What is the strangest "non-art" material that you have used to create a piece of art and what was your experience like with it? It could be the "canvas" that you use to work with, or an unconventional medium you have experimented with on paper.
I'm not sure how strange this is, but I often use coffee when painting with a brush pen. Basically just use it like an ink wash for shading. You can create some interesting tones and textures. Micron makes some brown "sepia tone" pens that work well with coffee.
I have used dragon fruit juice (aka pitaya) and it created a very nice light pink, I was very happy with the results! Unfortunately, dragon fruit aint cheap! and it's not always that deep magenta color, sometimes the inside is white. I also love doodling on leaves, and if there is a styrofoam plate in front of me, ill just instinctively start carving drawings into it.
@laurendoodlecode Here’s a sketch I did recently where I used coffee for skin tone: https://www.doodleaddicts.com/uploads/12381/
The amount of color varies depending on how strong the coffee and how much water you mix with it. Pretty much works like an ink wash but gives you the brownish sepia tones. Great if you want an old vintage look.
@godwheel watercolor paper would probably be ideal, but I’ve used 90 lb multimedia paper (smooth vellum surface) and it works just fine. Just can’t get the paper to wet. You should give it a try!
I tried using thumb tacks to do some lettering let's just say it didn't work out as I thought it would and I gave up. I used a toilet paper roll as a brush though.. That what a really nice experience. It's great for making flowers which have wispy petals.
@bookboozer What were you trying to do with the thumb tacks? I know you mentioned it didn't work out, but it sounds interesting, Interesting tip about toilet paper roll as a brush.
@carolinerodriguez I was trying to make a pet portrait using different colored thumb tacks.. It ended up with me poking my thumb too much and also I didn't get the exact shade of colors the right way..
This is super weird but I would collect band-aids that have designs and different colors on them and I stuck them on to a folder that I used for school and it looked cool and not what I expected it to look like. Some of the pastel-colored band-aids were covering different designs and what it looked like, in the end, was so cool.
I think the strangest "canvas" I painted on is shoes. I took an old pear of shoes and tried to make them look like a painting (if that makes sence) for a costume... I never had the chance to wear them but they actually look pretty good
@laurendoodlecode I didn't use the toilet paper itself. I used the leftover cardboard. Cut around the top into random strips and dipped it in paint then just kept pressing around the paper until I found something I could work with. Got the idea here: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JAe2N12-NI4/hqdefault.jpg
@bookboozer Over at Doodlers Anonymous, we had one of our favorite Miami artists visit and he brought over this really cool collection of toilet paper roll monsters. The whole collection, was just spectacular: https://www.doodlersanonymous.com/post/1771/the-many-faces-of-a-toilet-paper-roll/
I've doodled on aprons made from recycled jeans. There are a couple pics on my page here. I use a lot of vintage paper layered in my artwork. Lately, I've been doodling on used teabags, which is great fun. When looked it up on pinterest I saw many people doing amazing things with teabags.
Currently drawing on a wooden Cajon drum box. An my phone case. The glare on the case was hard to get use too. Wish I had inked it case the pencil wore away already
I have drawn on the paper toilet seat covers before. I am also a sound artist/composer and I have used plastic bags and pencil sharpeners to get sounds from.
'A Moment in our life' !
A work I created a decade ago, I used white tacks, ones you adhere posters on the wall, to make a sculpture. In fact, I won a prize with my students using these tacks as small figures in a queue. Since then, I have produced a few small sculptures using the same material. I shall be uploading the process onto you tube in a week...hang on.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6h8gIH6ilURUnCbAakq0tw
Art is fun especially when it comes easy!
I enjoy painting my old skateboards, it feels like I’m giving them a new life after their too beat up to be used anymore. I’m too sentimental to throw away my broken decks so when I started painting I had lots of material to work with.
The "Question of the Week" is submitted by our Plus members with the intention to educate or spark a creative conversation. Real people, not robots, hand-pick the best questions to feature alongside a profile spotlight to help that artist gain exposure within the community.
If you're not a Plus member, you'll still have the ability engage in the discussions and learn from the community. However, the support of Plus members is what keeps Doodle Addicts afloat and enables us to continuosly provide awesome new features to the community. Click here to learn more about the perks of going Plus!
36 Comments
Darren Hester (@DarrenHester)
I'm not sure how strange this is, but I often use coffee when painting with a brush pen. Basically just use it like an ink wash for shading. You can create some interesting tones and textures. Micron makes some brown "sepia tone" pens that work well with coffee.
Lauren Konopacki (@lettermore)
@DarrenHester I've never tried coffee yet but I'm excited to give it a go! Did you upload any of the paintings that were done using coffee?
Lauren Konopacki (@lettermore)
I have used dragon fruit juice (aka pitaya) and it created a very nice light pink, I was very happy with the results! Unfortunately, dragon fruit aint cheap! and it's not always that deep magenta color, sometimes the inside is white. I also love doodling on leaves, and if there is a styrofoam plate in front of me, ill just instinctively start carving drawings into it.
Darren Hester (@DarrenHester)
@laurendoodlecode Here’s a sketch I did recently where I used coffee for skin tone: https://www.doodleaddicts.com/uploads/12381/ The amount of color varies depending on how strong the coffee and how much water you mix with it. Pretty much works like an ink wash but gives you the brownish sepia tones. Great if you want an old vintage look.
Stubby Toes (@godwheel)
@laurendoodlecode I'd say the strangest object I ever doodled one, was an orange. I took the sharpie to task and created an extremely angry persona.
Stubby Toes (@godwheel)
@DarrenHester Interesting - I like the tone it gives. Do you recommend trying this on watercolor paper or something even thicker than that?
Darren Hester (@DarrenHester)
@godwheel watercolor paper would probably be ideal, but I’ve used 90 lb multimedia paper (smooth vellum surface) and it works just fine. Just can’t get the paper to wet. You should give it a try!
Sohini (@bookboozer)
I tried using thumb tacks to do some lettering let's just say it didn't work out as I thought it would and I gave up. I used a toilet paper roll as a brush though.. That what a really nice experience. It's great for making flowers which have wispy petals.
Sohini (@bookboozer)
@DarrenHester Wow! Using coffee as paint seems like a great idea! Definitely one I'd like to try!
Darren Hester (@DarrenHester)
@bookboozer It's fun to experiment with and it's cheaper than paint/ink :-)
Caroline Rodriguez (@carolinerodriguez)
@bookboozer What were you trying to do with the thumb tacks? I know you mentioned it didn't work out, but it sounds interesting, Interesting tip about toilet paper roll as a brush.
Sohini (@bookboozer)
@carolinerodriguez I was trying to make a pet portrait using different colored thumb tacks.. It ended up with me poking my thumb too much and also I didn't get the exact shade of colors the right way..
MGB (@Thatonewierdperson)
This is super weird but I would collect band-aids that have designs and different colors on them and I stuck them on to a folder that I used for school and it looked cool and not what I expected it to look like. Some of the pastel-colored band-aids were covering different designs and what it looked like, in the end, was so cool.
Amit Ida (@Obsidian)
I think the strangest "canvas" I painted on is shoes. I took an old pear of shoes and tried to make them look like a painting (if that makes sence) for a costume... I never had the chance to wear them but they actually look pretty good
Lauren Konopacki (@lettermore)
@godwheel I'd love to see the finished character!
Lauren Konopacki (@lettermore)
@bookboozer how exactly did you use the toilet paper roll as a brush? that's really interesting! would love to see how it came out
Lauren Konopacki (@lettermore)
@Thatonewierdperson if you still have the band-aid folder upload a picture of it, i'm so curious!!
Lauren Konopacki (@lettermore)
@Obsidian that's so awesome! reminds me of the time i tried to paint my skin like a painting for halloween lol!!
Amit Ida (@Obsidian)
@laurendoodlecode yea! That's exaclly what I tried to do! But it never actually happened because I have like no time to breath.. :(
Sohini (@bookboozer)
@laurendoodlecode I didn't use the toilet paper itself. I used the leftover cardboard. Cut around the top into random strips and dipped it in paint then just kept pressing around the paper until I found something I could work with. Got the idea here: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JAe2N12-NI4/hqdefault.jpg
Caroline Rodriguez (@carolinerodriguez)
@bookboozer Thanks for sharing the link. I love the splatter pattern.
Doodle Addicts (@doodleaddicts)
@bookboozer Over at Doodlers Anonymous, we had one of our favorite Miami artists visit and he brought over this really cool collection of toilet paper roll monsters. The whole collection, was just spectacular: https://www.doodlersanonymous.com/post/1771/the-many-faces-of-a-toilet-paper-roll/
Joyce Cole (@joycecole)
I've doodled on aprons made from recycled jeans. There are a couple pics on my page here. I use a lot of vintage paper layered in my artwork. Lately, I've been doodling on used teabags, which is great fun. When looked it up on pinterest I saw many people doing amazing things with teabags.
Sohini (@bookboozer)
@carolinerodriguez Welcome! I loved it too!
Sohini (@bookboozer)
@doodleaddicts Those are SUPER cool! Now I want to start my own collection!
Sohini (@bookboozer)
@joycecole WOW! Those look really pretty! Definitely something I'd wear!
Embracing nightmares (@gibroni87)
Currently drawing on a wooden Cajon drum box. An my phone case. The glare on the case was hard to get use too. Wish I had inked it case the pencil wore away already
Dietrich Adonis (@ArtNinja2000)
I love drinking tea. On ocassion I'll squueze the tea bag liquid and make something with a quill pen. . .
dee La La (@deelala)
I used old lottery tickets in some acrylic paintings. didn't win anything but made a great statement about living in nyc. (or so I thought anyway. ha)
Terry Horn (@theowlandoctopus)
I have drawn on the paper toilet seat covers before. I am also a sound artist/composer and I have used plastic bags and pencil sharpeners to get sounds from.
Suzanne Gibbs (@SuzanneGibbsArt)
dried food. as an example... https://suzannegibbs.com/food-works-rice-on-canvas/
Sharon Birch (@skbirch)
dryer lint. makes for very gray pictures unless I have just bought new towels.
Nai Obeid (@naio)
I once painted with purple potato, mustard and tabasco. the result was not really good, but it was better than expected :P
erik cheung (@Kire)
'A Moment in our life' ! A work I created a decade ago, I used white tacks, ones you adhere posters on the wall, to make a sculpture. In fact, I won a prize with my students using these tacks as small figures in a queue. Since then, I have produced a few small sculptures using the same material. I shall be uploading the process onto you tube in a week...hang on. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6h8gIH6ilURUnCbAakq0tw Art is fun especially when it comes easy!
Leighanne (@AbstractHuman8)
I made a spoon out of wire. I found out just how much I loathe wire.
Alex Bowen (@Alexbowen)
I enjoy painting my old skateboards, it feels like I’m giving them a new life after their too beat up to be used anymore. I’m too sentimental to throw away my broken decks so when I started painting I had lots of material to work with.