An ARTspot kind of holiday!

This year, Edmonds is going to experience an ARTspot kind of holiday season! We've got some fun, crafty aprons created just for you! The idea is that we'll be able to use them to wrap up some holiday gift packages, ready to give to the artiste in your life. (Note: we used a ZipIt bag for the ribbon and wrapped a gift set of drawing pencils, leather sketch pad, eraser, and pencil sharpener with a little mannekin keychain as the icing on the cake.)

But just how did we create them - and can you do one, too? Follow these simple steps, below, and you can create one, too!

FUN, EASY, MAKE-IT-YOURSELF APRONS (or tote bags, tees...)

Supply List:
*Denotes items you can buy at ARTspot! And if you sign up for a class you'll get 10% off all your supplies!
- Apron
- *Speedball Speedy-cut Carving Block
- *Speedball Printing Ink
- *Speedball Lino Cutter
- *Speedball Acrylic Roller
- *Speedball Brayer (or you can use the back of a wooden spoon)
- *Palette Pad
- *Sketch Pad (or any piece of paper will do)
- *Tracing Paper
- *Pencil (I recommend one HB for your initial sketch, and a 2B or softer for the transfer)
- *Duct Tape
- *Sharpie Marker (or other permanent marker)
Optional: -- *PITT artist pens, - *Fabric Glue and sequins or other embellishments

Instructions:
1) Grab some paper and an HB pencil. Start sketching out some ideas of what your image will be. Keep it simple to start - avoid tiny little areas that you'll have to cut around.

2) Once you'd figured out a design you like, put a piece of tracing paper over your design and trace it using the softer pencil.

3) Turn your tracing paper over and position it on top of your carving block. Your drawing should be upside down and laying on top of the block. Using your HB pencil, retrace your drawing, pushing down firmly. This will transfer your drawing to the block. When you are done and lift the tracing paper up, you'll see it is reversed and transferred!

4) Trace over your transferred drawing on the block with your Sharpie, so that it doesn't smudge off. Color in all of the areas that you want to keep.

5) Using your Lino Cutters, begin gently carving out the areas around your drawing. Leave all the dark areas. Go slow, and always cut away from your body. Be careful not to hold the block so that your hand can be cut if you lose control of your cutter. Hold it by the edges or prop it up against a wooden block or something so that you do not hurt yourself.

6) Use the duct tape to fashion a handle on the back of your block. I take a 5-inch piece, tape 1-inch to the back, fold the tape back on itself a little bit, then let the rest fall back onto the block. Makes a "T" shape against the block.

7) To print your piece, squeeze out some of the ink onto a piece of the palette paper - about a quarter size dollop should do it to start! Use the acrylic roller to roll up and down, side to side until you've spread out the paint evenly. If you've used too much ink and the roller is goopy (that's a technical term, just kidding), just take another sheet of palette paper and roll it out again.

8) Roll the paint onto your block, getting all the areas that need to print.

9) Turn your block over and position it above your apron. (Testing your design on paper first is always a good idea!) Make sure you have newspaper or something under it to protect your work space. Press down onto your apron, then use the brayer to apply even pressure over the entire block. Use the duct tape handle to lift the block off, and voila! Instant impressiveness!

10) Let the print dry for a few hours or overnight, then you can use markers and fabric glue to embellish if desired!

-Angela
ARTspot Edmonds