My kids' high school was putting on Annie the Musical and they needed some raffle items for the intermission fundraiser. I always make something inspired by the production they are putting on. After days of the song "N- Y- C- just got here this morning..." I was inspired to make this alcohol ink graphic art piece. It turned out phenomenally and I'm so happy with it. It was hard to part with, so I might just make a new one soon!
Here is a quick tutorial on how I brought this beauty to life.
I started off with the wood panels from Michaels and gave them each 3 coats of Kilz 2 Primer. I like working with these wood panels because they are precut to the standard picture sizes, so they will fit in most (not all) picture frames if you take out the glass. They also come sanded and ready to go, and the price isn't too bad either!
I've included the steps on how to create the graphic in Cricut Design Space for you in case you want to make it your own. But if you like what I have, and aren't feeling like recreating the wheel here is the NYC graphic. Just right click the image and save it, the upload it into Cricut Design Space or whatever cutting machine software you are using.
I use Oracal 651 vinyl as the stencil because I have found I have the best luck with this vinyl at creating a good mask and not getting any seepage under the vinyl.
An additional step I take is applying another coat of Kilz2 after I've applied the vinyl to the surface. This allows the Kilz to seep into any of the microscopic gaps and dry, creating a blockage for any of the inks that might try and finds it's way under the vinyl.
When adding the alcohol ink, it's really best to just play with the inks for a while and see what you like. Everyone eventually comes up with their own technique for what they like. The key is to move the ink and alcohol around until the alcohol evaporates to get the cool alcohol ink effects. Check out my YouTube for more videos on my alcohol ink tutorials.
I apply the inks right over the vinyl and the Kilz, let everything dry then slowly peel up the vinyl to reveal the design. If any of the ink did seep through, you can first try to wipe it up carefully with isopropyl alcohol and a qtip or cotton swab. Be very careful not to touch the the design with the swab or a finger covered in alcohol. The inks are touch proof at this point, but they are not alcohol or scratch proof yet!
To seal the picture I always use Krylon Kamar Varnish, 3 quick coats, with 15 minute dry time in between. Alcohol inks are very prone to fade in the sunlight so I also add Krylon UV resistant spray, 3 coats as well. It's important that you use the Kamar Varnish BEFORE the UV the spray. The UV spray will reactivate the inks if they are not sealed first (I may have learned this the hard way!)
I found this frame in my supplies that fit the board perfectly. The wood panel won't fit in all frames, so make sure you check the actual measurements of the frame before you buy it. I remove the glass insert the wood. And there you have it!
Please comment if you have any questions. I'm always happy to help. Feel free to follow me here or on YouTube as well!
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