What to use as the background for a self-made scratchboard (or scrapeboard)? What is this about?

I wish to make a scratchboard or scapeboard myself:

Scratchboard definition on Wikipedia.
More information here

My Problem

Take a look at this video from David Rooney. He is an illustrator and I would like to build my own scraper board as he does. The problem is that he does not explain how to build the white background board. He says that is a chalk-covered board, but I cannot find it in any shop and I don’t know how to build it. Some websites say that they use a clay board.

My questions thus are:

What kind of board should I should use?
How can I find it?

What I tried so far

I found this scratchboard recipe. Basically the steps are:

Combine 3 parts of glue, 1 part of water and 1 part of plaster.
Apply a thin layer to the wood coat.
Apply a thick layer going in one direction and wait about 10 minutes to dry.
Apply another thick layer going the other way and let sit to dry completely for 4–8 hours.
Sand down the plaster until smooth, using a medium-grit sandpaper.
Mix together 3 parts black acrylic paint and 1 part dishsoap.
Apply paint/soap mixture using a foam roll brush or just a foam brush. You can use black ink instead but the paint mixture seems to scrape off the easiest.
Let dry for 8–24 hours before trying to scratch.

Note 1: You can use black ink instead but the paint mixture seems to scrape off the easiest. I think David uses oil ink (indian ink).

Note 2: I have tried with normal plaster but the color was not completely white. So next time I am going to try adding zinq oxide to the mixture. It is a white pigment to make it less transparent.

What you are looking for, the base for a scratchboard, is Clayboard. It is available in art stores and online... search for art panels.

You can make clayboard a number of ways:

The Jimmy Arborough site has a recipe for rabbit skin glue based
ground. Rabbit skin glue is tricky in that it requires hot water, cooling time, and is made out of rabbits. He uses about a 1:1 ratio of water to clay in his recipe.
The white glue and plaster method is popular and easy. Use plaster of paris not drywall compound to get a brighter white.
You could also mix kaolin clay or plaster of paris with regular acrylic ground and apply that.  Here start with 1/3:1 ratio of clay to base, adding more clay to get the absorbency/feel you desire.

With any of these methods you can whiten the base by adding Titanium White.

Once you have a ground, apply it in multiple layers to masonite or heavy paper board in layers, letting each layer dry between applications. You will need a number of layers (5-10) to get the right thickness. If the board warps, try painting the back with an X of the same ground to pull it back into shape. When the board has dried thoroughly, lightly scrape the surface with a knife to remove any blobs or burrs, then sand smooth with a fine grit sandpaper.

To finish the scratchboard, take a dry and clean clayboard, brush or spray with India Ink, again layering until you have the tone you want. The result should be a smooth hard surface, ready for carving into.

Manufactured boards (from the Wikipedia article):

https://www.ampersandart.com/scratchbord.php
https://www.ampersandart.com/claybord.php
http://www.essdee.co/Scraperboard.aspx

For DIY boards:

https://jimyarbrough.wordpress.com/2010/08/23/how-to-make-your-own-clayboard/
In relation tho the PVA-based scrape board verson:
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=554080  (see: Greenish Apple 03-26-2009, 02:00 AM)


How can I cover a large posterboard with glitter? I have a 22"x28" posterboard that I'd like to cover in glitter. What can I use to get the glitter to stick to the posterboard?

If you want the poster to be solid glitter, not simply speckled, I would use a spray adhesive, which is best with large surfaces. It also will not add additional weight or bow the the poster like a liquid or paste glue.

Spray adhesive and glitter are extremely messy. Work outside with plenty of ground cover (I suggest paper) and a large over-spray zone (don't spray near cars, etc.).

I recommend working the entire surface of the poster at once and not in sections. Previously glittered sections will get over-spray and you'll end up with sections of the poster with thicker layers of glitter than others.

The key to doing the whole poster will be to follow the directions on the spray glue can and to get a good solid covering of glue on the entire surface before applying glitter.

You'll need to literally dump a pile of glitter on the sticky poster, pick up the poster and shake the glitter around like you're shifting for gold. When the surface seems covered, turn the poster up facing you and tap the bottom edge a couple of times on the ground to release extra glitter. You should get a good view as to how well it's covered.

Above all, test your technique! Get a second poster, cut it in quarters, and begin testing your technique until it works the way you want.

You can get stick glue and put it on there, and then just dump your desired amount of glitter on the board before the glue dries.


How do I remove labels from glass jars/bottles? Glass jars or bottles provide a great base material for many crafts, but the least expensive option (reusing food jars or wine bottles that would otherwise be discarded) require me to do some surface preparation. Specifically, I need to get the labels off.

Right now, I'm just peeling and scraping the labels with a crappy old kitchen knife. But many labels are extremely well attached and there is a lot of glue and paper left. It seems like I can spend hours scraping and still have a sticky, dull, unappealing surface, which doesn't lend itself well to (e.g.) a clean, clear candle holder. Do I just need more elbow grease, or is there a method which helps remove labels and glue more quickly and cleanly?

There usually two different kinds of glue you commonly find.

One will come off if you just soak the label under water over night. Doesn't have to be soapy. It helps to score the surface of the label with a cross hatching with a razor. Some labels are waterproof. You need the water to get through to the glue.

The other kind of glue will come off with VM&P Naphtha (common solvent at a hardware store) You can also use Ronsonol Lighter Fluid, which is basically the same thing, but a little bit more refined and clean. Both are far superior and cheaper than "Goo Gone" or "Goof Off". With Naphtha you pour a liberal amount at the edge of a sticker. Use a plastic scraper to get under the edge of the label. As you lift the Naphtha will be able to get under the label and loosen more of the glue. Keep adding more Naphtha. Peel slowly. Let the solvent glide the sticker off. Don't force it. Naphtha has a strong smell, but it evaporates quickly leaving no odor. It can be used to remove stickers from paper.

If you are removing a sticker from something valuable then I would use the Ronsonol Lighter Fluid. It almost exactly the same stuff as VM&P Naphtha but it's refined to be a little cleaner and less smelly (after all, it's designed to sit in a wick lighter in your pocket). Some people blanch at the idea of dumping lighter fluid on a book to remove a sticker, but after a few minutes the fluid will be gone. Test first. Only very rarely have I found that the lighter fluid will dissolve ink or paint. It's actually pretty neat how well it targets sticker glue without harming anything else.

Putting glasses or bottles in a dishwasher usually removes most labels. If it doesn't work the first time, simply repeat.


Suggestions to Make PVC-Like Suit So we have a competition related to firefighting and one of the tasks is to retrieve a PVC figure known as the "mannequin." It is composed of PVC pipes for limbs and a PVC plug with end for a head. There is rope that holds the components together. At the end of the limbs, washers hold the knots together.

We were hoping that we can make a human sized version for someone to wear. Granted that a scaled costume may not look exactly the same, are there any suggestions to go about this? We don't have many resources, but we may be able to buy typical materials if necessary. Thanks.

I believe the closest analog you'll find for human sized PVC pipe that wouldn't be PVC pipe is called concrete form tubes, sometimes under the brand name Sonotube. The Home Depot version is called Sakrete form tube. It's going to be lighter than PVC of human size, but that doesn't mean it will be light. As it is constructed of cardboard, it would be easily painted white with matching lettering. If you wanted to hide the joints, fabric could be glued at the knees, elbows, etc, but you're going to have a challenge finding a skinny enough human torso to fit inside the typically-available Sonotube diameters.

You could use some sort of cording that runs from the knee joint through the thigh bone up through the torso to a shoulder support to help manage the weight. If you're using a healthy firefighter for the inner-human, it would not be too heavy, I believe.

The torso could be a suitably sized plastic rubbish bin, also painted white. If you plan to encase the human's head as well, a portion of a smaller cylindrical rubbish bin would also work. It's starting to look a bit like a lego character in my alleged mind.

This photo is the 8" size, although other smaller sizes are also available. Some larger construction businesses may have discards if you have contacts in the area.

Cardboard tubes and air conditioning duct flexible and or rigid.


Machine shear for cardboard? Is there a special kind of cutter for cardboard? I know I could use a laser cutter, but I don't want to spend thousands.
I need an automatic shear of some kind, ideally with an adjustable kerf, so that I can control the width of the material removed.
Fabric shears are not heavy duty enough to cut large amounts of cardboard.
In the machining world there are devices called nibblers for nibbling sheet metal. The look like this:

I could use this, but it is really for sheet metal. I am looking for something more for cardboard with an adjustable cutter. Does that exist?

For just about any shape of cut-out, one could use a router bit in a router, but they are typically quite heavy and more powerful than you need for cardboard. More appropriate would be a tool commonly called a Dremel tool. These are rotary multi-feature tools for which one can purchase different attachments and cutting bits.

A router head for such a tool is going to be smaller than a full size router. Cutting bits are typically around the 1/8"/3 mm size. There are larger diameters but not as much variety as with a full size router.

The tools are often variable speed and some are cordless, offering even more flexibility for use.

For cutting straight lines, one would want to have a guiding device such as a flat board clamped or taped to the cutting surface. For curves and holes, it's going to be mostly eyeball guidance.

If you are cutting only straight lines, there is available what amounts to a small scale hand-held circular saw, but that loses the ability to change kerf sizes.

The one shown is again by Dremel, but other manufacturers have similar products.

Last on the list would be an oscillating cutter.

Many manufacturers, corded and cordless, with multiple tool selections. No kerf adjustment, generally speaking, more easily controlled than a circular cutter but slower.

I did not suggest a hobby level CNC cutter as they are expensive and limited to the bed size, which limits your work piece size as well.

Probably a band saw with a thin blade that isn't 'teeth based' kind of like a knife.


Is there a kid-safe carving material? I would like my oldest (about 3 1/2 years old right now) to carve something, because of the fun I had with my plaster carving.

However, most carving requires sharp knives and firm materials that are difficult to cut through.

I would like an alternative that is soft enough to work with using just plastic tools (which I may make myself or repurpose from other tools), but not soft like Playdough or modeling clay. That is, I want it to be able to keep its shape during and after carving.

The kid-safe aspect of this is being able to avoid sharp metal objects.

Is there anything out there that would work for me?

If you are more interested in subtractive sculpting (removing material rather than adding it like clay), I spent my earliest sculpting days carving bars of Ivory soap. There may be softer brands, but you know Ivory soap is 99-44/100% pure <grin>.

How to Make a Soap Carving

A sharp knife is not necessary. Plastic knives, spoons, or Popsicle sticks could also work. But I suggest investing in a modest set of clay sculpting tools made of wood (less than US$5.00). They are tough enough to stand up to the soap without having a tendency to snap like plastic knives or Popsicle sticks.

Product Search:  Wood Sculpting Tools

My son, at that age, was crazy for floral foam. It's not especially cheap, but it carves very nicely and can be done with very safe tools like plastic cutlery for picnics. I forget how it was that we had enough for him to indulge his whims with it for a while, but if you can find a cheap supply, it could do the trick.

See the warning below: apparently, floral foam is toxic


How can I mount a polished stone to wood? I have a finished wooden walking stick. I'd like to mount a few polished gemstones to it. What is the best product to use for mounting stones to wood surface?

Epoxy resin
I love the stuff for the same reason John Vukelic's answer does so I would recommend it here as well. Even some of the cheap 2 parts should work perfectly fine for this. It is very good at bonding different material even when the surfaces are not perfectly mated.
The two parts about Gorilla Glue that need to be cautioned here is that it has expansive properties and is (as far as my experience with it goes) not a clear product once cured. These can both be mitigated with proper clamping and proper application.
Prep your surfaces
There are infinite ways I imagine that you could place your rocks so it would be hard to cover all angles of advice here but there are a couple of things I want you to look out for.

Try and mate the surface of the stones and wood as best you can. Glues will fill the gaps but if you can keep the spaces as small as possible you can help prevent air and moisture pockets which could lead to complications in the future. Again... not a huge risk but worth putting in the time.

Avoid crevasses where moisture will sit. Follow up from the last point be sure there is few places for water to sit or seep in. Depending on where your stick gets used and lives you don't want moisture build up to weaken the wood underneath. The wood is going to fail before the glue does.

I like the Gorilla Glue(tm) product line.
The reason I like Glorilla Glue is its ability to bind dissimilar materials.
For me that meant I was able to fix my eye glasses when the frame broke.

http://www.gorillatough.com/product-info


How to read the slash in “1/4 satin”? I am not a native English speaker, and I would like to know how do you read “1/4 satin”?

Is it pronounced as one-by-four satin or as one-to-four satin when read out?

Please note that this use is related to the binding structure of textiles.

For instance, in the following texts: It is observed that when the weave is changed from 4 / 1 satin to 1 / 4 satin ， the average warp tensions at shedding and beaten-up increase.

thanks.

It would be referred to as "1 in 4" satin and refers to the weave pattern.  4/1 satins would be warp faced twills and 1/4 satins would be weft faced twills.

For more information on this you can read all about it at  https://www.textileschool.com/articles/125/twill-weaves

it is a fraction or ratio .. 1 out of 4 threads are satin


How can I reconstitute old polymer clay? I'm terrible at using my supplies in a timely manner (maybe a couple years late... sometimes more, sometimes less), so my polymer clay (generally Sculpey III or Super Sculpey) get a bit dried out, even though it's sealed in original packaging.

Is there a way to get it back to being workable? I tried mineral oil once, but couldn't find a ratio that was effective. I ended up with very sticky clay, or clay that was virtually unchanged. I've used both hands and pasta rollers to try and do this, but no luck.

I don't know if there's something else I could use as an additive, or a certain way I should try mixing it in? Is there a good ratio of additive (such as oil) to clay?

The generally accepted practice, as I've read on numerous websites and through books, is to break up the dried up clay into small pieces, add a little mineral oil (or baby oil), and massage/work the oil in. (If you're not wearing gloves, this will 'stain' your hands but it will wash off with a little effort). After the smaller pieces are softened, merge them back together and continue to work the larger lump to spread out the oil evenly, as you normally would to soften the clay.

Sculpey also markets a clay softener that helps with this process, however if too much is used it can affect the color of the clay, or make it slightly translucent.

When adding oil it is possible to add too much, and this will be evident in the clay. To remove excess oil, wrap the clay in several layers of an absorbent material, such as paper towels, and put it in a ziplock bag. Leave to rest for a day or two, checking the consistency occasionally and replacing the absorbent material, until you have the consistency you desire. This process will tend to wick the oil out of the outer portion of the lump of clay more than the inner portion, so after removing the absorbent materials and massaging the clay again, it will be slightly softer than indicated before massaging (how much will depend on the size of the lump prior to wrapping it.)

Adding mineral oil to soften clay also makes it easier to blend different colors to make a custom color, and then remove the excess oil using the process described above.

I have used a heating pad to warm the clay and make it more pliable.


How to remove excess glue from around the edges of paper? To make a post card, I like to stick small pieces of paper on a card. I put glue stick on the whole paper, because if the corners don't have enough glue, it will not be strong enough. However, when I stick the paper on the card, often some glue comes from beneath on the card.

What tool can be used to remove glue stick?

I have seen people use a cotton tissue, a toothpick or a craft knife. What are pros and cons?

cotton tissue: I find this to be the most messy option, since it's difficult to regulate where the glue ends up, which means you might get glue on places where you do not want it

a toothpick: The sharp point might damage your paper if you press too hard

craft knife: might make your knife dull!

I mostly use thick scrap paper (or craft sticks) to scrape the glue off and haven't had any problems with that.

Adhesive pick-up squares are great tool for maintaining a perfect effect. I used them a lot during my art school years. They cost around a $1-2 USD, so they're very cheap. You can find them in most art supply stores.


How to apply diamond dust to a canvas? How can I apply diamond dust to a canvas or photo?   I've searched the web but can't find any information about it. I've used photo spray glue but it's too sticky.

"Diamond dust" refers to glitter than is actually composed of crushed glass instead of the traditional shiny flecks of plastic. This differs from glitter in that it is composed of larger pieces and therefore has more problems with adhesion. My guess, based on the limited information, is that Summer Rose is having a hard time because the glitter is leaving gaps where the adhesion shows through and is too sticky?
To avoid this, there are a couple options.

1. Use a better glue

For glitter like this that is both heavier and larger, a more robust glue is needed. Instead of spray glue, try using PVA glue or hot glue. If you find these adhesives do not dry completely clear and do not offer the desired effect, there is diamond dust specific glue called Diamond Glaze which seems to be popular among crafters if you'll be using diamond dust frequently.

2. Use traditional glitter instead

Traditional glitter is cheap and super easy to use. It can be adhered with nearly any liquid glue. Just don't accidentally drop it on yourself.

This forum on diamond dust also might be helpful to you where a similar question is asked. It's lengthy, but you might get some good tips outs of it!

Make your own. I buy my seed beads at the dollar store: sometimes Walmart or the craft stores when on sale. Use a coffee grinder, different small shifters. Wait till the dust settles in grinder (you do not want to breath any particles), then shift with smallest shifter 1st, then 2nd and so on. You'll get 3 to 4 different grits. To apply use triple thick, or beacon glue product (they are very good). You may want to buy the christmas glass balls. Put them in 2-3 strong bags, secure and bang them to pieces: use a rolling pin to crush then to bits. If you like use grinder 1 to 2 pulse--shift, then grind the larger pieces. I tell you they look like german glass glitter.  So save some money and DIY. Happy grinding.


How can I clean a tortillon/blending stump and still keep its point intact? What is the "correct", or most effective way of cleaning a paper tortillon?

Up the now, I have been using sand paper to clean the tip, however this often makes the tortillon rugged and lose its point, and in some cases causes it to unravel completely.

Is there a more effective way of doing this whilst keeping the stump's point intact?

Using sandpaper and then tidying up with craft knife is the generally accepted way of cleaning tortillon. However, it's possible that you might be using sandpaper with a low grit level (under 120) for too long. This would be almost ripping the material.

I start with a 100 grit sandpaper to get rid of the graphite\charcoal staining, then use a craft knife to clean up the really rough bits and shape. Finally I use a 180 grit, or greater, sandpaper to smooth out. I find it much easier to have the sandpaper on the work surface and move the tortillon on the sandpaper. It provides much better control and helps maintain the shape.

A really good tip is to get yourself a pack of double sided emery boards (nail file boards).

You can get boards with 100 grit on one side & 180 grit on the other in most pharmacies, supermarkets, and online shops.

Tortillons and stumps are pretty much disposable items. I never clean then (although I admit I don't use them often anyway.)


How can I stop my air drying clay from losing its shape as it dries? I am using air dry clay more precisely Thai clay.

How to make sure the shape is not disturb while drying? I had made a cornet shape similar to this one:

When I left it to dry overnight the shape distorted and formed a base so that the clay could stand up. However, I don't want it form a base as I want it to keep the circle shape. How can I accomplish that?

You could use a support armature to hold up your sculpture while it dries.

I notice, in your photo, there is something that looks pink icing. That might be how that artist hid where the armature was inserted to hold up their sculpture. After the sculpture dried the armature was removed and the hole that was left behind was hidden by the icing.

organise the build differently .. like, make five donuts and dry them individually. Once dry use slip to glue them together into the combined shape. Then fire the assembly


Erasable blue pencils for sketching? I've just started to learn to draw comics.

The fine arts shop recommend me a Blue Faber Castell Polychromos pencil for sketch (the lines and geometrics figures that we start first before we can draw the face or the body). But I can not erase it with the rubber.

I want a blue pencil for sketch, and I want to erase it.

What do you recommend me for sketching?

It seems that I have to mention: "I'm not asking about brands".

There are certain companies that market "erasable" colored pencils, but I have seen plenty artists use them that find that they still don't erase perfectly or that they still smudge slightly while erasing. There's no perfect solution, due to the nature of pigments.

An alternative is looking at why you need to have a blue pencil for sketching.

Why blue?

Historically, certain shades of "non-photo blue" were used because photocopiers wouldn't pick them up, so as you'd layer your final lines and lineart on top of the blue undersketch, the blue wouldn't show up in your copy. This has led to what is, in my opinion, a bit of an obsolete tradition of using blue for undersketches.

Why obsolete? Because every modern scanner I've used in the past 15 years has had no problems picking up the non-photo blue pigments. The color you use is irrelevant, because Photoshop and GIMP can easily remove whatever color you use. You can even use multiple colors, ending with your grey/black final lines.

Why erasable?

As you're practicing, you're going to want to erase a lot if you're making large mistakes, but needing to have a highly-erasable undersketch might indicate that you could improve your workflow.

For instance, many artists will do their initial messy sketches as thumbnails or smaller-scale pictures, in order to figure out proportions, layout and composition. Using simple graphite pencils, it's easy to erase and experiment. Alternatively, if your thumbnails are small enough, mistakes can be "discarded" by simply starting a new thumbnail next to it.

After the design and layout is decided, you would then pull out the pencil, colored or otherwise, that you'd use for the undersketch. Since you're generally just up-scaling your thumbnails, there's less mistakes in positioning lines and thus a lower need to erase them.

Okay, use one anyway!

All that said, (non-photo) blue pencils still work great for many artists! There's nothing wrong with it. But if the "erasable" types, like Prismacolor's Col-Erase line, are still too difficult to work with, there are two more things to try.

Practice line control. You could be making your lines darker than necessary. This is both a physical and mental issue. The physical part is gaining the fine motor control to make light enough lines. The mental part is being okay with not having dark, clear lines. Both require practice and training to overcome.
Try a different type of eraser (link). Some types of erasers simply don't work well for certain media.

You might try Frixion erasable pens - they're not perfect; you can't easily draw on an area you previously erased, and the colors aren't usually as vivid as with other kinds of inks, but it's the best blend of color and erasability I've found.

E.g.: https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Retractable-Erasable-Assorted-Disappear/dp/B009QYH644/


What style of art is this? This art style is very reminiscent of old cartoons. Could you tell me if it has a name? I've become very interested in it.

The style of 20s-30s cartoons is called Inkblot (see http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/InkblotCartoonStyle for more details), maybe this could help in your research.

The two images you posted have both an Inkblot feel, but they are more "graphical", in a sense of being more graphic illustrations. Probably they're also both vector illustrations, which gaves them the feel of being like "plastic". These are more personal observations, of course, but they might help you.

FYI, "cartoon" was, for Da Vinci and Michelangelo, the name for what we would call a "preliminary sketch."  I don't have all the facts but feel good about giving you that bit.

That said, today's usage of the word cartoon connotes the image of a humorous or pointed image drawn in a stylized fashion. Lots of other stuff is cartoonish and the word is appropriate for animated material, but we expect cartoons to not be real but to imply reality, which is what, I think, attracts you to these two examples. They imply reality and yet it seems hidden and we are required to search.

As far as naming your examples, nothing but cartoon comes to mind.

Another bit of info on closing: Picasso and his contemporaries didn't know they were "cubists" until an "art critic" gave them the title.


What can I do to ensure I only erase the smaller details without affecting the area around it? I don't draw much and can't even call myself an amateur yet. As a result I make a lot of mistakes and also many test strokes when drawing.

For small touch ups and mistakes the eraser is my best friend. However, my big white eraser does not help much when I need to only make small corrections. It can remove larger areas around where I am erasing.

Let's say I am talking about erasing small areas less than a centimeter in diameter. What can I do to make my erasing more targeted and only affect the areas I want to remove?

Get an erasing shield/stencil:

An erasing shield is a metal stencil that can mask off the parts of your drawing you want to protect, while exposing only the area you want to erase, so you can erase with more precision.

You can keep a knife erasure handy along with a putty erasure. Should
  be sufficient for most needs.

My bad folks, my suggestion was not really descriptive.
To be honest, knife eraser is my term. What I meant by knife eraser is a flat retractable erasure encased in a holder, much like the retractable pencil sharpening knife.
This has a sharp edge which helps to precisely erase and the retractable casing ensures that the edge remains sharp for long.
I could not find any pictures for the same, will add one soon.


What kind of paint best adheres to doll/barbie bodies? Does anyone have experience with full-body repaints for plastic dolls? I'm working on a repaint/restyle and I need to paint the doll's entire body. I'm creating a fantasy creature but acrylic paint doesn't quite stick the way I need and it doesn't work well on jointed areas of the body.

I've tried using nail polish and acrylic base with a sealer, but these are not permanent. This is the doll I'm working with. I'd like to preserve her mobility and keep the paint from chipping away.

This doll is for a child (age 10) so it will go through some wear and tear and the paint job needs to hold up. Is there a brand/type of paint that will work better than what I'm using? Or maybe a specific type of sealant?

Thanks!

Plastics have become less adaptable to paint and vinyl plastics are often the least receptive.  However, I think if you went to a distributor like Blick and visited the sign painter's paints, "One Shot" being the most prominent, you will find a very palatable product.

Palatable in the sense that they mix well, so you can buy a few small jars and blend a skin tone.  And palatable because they just are the best enamel paints ever developed for commercial use.  They are heavily pigmented so they can be reduced and sprayed.  They lay down well and don't leave heavy ridge lines when strokes over lap, should you chose to paint with a brush.  They dry quickly and provide an even gloss finish, which can be flattened if desired.

Sand it, prime it, paint it with an acrylic paint and seal it with a matte acrylic sealer.


How can I protect my pencil & charcoal drawings once complete? I have now built up a small portfolio of pencil/charcoal drawings. Most of the time they are kept in my folders, but sometimes they are viewed by friends and relatives. And on the odd occasion displayed at the local community hall.

I've started to notice finger marks and tiny smudges on the artwork. As none of pieces are permanently displayed I don't want to frame them.

What is the best way of preserving and protecting my pencil/charcoal art without having to put them behind glass?

One of my friends said that you could use hairspray? Is that the right way to go?

If the pieces are likely to be handled and/or displayed then using fixative sprays is probably the best option. There are two purposely manufactured types:

Workable
Final

Workable Fixative

As the name suggests, this allows you to add additional layers to your work after the spray has been used.

Workable Fixative is a thin solution and it sets up a new toothy (slightly rough) surface for more drawing. You can choose to spray the entire piece or isolated parts. To prevent other areas getting sprayed you can use paper, or frisket, to shield the areas that you don't want to spray. Once the fixative is dry you can continue working on the drawing.

The fact that it provides new tooth can be an advantage as heavily shaded/worked areas can become smooth making it harder to apply further layers of graphite/colour to the piece. So, you can use a workable fixative every few layers to keep a fresh tooth.

Final Fixative

This provides a more durable surface than a Workable Fixative, but this should only be applied once you are certain that you don't what to make any further adjustments.

However, a Final Fixative can cause the piece to darken so many artists do not apply the this layer and simply stop at a Workable Fixative.

Hairspray

Hair Spray has been mentioned as a cheaper alternative to fixative sprays. Below is a summarisation from Drawing for Dummies

  Hairspray does contain some of the materials of a Fixative but it only works for the short term, and ultimately damages the drawing - the hairspray yellows over time and ruins the drawing.

Do not use hairspray.

Applying Fixative

Use proper ventilation. Fixatives smells and is hazardous to your health.
Shake the can before spraying and test on a scrap piece of paper away from your drawing. The nozzle can clog & will deposit 'lumps' on your drawing
Directions on the generally say to spray 20-25cm (8-10 inches) from drawing. However, I spray 30-40cm (12-15 inches) from drawing. Make sure it is on a flat surface and not drafty.
Lightly spray first coat horizontally. Let dry for 15 minutes. Make sure the layer is even and smooth.
Lightly spray second coat vertically. Let dry for 15 minutes. Make sure the layer is even and smooth.
Subsequent layers may be added in alternating directions if needed.

The sprayed areas of your piece will become darker once you have sprayed it and it won't lighten once the fixative has dried.

The best way would be to heat laminate the work which doesn't yellow out and also is easy and cheap to get it done.
Framing it in a good double glass frame is another way to keep it safe.
You could protect the finished work with thin film tapes that are available for mobile lamination which not just protects the work but also will be flexible for carrying just like a paper.
Simply covering it tight with a food wrapping film will protect it too. but it sure needs another level of protection over it like a glass frame or so as the film itself is very soft.


What kind of glue to use for **large area** paper to wood that is visible while wet? I am having trouble getting a gluing process that I like for large surfaces. I need to attach wrapping paper to 4'x8' sheets of plywood. For small paper-to-wood gluing, wood glue works great. For slightly larger regions, up to about 11x17, 3M 77 works great. But at the multiple square feet scale, I find myself getting gaps in my coverage -- it's quite hard to see when the whole surface is covered by the spray -- so when I later cut the wood on a laser cutter, parts of the paper peel away from the wood.

Another problem with the 3M 77 at that scale is the fumes -- just about killed myself with that much spray all at once, even outdoors with good breeze!

I tried using wood glue over an entire sheet-- that experiment ended poorly. An entire bottle of glue barely covered the top quarter of the plywood! So while it seems like I would like some sort of spreadable, visible glue that I could lay down on, I think most of those options are out.

In my dream world, there's some sort of magic, odorless, 3M 77 blended with spray paint so I can tell when I've got even coverage because the wood changes color when sprayed. I don't think anything like that exists. So... how close can I get to that dream?

This sounds like quite a similar situation to applying wallpaper. Wallpaper is normally hung with wallpaper adhesive, a thickish paste with a relatively long drying time.

The advantage of this is that you can apply it to the paper and let it soak in for a few minutes before attaching the paper to the plywood, which should help ensure you don't miss any bits.

Have you thought about using gelatin? It was pretty common to bind gold-leaf with gelatin. You might also consider using rabbit-skin glue. If you like I can outline the process for you.


What kind of glue should I use to create a perfect bound paperback? I'm an amateur typographer. Until now, I've always printed various sizes of prints, flyers, saddle stitch, and so on.

I would like to move to small perfect bound paperbacks. However, I don't know where to start.

What kind of glue should I use to create these, and what tool can I use to apply it? Are there chemical risks associated with some kinds of products, or can they be used safely in a home environment?

Because most of my work is done using printers, the glue should be compatible with common kinds of inkjet and laser printers, common paper, coated paper for printing photos, and inks (toner, dye and pigmented inks).

Bonus:

Are there machines that would make this process quickly repeatable and with good results?

There are machines for doing perfect binding on a small scale.  They start in roughly the $50-$100 price range, and go up from there.  They're generally "thermal" (they heat a strip of hot melt glue in the binding).  If you search "thermal binder", you'll find a bunch of options.  Here's a random, low-cost example from Amazon just as an illustration:

Source

Most of the large companies that make binding equipment and supplies, like Fellowes and GBC, offer versions.

The general way they work is you use a cover that has a glue strip in it.  You wrap the cover around the pages and stick the assembly in an upright guide over a heating element.  The machine melts the adhesive, then you stick the book in a cooling stand.  The whole process takes a few minutes per book.

You can buy premade covers that have an opaque back and transparent front, so your own cover art shows through.  They also sell glue strips that you can stick in your own cover.

I've used similar machines that were more "commercial grade".  The process is simple, fast, and clean, and the results look very professional.  They work with any type of paper and don't affect the printing (the heat is applied only to the edge).

If you mess up, or need to remove or replace a page, you can usually just put the book back in the machine, remelt the glue, and swap out the page.

For paperback you should use dendrite(known as Dandy in Bangladesh).
It looks yellow. I am using this for papers and books for a long time.


Building an elliptic paraboloid How would I build a shell of an elliptic paraboloid as accurately as possible (in terms of its mathematical properties (all parallel rays end up in its focal point)).

Preferably it should be:

Made out of a material which is easy to process (like cardboard/paper)
Without the use of expensive tools etc. (like 3D printing, milling, ...)

Depending on the accuracy you require for your shape, you can certainly use cardboard to create the reflector. If you don't require it to be a reflector, it gets easier!

Consider that the shape is a three dimensional revolution of a two dimensional curve. One will have to presume that you can create the curve on cardboard using the formula of your choice.

Cut the curve from cardboard, then slice it in half vertically, removing a bit more from the center vertical cut line. With a sufficient number of these half-parabolas, glue them standing vertically on a suitable base (cardboard!) with all the center cuts pointing inward. The reason you remove a bit at the center cut line is that the thickness of the cardboard would otherwise prevent optimum alignment of each curved piece.

If, for example, you chose to use eight pieces of 6 mm cardboard, you'd have an octagon at the center with each face/edge of the octagon being 6 mm long. As you increase the number of "fins," the polygon in the center becomes larger and has to have that many more faces.

You can also increase the number of fins by cutting more away from the center cut and expanding the placement of that cut outward from the center.

When you have the skeleton/backbone/structure created, you can apply a surface treatment to the cardboard. This could be as simple as paper sheets glued to the cardboard edges. If a reflector is your goal, mylar film carefully stretched to the fins may provide the surface needed.

You could create the surface treatment by gluing cardboard between the fins, keeping it below the level of the cuts. Apply a layer of waterproofing such as paint or epoxy or similar and then slather on a light coat of wallboard compound. Once dry, you can sand a smooth shape to the surface to get even better results. I'm not sure how you'd get an optically reflective surface on wallboard compound, but it would provide a smoother surface for a mylar covering.

Because one word is worth one one-thousandth of a picture, I'm hopeful the attached image will be useful:

EDIT: Using a thinner material will allow more "fins" with smaller gaps and reduce the interpolation referenced in the comment section. Perhaps a primary support of cardboard with intermediate segments constructed of heavy paper with interspersed segments of ordinary paper will provide higher resolution with the compromise of being more difficult to construct!

Yet another solution, perhaps easier to construct. Consider to rotate the planes of cardboard from parallel to the axis of rotation to perpendicular to it. Solve the equation for x and make a series of circles in cardboard based on the y-thickness of the material. Thicker cardboard means lower resolution, fewer sheets to cut, thinner means higher resolution, even to the level of paper thickness.

The ease of construction comes into play because you need only to stack the sheets. You can make a negative or a positive form by using the holes or the cut-out portions. Alignment can be accomplished with a common location (the center of the cut-out circles) or a pair of holes outside of the cut-out circles, then pushing dowels through them.

You can get a pretty consistent shape with a balloon. I feel a little silly suggesting it, but perhaps a large balloon and paper machete? The convex side would be fairly lumpy, but the concave side would be pretty smooth. You would be limited in the exact shape, though they would all be roughly parabolic. You could modify the shape somewhat by partially inflating the balloon and squeezing the side opposite the paper machete.


Is alder wood too hard to whittle? I'm very new to wood carving, and have bought my first two tools, both Beaver Craft whittling knives. I've seen a couple videos on YouTube of a man doing tutorials and it looks like his knife, without too much pressure, goes very deep into the wood. I cannot do this with the Alder wood I've got, and after whittling for quite a while, my knife does seem a bit duller than it was. Is Alder too hard a wood to be using a good knife on? I see people say that you want a harder wood to keep a good longevity on the product, but i don't want to ruin my knives either. Thanks in advance for your wisdom!

No, it's not too hard.

For the beginner, Basswood and Butternut woods are the easiest to carve.  Don't be confused about the hardwood and softwood definitions as they aren't literal interpretations of the wood's hardness.

One source for carving woods is Heinecke Wood Products - https://www.heineckewood.com/

The Sculpture Studio has a list of some of the woods commonly used:

http://www.thesculpturestudio.com/typesOfWood.html

Metal is harder than all of the woods, but some wood is harder to cut than others due to the density, grain, and water content.

Sharpening knives

There are a lot of videos about sharpening knives out there.

Bottom line, start coarse and graduate to finer and finer grits.  At the end, stropping is the finest of the grits.

To strop, mount a piece of leather to a small board.  Rub a buffing compound into the leather and then pull the blade across it, backward so as to be actually honing the blade.  Besides the sharpening procedure, one of the keys to sharpening lies in the type of metal used to make the knife.

Cheap metal blades do not hold their edges very long and must be continually resharpened.

Good metal blades will require less sharpening and don't require such time consuming maintenance.  So choose knives carefully.

When stropping, the surface of the blade is being polished repeatedly.  This decreases the drag of the metal across the surface of the wood.

Up close, knife edges are really uneven and full of gaps and voids.  The goal in sharpening is to minimize them and create a smooth, even finish.

Longevity of the wood

Longevity of the wood depends on the environment it lives in.  Outdoor pieces will weather and be exposed to harsher, more extreme fluctuations which will cause cracking and checking.  Outdoor pieces should be coated with a UV and moisture resistant finish specifically designed for the exposure.

Safety

Do not overlook the need for a thumb guard and carving glove.  These items are truly essential.  A properly sharpened carving knife will cut, gouge, slice, poke, stab, impale, and hurt the carver.  Think about a leather apron which may prevent a cut to the legs and chest while carving in the lap.  The femoral artery is exposed on the inner thigh area and is easily cut without some form of protection.

Further reading

Great references for carving include
 Gene Messer - https://www.youtube.com/user/whittler0507
 Doug Outside (channel) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-eOXKXJ2GQ1gewivwNxYKQ
 Kevin Coates - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHIwp6WJZdGvySIdpmxq5Yw

Happy Carving !

I found a chart of wood densities. Through personal experience I know pine and fir are soft. Most fruit trees grow slower, thus are harder. Similar are nut trees, and red oak, which are very hard when dry.

I believe the wood you inquired is first.  You'll have to compare with some of the others. Higher density = more difficult to carve.

Always be cautious of sharp tools. Emergency Room & Orthopedic trips are typically unpleasant when carving.


What is the way to clean kneaded eraser? I can see black patches on it. What is the way to clean the kneaded eraser such that it doesn't leave any marks on the paper?

I can see black patches on it.

That is a part of normal use. Those black marks are graphite, charcoal and etc. that the eraser picked up from your working surface. That is the eraser doing its job as intended.

What you are supposed to do is fold / knead away those "dirty" parts back into the eraser so that non-black (the erasers original colour) parts are exposed so that you don't get unwanted or inefficient transfer. From rapidfireart.com on How to Clean a Kneaded Eraser:

  Because kneaded erasers absorb graphite, they will become dirtier with use. To clean a kneaded eraser, you can stretch and knead it until the color turns light grey. Eventually they will become too dirty to use as graphite, charcoal, dust or other particles accumulate in the eraser.

So, at some point, you won't be able to keep using it and then it will be time to seek a replacement.

Abrasive, a file, sandpaper. Those are the cleaning tools respectively. Rubber block for grinding wheels or sandpaper.  Sandpaper or other abrasive media for erasers.  Truly a Ying/Yang relationship.


How to make a cloth brim hat? I would like to make a hat that looks roughly like this one but I'm clueless on how to go about with it.

I need it to be from a material that does not keep heat much (compared to, say, felt) and that won't deteriorate if it gets damp (like paper does). I thought I might use rough canvas, but I'm not sure if it will stay in shape if just sewn. So:

What would be a suitable cloth material to use? Would canvas be alright?
How do I make it stay in shape without making it too thick — should I use wire or fishing cord, do I need something to make the cloth stiffer (if so, what would it be), would sewing it properly be enough?

I have some experience with canvas hats.  I owned a Real Deal (hatmaker from Brazil) for several years. They're made from old canvas tarps, like the ones used to cover truck payloads.

Canvases has its advantages over felt.  It is slightly more breathable, and wicks moisture away a little bit better.  It's a marginal improvement over felt.  The greatest advantage is in durability.  With reasonable use and care, canvas will last for years.  Mine survived about 4 years of heavy abuse.

For heat control, eyelets will be helpful, especially high up near the top.

To help the top of the hat keep it's shape without making it too thick, there's stuff called boning that is used in fitted dresses and corsets.  Its a thin plastic mesh that adds stiffness without adding significant weight.  Asking around at a fabric store will put you on the right track.

Perhaps the easiest way to help the brim keep its shape is a piece of wire.  You can cut it to fit and then secure it to the edge of the brim with bias tape.  To keep the tips of the wire from poking through the tape, you can tie them together with dental floss,  a heavy dab of epoxy or if you have the ability, welding the tips together.

I've had good luck making hats from rough canvas. Fishing cord works great!


What type of glue will work well on wood and metal? As per this question I'm needing to glue a wood veneer inlay into a metal bracelet, but don't know what type of glue to use.

I have a tube of Gorilla Glue, which I know is suitable for wood - should I source something else that can cope with wood and metal?

2-part epoxy is my usual recommendation when it comes to mating different kinds of materials together. That is usually one of the selling points.

I would caution with the use of Gorilla Glue for this. While is might be a viable choice you need to be careful of its expansion properties. If you do try to use it make sure you clamp appropriately and clean any excess that seeps out. That is general advice for gluing in general but you really don't want warping in the final product here.

Depending on the size of the veneer and how it is prepared there is a chance for small pockets to exist where the glue could expand. As long as you clamp firmly for the duration of the setting time you should be fine though.

Super glue is cheap, easy to find, and bonds together just about anything.


What material can be used to create a mold for pouring any molten metal without problems? I have found that for one to create a mold for pouring molten plastic in it, it only requires clay.

But what about metals? Are there easy materials to find so that I can use them to assemble them and create a mold for pouring any molten metal for giving a shape to it?

For use with the widest range of metals, a properly prepared ceramic mold is your best bet. It can tolerate high temperatures and capture fine details well. However, these are commonly single-use molds that are broken to remove the cast object.

Rather than trying to find a "silver bullet," you're better off targeting your specific needs for each case. If you're casting a single sculpture in bronze or aluminum from a wax base ("lost wax" casting), use the ceramic mold. If you're doing a styrofoam master sculpt to cast ("lost foam" casting), use sand. For precious metals, use kiln-dried plaster. For low-temperature metals in one-off casts, plaster works well; for multiple casts, a heat-resistant rubber or some metals will work better.

The first problem is water/ steam. If you pour 600 F solder or zinc into a plaster or clay mold it will make steam which will spoil the casting. Keep in mind materials like plaster of paris have water of hydration which can be released although they look dry. A mold made of metal works for low temperature metals . To cast higher temperature metals like copper base and aluminum you would best use foundry materials for a mold , essentially sand with some binding agent. I don't think anything can be made without problems.


Using an underpainting and painting a gradient on top of another, with gouache Premise:
When we paint with gouache, previously laid layers of paint will get re-wet, and dissolve again, mixing into and strongly impacting (usually, for the worse) whatever we are trying to create on top.
I know one advice is applying layers in a specific order: starting with very diluted, and using less and less diluted subsequent layers: starting with "watery" and progressing towards "buttery" consistency.
Yet I'm afraid even this layering discipline won't help sufficiently when I'm:

trying to use an underpainting
trying to create a gradient (I mean "blending") (which, with gouache, is challenging already in itself) on top of a previously laid layer of a gradient.

Casein? Very close, but...
I know James Gurney likes to use casein, which will not dissolve once it dried. He uses it as underpainting under gouache pieces, and for entire works too.
But: casein does not seem to be widely available in my region (and I'm not big into online ordering paints), and anyways I'm also discouraged by the challenges that its organic nature imposes on handling it (like its quite short shelf-life). So I would rather look elsewhere.
What other approach can one take?
What other thing could I do, what additional material(s) should I bring in to achieve my above introduced goals?
I am interested in solutions that:

do not compromise the archivalness of the finished works: I wish uncompromised lightfastness (as good as the original paints'), and reliable, long-term adhesion to the carrier material (paper, gesso'd panel, etc.)
(preferably) leave the painting's surface similar in character to the original gouache's: I might still would like to apply some color pencil strokes on top, as part of the final steps

Use acrylic paint as an underpainting. It can be safely used in combination with gouache. To retain as much as possible of the character of a gouache painting (the matte look and texture), I suggest diluting it nevertheless, which, in addition, will help keep an eventual underdrawing visible and improves adhesion (based on the discussion here, it otherwise seems best for adhesion to use a matte medium over the acrylics before continuing with the gouache, or to add gum arabic to your gouache). Please do some tests with this in advance, though: too much dilution will compromise the binding properties of the acrylic.
Shelf-life is not optimal, but better than casein and tempera, and you can cover your palette/dish/container with cellophane to effectively slow down the drying process whenever you take a break.
Acrylic is flexible even after drying, and can be safely used on paper, canvas, and panel.

Use tempera to create your underpainting. After drying, it will be insoluble. It is known for its durability. During the renaissance, even after losing its popularity, this was still regularly used as underpainting for oil paintings because of this characteristic.
On a layer of tempera it's easier to create gradients using gouache.
Egg tempera is also fairly easy to make, and it won't interfere with the appearance of the gouache that's applied on top of it.

Another way to keep your underdrawing intact when working on panel, and without having to resort to (organic) mediums, is by engraving or incising your linework. You can also indent lines on non-hardened gesso. You will be able to see the depressed lines even after several layers of thin paint, but of course they might remain
Of course, this technique is dependent on your artistic style.

There is also acrylic based gouache available, which will not lift after it has dried. You can use the acrylic gouache as an underpainting that way without it lifting.


How to overcome the fear of imperfection? In all of my art classes, and virtually anywhere I encounter new artists, the number one obstacle I see holding them back is a "fear of imperfection." So I'd like to submit this question to any/all established artists, what tips/advice do you have for "new artists" to overcome their fears of imperfection (which are, afterall, inevitable for any student)?

There's a famous story about a ceramics professor who separated his class into two groups of students. The students in Group A were graded solely on a single pot they presented at the end of the semester, whereas the students in Group B were graded on how many pots they produced during the semester: quality vs. quantity.

During the course of the semester, the Group A students were agonizing over perfecting the minutest details of their pot, while Group B was furiously churning out pots left and right.

At the end, the professor examined everyone's pots, and Group B had higher quality work - even though they were only being graded on quantity! The Group A students, though they had been trying to achieve high quality, simply did not have the same amount of experience.

The moral of the story is, practice makes perfect.

The solution to your "artist's block" is not unlike writer's block. You can find prompts and assignments to force yourself to do something until inspiration strikes again. Most of all, you must accept that your early drafts will suck, and make them anyways.

I've found it very inspirational looking at re-makes or progression pictures from artists, to see how their technique and style have evolved over the years. To me, it underscores that making art is a learned skill, not some innate talent that you either have or don't have. Sadly too many people believe this, and simply give up on art because their skills are still grade school level and they haven't grown them since. But if you put in the work you will get better and better.

This is the interesting part about painting for me. The trick for me is to simply paint and enjoy the process.  There are no wrong actions.  Everything becomes part of the painting and adds to the underpainting. It's part of the history of the piece.  As I paint abstractly and intuitively I have the luxury, if you will, at being able to turn the work upside down and starting again or continuing. I sit on my thinking chair a lot, take photos, study the work until it starts speaking to me. It starts to give me the confidence to move forward.  Top recommendation is to not worry, you can always paint over it. Hope this helps.


Can I use a smaller diameter hot glue stick on a bigger diameter hot glue gun? Suppose there is a hot glue gun that support 12mm hot glue stick. Of course we cannot insert a bigger than 12mm hot glue stick, but can we insert a smaller one, let's say, a 7.5mm hot glue stick into it? Will there be any negative effects, like it will damage the hot glue gun?

Updated: I've tried it. I don't recommend it.

I needed my big glue gun this afternoon and had some small sticks lying around so I gave it a go. Melted glue came out where the stick goes in, then hardened. It was a job getting it out - several minutes of poking around with knives, wire cutters and screwdrivers, and narrowly avoiding getting burnt. I got more glue out of the wrong end than the right end.

 I had previously used black glue; that's what you can see just above the "80 Watts" label. The thin stuff I was testing with is clear. As I took the picture the black stuck itself to both the clear and the feed mechanism.

You will (I previously said "may") find that melted glue comes out where you push the stick in, so you will need a plan for cleaning up before it solidifies, or have a pusher handy (such as wooden dowel - a glue stick of the diameter the gun is used for didn't help).

There is one possibility of damage or more likely scorched glue: some big-stick glue guns (like mine) have two temperature settings. The hotter may be too much for small sticks (which I've only ever bought/seen as cool-melt).  So be sure to use the right settings, especially as you may have glue hanging around in there if it's not feeding very well.

I'd always buy the right size, but would use only use up thin sticks in a bigger gun if I was desperate.

First of all it depends on the type of Glue Gun that you have, if it is of a good quality, and has a good heating system in place, and you are sure that it won't fuse or burst of do something of that sort when you are playing around with it, only then think of doing something like this because after all it is an electrical equipment, and care has to be taken. And second, I have made this very mistake. I have fused by glue gun, have had it's wire burn by it, and shorted my house.
Despite those horrible personal experiences, I would still say that it is fine to do so. But what will tend to happen if you don't keep the glue gun facing down (towards the end where the glue is coming out from), is that the glue will leak from the wrong end.(depending of Course on the angle of your Gun, which like I said, must be around perpendicular to the ground)
As long as care is taken, you can keep adding in thinner sticks, and it will work fine, though you may have to push it with the your hand because the gripper in the gun may not be for that.
Now if you do happen to leak the glue, then you can use something like a plucker or tweaser or something that can pluck out the dried glue (yes turn if off) and once all the dried glue that leaked is out, you can proceed to putting another stick.
If you are however not prepared for such circumstances, are under the age of 14, don't have adult supervision, then your short answer is NO, otherwise, if you are in some sort of emergency, then your answer is YES


How can I make paper look old without wetting it? I want to make paper look aged and then print on it a picture, I tried with coffee but the results were bad, the picture quality is poor on the coffee paper compared with the white paper, the colors are really dull and it is less saturated. I tired to fix this with photoshop but nothing worked out, We don't have ivory/yellow/brown papers available in my country and I can't get it online too. I was thinking to buy maybe a fixative spray, I contacted all stores here, they don't sell it but they do sell a acrylic varnish mat spray, will that helps ? or I shouldn't be using an acrylic spray on an inkjet photo ? it'd be much appreciated if you guys can help me with an aging technique (it doesn't need to  appear really old or something) just a yellowish/brownish color. I don't want to wet the paper with coffee or tea or anything because I lose quality

If you're printing, why not print the aged effect as well?
Print it as close to the margins as possible - your printer may even do borderless, but if not you need to crop (physically) to the aged bit.  This doesn't have to be perfect; in fact it may be better done rather roughly, depending on just how old and weathered you're looking for.
If you do tea- or coffee-stain your paper, you need to dry it really well before printing, and get it really flat (e.g. iron it). This may make that an option after all.

At first color that page with deep dark yellow color (Crayons or water color). Then give it a very small amount of spray of black color. That should give it a nice old look.


Is there a way to cleanly cut styrofoam? My roommate is a bit of a pack rat and has several old TV and computer monitor boxes with styrofoam supports.

I am thinking of cutting the styrofoam into little "bricks" and building a small house out of it.

Is there a trick or special tool to make clean cuts without making a mess of little styrofoam bits everywhere?

Is there a trick or special tool to make clean cuts without making a mess of little styrofoam bits everywhere?

Yes, it's called "hot-wire (foam) cutter" which can be bought starting at prices of about $20, or you can also make one yourself.

The hot wire melts the styrofoam, releasing toxic fumes (styrene), so it's best to use it in a well-aerated room or outside. (See e.g. this link for more safety advice.)
It will work on styrofoam, but probably not very well on soft foams.

Just take a lighter and slightly burn the area that was broken in half or cut and it will no longer shed. Be careful as it will burn and may drip on your skin.


How can I completely clean an old candle container? I buy lots of candles, which means I end up with lots of candle holders. I want to be able to reuse these containers, in some cases for food storage since some of the candles are in jars. This means I need to completely eliminate all of the wax.
How can I ensure that the container is free of any wax residue?

I've done similar things after using food containers for candles.  You may not actually need all these steps, but this is how to be very thorough.
What I'd do is put them in a cool oven, just hot enough to thoroughly melt the wax (100°C should be enough).
First, put them face down supported on wires over a drip tray.  The vast majority of the wax will run out.
Then, still hot, and holding using oven gloves, wipe the insides thoroughly with a dry rag.
In terms of food safety, while I doubt you could ever reuse the containers commercially within the rules, I'd probably be happy at that point to use containers from  unscented candles.  After all, paraffin wax and beeswax are both used in food.
I'd still go a step further though, and definitely if anything scented had been in there: Finally, put them through a dishwasher on a hot wash (70°C or above).  Paraffin wax and beeswax both melt a little below this, and once melted the dishwasher will remove the residue and any scent.  Shifting the scent may actually be the tricky bit.
Apparently container candles are best made with lower melting point waxes anyway, so they should easily melt in the dishwasher.  The earlier steps were more to protect your filters. If any scent lingers after dishwashing, either give up on that container, or wipe round with cooking oil, then fill to the brim with hot soapy water.  Dishwash again after soaking.
Of course, there's no guarantee that the containers can withstand a dishwasher.  Paint (or glitter etc.) on the outside would be particularly likely to be damaged.

According to quite a few web sites, but specifically Science Direct, beeswax is insoluble in water, but soluble in a few different liquids.

Beeswax is insoluble in water and soluble in organic solvents, such as
ether, acetone, xylol, benzene, chloroform, and tetrachloromethane. In
order to completely dissolve the beeswax, the temperature must be
increased beyond its melting point (Stefan, 2009).

For paraffin based wax solvents, the Chemistry SE suggests other solvents, specifically toluene or xylene. I have a quart of toluene in my garage, which implies that it was purchased a local big-box store.

Ethanol and acetone are not non-polar organic solvents. Each one has a
slight dipole moment; due to the difference of electronegativity
between H and O in ethanol and between C and O in acetone. Wax is
composed of heavy, long-chain alkanes. And as "Like dissolves like"
try to dissolve your wax in toluene or in xylene.

In many of the links I viewed, elevated temperatures are indicated. Not explosive level heat, just warmer than room temperature, perhaps hot hot water temps.


How do you properly store tins of turpentine? Is there a proper way to store tins of turpentine? I have attached a picture of the type of container my turpentine comes in:

In the past where ever I store the container, turpentine smell would inevitably leak out and it's not really a pleasant smell. Initially I had stored it in the corner of my bedroom closet. I quickly moved it to a storage closet built into the stairwell. It's dark and cooler than room temperature usually.

I also made the mistake of putting the tin of turpentine inside several plastic bags. This helped with the smell that leaked out but when I took the tin out of the plastic bags, the whole tin was sticky with what I assume is the dried turpentine gas trapped inside the plastic bag.

In a general sense it is a very good practice to refer to the material safety data sheets (MSDS) for products like this. The product labels, in theory, should also contain similar information.

MSDSs will always contain more information though. They will break down all the information needed about the product when it comes to safety. It should be safe to assume that householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov is a good source of this information. I located the sheet for your specific product. Most other MSDS's for turps cover the exact same sentiment as far as storage and handling is concerned. For completeness sake I have also included some basic handling as well in the information quoted below.

  HANDLING:

  Isolate from oxidizers, heat, sparks, electric equipment & open flame.
  Use only with adequate ventilation. Avoid breathing of vapor or spray mist. Avoid prolonged or repeated contact with skin. Wear OSHA Standard goggles or face shield. Consult Safety Equipment Supplier. Wear gloves, apron & footwear impervious to this material. Wash clothing before reuse.
  Avoid free fall of liquid. Ground containers when transferring.
  Do not flame cut, saw, drill, braze, or weld. Empty container very hazardous! Continue all label precautions!

  STORAGE:

  Keep in fireproof surroundings.
  Keep separated from strong oxidants, incompatible materials. Keep cool. Keep inside a well-ventilated room.
  Keep container tightly closed & upright when not in use to prevent leakage.

Text is copied as is. Formatting and emphasis is my own.

Keep it cool, ventilated and away from sources of oxidants and sources of ignition. Ensure the container is seal and cleaned between uses.

I am not sure about the cause of the leaking. Chris Johns has a good theory though. Assuming you follow the instructions above it should not happen.

Related I found a discussion between users and the smells created by turpentine like yours and artist grade. Consensus is that the "cheap" stuff has a more offending odor

Store any very vaporise liquid at Cold temperatures.  Temperature effects vaporization.  For turpentine a freezer is best. I'd advise any one to first switch it to  another container of known high quality. Off the shelf products may have been damaged in transit from factory to the shelf. I think glass is better than metal cans. No leaky seams. Only fill about 3/4 full. If food stuff is also stored in the freezer a double layer, inner enclosed in an outer container should be used for the chemical.


What is the technique to get a proper consistent crochet tension without being too tight? Crochet tension is a real problem for me. In order to keep it even I have a very tight stitch meaning I have to go up in hook size to get the correct tension for the piece.

Is there a technique that I am missing to get a proper consistent tension without being too tight?

Your problem does not seem so strange to me: I do the same with needles whenever I knit. That is the main reason why instructions contain the Gauge part, so you can choose the right yarn and hook to get the right size.

As I found written on a shawl crochet pattern:

  CHECK YOUR GAUGE.

  Use any size hook to obtain the gauge.

On the other hand, don't be too worried about "even" stitches while crocheting at first, but let the thread slide quite easily through your fingers while you work, otherwise the final result will be too stiff. The more you get used to crocheting, the more regular your stitches will become.

Hope this can help!

As Lucia already stated, practising helps a lot.
Then, there are different ways to hold your yarn, try and find the way that works best for you.
Take a look at
http://www.crochetguru.com/hold-yarn-for-crochet.html
for images and instructions.

One way to hold the yarn, is loop the yarn around your little finger, then over your ringfinger, middle finger and index finger.

A loose way to hold your yarn is without the loop around your little finger, just the thread betweeen little finger and ringfinger, and over your ringfinger, middle finger and index finger.
If that's too loose, you could loop the thread around your index finger.


What are practical advantages and disadvantages of learning to use both hands to draw? This question is not only about using both hands simultaneously, it's about being able to use either of your hands in general. By practical, I mean advantages and disadvantages in terms of drawing. In other words I'm not talking about cut of aggression level etc.

I've started learning to draw recently using Draw a Box lessons and wondering whether I should do the offered exercises with both hands or just focus on my dominant hand. I read somewhere that some professional painters use their non-dominant hand for less skill demanding tasks, so their dominant hand gets less worn out or tired. Others say that they learn to use their non-dominant hand so they can use it for work in case they injure their dominant one.

I meet with a small group once a month to "do art". Each month one of us is in charge of the lesson. We just did pencil sketches using our dominant and then non dominant hand. We were all amazed- everyone liked the non dominant drawings better. You are more detail oriented and try to draw to perfection w your dominant hand. The non dominant  drawings were looser and more free. It is considered a good practice to do to increase your awareness to detail, your drawing skills and good for your brain.

well it depends on what hands are you comfortable using.
sometime it may be awkward to use left hand to draw.but it also has a advantage when it comes to draw curves.
well main catch is if you are not used to drawing with left hand you cannot learn now and draw...
well try it ...cheers


What are the key disciplines of realistic drawing? I hear a lot of drawing instructors say to "focus on the fundamentals", but I am unclear as to what the fundamentals of drawing are. For many of the other arts, the fundamentals are clear, in music, its scales/chords. Every music instructor will teach you about these things.

In writing, you have grammar and story structure (such as the heroes journey and the three act structure), every writing instructor will teach you about these things.

However, with drawing, it seems that every art instructor talks about different things as being fundamental.

So what are the fundamentals of drawing?

By drawing, I mean drawing realistically, from life or from imagination

Definition of drawing

Drawing is the technique of putting marks on a surface to create an illusion of the thing or things to be represented. Drawing can be done with pencil and paper, digital drawing tablet or even a piece of silver wire on gessoed panel.

  It sounds pedantic, but one of the fundamentals of drawing is remembering that a
  drawing is a representation of a thing and not the thing itself.

Emphasize the details

A well-crafted drawing emphasizes the features of the thing being drawn, those features that define it. This emphasis is made by the juxtaposition of a range of values (shades) and sometimes colors (tints). It can, for example, be accomplished with shading, cross-hatching, stippling and/or variable-width line-work. Indeed, the tool(s) being used will give the drawing specific characteristics that can be aesthetically interpreted.

  An ink contour drawing of a banana can be executed in several
  well-placed lines, whereas a shaded pencil drawing of the same subject
  can literally be composed of thousands of marks of the same intensity layered upon one another to “build up form”.

Seeing is forgetting

When learning the skill of drawing, it helps to compare details, like the distance between the eyes of the model’s face as related to the width of the mouth, and how those distances relate to the diagonal distance from the outer corner of the right eye, the left nostril and the point where the upper and lower lips meet in the left hand corner of the mouth. Then a comparison is made between the real face and the drawing of the face, adjustments are made and recompared. Then, the next comparison is made between the lips and the ears, for example and the process continues.

  Even if you are drawing a tattered zombie with a tree stump as a club on a  battlefield surrounded by forest elf cavalry mounted upon giant mutant
  frogs, things like proportion, perspective and shading are still
  necessary skills to have mastered before the drawing could be considered realistic. However, if you have no idea how frogs
  should be saddled, you should get some visual resources (like frog
  pictures and saddles) and use drawing to figure out how it should look. Sketching is one way of finding answers.

Start generic and generate detail

In many classical life drawing courses there is a warm-up phase, where the model changes the pose every several minutes. There is simply not enough time to do a completely detailed drawing, so these warmups make the artist look at the whole subject to capture the feeling of the pose, the emotion of the body language. This is like sketching, trying to “figure” out the body. Then there are somewhat longer poses, perhaps 5-10 minutes. In which details can be focused upon. And then after a break, there might be one or two longer poses in which “finished” drawings (perhaps including backgrounds etc.) can be made.

  If you take this life drawing example as a model for creating
  realistic drawings you should: first create a general volume in
  perspective space for your subjects, then pay attention to details
  that bring out the specific character and then apply finishing touches
  like shading.

Light and dark

Shadows and highlights are what make a drawing seem realistic. Here, you would do well to study the works of the old masters like da Vinci and Michelangelo. Especially the folds of fabric and the glisten of metal are hard to master but rather important if you want to succeed to make drawings of things that appear realistically drawn.

  If you set up a still life for material studies, be sure to include a
  light source that you don’t move until each study is finished. Then
  move the light and make the same material study. The casting of
  shadows and reflections of edges within shadows are phenomena that you
  should pay attention to.

Colors change with different neighbors

If you only have one color, you are making a monochrome drawing, which can also be interesting and realistic. The thing about color is that it is really quite challenging to learn about palettes, warm colors versus cold colors, etc.

  This is one place where every teacher will have their own opinion,
  which is good and should remind you that the feeling of a
  drawing can really be defined by the colors you choose. A good place
  to begin is to choose a highlight color (i.e. the color temperature of
  the light source), a shadow color (i.e. the basic color of the material minus the highlight color) and a midrange color (the basic material value of what
  you are depicting) and experiment with shades of each. This is also one of
  the bridges from drawing to painting, but I’ll ignore that for the
  time being...)

A few tips

The darkest black is next to the brightest white. (Contrast pushes adjacent values further than their respective absolute values.)
Use black sparingly, if it all. It is better to have a deeply dark and vibrant color than mere black.
Treat materials  that you are depicting uniquely. (Don’t use the same shading technique on both metal and skin, for example.)
Don’t draw people or objects from photos, use real things and people. You will find that understanding the volumetrics make your drawings more than just mere copies.
Do draw architecture and landscapes from photos, because this will help your understanding of perspective.
Find a community. (This really helps you generate feedback, see your work in a new light and push yourself to keep working.)
Learn to recognize the point where the drawing is good and have the courage to stop.
Once you have good technique you may begin to break the rules.

*seeing is forgetting the name of the thing one sees is a great book about Robert Irwin that I totally recommend. It is not about drawing per sé, but a book I really enjoyed reading when I was in Art School and gives great insight into one of the most formidable artists of our time.

Since I have been drawing and painting for more than 25 years, my suggestions may help.
First, if you want to focus on drawing/painting realistically, you have to be gifted. If this is so with you, just don't bother about what 'instructors' say. Ignore so called 'art-critics' too. I have yet to meet an 'art-critic' who can draw a lollipop.
Secondly, study in detail any works that inspire you and develop your talents by getting inspired. There will come a time when you will stand in awe in front of of your work, and so will others.


Durable T-shirt design methods I would like to compare the durability of different methods for designing T-shirts (printing/drawing), where I would like to restrict myself to print methods that can be achieved at home (with a little practice).

T-shirt marker
heat transfer foil (single colour)
screen-printing
T-shirt paint
ink-jet printed "T-shirt transfer film"

Some of these (e.g. screen-printing) will allow very detailed designs, some of these will have very sharp edges (foil), others will have to be drawn free-hand. For the purpose of this question I ignore these differences and would like to ask only about durability of the paint for a number of wash cycles.

After many wash cycles, the ink will fade or become brittle and break. Which method lasts the longest?

This is an article that I have posted on my website for quite some time. I hope you find it helpful.

Plastisol / Screen Printed Transfers

  These are transfers that are screen printed by an outside transfer company or by yourself with the use of screen printing equipment

  Durability – Very Good, often outlasts the life of the garment.

  Look/Feel – Identical to screen printing

  Ideal For – Higher quantities, where a repetition of one design is to be printed

  Ease of use – Excellent, just order in transfers and then heat apply with a heat press for the specified time, temperature and pressure

  Advantages – Allows the user to create a screen printed look and feel with just a heat press.  Also will allow you to maintain a blank shirt inventory and apply transfers to size, style and color per order as opposed to the preprinted inventory that is associated with traditional screen printing.

  Disadvantages – There is a turn time associated with your custom screen printed transfer order.  And if you decide to offer stock images, like many beach/boardwalk shops, you can potentially have a large transfer inventory.

Overall Rating: A

Inkjet/Laser Transfer Paper

  Paper that can be printed through a desktop inkjet printer or laser printer/copier, then heat applied to your garment.

  Durability – Average to Above Average.  For the money, this is one of the best options and is easy to maintain.  Remember to wash the item in cold water, inside out for the first few washes.

  Look/Feel – This varies with the brand of paper.  Light color paper is traditionally a softer feel than opaque or dark color paper.  Each has a bit of a plastic like feel to it, right off the bat.  The “box effect” will surround your design with most papers unless you trim around your design with scissors or a vinyl cutter.  We recommend only buying Heat Press Heroes transfer paper, which is designed for our presses to have the best quality.

  Ideal For – Lower quantities and personalization, photo realistic prints where durability is not in high demand (ie. tourist destinations, mall kiosks, fairs, flea markets, family reunions, 1 time wear – promotional).

  Ease of use – Average. When dealing with inks and transfer papers knowledge of color correction, dpi, drying time and proper application must be obtained.

  Advantages – Quick, inexpensive photo quality prints can be created and transferred over to your garment in a matter of minutes.

  Disadvantages – This process is not the most durable over the long term.  Also in most cases the paper needs to be trimmed around with scissors or an optic eye cutter after being printed to eliminate having a box/window around your design.

Overall Rating – B+

Heat Transfer Vinyl

  Vinyl material that can be reverse cut on a vinyl cutter, then weeded and heat applied to a garment.

  Durability – Excellent, when properly applied the heat transfer vinyl will outlast the life of the garment without cracking, peeling, or fading.

  Look/Feel – Ranges per material.  Some materials offer a very soft finish that is matte or dull, while other materials are thick and glossy on the garment.  Specialized materials such as flock have their own characteristics as well.

  Ideal For – Lower quantities and personalization, used a lot for names and numbers on sports uniforms, some materials offer a real nice feel for use on fashionable apparel.

  Ease of use – Good, the general process involves cutting, weeding and then heating.  The most detailed portion of this process is weeding.

  Advantages – Excellent durability and a professional look, a garment can be created very quickly and the process can prove to be profitable on as little as one unique garment.  Can be heat applied virtually anywhere on the garment.

  Disadvantages – No photo quality or color gradients can be achieved.  Doing more than 3 layered colors can become labor intensive.  Intricate detail can be labor intensive.

Overall Rating – A

Digital Print/Cut Media

  Media that can be printed and cut out on a solvent based printer/cutter, and then weeded and heat applied to your garment.

  Durability – Very Good, when properly applied some print/cut medias will outlast the life of the garment without cracking, peeling, or fading.  The concern with this process is the ink.  However, when printed with the right type of solvent-based inks the durability can last for a life cycle of a garment.

  Look/Feel – Ranges per material.  Some materials offer a very soft finish that is matte or dull, while other materials are thick and glossy on the garment.  Specialized materials such as glitters have their own characteristics as well.

  Ideal For – Lower quantities and personalization, used a lot for full color graphics, some materials can be applied to practically any type of fabric.

  Ease of use – Average, the general process involves printing, cutting, masking, weeding and then heating.  With proper training and the right equipment this process can be very easy to use.

  Advantages – Very good durability and an extremely professional look, combines the durability of the heat transfer vinyl method with the photo-realism of a printer.  This process can offer an excellent solution for dark colored garments or tough to do fabrics, as well as basic t-shirts.

  Disadvantages – Cost of equipment and the learning curve (some machines do come with training).

Overall Rating – A+

Sublimation

  A process that involves the printing of a design with special type of sublimation ink and then heat application to a “compatible” garment.

  Durability – Excellent, this process will often outlast the garment.

  Look/Feel – Excellent, the process involves the dyeing of fabric, so there is virtually no feel to the transferred image.  Very high photo quality results and detail can be achieved.

  Ideal For – Lower quantities and personalization, photo realistic prints where durability is in high demand.  Yields very professional results.

  Ease of use – Below Average, when dealing with inks, especially sublimation inks, knowledge of color correction, dpi, and proper application are critical.  The very nature of the aftermarket inks being loaded into the recommended Epson printer can create problems with clogging if strict instruction isn’t followed.

  Advantages – Highly detailed, photo quality prints can be created and transferred over to your garment in a matter of minutes.  The feel and durability are second to none.

  Disadvantages – Cost of inks.  The process of sublimation is also restricted to application onto light colored garments.  Another disadvantages is that these garments must be comprised of at least 65% polyester in content.  Blanks can often be hard to find and/or expensive.

Overall Rating – B

To view article on my website, click here.

Ink-jet/laser transfer is much more durable than others. It comes in two types: dye-based and pigment-based. Dyes can be easily dissolved in water and provide an awesome saturated color. I believe high-quality printing impacts a lot of the fabric quality. If whenever you think of ordering a shirt from an online store, try to know the whole process of printing and a comparison in each method.


How do I get my jewelry wire to be the right stiffness? I would like to create wire and wire-wrapped jewelry. I know what gauge wire is appropriate for the size of the piece, but I keep buying wire that is too pliable and won't hold its shape like I would want for thin rings, ear wires, etc.

What factors can tell me if a type of wire will be the right stiffness (aside from actually testing it in a store)? Is there anything I can do to make my wire more or less pliable?

There are three grades of hardness in jewellery wire:

Full-hard, which is tempered wire that is very stiff. It's rarely used, because it's just too stiff for most jewellery.
Half-hard, which is hardened during manufacture but is not fully tempered and is not so hard. It's pliable by hand, but you need to use some force to do it and pliers are often easier. This is the stuff you want for most jewellery (excluding things that need to bend such as necklaces (though you should be looking at chain for those anyway)).
Dead-soft, which is just plain wire that hasn't been at all hardened. This needs minimal force from your hands to bend. I suspect you've been buying this kind of stuff.

The hardness also depends to an extent on the material - the cheaper stuff like copper and brass is generally manufactured at softer grades.

Bear in mind that you can also harden existing soft wire by either applying heat to it (i.e. a blow-torch or other high-intensity heat - a match won't do it) and then quenching it (drop it straight into cold water), or applying pressure to it (hammer it - just remember that this also reduces the diameter).

You can ask when you're buying the wire what grade it is, or look on whatever packaging it comes in to see if it's marked.

The final answer is experinmentation.  To harden the hot/red hot wire, quickly quench it in water.  That's try one.  Less heat, more heat, less time in the water, more time in the water. Ask an adult, if there is a bottle of OIL around, you can use. you'll have to add some of it to your beater anyway.  Take it down barely below where the taper goes away. use a pocket knife.  Only if mom says it's ok, use a steak knife "Danger Will Robinson" cut the top off the bottle.  Use OIL to experiment the same way.  You will get different results.   oooooohhhhhh "Dark Arts"

This is why black smiths in the middle ages were considered to be doing a "dark art" being able to shape steel, to make it soft or hard... on it goes (the dark arts)


What are the dimensions of the joint between the tools and body on a Leatherman Surge? I'm modifying a Leatherman Surge, and in the process I'm custom building some new tools to go in it. For this, I need the exact measurements and shape of some of the mechanisms used in the tool:

The swiveled locking mechanism. I have previously found a website which hosted this information, but it went down.
The universal shank that is used to connect jig saw blades to jig saws. This is also used in the Leatherman Surge but I don't think it is proprietary/unique.

A schematic diagram would be most helpful if someone has or can create one.

I was one of a few machinists that made the main pivot pin that links the Leatherman tools in the holder. Because the (stainless steel pin) material was very difficult to work down to the +-.0005 dimensions indicated using standard machine tooling, Leatherman made ongoing changes to the dimensions and material for cost effectiveness. The previous post, buy or use an appropriate caliper to measure would be the best if you are custom making your own tools to mount.

I would recommend buying a pair of calipers and taking the measurements yourself. If you are making modifications and parts yourself the calipers will be a welcome addition to your tools.


Exhibition preparation - What is an artist biography for someone in the early stage? I have done few exhibitions few years ago, then I stopped and stayed away from the art scene for a while.

I have new work that I would like to submit to galleries but they are asking for an artist biography.

What should it include?

It's difficult to answer this without knowing the specifics. But what I can say is that a gallery will look for some kind of narrative that ties your experience as an artist together. Generally you should include your most recent/most prestigious shows from the past, and then draw a connection between your former work and your current work using the time you spent not exhibiting.

Is there something you studied during the time you weren't showing work that has influenced your current work? Don't dwell on it, but do mention it. I find that art lovers have a positive view of artists with interests outside of the arts, so I'm sure you'll be able to massage some nice sounding narrative out of whatever you were doing.


How to make a wooden needle? I am recently exploring a new craft: Nålebinding. I started using regular large plastic needles. But sadly, these are a little bit too small and soft for this craft, so the eyelets often break.

I have seen people using needles made from bone, antler or wood. Since I live in a woody area, I would like to know if anybody has experience in making needles from wood? It would have to look something like this:

I have some small woodworking tools, but I have never used them. They were a gift from somebody else that gave up on woodworking after not succeeding a few times.

So, my questions basically are:

What is a good sort of wood to make a needle from?
How do I start? Do I make the eyelet first, or the needle shape?
Are there any things that I, as an absolute beginner, should be aware of?

Disclaimer: I've never actually made a needle for naalbinding, but I have done some other wood carving and the principles are the same.

The site from which you (presumably) got your picture lists a few materials that naalbinding needles can and have been made from, including the following:

juniper
rowan tree
honeysuckle
lilac
olive tree
fruit trees (like apple tree)
ice cream sticks

From the above, you can probably conclude that any reasonable wood (I.E. not balsa) will do.

I found a tutorial that suggests making the basic shape first, but given that making the eye is probably the trickiest bit I would make it first before carving the shape.

As always, the main thing to be aware of is safety. If using a knife, always cut away from you, and take appropriate steps with whatever other equipment you may use.

Apart from that, the only thing that's required is a small amount of (what looks to be very cheap) material and some practice.

It would be a lot easier to buy such a needle. They don't cost much: Needles on Etsy.


How to preserve comic pages drawn by pencil? I bought pieces of comics that are drawn with pencil, and I’m afraid that they get blurred. How can I preserve them? Can this be done the same way as with sketches?

There are a number of ways to preserve pencil drawings.  This question is explicit in distinguishing that the drawings were purchased, which introduces another consideration.
A common way to preserve pencil drawings is with a fixative.  How can I protect my pencil & charcoal drawings once complete? goes into recommendations and discussion on that approach.  A fixative works to protect it, but it modifies the surface, and can change the appearance a little.  For acquired works, the fixative would be something the original artist did not apply, and would be an alteration of the work.
If you just want to keep the work for its value to you, protect it any way you like. But if investment/resale value is a consideration, or it's a historical work, your applying a fixative to it could seriously degrade its value.
In this case, a better way to preserve it is to either store it in acid-free, archival quality flat files between layers of glassine paper, or have it professionally framed behind (UV-resistant) glass so it can be displayed and enjoyed.
For completeness, plastic sleeves were also suggested as a means of protection, but Allison C advised that smudging can result.

This is a summary of the comments (primarily by rebusB, Erica, and Gwyn) from within this thread and the linked chat discussion.

Welcome to the community!
I don't know if you want to do this, but there's something called "fixative spray".
In Walmart for $6 you can buy it, it's so effective, you can even edit after spraying.
Just let it rest after 1 hour and you'll be fine! That's the solution! the substitute is hairspray, that's a cheaper option, but you won't be able to edit again, just with the fixative. Hope this helps!