Trash Into Treasure - Artist's Network

creativity 

workshop 

by nancy m. grigsby 

Trash Into Treasure 

Transform a simple beginning into a watermedia masterpiece 

by incorporating found objects. 

Scavenger Hunt Painted Bandit 

(acrylic and mixed media on paper, 14x18) 

includes old bus tokens; an ad from an old 

newspaper; an old salt-cellar spoon; a 

face bead, which was a gift from a jewelrymaking 

friend; leftover pieces of watercolor 

paper; a stock photo from a store-bought 

picture frame with the edges singed; and 

old acrylic paint peeled from a palette. 

As artists today, we have a vast 

array of materials available to 

us: paints in tubes, bottles or pans; 

numerous brushes and palette 

knives; papers, canvas, boards; 

sealers, mediums, gels, paint additives 

and extenders. The local 

artists’ supply shop is the equivalent 

of a candy store for artists 

who like to experiment. 

Unfortunately, the cost of our 

adventures in candyland can be 

quite high. That is, unless we’re willing 

to look elsewhere for materials: 

in specific, our own trash cans. 

Upcycle for Art 

Thanks in part to a modern concern 

for recycling, garbage now 

serves as a reasonable, cost-free 

12 www.watercolorartistmagazine.com

Gorgeous Garbage In A Man of His Word (acrylic and mixed media on wood, 16x16), I combined 

scrap pieces of slate tile; a broken carpenter’s rule; an old saw blade and nails; an old key; image transfers; 

and wood-grain stamping. Note the background shapes shaded to create depth and dimension. 

alternative for sourcing art materials. 

There are many artists who 

repurpose trash, turning it into 

three-dimensional treasures such 

as clocks or other decorative pieces 

of art, but just because painters 

work in a two-dimensional world 

doesn’t mean we can’t get trashy 

too. Garbage, for lack of a better 

word, can turn a simple beginning 

into a watermedia masterpiece. 

Useful materials you may find in 

your own trash include newspapers, 

magazines, old hardware, kitchen 

gadgets, beachcombing finds, packing 

materials and more. You can 

even make use of dried acrylic paint 

peeled from your palette or repurpose 

a watercolor painting on 

YUPO that didn’t quite work out. 

All of these items have served as 

inspiration in my own work. 

While I work mainly in acrylics, 

the techniques I use for re-purposing 

trash will also work with watercolor 

paintings, as long as you seal any 

layer of paint with a spray sealant 

such as Krylon Workable Fixative 

to keep the painting from bleeding 

as you apply subsequent layers and 

add your found materials. 

Build a Fresh Start 

Once you’ve completed a successful 

hunting and gathering mission, it’s 

time to think about what process 

will best suit the materials you’ve 

salvaged. There are many options, 

of course, but here’s a basic plan 

to get you started. 

Step One: I generally begin by 

choosing a foundation. I like using 

scraps of matboard, which is a 

leftover itself often destined for 

try this 

at home 

Choose some “repurposed” 

items and an appropriately 

sturdy foundation. Use a few 

of the techniques described here 

to create your own masterpiece. 

Send a JPEG (with a resolution 

of 72 dpi) of your painting to us 

at wcamag@fwmedia.com with 

“Creativity Workshop” in the 

subject line and tell us about 

your process. The “editor’s 

choice” will receive a six-month 

subscription to ArtistsNetwork.tv 

online video workshops, plus 

$50 worth of North Light fine art 

books. The deadline for entry 

is August 15, 2011. 

the recycle bin. I apply gesso on 

both sides for stability. You can 

also use anything from a stretched 

canvas to a piece of primed wood 

to accommodate heavier items 

such as utensils or pieces of rock. 

I sometimes paint both sides of a 

sheet of 300-lb. watercolor paper 

with gesso to create a surface 

sturdy enough to support heavier 

embellishments. 

Step Two: I often begin painting 

by applying hard molding paste 

with a palette knife, either randomly 

or by spreading it through 

Watercolor Artist | August 2011 13

Everyday to Extraordinary The Elements (acrylic and mixed media 

on canvas, 12x6) includes beach stones; tree bark sealed in self-leveling 

clear tar gel; tinted scraps of fibrous paper; paint peeled from a palette; 

and an image transfer. 

an inexpensive plastic stencil, 

to create an initial texture. I also 

sometimes use the kind of weathered 

crackle glaze you can find in the 

paint department of your local hardware 

store. Subsequent paint layers 

will crack, creating an aged appearance 

that looks great with “trash.” 

I find that this 

glaze works best 

with fluid acrylics. 

Step Three: I try 

to choose colors 

that will compliment 

the feel of 

my selected “trash” 

and begin by applying 

colors randomly 

on my surface, 

lifting paint in 

selected areas. Your 

approach at this 

point should be 

intuitive. Create 

shapes and variety 

with the paint 

and don’t forget 

to have fun. 

Step Four: 

When your painting 

is dry (and 

sealed, if using 

watercolor), start 

thinking about 

composition and arrange your 

“garbage” until you achieve a balanced 

composition. For adhering 

heavy or bulky objects, use hard 

molding paste applied with a 

palette knife directly on the back 

of the object. This dries white, so 

avoid letting it ooze out and show. 

View selections from former Creativity Workshop 

activities at www.artistsnetwork.com/creativityworkshop. 

For scraps of paper and other 

light materials, use an acrylic 

medium (in either gloss or matte 

finish, although matte will dull 

your colors slightly) applied with a 

brush, like decoupage. Paint a layer 

directly on your surface, stick your 

“garbage” down and go over it with 

another layer of medium. 

To use watercolor painted on 

YUPO, spray the painting with 

workable fixative and allow it to 

dry. With a brush, apply a somewhat 

thick layer of acrylic soft 

gel. Allow it to dry overnight. You 

can then peel the gel off the YUPO, 

bringing the watercolor with it, 

creating a skin that can be adhered 

to your “garbage” painting. 

Step Five: To bring the painting 

together, I look for shapes within my 

background. I use dark watercolor 

pencil or fluid acrylic paint and create 

a lined edge around the shapes 

I want to define. I immediately 

soften one edge to create a shadow 

and give the shapes dimension and 

depth. Once everything’s dry, I seal 

the entire painting with two or three 

coats of acrylic medium. 

There’s nothing stopping you 

from turning everyday objects into 

beautiful works of art, so what are 

you waiting for? Go ahead and get 

a little trashy. You won’t be sorry 

you did. 

NANCY M. GRIGSBY (http://nmgrigsby 

studios.fineartstudioonline.com) is an artist 

living in Birch Bay, Washington. 



Waxing 

Artistic 

Energize your paintings 

by combining the techniques of batik and watercolor. 

By Kathie George 

Ihad always enjoyed creating batik techniques 

on fabric, but when my daughter 

was born years ago, I found that the process 

was too time-consuming and involved 

too many chemicals. It was by accident that 

I tried achieving the same effect using rice 

paper and watercolor in my studio, but from 

my very first piece, I knew I was in love. 

With batik, wax is used as a resist—and 

if you’ve ever used masking fluid on watercolor 

paper, you understand how a resist 

works. Essentially, the wax blocks the areas 

that aren’t intended to receive paint. The 

materials I use are very simple: rice paper, 

watercolor and melted paraffin wax. This 

process isn’t an exact science, so be prepared 

for mistakes such as unintentional drips of 

wax and oozing color. Believe it or not, these 

accidents actually add to the look of the 

piece. Even if you’re not sure you placed the 

wax where you intended, you’ll be pleasantly 

surprised at the final results. 

House Wares I grabbed a few items from around the 

house for the setup in Cat’s Eye View (watercolor and batik 

on paper, 28x22), which includes a wonderful batiked 

sarong from Bali underneath. 

Preparation 

Although many papers can be used, Awagami 

Ginwashi is my favorite and it comes in large 

sheets, approximately 25x37 inches. The first 

step is to cut the paper to the size you need. 

Or, if you prefer a deckled edge, “draw” a line 

of water with a wet brush. Use only a bit of 

water—just enough to wet a thin line. Then 

tear along this line with your fingers—presto! 

Deckled edge. 

Prepare your sketch on white paper and 

place it under the transparent rice paper. Use 

a permanent, waterproof ink pen, such as a 

Pigma Micron 05, to trace the design onto the 

smooth side of the rice paper. 

Melt the paraffin wax in a device with a temperature 

control. An electric frying pan works 

well, as do small wax/glue pots (see the photo 

of my work area on page 49) that automatically 

heat to the desired temperature without worry. 

Melt the wax slowly in a well-ventilated area to 

200 to 225 degrees Fahrenheit—otherwise the 

wax could catch fire. Note: The wax shouldn’t 

smoke. Next, place a piece of waxed paper 

beneath the rice paper to keep it from sticking 

to your work surface, and leave it in place 

throughout the entire waxing process. 


Wax On 

Through teaching workshops, I’ve found that 

understanding how to use wax as a resist 

is the most challenging part for students. 

To help, I initially supply them with “waxing 

diagrams” that show exactly where to place 

the wax. I used five layers of wax to create 

Sunny Bouquet (on page 51); the diagrams 

included with each step of the demo show 

the wax applications I planned for that painting. 

After you get a few pieces under your 

belt, you’ll no longer need the diagrams. 

To wax, simply dip an old brush into the 

hot wax and spread it onto the paper (you can’t 

clean wax out of the brushes, but you can reuse 

them for other batik paintings). Be careful: 

If you get too much wax on the brush, it will 

surge outward onto the paper. Start with just 

a bit until you get the hang of it. If it drips, 

don’t worry; the drips add to the effect. In fact, 

you may find yourself adding some spatter 

on your own because you like the effect. Leave 

the brush in the hot wax between layers so 

that it will always be ready to go. 

Old World Texture Towns rich in history are perfect 

subjects for batik paintings such as Slice of Italy—Gelato 

(above; watercolor and batik on paper, 22x15), with their 

varied surfaces and stages of aging. 

Batik in Bloom Batik isn’t an exact science. Color will 

run and wax will ooze. When it does, as it did for me in 

Orchid (at right; watercolor and batik on paper, 24x18), just 

concentrate on a wide value range and keep working. 


supply list 

Oriental Paper 

Awagami Ginwashi rice paper is my 

favorite, but many others will work. 

Each one will give the painting 

a different look. 

Watercolors 

I use Winsor & Newton and Holbein. 

Wax Brushes 

Designate brushes that you’ll use only 

in wax. I prefer inexpensive natural 

hair brushes, such as camel or squirrel 

mix: a 1 1 ⁄2-inch flat, a No. 8 round and 

a smaller No. 3 round with long fibers. 

Beware of using brushes that are too 

tiny—they rarely carry enough wax 

and the wax will cool before you can 

apply it to the paper. In general, you’ll 

find that the bristles get stiff when the 

wax cools, but they soften up again 

when dipped into hot wax. 

Watercolor Brushes 

Use your regular watercolor brushes 

for applying paint. I typically use only 

three: a 1 1 ⁄2-inch flat (Loew Cornell 

4550), a 1-inch flat (Simply Simmons) 

and a 1 ⁄2-inch flat. 

Miscellaneous Supplies 

• Old electric frying pan with temperature 

control or a wax/glue pot (made to heat 

wax to safe temperatures) 

• Permanent, waterproof pen, such 

as a Pigma Micron 05 

• Iron 

• Paraffin wax (also used for canning; 

can be found in most any grocery store) 

• Newspapers 

• Waxed paper 

• Freezer paper 

• Cretacolor Pastel Pencils can be helpful 

Added Value In batik, the wider the range of values you have 

the better. Even when I mistakenly apply a wash that doesn’t 

work, as I did in Slice of Italy—Cinque Terre (watercolor and batik 

on paper, 20x10), I always save a bit with a spattering of wax— 

it gives the piece an extra value. 


atik technique in action 

Follow along as I demonstrate my process, taking note 

of my waxing diagrams, which indicate the placement for 

my five layers of wax. The wax should go onto the paper 

smooth and clear. To better see what you’re waxing, 

place a dark piece of paper underneath your rice paper. 

In batik, you work from light to dark. So, the areas 

that remain white are always the first places to be waxed. 

After that, each layer of wax is simply saving the next 

lightest value of color. As you near the end it gets difficult 

to tell what’s waxed and what isn’t, but keep working. 

step 1 

step 2 

Draw your image onto the Awagami Ginwashi rice paper 

using a Pigma Micron 05 pen. Wax the areas that you 

want to save with white (see the wax diagram at left), 

then wash on the very lightest color value, in this case 

new gamboge, over the flowers. 

As the colors dry, wax more areas you want to save. The 

waxed areas resist any additional colors that are added. 

Apply another wash of watercolor, only slightly darker than 

the first. This time around, wash a light value onto the table 

area, the leaves, and another layer over the flower petals. 

step 3 

step 4 

Continue to paint medium value washes onto the leaves, 

pot and flower centers. Notice how my color ran from one 

object to another. 

Apply darker washes onto the leaves, pot and flower 

centers. As long as the edges of color are softened, color 

runs only enhance the look of the piece. 


step 5 

Sunny Bouquet (watercolor batik on paper, 24x18) 

The finished batik has mystery, movement, 

texture and, best of all, a special energy that 

only this process can produce. 

In this step you can use dark washes. Everything 

should be waxed now except for tiny places 

where you’ll want the darkest darks to go. That’s 

why this wash is the most important; it adds 

depth and separates one object from another. 

Find a step-by-step demo of Kathie George’s 

painting, Tuscan Window (on page 53), at 

www.artistsnetwork.com/kathie-georgewatercolor-batik. 


Crinkled Cactus You can see where I crumpled up my rice 

paper in Blue Cactus (watercolor and batik on paper, 15x16), 

which added texture to an already prickly subject. 

Crumple It Up 

When you’re finished applying layers of wax 

and color washes, let the paper dry. Then cover 

the entire front of the paper with another coat 

of wax to be sure you’ve hit every area at least 

once. When this layer of wax has cooled, peel 

the rice paper from the waxed paper. Then 

gently crinkle the rice paper into a ball. Small 

cracks may form in the wax. 

Flatten the paper, being careful not to 

brush or shake off loose pieces of wax, then 

apply one more wash over the paper using any 

color mix from your palette. Some of the wash 

may go through the cracks, but most will bead 

up on the surface of the wax. Without waiting 

for the paint to dry, coat the entire front with 

wax one final time, going right over the wet 

beads of color and sealing them into the wax. 

Add Color 

The wax dries almost instantly, so the rice 

paper will be ready to paint right away. 

Because the paper is transparent, it’s helpful 

to place it onto a white surface while painting. 

A piece of freezer paper (shiny side up) works 

well for this. Just use your regular watercolor 

brushes for the washes. 

Pick up only a small amount of paint—rice 

paper has no sizing, so the less paint in your 

brush the more control you’ll have. Sometimes 

the paint will run no matter what you do. Don’t 

worry; instead, expect for it to happen. As the 

paint moves outward, avoid a hard edge by 

taking extra water in your brush and softening 

the edge, then quickly and gently blot with 

a paper towel to absorb extra water. 

It’s important to let the paper dry thoroughly 

before applying more wax. If you apply 

wax to wet or damp paper it won’t be able to 

soak into the paper fibers. You can use a hair 

dryer to speed the drying time, but be careful 

not to melt the wax. If you do happen to melt 

the wax and it spreads, that’s OK. You can 

add paint where you need it later, after you’ve 

removed the wax. Many times I just hang 

a piece over the back of my chair and go do 

some laundry. When I come back, it’s dry. 

Wax Off 

Lay out several sheets of newspaper and place 

your batik on top. Make a “batik sandwich” 

by laying about three more sheets of newspaper 

on top of your piece. This will be enough 

newspaper to allow the heat to penetrate but 

still soak up plenty of wax. Using an iron set 

to hot (the cotton setting), press the pile. The 

heat will melt the wax and the newspaper will 

soak it up. When the newspapers become fairly 

saturated—you’ll see the wax bleed through— 

replace them with fresh papers above and 

below, and continue. Repeat this process three 

or four times until the newspapers remain 

clean and all the wax has been removed. 

Finishing Touches 

Two things work well for adding color to any 

areas that might need it. First, try painting it. 

Painting on rice paper after the wax has been 

removed will feel completely different. Because 

a tiny bit of wax remains on the surface, you’ll 

have to coax the paint into the paper by wiggling 

your brush and “tickling” the paint into 

the paper, but once you’ve done so, the color 

will stay where you place it. For small touches 

of opaque color, or when outlining is needed, 

pastel pencils are fun and easy. Finally, mount 

the batik on a piece of white or off-white matboard 

using double-sided or linen tape. I often 

float it so that the deckled edges show. 


Beckoning I painted Tuscan Window (watercolor and batik on paper, 16x12) after a trip to Italy, where every place you look 

something beckons to be painted. Rustic buildings particularly lend themselves to this technique. 


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Trash Into Treasure - Artist's Network

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