Surprising Art Technique

Yes, it is time for another art experiment. No I didn't turn blue this time. I do not have any scars or injuries from this attempt, lol.   I  heard about a product, a cleaner called CitraSolv.  It is made with orange essential oil.  If you spray this product, on the pages of  National Geographic magazine, there is a reaction with the ink. The ink runs and you can blur the lines by tilting the page, painting or using a Q-tip to spread the ink out. I went and bought a plastic spray bottle filled it with the cleaner. It smells wonderful by the way.  In my garage, I laid out paper towel and torn paper bags.   I am sure you could use other things, sponges perhaps.   Go HERE to see a video of this process.


  No one at my house suspects this is an art product.  They think it is a cleaner...sssshhh!

I didn't have any newspaper on hand. I had already recycled my stack. So instead, I used paper towels and paper bags. You will spray the pages and then wait for the ink to pool a bit. It can take about ten minutes, or you can scrunch them up,  or close the magazine and let the magic happen.  I found the ones I did with the Q-tips had a most intriguing effect.   Here are my results!  So fun I can't wait to find some more National Geographic mags. I did buy this one, but the Space one looked gorgeous, too gorgeous to tamper with.  I am going to check out a few thrift shops and see if I have any luck~







 Can you see the bird's wing?


 This one is my favorite!


Over at the Garden,  I did a prompt using my manipulated art for poetry.  If you are curious you can go visit!   If you try this...let me know!  It smells amazing and is so fun~  My daughter and her friend were so impressed they had a turn.  I now need more National Georgraphic mags~ 

Here is my poem:
Which piece of art do you think it goes with?!  I was torn by the feather one and the spirit guide. 




Chasing day light
I hear nature whisper
right before the sanctuary of night falls
as I gather my blanket of blue heaven
 and tuck tangled memories in
I stretch out my wings and
ready for night's flight
Lunar lights the way.



My thoughts drift
sacred vision of day's fragments
threaded with trans-formative thread arrive
pinnacles of scattered thoughts swirl
revealing crown jewels of the day
sun bleached in the horizon's darkness 
pathway transformed as tiny white pearls cluster
their whiteness outlines the Milky Way
spirit guide takes my hand
 we walk though my day's twisted truths
storm enters corners of my mind
spirit tries to sweep them
 some cobwebs remain
an reminder like
an Eagle feather
of battles 
fought 
some lost, 
some won.



Ancestors reach out
and guide us
to hear the stirrings
through the wind, 
the birds, 
and Mother Nature's  
dance
follow heart's True north
realign your course
 by the journey of night stars
and embrace your day~




Comments

Wow, those images are amazing! Hope no one tries to clean the toilet with that stuff.
And I like coming here and seeing a different image in your header every time.
Ella said…
Alex-Thank you :D
You are funny, lol
I'll be by. I know your Ninja skills have been busy! I have missed your posts :D
Anonymous said…
Sensational results Ella!
I am sure you got a kick as you saw the images transfer before your eyes.
Have a beautiful weekend.
Wishes
Lynne
P.S. Thanks for visiting and also to say I adored your art in the recent Somerset Studio.
Sherry Blue Sky said…
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your poem is SPECTACULAR!!!!!!!!!!!! I especially love "I gather my blanket of blue heaven"....and the eagle feather......and he entire last stanza. Really fantastic writing, Ellie! And the images are really stellar! So beautiful and intriguing. Each of them could be blown up and framed and hung on a wall...........I, too, love always seeing a new header - today's butterfly is spectacular. You are very talented. Very.
Sandi McLean said…
Yes WOW! I have heard about this technique but not tried it..well I will be looking for some old mags now! Lovely poem, sweet start to my day.
Unknown said…
That is super awesome, Ell! Lots of ideas, like using my own photos, etc. Thanks for sharing, and hope you're weekend is a great one. :)
Kerry O'Connor said…
Aside from the "hugeness" of your words and images, I just love the shape of this poem upon the screen.

I thought your images were out of this world, and so inspirational. Thank you for sharing your method and your end results with us on Real Toads.
Helen said…
I also loved the shape of your words .. for me, like falling feathers. Awesome poem to match!!
Susan said…
i nearly missed your poem; i am so happy I scrolled down the page:

" I stretch out my wings and
ready for night's flight
Lunar lights the way." Is this sleep, meditation? Neither, I think it is more like a Quaker meeting where we "wait" on God, we rise up ready . . .

"spirit guide takes my hand
we walk though my day's twisted truths
storm enters corners of my mind
spirit tries to sweep them
some cobwebs remain" By now in your poem I am flying and walking with you touching the scars I survived and seeing now through the visions of the ancestors.

Thank you.
Laurie Kolp said…
This is so beautiful, Ella!! Does it go with your first picture?
Jo Murray said…
Thanks for the info Ella. I think the birdswing piece fits the lovely poem.
Mary said…
Beautiful poem-written in response to your neat art technique, Ellen. Love it when a person can work 2 different kinds of creativity together.
Grace said…
I love the images you created and I would like to use them for my future writing, credit to you ~

Lovely lines as well, specially the last stanza ~
Shelly said…
The picture with the bird wing really looked like an angel to me. Very cool!

And your poem was beautiful.

Hugs and chocolate,
Shelly
Wanda said…
What makes the National Geographic ink special to work with or can it be used with other magazines?
Ella said…
Hi Wanda-I think it will only work for National Geographic mags. I can't find out exactly why. Some sites say it is the ink, some say chalk in the paper?! As far as I know it won't work on other mags~
Here is a link with more info:
http://www.brooklynartproject.com/group/bapcitrasolvartists

Shelly-Thank you! Hugs and chocolate to you ;D Ok, just hugs I ate the chocolate, lol (joking)

Grace-Yes, of course! Thank you I would love to know when you do that~ Haven't had a chance to work on that other item...but will soon! :D

Mary-Thank you so much! It was fun to experiment and create something new :D

Jo-Yes, I too was torn between the bird's wing and the spirit guide. I kind of felt my poem represented both :D Thank you! You are welcome~

Laurie-You know I started out with the first photo, but I think it is more the spirit guide ;D I so wanted to combine all of the photos... Maybe that means another poem, lol

Susan-Yes, it is the process before sleeping. The winding down of one's day before dream land occurs~ Thank you Susan! I did not know that about the Quakers~
I'm a Methodist, green thumb kind of gal~ Thanks for sharing :D

Helen-Thank you so much! Oh, that is beautiful~ @>-----

Kerry-Thank you so much~ I am so happy it was well received! Really huge? I went on another computer to look...??! I wish I could see what you mean...

EJ-Thank you! YOUR PHOTOS..NO, DON'T DO IT... The process has something to do with the ink on those mags! Once we find out what ink, then maybe we can find another way to manipulate an image. I have read you can transfer an image with this cleaner, too! ;D Thank you! I hope you n' yours have a great time~

Sandi-Thank you! :D Yes, I read the older issues work well, of Nat'l Geographic that is~ Thanks for stopping by~

Sherry-You are my Fairy God Aunt ;D Thank you so much!!! You make me smile and cry~ ;D I knew you would love the blue heaven blanket~

Lynne-Thank you so much! I didn't wait as long as they suggested. It is an unique process. I started with the ads first~ I am so happy your stopped by ;D

L. Diane Wolfe said…
Those are so funky. Wonder if I still have some old Nat'l Geographics around the house?
Gorgeous imagery in this poem, Ella! I'm hoping when I finally get my mind quieted enough to hear those ancestors that they have a compass and map for me, some kind of helpful tool to find my "heart's True north." :)
scarlett clay said…
Those turned out cool, and I love your banner photo!
LTM said…
First, thank goodness you're not blue--! :D I love that art technique, and I LOVE this:

"follow heart's True north
realign your course
by the journey of night stars
and the embrace of the day~"

Thanks, girl! Hope you're doing fabulous! <3
Ella said…
Leigh-How are you? Busy I bet :D
I'll be by! I'm celebrating school started today! woo hoo, lol
Thank you <3 555

Scarlett-Thank you! Yes, I thought of you, when I redid it :D

Mary-I hear you! I actually did hear you ;D I know, a lot of detours get in the way and a few cobwebs! Hang in there @>-----

L.Diane-Let me know if you give it a try! I would love to see your results~ Thank you :D
DEZMOND said…
that's lovely and very creative!
Unknown said…
These pictures are amazing and who would have thought a household cleaner could be such a cool art technique.

The poem is lovely.
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