Steampunked Costumes

Our annual Library Unmasked event occurs at the end of July.  In order to pump up excitement, we hosted a Steampunked Costumes First Friday Art Club.

"Antiqued" Apothecary Jars

To create some Mischief, I worked on antiquing plastic bottles to look like old apothecary jars.  The tutorial I found was perfect to create some decorative elements for the after-hours party.  Taking any bottle from home (Listerine became Mischief Powder), writing a label in marker, tracing it with hot glue for raised lettering, then painting the whole thing with acrylic paints and sponges created a mottled looking bottle perfect for any Halloween or Steampunk party.

Laser Cut Cogs

Cogs and Gears are pertinent elements in Steampunk.  A library staffer discovered how to laser cut using the Steele Memorial Library maker space. We made pins and had enough masonite left over to create some gears for this program.  Quite a lovely and easy necklace.

Cuffs for Protection

Cuffs were easy to create using toilet paper tubes and hole punches.  After cutting the tube in half to open it, this student covered it in gray duct tape, then punched holes and laced it up like a sneaker.

Geared up Gear

This hat was going to the thrift store donations, but was rescued to make Geared up Gear.  

Upcycled!

These plaid shorts were upcycled pajamas.  This student never created steampunk gear, but quickly caught the punking bug by transforming the shorts into a skirt with lace, trims and even made a hat to top off the ensemble.

Can't Get enough Cuffs

Taking old items and making them new, Upcycling, is the best way to create a costume on the cheap.  I stash trinkets and unusual items for programs like these so that there is something to inspire everyone.  Spray and acrylic paints also take those old items to a new level of cool.

Paint and Glue makes New

The kids who created in this program got excited to attend an after-hours party at the library.  Most were not familiar with the Steampunk theme, but quickly caught on and were ready to bring their best cosplay to the event.  We look forward to seeing their final look on July 28, 2017, 6:30-9 pm.

See you There!

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Cyanotypes

The SSC Library First Friday Art Club explored cyanotype printing on June 2.  Special guest instructor, Marnie Lersch, led the exploration.

Cyanotypes, GO!

Marnie defined the term cyanotype by breaking down the word.  Cyan is blue and type meaning print, so you can say this is like a blue print.  Having worked in a blue printing facility, we were lucky to NOT smell the diazo process, which can knock out a person with the ammonia fumes.

Chemical Overview

Students who arrived early got a chance to peruse the sample and supply table.  Marnie showed interested parents the chemicals which we would use to complete the process.  These chemicals are light sensitive, meaning they need to be kept out of sunlight.  Since they are hazardous, everyone was instructed to wear gloves while applying the liquid mixture to the fabric being used.

Safety First when Working

First step in this class was to prepare our fabric with the light sensitive chemical mixture. Using foam brushes, rubber gloves, and table cloths, each student was responsible for this step. We often remind our students that safety is always first when making art.  We only get one set of lungs and the skin we're in, so they have to last a lifetime.

Time to add the Goodies

Once the chemical application was dry, it turned a pea-green hue and it was time to get creative.  Using items we collected from the garden and an array of interesting shaped goodies, each student took time to compose their image.  This required a bit of thinking about positive and negative space, as well as transparent versus opaque density.

Wrapped and Protected

After composing their imagery, the students wrapped up their fabric on a cardboard sheet sandwiched by bubble wrap and secured with clothes pins.  There was a whipping wind to contend with outside and we did not want all of the loose items to go flying!

Waiting for the Sun

Once outside, the sun was in control of this project.  

Each student was a watch-guard protecting their projects from the wind.

Make your Mark

I tested this process and teamed up with a student with a bubble wrap experiment.  "What will happen if we leave the bubble wrap on?," we wondered.  As the sun processed the image, this student took a chance to use her body as her signature!

Expose in the Sun for about 10 minutes

After about 5-10 minutes of bright sun exposure, the chemicals on the fabric turned a slate gray/ green tone and Marnie told us to wash our fabrics in clean water.  This was a fast action of tossing materials into bins and rushing to the water tubs to process the image.

Leaves and Seashells were flying!

If you can imagine the flock of leaves, seashells, glass nuggets, and macaroni literally flying into storage bins, the mad rush panicked everyone to make sure they finished their projects before the end of class.  Washing the fabric in water surprised everyone at how fast the fabric turned from green to blue.  The imagery everyone composed was so gorgeous.  This project offered immediate gratification.  Who doesn't like that?!

Success

The variety of blue tones this process offers is quite lovely.  I have a blue love-affair and believe I will further explore this process in my home studio.  One parent who enjoyed the results of this process envisions a Cyan Family Room.  She took notes on the chemicals needed and borrowed some books to further investigate.  If you have interest to learn how to make cyanotypes, visit this Alternative Photography for more information.  

Check back in July to see what Steampunk Costumes our crew creates as they prepare for the ever-epic Library Unmasked: Steampunk Edition cosplay event.

Until then, thanks for visiting!

~erica

Earthscapes with The Rockwell Museum, part 2

We played with clay for the SSCL First Friday Art Club in May.  If you take a moment to read Part 1 of this Earthscapes project, you will know that this clay portion represents a topographical view of a landscape for which our dream homes will be placed.

Amy's and My Earthscape Sample

Amy Ruza from The Rockwell Museum and I met earlier in the month to make the sample you see above.  There are forests, fresh water, mountains and fields within our landscape. 

The clay is terracotta, which has a beautiful brown hue, lending itself to the Earth-like feel.

Roll out a slab and create dimension

The students were instructed to roll out a 1/4" thick slab of clay cut to the size of a sheet of paper.  Then, they placed the clay slabs over crumpled paper to give the clay dimension.  

It was required that each slab touch the table surface on two sides in order to provide

holes meant for hanging vertically on a wall.  

A river runs through it

Once the slabs were rolled out and placed on cardboard sheets for transport and holes were prodded, students had their own choices to make.  Including a fresh water source was HIGHLY encouraged.  It was fun to watch these lumps of mud transform before our eyes!

Rivers, valleys, caves, and VOLCANOES!

Land features such as rivers, valleys, caves and even VOLCANOES developed over these lands.  These adventurous artists represented their own ideas, but also shared their expertise as other students showed interest in certain elements

Let the Underglaze Begin

After the clay landscape was approved, it was time to add color with underglaze.  Blue represented water and the sample above shows a lovely winding river, accessible throughout the land.  Forests for food and exploration were a popular feature.

Each countdown made them frantic

We only have an hour and a half in First Friday Art Club and every minute is precious.  To keep students aware, I give them incremental countdowns until cleanup.  They are always so shocked and disappointed when I say we only have 20 minutes left.  "TWENTY MINUTES?! How did class fly by so quickly?!"

Countdowns make them Hustle!

As you can see, the before and after show how these kids can hustle to get the job complete.  Green grasses, white capped mountains and streams of blue covered our tables.

Fallen Tree

This student considered having a fallen tree available for fire wood when he moves his house here this summer.  The river will be a helpful form of transportation to get that tree to his home!  I'm impressed by that thought process for such a young student.

Off to the kiln

Now that the Earthscapes have been created, they must get fired in the kiln.  The Rockwell Museum has their own kiln and will provide this service.  The items will take two weeks to dry before being fired.  Many students wanted to take these home next week!  

There was a minor lesson in how ceramics get processed.

The SSC Library will exhibit these Earthscapes in July and August as part of the 

summer reading club theme, "Build a Better World."  

Accessibility to art always helps create a better world!

Thanks for visiting this month and checking on our progress.  I'll be sure to show you the Earthscapes on display, but until then, seek the First Friday Art Club blog in June to see what we make with a little help from the sun with Cyanotypes.

~erica

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Earthscapes with The Rockwell Museum, part 1

Earthscapes, part 1

The SSC Library partnered with The Rockwell Museum to introduce a 2 part lesson plan called Earthscapes.  Thinking about sustainability, the goal was to create a model home using recycled materials in session one.  Then, in the second session, students will create clay slab landscapes to place the model home in an environment.

Artists get right down to business

After a short Power Point presentation, the artists got right down to business.  We had 5 grocery bags full of various items we salvaged from the trash can.  Scraps from fruit and vegetable packaging, rafts from 3-D printed objects, foam from packing materials, a filter from a furnace, etc. became materials to design a model home.

Cardboard and tape 

Some artists chose to work with cardboard and tape.

3-D Fences

This artist utilized the zig-zag of a 3-D print raft structure to establish a fence for her home.  You never know who you need to keep in and who needs to stay out!

Concentration

I was available to help with any questions, but there was total concentration on the dream home creation.  Glue guns were hot, glue sticks were melting away and foundations set.

Foam Staircase

The use of high density foam represented a staircase for this fortress. 

 A water well was considered, as well as a trap door to keep out trespassers.

Escape Plans are Important

This artist used foam for floating capabilities in case of flooding. 
 Towers allow for secret passage ways.

Organized "mess"

This dream home was meant to look messy. The exterior of this building gives visitors pause to enter, so what intruder would know the gorgeous mansion inside?  Strong imagination proved this fortress is secure and PLUSH inside.  It's certainly a haven in disguise!

Tipi Takes Rank

The only tipi structure came to fruition quickly, but I'm not quite sure what the red and green containers represent.  I teased that it was never ending tomato and avacado buckets to make bottomless bowls of guacamole.

Truffula Trees and a Pergola

When Truffula Trees grace a pergola, you know this dream home is intended for warm climates and safe surroundings.  The artist intends to live near no predatory animals and only see clear blue skies and sunshine 365 days a year.

Clean Lines and Clean Water

The spirit of conservation struck this artist when he used simple, clean lines to create his structure.  Having a dedicated clean water supply was of utmost importance, too.  The netting works as shade, but the open roof allows in plenty of sunlight for indoor gardening.

Feels like "Fallingwater"

As this student created her yoga getaway, I remarked how this dream home resembled "Fallingwater," by Frank Lloyd Wright.  She had never heard of that home, but recalled the ever-important architect's name from a school lesson.

Building with recycled materials and considering how to maintain a sustainable existence for humans on earth was a thought provoking subject for students.  They considered predators, intruders, protection from elements and daily needs like food and water.  Imagination and creativity enabled them to develop wisely designed homes for their clay slab landscapes.

Check back in May to see where these dream homes land.

 You never know what teens will make with piles of trash and lumps of dirt!

 

Pointillism

Painting in the pointillism technique was the goal for First Friday Art Club in March.  This was a lesson I recall thoroughly enjoying when I was in Junior High School.  The method can be time consuming, but meditative and therapeutic.

An Apple a Day

My "lesson" was really just a slide of A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat.  This is one of the most recognizable images when Pointillism, Divisionism, or Neo-Impressionism is discussed.

Eye See You

The plan was to show a few examples of the technique and discuss the simple method of using only dots to represent the imagery.  My preference is to keep the "lesson" light and let the student discover the way.  This was one of the few painting classes I've hosted and I see the "way" was slightly askew from the intended method.

Adorable Images

After supplies were passed out and drawings were approved, students took their time painting their masterpieces.  The trouble they had was maintaining a dotted system versus a paint stroke system.  This was not a failure, though, just a lesson for them and myself.

Solar System

Having very few chances to actually paint, it's a struggle to just use dots, when the paint is so fun to mix and spread on the surface.  It was hard for most to resist spreading paint over the canvas and watching it dry.  

Super Star

Any student who had the patience to paint just dots found joy in the process and requested to do this more often.  I feel that request should be met.  Discovering techniques that spark joy is important in our very busy, technologically overwhelming world.

Landcape

Some students created their own worlds, while others represented cartoon characters.

Toothless the Dragon

I find the variety of images the students choose to work with to be very intriguing.

Dreaming of Palm Trees

Some chose warm scenes to "travel to" while ignoring the cold winter weather outside.  

Others created vibrant scenes of whimsy.

Go Pokemon!

When it comes to art, it's all about the process, not just the product, and everyone enjoyed the process!  Several students stayed 15 minutes past the end of class to continue working.  It was unfortunate that I had another program to attend at the Corning Museum of Glass, or they could have stayed until the library closed.

Fire Bird

The funny part of the two programs I hosted that day, was they both revolved around small parts making a full picture.  Pointillism is a series of paint dots composing a total image, while Mosaics do the same thing in a different medium.  My project at Family Night at the Corning Museum of Glass hosted 75 families in the education lab.  Reflecting on the similarity of these two projects is fun.

Mosaics at the Museum

Both of these projects are terrific for all ages.  Pointillism can be achieved with paint and brushes, crayons, finger paints, Q-Tip painting, or markers.  The concept is simple and achievable for almost all levels with minimal supervision.  

Dots on a Page

It's really just a series of Dots on a Page.  Mosaics are very similar.  The Family Night event saw lots of preschoolers gluing foam squares to a grid, but there were many parents and grandparents taking a chance with some therapeutic art.  Some even showed they like to think outside the box!

It's like a Mosaic Maze

Considering March is National Youth Art Month, the First Friday Art Club kicked off the month in style.  The paintings that were left with me are on display in the Young Adult section of the Southeast Steuben County Library.  Stop in and take a peek!

Special Collaboration for April and May

Check back next month to see what The Rockwell Museum 

has in store for our club in April and May.

Thanks for stopping by,

erica