorite tools for analyzing palettes when I don't have access to an art program. I find digital tools are a great supplement for learning traditional art skills, especially when you're teaching yourself.

Let's look at the immediate observations:

The hues all "line" up, which we should expect. It's a single-color object (excluding the text), and the lighting is clear and white, so there's no hue shifting
The tool captured the range of brightness levels, so we should be OK using this as an example

In this case, looking at the actually HSB number, we can see the shadow is actually slightly less saturated than the midtones, but the caveat here is that it's based on the pixel selected for that color. Picking different pixels from the "15" side in the shadow yield slight differences in saturation, and mainly it's on-par with the midtones.
But, as you've observed in artworks, the highlighted sides (17, 18), have decreased in saturation. Why is that?
Let's talk about light!
The way that light and objects interact is inverted from what we actually see. So a bright blue object like this, which is almost completely blue, actually reflects Blue light back to our eyes. The object itself is absorbing Red and Green light (when basing this on the RGB color scale, which is what visible light is based on).
When you shine white light onto an object, you're essentially shining all colors onto that object (the die, here). The shadows, receiving less light, will still absorb the Red and Green light, reflecting back lower amounts of Blue light. Because the amount of light is reduced, the brightness value on the HSB (Hue/Saturation/Brightness) scale with be lower, but the Hue and Saturation stay essentially the same.
But as you increase the amount, or intensity, of the white light being cast on the die, you reach a point where the physical properties of the object can't absorb as much Red and Green light, so it starts reflecting some of that, as well. When the light is strong enough, or a point reflective enough, it may even appear to us as pure white, which is a color with no saturation (like pure black or grey).
Since the light being reflected back is no longer pure Blue, the saturation decreases. This is because saturation (colorfulness, chroma, intensity, etc) is measured by the difference in the levels of color from gray, or in other words the difference in the dominant hue(s) from the remaining hue(s).
This also explains why shadows of a form still often maintain the same level of saturation: the die has no problem absorbing the meager amount of Red and Green being cast on it. Although, in this case, the object does absorb some Blue, so at low enough levels, we might see the saturation decrease, because proportion of reflected Blue light is lower.
Note that all this is mostly the theoretical application of light as it would apply to art. Rarely is a subject going to be lit from a single, clear, diffuse white light. Most environments are going to have multiple light sources, often not pure, and you'll be dealing with reflection of colored light off nearby objects. That's when the artistic eye and choices really come into play.


Confused on what kind of drill bit I need for my sheet metal project I have been looking at drill bits, and I have found so many kinds that I am overwhelmed on what I will need.

Firstly I found a few types.  Regular drill bits, step drill bits, countersink bits, spade drill bits, etc.

I also found, on the regular drill bits, that they come in different coating i/e titanium, cobalt, diamond, etc.

I am looking to cut into a 1/32" or so piece of stainless steel sheet metal, and have been doing okay with using regular metal (I think metal, hopefully not wood) bits.

I noticed that Step Drill Bits were recommended for "Sheet metal" but I am scared I will cut too much with that and make too big of a hole?  In the drill bits I noticed there are different kinds.

Dewalt had some "Pilot" type bits, but had titanium and cobalt coating.  Apparently the Cobalt is used for thicker/stronger metals, and requires a lubricant?  I am not looking to go crazy with some super bits and lube, I just want to make sure I can clean cut without breaking the bits.

Any help is appreciated with this issue.

You'll be fine with regular drill bits but make sure you run the drill at a fairly slow speed and cool the drill bit with a few drops of water or oil around/in the hole you're drilling.  These type of drill bits are made from something called high speed steel or HSS, which is fine for drilling steel unless it's high carbon steel (you'd know if it was).  You could also use a TCT (tungsten carbide tipped) drill bit, which has a harder tip. Don't use a diamond bit.


What is the most effective stitch for fabric gloves? Whenever I hand sew gloves from fabric, I use the familiar straight stitch when sewing in the fourchettes & thumb. However, this usually doesn't last long: after a short while of wear, these stitches loosen and holes form.

What sort of stitch can I use to make sure that my gloves last?

If you are  making leather or cloth gloves:

Glove making is a traditional art and its artisans are highly skilled.  It sounds like you are fairly experienced in glove making, but here are some tips on stitching and making gloves.

The link below shows the classic traditional method of leather glove making, using several stitching styles:
http://www.couturestuff.com/vintage-sewing-books/how-to-make-gloves-by-eunice-close/how-to-make-gloves-section-1/

A more "home crafter" glove-making tutorial is:
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Leather-Gloves

Both tutorials show several stitch options, e.g, seams out or seams in, running stitches, overcast stitches, etc.  To a great degree, stitch selection appears to depend as much on desired aesthetics as anything else.

I would imagine that durability of your stitching is highly dependent on the selection of the size and fiber content of your thread; the closeness of your stitching, and the correct sizing of the pattern, especially the length and width of the fingers and thumbs.


How can I remove glue from leather without ruining the leather? We've been doing some leather work and we're using super glue to hold the edges together uniformly before stitching for a better hold.

The issue I keep having is that if there is any glue residue on the leather, the stain I'm using doesn't stain, and instead leaves a rather obvious mark where the glue is.

A few things I've tried:

Sandpaper - this didn't work well. It left scratch marks on the leather that the stain seeped into and it pretty much sucked. I used a fine paper but it still scratched.
nail polish remover - this worked OK but effected the stain. I had to do a couple rounds of using it across the whole project to make it uniform again. Diminished the effects of the glue but didn't get rid of it completely
adding more stain - this didn't work hahaha. just made my project super dark and some what blotchy which I had to fix with more nail polish remover.

Open to trying people's suggestions and reporting back.

Take a scrap piece of leather and apply several dots of glue to it, then let them dry.  Once they are dry, try each of the following solvents to see which ones remove the glue with a minimum of discoloration to the leather.  Then stain the leather to see how the solvent treated leather accepts color.

clean water,
water with dish-soap,
rubbing alcohol,
acetone (nail polish remover)
dilute ammonia
dilute bleach

Never mix the solvents with each other.  Apply each solvent to a separate dot of dried glue using a q-tip or folded paper towel.


What materials can be used to stiffen a leather bag? I'm early in the process of making a leather doctor's bag (also known as a Gladstone bag), in this kind of shape:

I've bought a side of ~2mm cowhide for the body, but I know from past experience that it's too flexible to stay in shape while standing on the floor without something to stiffen it.

So, what materials can I use to stiffen the leather in the straight part of the bag's sides?

I've considered the following:

Card (as used here) - this worries me because it will degrade very quickly when wet.
Paperboard (chipboard in the US, as used here) - similar issues to card
Interfacing - I've never seen this used for leather goods but it's a plausible material
Sheet plastic - this is lightweight and waterproof
Sheet metal (probably aluminium) - strong, but probably not flexible enough and heavy
Steel framing (rather than a full sheet) - this seems to be what hard briefcases use for strength but is almost certainly too stiff.

I'm looking for something that will enable the bag to stand upright without sagging, but I'm making a bag not a box, so it needs to retain some flexibility.

One thing not on your list is steel wire.

This is a sort of steel framing I suppose. But it can do a lot while remaining light and flexible. I would think you want something in spring temper, so perhaps piano wire of sufficient gauge. I suppose whenever I've seen these it's been mild steel though, somewhere around .050-.100" diameter.

"U"-shaped members on each side and each end might do the trick. They could be sewn into seams or otherwise concealed.

Interestingly, these members resist torsion (twisting) as well as bending. So, for example, if you wanted a bag that didn't flop down but was free to pull apart for access at the top (and pull together at the top to close), you could place a square wire frame at the bottom and a U or square frame on the sides only (not the ends). The frame would tend to make each side "hinge" in and out as one, roughly like the cover of a book, rather than having to pull each end separately to open.


Paint for kids' skin: what is suitable? What sorts of paint are suitable to apply to kids' faces and hands, for events such as carnival or just for classroom use to play games - obviously non-toxic stuff?

You can buy non-toxic "face paints" or "body paints" specifically made for this purpose.

Product Search: Face Paint

You can also make them yourself.

Face paints (typically) are not a "type of paint" per se, but a mixture of food coloring or other non-toxic dye mixed with a base material to give it opacity. A lot of costume makers, face and body painters mix this up on their own with a combination of

Food coloring or non-toxic dye (for color)
Clay, corn starch, or arrowroot (for thickness and opacity)
Face lotion, vegetable oil or shortening, or zinc cream (diaper cream)

There are many recipes for face paint on the Internet based on what ingredients you have on hand and how effective/durable you need it to be, but I hesitate to list one here for having not tried any of them myself.

Search: DIY or Homemade Face Paint


How can I draw single hairs on a black background with charcoal or graphite? Every time I look at super realistic portrait drawings in charcoal or graphite, I wonder how to draw single hairs against a black background (on white paper, though) like in these pictures:

source

by Emanuele Dascanio
Do I have to erase the fine line out of the black background with a fine eraser or do I have to leave out the line while darkening the background? What is the best way to achieve results similar to those above?

The flocculent beauty of the work you show is not that the artists drew a single hair (that would never achieve the effect) the beauty came from the artists layering one drawn hair "over" another and repeating it until the desired depth was achieved.

I can think of two artists on Youtube who demonstrate this layering process (with explanations for their reasoning)
Darrel Tank https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsEiMe3OiGo
Stan Prokopenko https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHewz3JbKrQ

Here's a simple example of the layering process. This is based on a presentation by Darrel Tank. If you wan to see the complete process in action then check out his video series.

For this example I will use an HB mechanical pencil, a kneaded eraser and brush. Paper is 400 series strachmore (60lb). I only have white paper and black pencils. Don't focus on the materials. Focus on the process.

With a couple of simple strokes the first strands of the hair are stated.

The pencil strokes are softened using a brush by gently brushing across the surface. The harder the pencil the more difficult it will be to soften the pencil marks.

Next I take a kneaded eraser and form it into a sharp thin edge. Drawing the eraser cross the surface removes some of the pencil markings and leaves behind a negative space creating the illusion of overlapping strands of hair.

Next I go back and restate some of the lines with the pencil.

Again I use the brush to soften the marks.

The process is repeated until the desired layering effect is achieved.

Repeat the steps as many times as needed until the desired effect is achieved. Don't be as heavy handed as i was in laying down the layers. The harder you press the more difficult it will be to remove the pencil marks. A light touch is needed.

The above was just one example of how to create the layered effect you are looking to achieve. Masking and opaque paints can also be used but they too rely of the layering for the desired effect.


Chemically etch (frost) acrylic (plexiglass)? Is there an equivalent to Armour Etch (used in glass etching) for acrylic?

I want to etch some text onto an acrylic sheet but I do not have access to a laser engraver. Sanding seems to be a common approach for achieving the frosted look on acrylic, but I don't see how I can use that approach to etch elaborate text... With a cream like Armour Etch, it is easy to just mask out the pattern and apply the cream...

I scoured the web looking for a simple way to etch acrylic plates and glasses, the way I etch glass plates and glasses using a stencil and etching cream. Could not find anything. Then it hit me - acetone!
Well, I tried applying it the same way I would etching cream and made a big mess.
So what I needed was more control. Instead of straight acetone, I took nail polish remover (with 98% acetone) and a cotton round. I dabbed a little nail polish remover on the cotton, then folded it over on itself to soak up extra. Finally, after applying the stencil, I dabbed the cotton onto the acrylic, rinsed to get any extra off the stencil, and removed the stencil. It came out beautifully, looking exactly like etched glass! (The photo is my test piece, the mess is on the opposite side of the logo shown.)


What sort of materials can I use to make a latex mask look wet without actually being wet? So Halloween is approaching, and I'm thinking about sitting on the porch to pass out candy, except wearing a mindflayer costume, because there is only one day a year when scaring other peoples kids is acceptable (but only if you give them candy).

I'm thinking of starting with this ood mask from dr who and fabricating extra tentacles out of rubber snake toys, but I also want the mask to look like it's covered in slime like a regular octopus would be. I had entertained the idea of using petroleum jelly, but that would be gross and greasy.

What can I cover the mask with so that it looks wet and oozy while still being at least somewhat comfortable and dry?

There are two main things that make objects look wet:

The glossy, reflective finish that water has
The shape and depth of the water - you can see not just the surface of the water, but the surface of the object below it

Anything that satisfies these properties will work.

Given that you probably want the tentacles to remain flexible, I would recommend clear silicone sealant to make the volume of the ooze, adding drops to the end of tentacles etc, followed by a coat of flexible gloss varnish for the reflective finish.


What is a castable gold-coloured metal that is less expensive than gold? I have plans for a table with a gold inlay. Problem is, gold is expensive and the inlay is quite large (it's not a 'wire' inlay - I'd be casting a pretty substantial piece and setting it into the table). I'd like to use a different metal that I can effectively seal to prevent excessive oxidization (and etc.) that is at least vaguely gold-colored. So far I've been toying with brass or copper, but I wanted to see if anyone knew of any other metals that might provide a good substitute.

Maybe you could use epoxy resin instead of metal. It's not exactly cheap and you'd have to do some research as to which resin is best suited for your purpose (or suited at all), but there are tons of YouTube videos of how to design tables with epoxy.

The coloration could be a problem because depending on the pigment it won't look like metal at all, even if the pigment is golden. If you want to take this approach, I propose you buy colored resin instead of coloring it yourself.

If you're interested in epoxy resin, you should research the following topics before executing your first project:

The different kinds of resin and their properties. Some are only suited for thin layers, others only for thick layers. If you use improper resin, it might stay soft and sticky.
The safety measures! Always wear goggles and gloves and keep the area well ventilated, even if you don't smell any noxious fumes.
How to get rid of bubbles. This is a common problem with resin but less severe with opaque colors.


Name of internally lit translucent carved art What is the name of the art form where a translucent material (could be cylindrical) is carved on the inside and lit from within so the image is rendered in brightness determined by how thick the remaining material is?

With thanks to Chris Meyer from Sector67:

It's lithophane.

Sorry I wasn't clever enough to check with the source in the first place, but thanks for asking the question that triggered that!


Seeking inspiration - are there professional watercolor pencil artists and if no - why not? I like watercolor pencil technique very much. Are there professional artists that work in watercolor pencil tehnique. If no - then why not? Soft pastels and soft pastel pencils are accepted and rather widely used medium by professional artists. What about watercolor pencils?

I would be happy to get inspiration for my own efforts and to be sure that my efforts using watercolor pencils have perspective to achieve more higher level of acceptance as art.

Look up Gary Greene. He has some beautiful work and also instructional materials available on Youtube, ArtistsNetwork, Amazon and probably elsewhere. He does both colored pencil and watercolor pencil work. Watercolor pencils are a natural extension of straight colored pencil work. CP artists will sometimes melt their cp pasages with various solvents. Watercolor pencil uses a similar technique, except that the solvent is water. As I'm sure you're aware, it's the beauty of watercolor pencil (and also the use of other solvents with straight cp) that some passages will be dissolved and others left untreated, according to the discretion of the artist.

You can use any medium in a professional art career. The key here is not the medium used but your own creativity, skill, salesmanship and most of all, hard and persistent work. If your favorite medium is wc pencils, then dig in. It's a great medium to use.


What are some good car-crafts for long trips? Sometimes on those long car rides, coloring doesn't cut it for a kid when parents are trying to avoid screen time. What are some good crafts that a kiddo can do in the car without making an overly difficult to clean mess? For example, slime is out, and so is anything with runny glue. I won't leave out glue sticks, however!

Kits in general are good because they tend to be self-contained with all the materials, and tell you what else to bring - forgetting a key item is frustrating for everyone.

There are various sewing craft kits, often using a plastic needle and pre-punched holes at least for younger ones.

Faux stained glass kits are tidy but might need too much of a steady hand for road trips, depending on your roads.

I don't think of them as craft but books with reusable stickers and background scenes are good, and can include a story-telling aspect if you like.

These kits can get repetitive or expensive if you travel a lot, so some alternatives:

Anything with stickers should work - perhaps sticker mosaics.

For an (almost) free option, collage using glue sticks and pictures from old magazines.  You may want to pre-cut the magazines, or have an adult cut them, as depending on the age of the kids and the state of the roads scissors may not be a good idea for children.  When using a glue sticks, a plastic lap tray with edges.

This will depend on how messily your children use them, but rubber stamps and ink pads can be quite fun (I've seen children playing together, one with clean hands, another using the ink pad for hand-prints - and it wasn't washable ink)

Activity books that mix colouring/drawing activities with non-craft activities such as puzzles will give some variety.
Definitely not craft, but games involving looking out of the window are always a good bet: who can spot something first (horse/emergency service vehicle/purple car etc.); guess how many of a particular object you'll see by the time you reach some defined point (about 10 minutes works) - who gets closest.  This works from surprisingly young as they just need to be able to count; you can also bring in basic arithmetic ("you guessed 8, we've seen 7, so one more and you win").


Why are the corners of my work curling? This happens frequently. I make something like a scarf, my hook case or more recently my knight's helmet.

Any place that I have something like a 90 degree corner my work curls up. Not the end of the world, but it can ruin a good effect if it is needed.

What I am doing wrong that is making my corners curl up? Is there something I can do after the fact to fix it? Looking this up mostly leads me to curling work on purpose.

It could be that you have too much tension on the corners. Make sure not to pull your stitches too tight when you are turning.

It's also possible this is just the natural pull of the material, and you aren't necessarily doing anything wrong. This is fairly common in knitting, but no reason it couldn't happen with crochet stitches too. The process of reshaping a finished article is called blocking. There are a few standard techniques you could try, depending on what type of yarn you used.

For natural fibers, the basic idea is:

Wet the piece
Stretch and shape to the desired size
Air dry (optionally while pinned to a blocking board; a cheap and common substitute is foam floor squares, like those used for play mats)

The process of wetting and drying will lock the fibers into place, similarly to felting. There are three main ways to do this:

Wet blocking is done by completely soaking the piece. Then, lay it on a towel and roll it up, squeezing out the excess water. After the water is wrung out, shape the article and let dry.
Steam blocking is done by placing a wet washcloth over the (dry) item, and ironing over top of it while gently shaping the article.
Spray blocking wets the article by spraying with room-temperature water, rather than soaking or steaming.

Whichever you choose, you will have to re-block the item after washing.

Acrylic yarn doesn't work with wet or spray blocking, since the fibers don't absorb water. Instead, you can use heat to melt the fibers enough to stay in place. There are two ways to do this:

Steam blocking with a low setting, and pressing with up and down motions rather than side-to-side
"Ironing" from a few inches away - never place the iron directly on the yarn, it will melt!

Always err on the side of caution! The extreme is to "kill" the yarn - melting it so much that it loses elasticity and cannot be frogged. Sometimes this is done on purpose, as the resulting material has a nice sheen and drape. If you want to do this, steam block with a higher setting until it achieves the desired properties.

Blocking acrylic with heat is permanent, and it will keep its shape after washing.


What's the name of this type of fabric pattern? Does somebody know what's the name of this fabric pattern? In Spanish is Estampado Búlgaro but when I search Bulgarian Pattern on Google Images nothing even similar appear.

It's called "paisley" in English.

  Paisley or paisley pattern is an ornamental design using the buta (Persian: بته) or boteh, a teardrop-shaped motif with a curved upper end. Of Persian origin,1 paisley designs became very popular in the West in the 18th and 19th centuries, following imports of post-Mughal Empire versions of the design from India, especially in the form of Kashmir shawls, and were then imitated locally. Although the fig- or almond-like form is of Persian origin, its English name derives from the town of Paisley, in West Scotland, a centre for textiles where paisley designs were produced.


What is way to make the painting where it seems as if colors in it have been splashed on it? Found this on the cover page of some book:

It looks as if the colors have been splashed here. What is the way to  make such painting?

The process is called working wet into wet.
Wet into wet means the paint medium (be it water colour, acrylic paint, oil paint, ink) is applied to a surface still "wet" with solvent/medium.

The solvent used to apply the previous layer of paint is still present on the surface where the new layer is being applied. The solvent has not yet evaporated (or the oil oxidized). With the solvent still present on the surface any additional paint added to the surface will dissolve as it makes contact with the solvent.

Depending on the surface the paint is applied to different effects are achieved. Paper, wood panel and canvas are very different surfaces on which paint can be applied. If the solvent is infused into the painting surface (such as the fibre weave of a canvas or paper) then the paint will, through capillary action, be drawn into the surface.

Solvent that only sits on the surface (such as when applied to a hard panel board or onto dried paint surface) will only draw the applied paint to where the solvent is present. The wetter the surface (more solvent present) the paint will dissolve further into the surface. But since it's solvent the paint will be further diluted and thinned.

Controlling the wetness of the surface controls how far the applied paint is allowed to diffuse and expand from the point of application.


Hang canvas without a frame I wish to paint on stretched canvas.
How do make it ready-to-mount (for gift-giving), or am I compelled to also purchase a frame, and drill holes in the back?
Links to the canvas and the frame I'm using.
Even this product's description says "hang with or without a frame", how on earth would I do that?
Since the "chat rep" is a bot, it is useless (I already asked).

You don't need an outer frame.
Here is a way to go about it:


How to do embroidery on tulle netting fabric? Has anybody ever tried embroidering floral designs by hand on tulle or other netting fabrics (see picture) and has some ideas and suggestions?
Do we need any special needle or tools for embroidering on netting fabric?

You can use all embrodery technics as long as you realize that the back will be visible. Not just the back, the threads will be visible all along, but so do the knots and mistakes.
It is likely best to keep your fabric in a hoop or stretched over a frame, so you will not draw it in while working.
There are special stitches which are the same front and back. You can find them online or in older books.
One stitch I remember is like weaving, filling a few holes at a time.
But you are not restricted to those stitches, you can use most stitches, as long as the 'back' does not spoil the front.
I just ran a google search on -embroidery on tulle- and got so many results that I tried to specify and added -stitches- but the results are still way to many to pick one.
If you like videos, youtube has several.
This is a random one that I liked when I saw it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzq5d3pP6IQ
And this is a text and pictures page, which does explain how to work on tule, again a random choice, I have no links with the site or people behind it:
https://crewelghoul.com/blog/how-to-hand-embroider-on-tulle/