Wonder Wednesday 126: Sparkleflakes
Where'd Winter Go?
Besides last month's cold snap, my winter so far has been far more metaphorical than literal. I've spent this first part of the season in the warm-lands. Winter here is generally defined by a few cold snaps, cold weather flowers like violas, and people wearing wetsuits in the ocean and socks with their flip-flops!
Needless to say, I am currently feeling very winter, cozy sweater, snow deprived. The book Wintering by Katherine May (January's Wonder Wednesday email "On the Bookshelf" Book) has been reminding me that even if my body isn't in winter, my mind definitely is. And so I've been drawn (more) inward.
Part of this has been working on a few much needed around the house projects. While cleaning out some workshop supply bins, I came across some leftover coffee filters - and remembered the classic coffee filter snowflake project!
So to remedy my longing for winter's icy sparkle, I, of course, had some fun with the classic snowflake craft - which I now deem sparkle-flakes!
Making Flakes Isn't Just for Kids!
Will you join me in making some Sparkle-flakes yourself?
They are very very relaxing to make. The painting allows for loose mind wandering, abstract painting, and intuitive color play.
And when complete, you can:
- hang them around the house,
- snail mail them to friends with "thinking of you" notes,
- add them to an art journal, art nature journal, or collage project (whole or deconstructed)
- or come up with other ideas and let me know!
Wonder Wednesday 126: Make Sparkle-flakes!
Materials
- Paper Coffee Filters (the old school kind, any size). Rice paper also works if you get into it and want to get fancy
- Watercolor paint or inks (I used my Wings, Worms, and Wonder Viviva Colors signature colorsheets set + the Viviva metallics colorsheets set)
- Paint brushes
- Water
- Scissors
- Thick Paper or something underneath to protect the work surface - the paint will bleed through.
- Optional: Metallic or iridescent watercolor paints, water-based mediums or inks, & anything else glittery or sparkly you like; clothespins; clothes hangers
Preparation
There's nothing much you need to prepare.
Just make sure that if you care about your work surface, or even if you don't, I still recommend putting a piece of paper (like watercolor paper) underneath your coffee filter.
The paint 100% bleeds through (and if you are using inks they will definitely permanently stain the surface), but more I think that the paper helps hold the filter in place while painting.
The bleed through marks also have the potential to look pretty cool, so you may even want to use a page spread in your art nature journal and create a spontaneous base for another project!
Procedure
1. Paint on the coffee filter in any ways and any colors you like!
Simply wet the brush, dab it in some paint, and go to town!
The paper is so thin you don't have you wet it first to achieve the "wet-on-wet" technique.
(Learn the actual wet-on-wet watercolor technique here)
Try various color combos, and if you have an iridescent medium, you can even make some that are just plain with only the shiny medium if you like. Anything goes!
2. Hang the painted filters up to dry.
I find clothespins and a hanger work great. Or simply leave them flat on your work surface.
The paper is so thin they dry quickly.
3. Fold the round filters in half, then into quarters, and then into a piece of pie.
How small you go is up to you and the sharpness of your scissors.
4. Now it's time to cut!
Play around with the shapes you cut, the sizes, and the fold layers through which you cut.
This variation gives complexity, beauty, and variation to the flakes.
All flakes are different, remember!
Fold and unfold your sparkle-flakes while cutting to monitor the progress and outcome of the design if you like, or leave it totally up to chance!
Play with it and have fun. There is no right or wrong. If you cut through, no biggie! Deconstruct it!
Many snowflakes are broken before they land, it doesn't make them any less sparkly or beautiful.
5. When you deem them complete, hang your sparkle-flakes up & enjoy the shine!
Where will you hang, or who will you send sparkle-flakes to?
Share in the comments below!
Share photos of your sparkle-flakes on Instagram #wingswormsandwonder !
Seeds to Sprout
Snow Day Taffy
If you are lucky enough to be in the snowy lands, the next day you have fresh snowfall, make some snow day maple taffy!
Why do snowflakes have 6 points?
Discover the answer make another kind of paper snowflake!