Epic Failures

This past week creative endeavors were all epic FAILURES.  Not the "I don't like how this turned out" failure. I mean, all out FAIL, as in DID NOT WORK AT ALL FAILURE.

I believe I have mentioned that I was lucky to win a spot in Claudine Hellmuth's Technique Toolbox Class from Big Picture Classes.  Now, even though I have not actually created any projects with the techniques I have learned, I have enjoyed the class immensely! Well, I decided that I wanted to try a couple of the transfer techniques that Claudine shared.

EPIC FAILURE.

Before I explain the EPIC FAILURE let me be perfectly clear that the failure is completely on my end.

I didn't follow the most important step in the directions.

All the transfer techniques require a laser print copy of a picture.  I own an ink jet printer.  And while it has been said again and again that laser prints are easily obtained by visiting your local Kinko's, post office, even grocery store copy machine, the extra steps it would require me to make such copy just did not appeal (or fit into my schedule).

So, I attempted the techniques with ink jet copies that I had sealed with a workable fixative.

Have I mentioned EPIC FAILURE?

I am also apparently a slow learner because I tried not once, but SEVERAL times to get a decent transfer.

Ink jet copy sprayed with fixative and adhered to sticky back canvas.

I actually LOVED this look!!  After peeling off the paper, I left the soaked canvas to dry 

sob, sob!  This is what I came back to a while later!  The wet inks continued to spread and diffuse.  My once cool image was no longer so cool!!

So, I tried this same method AGAIN with the thought that I'd immediately dry the canvas.

Like the picture?!  Uh, the cool thing about transfers is, no two are exactly the same.  And the second transfer totally hit the completely smeared ink level immediately.  

And it went immediately in the trash.

The next transfer technique I tried was into wet gesso.  I heard that sometimes the chalky texture of gesso will allow ink jet copies adhere and work with the transfer.  

Not so much for me!

My next attempt I used a charcoal pencil to outline the darker lines of the image.  I then had a major brain freeze.  I first spread out some distress inks on my surface covered with gesso, BUT didn't think what type of medium I was going to try to have the image transfer into. I placed my copy paper into the wet ink and gave it a rub.  The inks transferred to the paper and this was the result.  Not a transfer, but kind of a cool look!!

So, why did I decide to share all my EPIC FAILURES?

We all know that not every project or idea is a zinger, but yet, all we share are the projects that we deem "presentable" or blog worthy. I decided that I was going to share these EPIC FAILURES because it was time learning.  How can one succeed without the willingness to fail? 

I'm trying to learn to embrace my creative failures.  They might not be blog worthy or "presentable", but they are stepping stones to letting creative ideas flow.  And ideas will eventually lead to success.  It might take several attempts or it might take thousands of attempts, but as long as the ideas keep flowing, one will see creative success.

'Till next time.........don't be afraid to fail!!