plastic industry india » Jana Ewy

Advanced Photography Tips in Friendly Plastic

Linda Peterson Designs — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:21:00 +0000

Yesterday, I gave some basic photography tips to get you started. If you simply want to share photos with family and friends, then the basics are all you will need. However, if you want sell your work, such as on etsy, consider implicating these more advanced tips.

Why? Because a picture is worth a thousand words. Pictures can express feeling and emotion and they can create an impulse to buy...or a emotion of "I just gotta have that!"

So, with that thought in mind here is some more advanced tips.

Use diffusers to create soft light. You can do this by placing a white shower curtain over a brightly lit window. Or you can purchase a photography studio box for about $40 to $50. These boxes have fabric on each side for you to diffuse light through. This lessens harsh and undesirable shadows.

Avoid using a flash as this creates harsh shadows.

Play with the more advanced exposure settings on your camera. If you find yourself in a low lit area, instead of turning on lights, which can effect the white balance, try increasing the "exposure" setting on your camera by a notch or two. Take a test photo to see if the lighting is adequate.

Use a mirror to bounce light underneath objects to highlight the bottom or take away harsh shadows. For a softer look, use white card stock to bounce light around and add a little highlight to certain areas.

Styling your jewelry or projects can really upscale their value. For ideas on how to style your jewelry, look at jewelry or fashion magazines for ideas. You don't need to spend a fortune on props. Have a look around the house and get a little creative with your imagination. Perhaps you have a vase that you can dangle some earrings from? Or a nice simple wine glass? Sand? Rocks? and believe it or not, rice and black beans are great options too!.

Of course, this tip list is NOT exhaustive...there's so much more I could share. But these are a little more advanced to get you started.

Let's put those tips into practice.

Here Shari Wallace of WolfCreek Designs on etsy uses sand to stylize her photograph. She's displayed the bracelet on a rock, which adds a nice effect without being overpowering.

Jana Ewy of Just Bananas always does a great job of stylizing her artwork in her photos. Here's she's used some inexpensive pebbles to add an organic touch.

Notice that neither of these photos have harsh shadows and both are in clear focus.

I believe if you put these few tips into practice, you'll really make your artwork shine!!!

Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.

Three Artists – Three styles. Collaborative works in Friendly Plastic

Linda Peterson Designs — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:58:00 +0000

Way back last summer Jana Ewy (Fracture and Fusion etc) contacted me and asked if I would like to join in on a collaborative project she was hatching. Her idea was to create a decorative piece of work that was created on 3 different continents. To that end she asked Mylene Hillman in Australia, and I to make up some 2″ squares using Friendly Plastic and she would assemble them in USA. So the three of us set about creating four individual squares using our own techniques, which we then had to repeat 4 times. This would mean that the three of us would each end up with a finished collaborative piece and there would be one to submit to a magazine.

The theme we worked to was “royalty” and we agreed that reds and purples, gold and black would feature heavily, but it was up to us individually what we did. We duly made our pieces and sent them off to Jana who was a super star and spent ages arranging them into a pleasing composition. She tried out all sorts of backgrounds, and eventually, after much experimentation settled on an artists canvas that she painted and layered with paper. you can see the result below.

As you can see, not all the pieces ended up as squares. Jana decided that it required something other than squares, so she created 3 pieces that are anything but square. The shield below is marbled / feathered, and Jana has used some pieces of FP that she has coloured with alcohol inks. It is mounted on brass filigree.

Jana used alcohol inks again with applied strips of left overs and fabric plus more charms and filigree to this piece.

For this most regal crown on top of wings she has used moulds.

A piece which included Jana’s work would not be complete without her Fracture and Fusion technique. This is the only truly flat piece out of the whole lot.

Mylene is immensely neat and tidy and precise in her work and this really shows in her chequer board pieces below. This first one is made up of three layers, the base being the aforesaid impossibly neat chequer board, with two more layers that appear to have been stamped. Mylene has added one of her beautifully crafted beads to dangle below.

I am totally envious of Mylene’s ability to be soooo neat and tidy, and this little square illustrates my justification in being envious! She has created a perfect chequer board in black and white on top of which is a neatly moulded crown with added sparkly gems. I was relieved to see that it was not Mylene’s hand writing on the metal shim, but a printed word instead; if it had been her own handwriting I think I would never talk to her again – I would be too jealous for words!

A really 3D Fleur De Lis adorns this very regal square which is made up of stamped sections with added filigree and charms.

Mylene’s final square is delightful, the background is made up of three sections – chequer board, feathering/ marbling, and a stamped image all in black white and gold. The dragon is moulded in purple and the gems and crown have been added to “crown it all off”.

Both Jana and Mylene are neat and tidy workers, I most certainly am not. I even found it tricky making my squares exactly 2”! The first of my squares is made of strips of Ooozed Friendly Plastic interspersed with narrow plain FP. I used sequin waste with large and small holes and stars, plus some old lace I found at a car boot sale. My handwriting is clear to see in this square and it leaves a lot to be desired, but hey, take your specs off, squint or stand back a few paces and view it as a whole, and then I won’t feel quite so inferior. When it comes to neatness Mylene and Jana sit on pristine pillars of perfection and I feel like I am in the dust and the rubble at the bottom making sandcastles (or dustcastles) out of the debris.

This little square is a layer of my Lacework embedded into some gold FP with added sequins. The little beads you can see are on cords which come out of the holes in the sequins.

I am sure you will all recognise the heart that I have Ooozed through Angelina fibres, this is one of my favourite things to do with FP. The heart is embedded into a background of pieced red, purple and gold FP.

None of my squares are flat, but my final square is the least flat of them all. I was thinking the crown jewels here, in particular the orb and sceptre. This square has a pieced background (not neat and tidy – random piecing), with an applied circle of purple velvet. On top of the velvet sits a moulded dome of recycled FP that I coloured gold. Tubular knitting wire encases some stiffer wire that holds the orb in place, and is adorned with a small “flower” made of gold and red FP on the top. It stands 3cm tall.

To Jana and Mylene, I say a huge thank you for sharing your talents with me. Although I envy your neatness, I do appreciate the difference in our styles, and it only goes to highlight just how very versatile Friendly Plastic is. If I have got any of the details wrong about your squares, please do correct me.

Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.

Totally HAUTE HANDBAG with Friendly Plastic by Jana Ewy

Linda Peterson Designs — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:39:00 +0000

This handbag is beyond descriptive words! Another wonderful design by Artist Jana Ewy. This totally proves that Friendly Plastic can and IS an upscale medium. Perfect for luxurious designs, yet so easy to work with for fun whimsical projects.

What does this inspire you to make today?

Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.

Friendly Plastic Tip! Storing Friendly Plastic

Linda Peterson Designs — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:57:00 +0000

This tip is courtesy of Jana Ewy who took the time to write the Friendly Plastic Encyclopedia which is available on the side bar of the blog. We continue to grow in readers who are new to Friendly Plastic so these basic techniques are good reminders to all of us, whether we are seasoned FP'rs or just in the beginning stages. What do you need to know when purchasing Friendly Plastic? And, after you purchase what's the best way to store it? What if you've purchased a dreaded SNAPPER???? Read on for Jana's tips:

Friendly Plastic® has a shelf life if not properly stored. Exactly what that shelf life is, is unknown, with so many determining factors to be considered. The main points of this section is to help you purchase fresh Friendly Plastic®, suggest a few storing options, and share a little trick for reconditioning old Friendly Plastic®.

WARNING: With the renewed interest in Friendly Plastic®, a lot of old product is re-surfacing like buried treasure and being put up for auction. Buyers Beware!
Purchasing – When purchasing Friendly Plastic®, you want to make sure the plastic is fresh. You do this by giving it the flex-test, simply give the stick a little bend, it should flex quite easily and then straighten back out. If it snaps in half, you guessed it… it’s a SNAPPER (old plastic). This is where ordering on-line can be a problem. My suggestion is to make sure you are ordering from a reputable dealer. Try to resist de-stash bargains and auctions. You want a guarantee that the plastic is fresh, be sure the dealer offers this.
Storing – Keep your plastic in a closed container or zip-lock bag, when not in use. This seems to be the trick to longevity.
Reconditioning – If you have SNAPPERS (old plastic), all is not lost. Old Friendly Plastic® can be reconditioned. Here is how: Place the sticks on a nonstick pan and either place the pan onto a griddle or into an oven, temperature set at 200°F (a heat tool will not work). Allow the plastic sticks to soften completely. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the sticks to cool completely on their own. DO NOT run them under cold water. Once they have cooled, remove them from the pan and check the flexibility. Hopefully this has done the trick. It is not fool proof, but it does work most of the time.

Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.

Jana Ewy’s designs inspire Wolf Creek Designs Friendly Plastic Bracelets

Linda Peterson Designs — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:02:00 +0000

Shari Wallace of Wolf Creek Designs credits her inspiration to Jana Ewy's ID bracelets. Read on as she shares some of her latest work.

This is a Friendly Plastic cuff, made using alcohol inks and antique brass pieces. I adore the art deco feel of this piece, the dragonfly is amazing! This is one of my favorite cuffs so far. I'm gonna hate to part with it but someone needs to give this one a home and love it as much as I do.

Been trying some different finishing techniques with the cuff. I love Jana Ewy's hint on using the resin while the piece is still flat (see her article in the latest Belle Armoire Jewelry issue) - it works great with the ID bracelet pieces. I keep getting the resin too thick on the cuffs (because I love the look of the thick resin) but it makes it hard to get a good smooth bend. And the thicker the resin, the stiffer the bracelet ends up and its hard to get on and off. I need to find a happy medium in there! Next batch I will try the flat resin technique again but not make the resin quite so thick!

Want to see my ID bracelets too? Here's a sneak peek at one..

Jana, thanks so much for the idea on these! I love them and everyone that I've showed them to loves them too! I 'assembly line' the work so it seems to take forever to make them, but once the process is done I have more than a dozen ready to go at once.

I promise I will be back here more often...now that I am excited about jewelry again. I have a few more pieces to upload to Artfire and then I'm be putting some up on Etsy as well, but I haven't finished creating my store there yet - but soon!

Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.

CHA Day 1

Linda Peterson Designs — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 06:01:00 +0000

Well.....I didnt do so good on the picture taking today....I really was too busy! The day just flew by.

Jen WOWed everyone with colourizing pellets - (sorry no pic...bad me!) showing how to use alcohol inks, die cut and emboss with pellets..a real hit!

Jana continued her fracture and fusion series - always popular!

And I continued the pellet series with colourizing and using molds - again...no pic!! I need more arms!

Before the show though I was able to sneak over to the ETI booth - makers of Envirotex, the clear resin that we use to make Friendly Plastic look like glass - and snap a couple of pictures they had using Friendly Plastic and Envirotex! Great Job Designers!

These ink pens were designed by Mylene Hillam - well known to the blog...great job Mylene!

Tomorrow we will have the reception which I am priveleged to emcee and the winners will be announced! Congratulations to all our participants!!!

Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.

Totally Haute Handbags by Jana Ewy

Linda Peterson Designs — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:20:00 +0000

Preparing for a cruise after CHA, Jana create a few handbags for formal nights. As she writes:

Here they are... I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I did making them. If you will be at CHA... you can see them in person at Amaco's booth or you can find them along with the instructions, later this year in Haute Handbags magazine.

Linda Peterson and Jana Ewy are compensated and endorsed by Amaco. Guest Artists featured on this blog may or may not be endorsed or compensated by Amaco.

Friendly Pins and Papercrafts – Friendly Plastic

Linda Peterson Designs — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 17:54:00 +0000

Jana Ewy's pins demonstrate the versatility of Friendly Plastic so beautifully! Whether you are into papercrafts, jewelry, wall art masterpieces or even ArtDolls, why not use Friendly Plastic to add an extra bit of interest to your artwork?

What will you do to stretch your creative limits in 2010?

To learn how to create these beautiful art pins, get a copy of Jana's book Friendly and Fashionable available from www.amaco.com

Get a free sample of pellets - click here

Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.

Vintage Friendly Plastic Designs by Jana Ewy

Linda Peterson Designs — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:12:00 +0000

Jana's designs are simply elegant and beautiful. I love all the little bits and pieces that she adds to create interest in her pieces...

Jana's vintage style and attention to detail reminds me of watching a favorite movie over and over again....you just can't get enough and every time you watch it you find something new.

If you'd like something new to add to your jewelry collection - check out Jana's etsy site!

Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.

Friendly Plastic – Hope on a canvas by Jen Lowe

Linda Peterson Designs — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:41:00 +0000

Today's blog is a reflection....and how artist Jen Lowe uses her convictions as portrayed in her artwork. This also goes along with the Butterfly Project sponsored by AMACO with regard to the holocaust.

Here are Jen's thoughts:

Tonight's topic is Penance - thinking reflectively about your life's path--and what changes you might want to enact.

Penance is defined as a feeling of regret for one's wrongdoings. Last year,I talked about making penance art. But it was penance for what happened to the Jewish children killed in the Holocaust. My feelings of regret for what someone else did that was wrong.

Several months ago, I started tonight's project. There's over 80 hours tied up into the making of it. Not something you can do in a day. But I think huge, time-consuming pieces of art are necessary every now and then in order to make us stop and give thought to what we are trying to accomplish.

Notes of Hope - my gift to Amaco because of their generosity in supporting the Holocaust Museum in Houston. If you read my blog, you know that they have sponsored a contest for the second year - making butterflies, 1.5 million of them, one for each child who died in the Holocaust.

Notes of Hope - is a collaborative piece. While the design and majority of it was completed by myself, I have contributions from Linda Peterson, Jana Ewy and Liz Welch. And we all 4 have signed the canvas. It's big. 20" x 16". Considering that strips of Friendly Plastic are only available in 1" widths.....just imagine how much product was used to create this!!! And in the process of making it, I've spent many hours thinking about the art the world has lost in the death of all the children...and the children's children that they might have had.

Notes of hope - I have a lot of them!

This canvas represents just about every technique imaginable in Friendly Plastic. It is a labor of love!

Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.