FPUK TV

November 18, 2009

I am sure that my mind works on the “cup full” principle – you can fill it up to the brim, but if you pour any more in, then the cup overflows and you lose some of the contents.  Over the last couple of weeks I have been trying to get back into the swing of using my video editing software, and remembering some tricks about what to do when filming to make things easier in the edit stage.  Unfortunately I think I have overloaded my cup with so many new ideas to try out in Friendly Plastic and textiles that all the previous knowledge I had about making video shorts using our little camcorder and the editing software seems to have flowed over the rim of my chipped mug of a mind and dribbled down into a puddle at my feet!

Finally I am able to say that I have 3 new video shorts for you to check out.  Admittedly two of them were originally part of the same single video, but it proved too long so I chopped it in half.  I could not face filming it all again, as being in front of the camera is not my favourite location; give me a class full of students any day of  the week.

So for your amusement, delight, information, criticism and general merriment I now present 2 video shorts about heating methods for Friendly Plastic, and one on the foiling technique. 

I am producing these under the banner of FPUK  tv, because Linda Peterson already does a brilliant job with Friendly Plastic TV in the US, and I wanted a British take on things.  If I can manage to retain the knowledge gained over the last two weeks about editing, then I plan to make a series of video shorts on different techniques, some will be little projects, others just the technique.   However, if you want something more in depth then you need my DVDs.  Incidentally both of them are on special offer with kits at the moments, so check out the web site.  I have a Christmas Special on them both.

Thinking of new things, I now have Envirotex Lite as well as Magic Glos  in stock so now is your chance to try out some of the fabulous glossy coated effects that you can achieve with these products.

Both of these pieces have been made using a number of layers of either Envirotex Lite or Magic Glos, with additions of ink etc in between each layer.

Something else I am very excited about is some new transfer foils I have managed to acquire.  I have called them Foiling Fantasy and they are in the most wonderful colours and patterns. The foils come as 20cm strips in varying widths (between 2 and 4cm wide), and are perfect for colouring the reverse of your Friendly Plastic.  If you don’t know how to do this, then watch the FPUK tv video short above. 

This selection of 9 20cm strips is called Amber Aura, and includes 2 transparent foils .  That sounds a bit odd, but they are basically foils that are only partially coloured so that the background is visible through them.  The bottom left Gold Crackle is a clear foil with little bits of gold on it and when applied to the back of a black stick of FP looks like this.  Try it on white or some Friendly Plastic Pellets that you have coloured with alcohol inks for a different look.  The other transparent one is the lacy white one second from the right at the bottom.

I have called this one Blue Moves and again there are two transparent foils –  The silver chain top left is on black and the pink and blue dots and circles bottom right is on white FP.  This pack includes two holographic foils, blue and silver.  The foil in the centre is much wider than the others and is a wonderful crunkly swirl of blues and silver.

This pack of 9 foils is called Storm and contains not only some transparent foils (centre, and 2nd from the right top row), but also Gold Cobra (2nd from left bottom).  Some of you might remember this colour as being part of the Friendly Plastic range a few years ago, and I for one was most miffed when it was discontinued.  Brown seems to be a colour that FP lacks and this pack offers 2 very rich brown colour ways, plus a lovely coppery floral brown (2nd from the right bottom row). 

I have already had some fun with the foils, but as they have only just arrived I am itching to try them all out.

This will be a pendant when I finish it off.  I have used my Patchwork or Piecework technique to make this undulating piece, and introduced two of the foils from the new Foiling Fantasy packs.  This is the top side and below is the reverse.

As you can see, the pendant has colour on both sides, and is also complimentary, but different in design.  That is the nature of the technique, and it is always exciting to see how the reverse will turn out.

OK, I think I have made up for not posting for a couple of weeks by giving you loads to check out this time!

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