October 2024 Water Media challenge

Well, we’re getting near to the end of October now. I don’t know if we have anymore art coming in for this challenge. But I would like to thank everyone who participated -it was fun seeing all your artwork.
I know everyone’s been quite busy. And probably will be getting busier as we get into the US Thanksgiving and Christmas. But if you have time, we have the lovely Jennie Jo hosting for November! And I think we should welcome her by making sure we get some paintings submitted. So let’s give her thread a warm welcome when it appears. I know she’s excited to be hosting and has all her photos ready!🙂
 
This is my birthday month so I'm determined to paint a lot to start my year right. I've been busy with other stuff but I haven't been painting much at all. I'm starting a project of making hand-painted small notecards and I think I may be able to consign them in Oakridge but if I'm not able to find a spot to consign them, they'll be used as gifts. I bought some paper to try so I can review it for you all----it's 500 sheets of 5x7 cotton paper but when I got it, I found that it's not very thick. It's textured on one side but quite smooth on the other side. Now, I'm of the "if you're given lemons, make lemonade" mindset and this paper is actually welcomed by me. I thought of making notecards awhile back but I've not made any notecards because I really dislike trying to write on textured paper and not only is thicker paper harder to fold neatly, I don't think a buyer would like writing on the texture inside but I had thought it would be neat to make blank cards that could be written in.. So fortune smiled on me----I have paper now that's easy to fold and smoother on one side. It's the perfect size to use for thank you's and even package tags. If I make sets of several cards and paint the fronts, I think I'll maybe have a market---even maybe at a xummer craft market. I don't know that I'll review it here on Creative Spark because I don't know if anyone would want such thin paper, but if anyone is interested, just let me know and I'll post a link. I can use it for several things and maybe others can, too. I haven't tried painting on it yet, but tomorrow I'll try it.
 
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Well, a very happy birthday, Ellen whenever the day appears! I’m glad you’re able to get to doing some of the things you want to do. On the thinner paper I would choose your medium carefully. Not much water at all. Not only will it buckle and distort, but worse the paper breaks down. So the lightest of wash only and not very many at all. you do not want to have to rework any areas or do much with the brush on that paper.
Keep it very simple- you might be better to do ink line and a slight wash fill or to not use a water medium at all. I’m not so certain how well that paper will tape down if it’s very thin. Sure you can get a tape down, but can you get the tape off without wrecking the paper?
 
I haven't actually had my birthday yet. I was thinking it was November. But my Roku TV broke awhile back and I was missing it so much! My son and his wife bought me a brand new one that's Roku but also a Smart TV as an early birthday and Christmas gift. It's a big 50 inch one and has such a beautiful picture. I watch lots of Youtube so I'm very happy to have it. I was very surprised when they bought it for me.

And Christine, I've been painting on this paper all evening but I cut the 5X7 sheets into four pieces and I'm making some gift tags out of some of it. I haven't used any washes. I've just been doing wet on dry and it's actually pretty good for that, I must say. The paper seems happy to suck the paint right in and dries quickly. It doesn't come through the other side, although I wondered if it might. I'm painting on the fronts and I've folded them so the smoot side is blank on the inside for writing on. I certainly won't be using all 500 sheets for that but I'll share some with my little great-grand-daughter and I'm sure find other uses for it. I won't be using it for anything like actual paintings, though. I have plenty of other paper that's not so thin. I haven't taped it down but I'm sure taking tape off of it wouldn't be a good idea.
 
Oh what a wonderful gift! You will really enjoy that smart TV! Happy to hear you have it, especially over the dreary months.
 
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