Dry Felting

I actually enjoy this felting better than the wet felting. It's the process of taking the roving and applying it to something else or making a solid object using a roving needle. A roving needle s like a sewing needle. It has little burs/hooks on the sides of the sharp end that helps attach the roving. I'm actually doing this to my backpack for a project in one of my art classes. It's really pretty cool how easy it is!

What to Get:
Roving needle
Roving

How-To:
1. One and only step! Take a little bit of the roving you want and whatever you want to apply it to (or nothing at all), and literally stab it with the needle.
**the burs help to push the fibers down and back up through the material. It helps to have something underneath to stab into like a balled up socks or a yarn ball so you don't stab yourself**

This is a felting needle. It helps to compress the fibers.
http://www.feltalive.com/links.htm

Felt picture!
http://calamitykim.typepad.com/calamity_kim/spinning-with-a-lendrum-wheel/

Semi creepy felted face (example of felting a solid form)!
http://feltalive.com/

Wet Felting

This isn't so much my favorite technique, but is something very versatile. It's pretty much the process of taking roving (wool fibers) and making felt through a process of applying pressure, friction, and water. The only two styles of wet felting I know how to make are flat felt pieces and little felt balls. They can be applied to any number of projects; both be usable or just to look pretty. And it's fairly inexpensive!

What to Get:

Roving (many colors available)

Plastic table cloth or garbage bag

Bubble wrap

Small container of soapy water

How-To (flat piece):

1. Start by picking your color(s) of roving and decide how large you want your piece of felt.

2. Cut and arrange each layer evenly, horizontally and vertically for every other layer to ensure that the felt doesn't just fall apart

**You will need at least 4 layers, but 6 to 8 are preferred to make a nice sturdy piece of felt**

3. With the the roving laying on either a table cloth or a garbage bag, lightly drizzle the water over it.

4. Take the bubble wrap and brush the roving in the direction that the layer in laying.

**if you go opposite the fibers, you will pretty much just destroy the layer**

5. Be sure to brush both sides evenly. The piece will be done when you can poke/push your finger into the roving and the fibers don't separate.

6. Last step! When everything is fully attached to each other, take the piece of felt, wash it out to make sure you get all the soap out, and hang it to dry. When it's all done, you can cut it and use it however you want!

https://freshsimplejoy.wordpress.com/tag/decor/

How-To (felt balls):

1. Pick the colors of roving you want and decide how big or small you want your felt balls.

2. Separate little amounts of fibers at a time from the big ball of roving

3. Dip it into your container of soapy water and roll the roving between your hands. 

**the friction and pressure will cause the fibers to knot up and create a perfect ball**

4. Last step! Let dry and attach to the flat pieces or felt you've made or to whatever else you want to add cute little accents! Great for kids stuff!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/65757934/wholesale-100-count-20mm-felted-balls-by

Arm Knitting

This is another spin off of what finger knitting is. Judging by pictures and different diagrams, arm knitting is just like using your arms as knitting needles. It's also something new to me but it is really coming into style. There are even yarns dedicated to this art (go figure). Give it a try!

What to Get:
3 Skeins of Yarn (any color)

How-To:
1. Take all three tails (ends) of the skeins of yarn, loop it around your index and middle finger, and pull the working end (the part connected to the rest of the yarn) through to make a loop to wrap around your arm.
2. Make a loop with the tail leaving the rest of the tail hanging in front of the loop, and hold the top of the loop with your right hand
3. Put your left hand through the loop and grab the working yarn.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for at least 10 stitches
5. Pick up the working end and place it over your thumb on the arm with that row of stitches.
6. Close your hand into a fist and pull the first stitch over your knuckles
7. Pull the working end through to make a new stitch to go onto your left hand
8. Repeat steps 5 through 7 until you have the length desired.
9. With the row of stitches on your left arm, stitch two stitches on your right arm.
10. Take the first stitch, pull it over and off your fist. Continue doing this until the last stitch is pulled through
11. Cut the working end (cut 1.5 yards extra if your want to make an infinity scarf), pull it through the last stitch, and tighten it
12. (Optional) Put the two ends together with the right sides facing up. With the rest of the tail end left over, do a mattress stitch. Stitch back and forth until completely closed.
13. Last step! Take the remaining ends and weave them into the mattress stitch. That will complete your infinity scarf!

Casting off a.k.a. getting started

Finishing stitching the scarf

Matress Stich
http://purlbee.squarespace.com/knitting-tutorials-finishing/2013/9/27/mattress-stitch.html

Weaving in the ends
http://www.flaxandtwine.com/2014/02/arm-knitting-how-to-photo-tutorial-part-2-knitting/

Hammer Forming and Planishing

This is not really a necessary or even common skill and the tools are rather expensive unless given access to a metalsmithing studio, but it is definitely worth trying. You will feel really accomplished being able to take a flat piece of metal into something else like a bowl or a vase or even a random form all together. The technical terms for this metal working is anticlastic and synclastic forming (sinking and raising). Anticlastic means that the surfaces of the metal curve in opposite directions and Synclastic means to curve in the same direction. These two processes combined give the possibilities for all sorts of form!

What to Get:
18 gauge copper (cut into a circle with a jewelers saw or shears)
Rawhide hammer
Raising hammer
Planishing hammer
Oxygen acetylene torch
large piece of wood or stump (standing with an indent like a bowl in the middle)
tongue stake and/or mushroom stake
Vise

How-To:
1. Start with your circular piece of metal and draw circles on it starting from the outside to the inside
**it will look like a bulls-eye and this just helps to make sure the end result isn't lopsided**
2. Using the rawhide hammer working from the outside in, hammer the piece of metal until it is roughly the shape of a shallow bowl.
3. Take the metal and "anneal" it with the torch. The flame should be a nice feathery look.
**Annealing makes the metal soft again because constant hammering stretches out the metal making it thin and brittle. When the metal has a rainbow color where the flame touches it, it's done**
4. Quench and pickle in an acid solution
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 using a raising hammer this time. Make sure to keep the blows really close together so there are no overly thin spots.
6. To get other styles besides a generic bowl, use a tongue stake or mushroom stake clamped in a vise and hammer in the opposite pattern; inside out.
7. Last step! When you  have the desired shape, the planishing hammer is used to make the form smooth by hammering closely together on to a stake.

Raising and Planishing hammers

Hammering process courtesy of Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKcTU7NA5Lc

More advanced finished products
http://davidabarnhill.com/continuum-8.html

Pronto Printing

Pronto prints are a lot easier than you'd think. No carving and no scratching. All it takes is a special kind of paper and ink; sharpie marker or printer ink. I have used this a couple of times, and a student in the art department I know did this project for her senior show. They turned out fantastic!

What to Get:
Pronto Plate (thick, card stock type paper)
Plexy glass
Sharpie
Laser jet Printer
Oil based Ink
Brayer
Gum Arabic
Water
Sponge
Printing Paper

How-To:
1. Take the pronto plate and either print a design or black and white photo onto it using a laser jet printer or draw on it using a sharpie marker (black only)
**Make sure not to get any oils on it from your skin. It will run the plate.**
2. Lay the pronto plate on the plexy glass with the inked side up.
3. Mix water and gum arabic in bowl, and completely coat the pronto plate with a sponge.
**it's important to keep the plate moist**
4. Evenly spread out the ink on a separate piece of plexy and apply to the pronto
**whether everything is covered with ink isn't really that noticeable**
5. Carefully place the pronto on the printing press, lay the paper over top of the plate, and roll through the press.
6. Last step! Gently lift the paper and you will have a pronto print!

http://mirka-h.blogspot.com/2010/06/two-etching-techniques-and-pronto-plate.html

Finger Knitting

This is something even new to me. I've seen projects using this method people have done that look pretty cool. I'm probably going to try doing this after I find how to do the right steps. All it takes is yarn and you. It's that simple!

What to Get:
Yarn (there are lots to choose from)

How-To:
1. Hold the end of the yarn between your thumb and fore finger with the skein of yarn (ball) on the palm side of your hand
2.  Weave the yarn through your fingers going over the middle finger, under the ring finger and over the pinky
**make sure you hold the end tightly with your thumb**
3. Weave through again going over and under the opposite fingers. You should end up with two rows of yarn.
4. With your palm facing you, take the loops on the bottom row and lift them up over your finger to secure the beginning of your project
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 until you have the length you want
6. Starting with the pinky, pick the loop up over to the ring finger. Then take the bottom loop of the ring finger over to the middle finger. Go through all the fingers until you get to the last loop.
7. Last step! Take the end of the string, thread it through the hole, and pull it tight. You have yourself a thin scarf! You can double it by stitching it to another thin scarf.

There are tons of colors available!
http://www.creativejewishmom.com/2012/07/finger-knitting-is-for-boys-too-yippee.html

Gel Medium Transfer

It's pretty much transferring a picture over onto something like a piece of metal or wood. All it takes is a printer and gel medium from Micheal's. This is fun to do and since the holiday's are just around the corner, it's just tacky enough to make a great present for the parents!

What to Get:
Gel medium
Piece of wood
Inkjet printer

How-To:
1. Print a picture of your choosing off your computer using an inkjet printer (an obnoxious one of you if you feel so inclined)
2. Apply gel medium to the front of the picture and lay face down on your piece of wood
3. Let dry. Spray with water and let soak for a few minutes.
4. Last step! Slowly but firmly rub the back until the paper comes off and you have an either beautifully decorated piece of wood or creepy plaque with your face all over it!

http://www.lilblueboo.com/2011/06/gel-transfer-puzzle-a-tutorial.html

Enameling

Enameling isn't really that easy of a process only because it involves a kiln (they are very expensive). It's the process of giving metal an almost glass glaze. The beauty of enamel is that there is so many options on what you can do with it. Enamel can have different textures and patterns by using different colors or stencils. The only stipulations is that enamel can't be used on anything but copper, steel, and silver, and it can't be used on anything soldered. It's versatile and can add a spruce to any metal products.

What to Get:
piece of copper, silver or steel
base coat
assorted enamels (any colors)
hairspray
sifter
trivet
magazine pages
pumis powder
scotch brite pad
baking soda

How-To:
1. Clean metal with baking soda, pumis powder and scotch brite pad
**don't touch after cleaned**
2. Preheat the kiln to 1500 degrees
3. Lay the magazine pages under your trivet before starting to enamel
**the magazine pages have a glossiness that keeps the enamel from sticking**
4. Use a sifter to gently and evenly coat the metal with first a base coat (very expensive. Do not mix with other enamel colors)
5. Slowly spray hairspray over the base coat to help it stick
6. Sift desired color or colors
onto piece
**replace magazine pages after every color**
**optional to do both sides**
7. Use a tool to place the trivet in the kiln like long metal tongs, NEVER USE YOUR HANDS.
8. The texture of the enamel is what determines how long you lave it in for: not necessarily a time limit
Sugar coat = first stage where the glass just begins to melt
Orange peel = Grainy texture
Complete fire = final stage
Over fire = color starts to burn back
9. Last step! Take your piece out of the kiln and let cool before touching. Pickle if you didn't enamel both sides and you are done!

http://www.katemessjewelry.com/category/art/jewelry/

Leather Embossing

Leather embossing is generally the same as embossing on paper. Embossing on leather though is more for decoration on little things like watch bands. It's really very simple and takes only a couple materials. This is just more of a for fun thing. Not many people would really need to know how to do this (unless you decide to make leather products for a living).

What to Get:

Shammy

Metal cut out

wax paper

Shoe polish

vice

How-To:

1. Soak the shammy in water

2. Lay it over a metal plate that you have cut a design into

3. Put wax paper all around it and pinch into a vice tightly over night

**the wax paper helps so that you don't rust the vice**

4.  Last step! Apply a color show polish to it to give it a color stain and you have yourself a cheap and easy leather emboss. If you are really creative, you could make a journal cover or wallet!

This example used a cast form but the same general steps apply.
https://www.etsy.com/market/stamping_leather

Zinc Plate Etching (Dry Point)

Zinc plate etching, or dry point, is like printing a drawing using a soft metal plate and something sharp to scratch the surface. Real etching uses an acid to "bite" the the surface, but it's more complicated to obtain the acid and you need good ventilation when you do it because it's harmful to the skin and lungs. This printing method is a easy way to make very intricate details and it works the opposite of linoleum printing. It is really a very uncomplicated process to understand, but is just a little messy. The necessary tools and other things needed to make a good print are fairly easy to find. I'm not sure if you can get them at Micheal's, but they are definitely available online. Etching is something that everyone should give a try.

What to Get:
Zinc Plate
needle tool (or something sharp like a nail)
gloves
oil based ink
cheese cloth
electric heat plate
news paper (little pieces)
news print
Printing paper

How-To:
1. Make sure your zinc plate is clean and has no scratches.
2. Take the needle tool and draw the image you desire. The needle creates "burr" that help catch the ink for printing
**you can draw in sharpie first or just free hand it**
3. Once you are done, apply the oil based ink with a small piece of matte board like a squeegee.
4. Evenly swipe the cheese cloth across the plate to take away the excess ink. The ink that stays in the grooves will be what prints.
5. Soak your ____ paper in water
6. Heat the zinc plate on the heat plate for a few minutes until the ink seems to be a little thinner consistency
7. Take the paper out of the water and use other paper to dry it until it is just damp
**this helps the ink to soak into the paper easier**
8. Again, wipe the news paper across the plate evenly to get ride of even more ink
9. I don't know if I said it before but always lay the news print paper down under and on top of the plate and ____ paper when using a printing press.
10. Either run the plate through a press, rub it with your hands or a spoon, or lay books on top of it for a few minutes.
11. Last Step! Peel the paper off of the plate and allow to dry and you have yourself your very own drawn print!

Dry point allows for much more detail in a print.
http://rhsart.weebly.com/2/post/2012/04/drypoint-of-view.html

6 Point Paper Snowflakes

This really isn't much of an art project but I figured since we're getting to be snow season that it would be appropriate. It's simple and cheap to decorate the house, apartment or even dorm (depending on who's reading this).

What to Get:
Paper
Scissors
Fishing line (optional)

How-To:
1. Cut the paper to be a perfect square
2. Fold the opposite corners to each other twice to make the paper into 4ths
3. Now fold the triangle into 3rds by pulling the right corner up to the middle corner and then the left.
4. Cut off the top at an angle and draw the desired design on one side
5. Cut the spaces out to be the pattern of the snowflake
**It might be obvious but remember to leave places attached at the edge for when you unfold it**
6. Last step! Unfold and decorate by either hanging or taping up!

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-6-Pointed-Paper-Snowflakes/?ALLSTEPS

Cuttlebone Casting

Cuttlebones are those little bones that parrots usually use to keep their beaks from getting too sharp. They are a whopping 98 cents at Walmart and are really fragile. Along with being used by birds, they are used for mediocre casting. Sometimes it actually turns out to be very well done. This is a little more complicated of a how-to. It also involves an oxy-acetylene torch, but the rest of the tools are almost to simple to produce.

What to Get:
Cuttlebone (feel free to go through them to find the biggest one)
Sandpaper
Casting Grain
Oxy-Acetylene torch
Flux
Pins
Dental tools (or anything small good for scraping)
Tape
Crucible (something to heat the metal in)
Sand

How-To:
1. Take the biggest cuttlebone you can find and sand the inner soft part until it's nice and flat
**the bigger the bone, the more of a canvas you'll have**
2. Cut it in half so you have 2 identical sized pieces
3. Figure out what you want to draw on a little piece of paper for your cast. Try something simple like a star or heart.
4. Trace the shape or design into one side first. Keeping the piece of paper in place, take the second piece and lay it over top.
5. Using the pins, gently poke through both pieces so that the paper sticks to the pins on the blank piece. Repeat the tracing process.
6. Using the dental tools, carve out what you want to have cast.
**make sure to carve a funnel at the flat end of the cuttlebones for when you go to cast**
7. Tape it together when you are all finished and stick it in the sand
8. Heat up the casting grain in the crucible with the torch and sprinkle with a little flux
9. Gently pour the molten metal into the funnel
**any left over metal that doesn't go into the mold will cool down in the sand**
10. Last step! After you allow the cast to cool off, cut the take off and quench the metal cast in water. Once you get a chance to cut the extra pieces off, file the edges, and polish to get rid of the grain from the bone, you will have yourself a little charm-sized mold!

Cuttlebone mold before

Cast after
http://ganoksin.com/blog/primitive/2010/02/22/cuttlefish-casting/

Patinas on Copper

Patinas are films on the surface of copper or other similar metals that are produced by it's oxidization. They are really fun to do and can involve average household products. They will intrigue any chemistry buffs out there, but it's an interesting skill for anyone to know nonetheless. These are just three basic patinas to try at home or in the metals studio. Go ahead and give it a try!

What to Get:
Copper
Plastic tupperware container
Small bowl
Plastic mesh
Salt
Ammonia
Acetylene torch
Metal grate
Metal tongs
Steel wool
Liver of sulfur (chunks or gel available online)
Baking soda
Rubber gloves

How-To (Ammonia & Salt Patina):
1. Take a small bowl and fill it about a half inch full of ammonia.
2. Put that bowl into a resealable tupperware container
3. Place a small piece of plastic mesh over the bowl so that the piece of copper can be suspended over the ammonia
4. Either spray with a 50/50 saltwater solution or sprinkle salt over the metal
**the more salt used, the more vibrant the blue will be as an end result**
5. Seal the container and allow the patina to develop over night
6. Last Step! Remove the metal from the container. As you let it air dry, the blue becomes more vibrant and you have yourself a beautiful piece of patina copper

Speckled blue caused by wherever the salt touches
http://www.simplybeadskitclub.com/newsletters.html?mode=issue&issue_id=607&department_id=49

How-To (Heat):
1. Set the piece of copper on a bed of rocks and a metal grate
2. Use your acetylene torch to heat little sections of the copper until it has a rainbow color to it like oil when it's in the light
3. When you get the color that you want, quench the piece of metal in water
**use metal tongs to move the piece of metal to and from the water, and wear safety glasses**
4. Last step! Repeat the heating and quenching process until you have covered the whole surface of your metal

Rainbow effect given to the copper due to the heat process
http://www.magpiegemstones.com/copper_patina.html?url=copper_patina.html

How-To (Liver of Sulfur):
1. Clean the piece of copper using a household cleaner and steel wool
2. Dissolve/dilute the liver of sulfur in warm water
**make sure you wear rubber gloves for this patina**
3. Prepare a baking soda and water solution before hand to neutralize the liver of sulfur
4. Dip the copper into the liver of sulfur for a few seconds at a time, Repeat until you have your desired color
5. Last step! Let your piece of copper soak in the baking soda water for a few minutes and then wash in warm soapy water. You will be left with a piece of copper with a grey or even black finish!
**you can lighten up the color of your copper again later if you choose with steel wool**

Grey hue due to the chemicals in the liver of sulfer
http://tensecondsstudio.typepad.com/tenseconds_studio/2010/05/copper-liver-of-sulfur.html

Batiking

Batiking is the technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to cloth usually cotton or silks. Pretty much meaning that you can draw different images or designs on fabric. All the materials are available at your local Joanne Fabrics or Micheal's. It's really simple and actually really fun. It's just a little messy. 

What to Get:
Rubber gloves (optional to keep hands clean)
Your choice of color dyes
Plastic table cloth
Silk or cotton 
Synthrapol (helps lock in the color)
Batik wax
Paint brushes
Iron
paper

How-To:
1. Wash and dry your fabric to make sure the dye won't wash out later
2. Melt the batik wax in an electric pot or a double boiler on the stove
3. Lay your fabric out on the plastic table cloth and use your paint brushes to draw (paint) whatever design you would like
4. Try not to apply the wax too heavy and let it dry fully before adding the dye
**wherever the wax is, the ink won't sink into the fabric**
5. Wearing gloves, if you choose to do so, apply the dye however you may like to the fabric
6. Follow the directions for the dye. Once it's rinsed out with Synthrapol and dried, take an iron and paper to absorb the wax and gently rub over it. 
**you can repeat this step as many times as you like layering the different colors**
7. After the wax is all taken off, wash again in the Synthrapol for safe measures
8. Last step! Either hang up to dry or toss it in the dryer to lock in the colors and you have yourself a unique piece of material that you can incorporate into a quilt or use as a scarf depending how big it is!

This is a good example of layering the dyes
http://fineartamerica.com/art/paintings/original+batik+art/all

Soldering

This is just more of an informational one. When I took metalsmithing for the first time, we learned the 3 basic types of soldering. There's a Sweat Solder which is usually just used for a decorative quality, a Butt Joint for making containers and for stone setting, and a Post Solder for earrings mostly. You really need to have access to specific tools and things before trying to attempt these...but it's still pretty easy none the less.

What to Get:
Piece of copper, nickel or brass (your choice)
Jewelers solder (easy, medium, hard)
Wire cutters
Jewelers saw (like a little coping saw)
Piece of tubing or rod in copper or brass
Flux
Torch (oxygen and acetylene)

**THOROUGHLY clean the metal after you cut it the way you want it with your jewelers saw**

How-To (Sweat Solder):
1. Take a little piece of metal and a large piece
2. Paint flux on the little piece
3. Cut pieces of solder about the size of a pencil point and place them evenly around
4. Lightly heat with the torch until the flux turns clean and the solder is just about to melt
**it'll look like sunny side up eggs**
5. Paint flux to the larger piece
6. Lay the small piece face down and heat until you see the small piece "drop"
7. Last step! Quench in a bucket of water and you have your two stuck together pieces.

http://jewelrybydave.tripod.com/fabricat.htm

How-To (Butt Joint):
1. Position the two pieces of metal perpendicular to each other like an "L" with a very small overhang on one side
**the more left at the more you have to file off later for the finished project**
2. Paint flux on both edges
3. Place the solder on the outside edge
4. Heat from the opposite side until the flux bubbles and the solder even flows
5. Last Step! Quench in a bucket of water. File away the edge make the corner nice and smooth.

http://www.conniefoxvideos.com/blog/page/9/

How-To (Post Solder):
1. Make sure the piece of post or tubing is straight
2. Put flux all around the base and use one small piece of solder
**use pliers to stand it on the flat piece of metal**
3. Place the whole set up on a metal screen and heat from the bottom with the torch until the solder completely melts
4, Last step! Quench (again) in a bucket of water.

http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/yellow-gold-nd-palladium.htm

Monotype and Embossing

Again this is something really easy. All it takes is some imagination to be quite honest. For those who don't know, a monotype is a print that can not be repeated. You can just use ink or use found objects like flowers, lace, tin foil, or whatever you think would give you a neat texture. Embossing is almost the same except you can make multiples if you'd like and there is no ink. It's just making imprints in the paper using your objects. One girl who took the class with me did embossing using mostly different pastas in ways to make it look like something else as her final product when she ran it through the printing press. It's cheap and fun to do on a big scale or a small one.

What to Get:
Brayer
2 pieces of Plexy glass (one for the ink and one for what you will be printing with)
tape
Ink
Whatever you'd like to print (foil, lace, string, etc) or emboss (pasta, cardboard, coffee straws, etc)
Glue
Paper

How-To (monotype):
1. Evenly spread the ink onto the 1st piece of plexy glass
2. Tape off the size that you want so that you have a clean edge
3. Either apply the ink directly to the 2nd piece of plexy glass and take something like a piece of matte board or card board to draw in the ink (reductive monotype), or apply the ink to the objects (additive monotype)and arrange them on the plexy glass.
4. Take the tape off and lay the paper centered on top
5. Last Step! Either run it through a printing press if available, or use a rolling pin and go across it a few times. Peel off carefully and let dry and you have yourself a monotype!

Reductive Monotype
http://www.pinterest.com/themeganj/art-to-inspire/

Additive Monotype
http://www.akuainks.com/additive-monotype

How-To (Embossing):
1. Evenly spread the ink on the 1st piece of plexy glass
2. Take your objects and glue them to the 2nd piece of plexy glass
**make sure the glue isn't permanent so that you are able to use it again**
3. Center the paper on top
4. Last Step! Run the whole thing through a printing press and you will have yourself an embossed image!

Embossing
http://www.studioembossed.com/

Homemade Paper

This hack is actually one of the easiest and, in my opinion, one of the more entertaining. It's a really inventive way to recycle and at the same time, you can get fun results. You can even use material like lint and sheds of cotton to do this. One of the girls in my class tried it using both of those and they turned out really well. They are great for the crafty projects like making cards and scrap books projects




What to Get:
paper
water
food processor
big rectangle Tupperware container or plastic foot bath
piece of metal screen (you can get it at any home improvement store)
dyes or found objects (optional)




How-To:
1. Shred paper into little bits
**newspaper, lint, cotton, old assignments from teachers you didn't like**
2. Feed water and paper into the food processor
3. After everything is all blended into what's called paper pulp, scoop it out and put it into the container with water until it is almost full and a soupy texture
**you can add things like string, other objects, or dye if you want**
4. Take the piece of screen and sift the paper out of the water to make even sheets
5. Gently peel the new paper sheet off the screen so that you don't tear the corners
6. Last step! Let it dry and do whatever you want with it!

http://sciencemadefun.net/blog/making-recycling-paper-at-home/
Sorry this post was a little late!

Electromagnetic Etching

Metalsmithing is more of a technical skill to attempt I admit. It involves very specific tools that aren't really that cheap, but if you have the right resources (like the metals studio located at the top of the hill on the slippery rock campus) you can create some really cool pieces of art or even jewelry. Electromagnetic etching is actually a lot less technical than it sounds and is really easy.

What To Get:
sharpie paint pen
piece of 18 gauge copper with a hole drilled at the top
electrical tape
phone cord
copper wire
stainless steel cathode (spoons work)
salt water
plastic container

How-To:
1. Prep coarse salt and boiling water the night before
2. Prep the metal. Make sure the it is really clean by scrubbing it with Comet or other household cleaner.
3. Draw your design with your sharpie pen and tape
**whatever is exposed will be etched**
4. Attach the copper wire to the stainless steel lead and the piece of metal. Making them hooked so that they can be hung on opposite sides of the plastic container in the salt water mixture.
5. Take the phone charger and strip the wires so that a red and black wire (usually) are revealed.
6. Attach the the black wire to the lead on the stainless steel and the red wire to the lead on the piece of copper.
7. Dip the the two wires into the salt water and plug in the phone charger.
**you might be able to see the metal fizzing if the charge is strong enough**
8. Last step! After 20 minutes take out of the solution and rinse off. And you have yourself an etched image!

http://blog.nanzaalund.com/post/2013/09/09/New-Workshops-Just-Added!.aspx

Linoleum Printing

Now this is something slightly more difficult, but still very do-able. The only problem is that the materials are a little more expensive. Micheal's still has everything you need but if you really want to try this, I recommend shopping around online or to other craft stores, like my recently found favorite, Pat Catan's.

What You Need:
Linoleum block (it's pink if you go to Micheal's)
Linoleum cutter
Printing ink (water based and any color you would like)
Brayer
Piece of plexy glass or something smooth
Construction paper or actual printing paper if you want to be official
2 Spoons

brayer
http://www.dickblick.com/
products/speedball-soft-
rubber-brayers/

lincutter
http://www.americanprintingequipment
.com/speedballno1linoleum
cutterassortment.aspx

How-to:
1. Take your block of linoleum and draw your desired image. Try to remember that when you print, the picture will be reversed.
**With the linoleum cutter, there are a variety of heads available for the different sized gouges. The shallower you carve, the more of a texture you will receive **
2. Where you don't want there to be ink, you carve away the linoleum until you are satisfied with how your image looks.
3. Take the ink, plexy glass, and brayer, and evenly spread a spoonful of the ink so that you can easily coat the linoleum block
4. Place the paper squarely on the block and pat it down to make sure it isn't going to move.
5. Rub with a clean spoon to fully get the inked image applied to the paper.
6. Last step! Peel back the paper carefully not to smudge the ink, and allowing everything to dry, leaving you with a beautiful hand made print! (They make for great presents when matted)

Here's a finished print! Happy Saturday!
http://www.artebelladaily.org/artists/tressa-breton/

Scratchboards

I'll start with something simple for the first art how-to. We're going to make a scratchboard like what you can buy in those little kits. They are really pretty cool and cheap to make with all the materials available at your local Micheal's.

What You Need:

white art board (almost like cardboard but more dense)

crayons

paint brush

india ink

toothpick

How-to:

1. Draw a simple image on your art board (if desired)

2. Take your crayons and color where you want to be able to scratch. Make sure you press rather hard to make sure the wax completely covers those specific areas. 

**Everywhere that you leave gaps/color too lightly will automatically absorb the ink**

3. Use your paint brush to apply the india ink evenly across the art board. Any brush will work, but I recommend using a large watercolor brush because it will lay smoother and cover better.

4. Last step! Once the ink is dried, take your toothpick and start scratching your picture or design.

My homemade scratchboard from high school of an image I found on the internet.
It's that simple!

DO NOT ATTEMPT AT HOME...not. This blog is a how-to on different art mediums and techniques. It will provide step by step directions on how to achieve a final product in metalsmithing, printmaking, ceramics and other creative hacks most people don't really pay much attention to. I will give pictures of some of my own pieces made on campus and other artists (probably made more impressively than my own). You could even become a master with practice (maybe not). There's always hope.