e - Spotlight Promotions

from Helen’s desk •The Comeback KidsIt’s time to try off register printing,banners & old fashioned filmLately I’ve been inspired by old thingsgiven a new twist, like old style printingeffects for instance. While printersof the past probably despaired overoff register printing, today’s stampingartists just love the results.Artist, Claudine Hellmuth, has a newrange of nested stamps that let youcreate wonderful off register effects.Her stamp sets combine a foam fillerstamp and a clear stamp overlay.They’re designed to print unevenly whenyou stamp one on top of the other sothey guarantee even beginner stampersachieve wonderful, uneven results.I’ve also been inspired by old styleflag banners being given a new twistby paper artists. I’ve seen them a lotlately and you can see an example onpage 136 of this issue in my bannermini book. Banners are ideal for bookslike these. I love that you only needto work on one side of the page soyou can poke things through the bookpages without worrying about what ishappening to the flip side.While traditionally banners aremade from triangular panels, thesedays anything goes and you can createa banner of same size, same shapepages from any chipboard book anda fist full of book rings. You can alsotake a more creative approach anduse different shaped pages leftoverfrom other books or go the green routeand cut them yourself from recycledcardboard.Retro photo looksIn the photography arena I’m seeing alot of retro things happening includingresurgence in the use of film and anentire subculture developing aroundvintage and reproduction cameras.At the heart of this for artists is theImpossible Project, so named becausethe business owners are attempting torecreate peel-apart film to replace thefilm lines that Polaroid has stoppedmaking. These films are prized bycamera enthusiasts and artists andrecently PX 100 – the first of these newfilms - was released. It is testy to workwith but produces wonderful silveryprints.Of course to use this film you’llneed an old Polaroid camera and mycamera bag now boasts a beautifullyrefurbished Vintage Polaroid SX-70 LandCamera originally made somewherebetween 1977 and 1982 and whichuses this new Impossible Project film.But you don’t have to search aroundfor an old camera to get up close andpersonal with film. Other film camerasthat are making a comeback, andwhich I also confess to owning, includethe Holga - a cheap plastic camerawith a plastic lens made in China witha reputation for having light leaks.Provided you still know how to wind filmonto a spool and you can find a placeto process it, you’re almost guaranteedto get wonderfully imperfect and artisticshots from this bargain basementcamera.The beauty of taking grainy, artisticphotos with older film cameras isthat you get to use them in your craftprojects. So, whether you’re totally intodigital or you’re experimenting with thecreative possibilities of film, make sureyou invite your photographs to play inyour craft projects. Promise yourself -as I do - that you’ll forgo store boughtcards and show everyone that you careenough to make it yourself! •@ Claudine Hellmuthwww.collageartist.comThe Impossible Projectwww.the-impossible-project.comAbove: PX 100 Silver ShadeTop: Claudine Hellmuthcanvas Centre: Polaroidcamera Bottom: PX 100Silver Shade Lia SaileAbout HelenAustralian-born, Californian-basedHelen Bradley is a globetrottingphotography, computer andPhotoshop whiz with a penchantfor paper crafting and jewellerymaking. Her projects appear onpages 140 and 154 of this issueas well as in countless publicationsinternationally.@See: www.http-design.comand www.helenbradley.com.Get Creative Quarterly Autumn 2011 139