More Fun with Citra Solv

I first talked about Citra Solv on June 13th, here:
http://thedigiartblog.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-computer-is-one-of-my-art-mediums.html

When I first mentioned Citra Solv, it was my very first experiment and I forgot to take pics during the process. This first pic is from that first experiment showing SOME of the pages drying on my floor.

Drying on my tiled cellar floor on vinyl tablecloth. When I got some ink on my floor, it came off with Citra Solv!!!

Also from first experiment.....learned using bubble wrap with Citra Solv will dissolve the bubbles right into paper!

Here's what the Citra Solv looks like. There might be other "flavors", but it MUST be concentrated!

These mags are made with clay paper, which is why this amazing process works.

 I finally got to spend an entire afternoon playing with Citra Solv and 3 National Geographic magazines. (thanks for finding me more mags, mom!) Each time I "play" with this process I learn something new. I have already viewed every video on YouTube about this technique more than once! (I highly recommend this!)  I need to do my own video, I know....maybe at the end of the summer? But, I did take some pics before my hands got too messy. :)

Here's pic of spray bottle I used and how I sprayed....obviously, I need to do a video on this!

Unfortunately, I didn't pay attention to how long it took to get to this point, it will vary. Start checking after 10 min.

Towards the end I started experimenting with stamping INTO the ink and using the ink while it was still wet.

THINGS I'VE LEARNED SO FAR:
FIRST...working with 3 magazines was too much for ME.....drying happens too fast to put all of my attention onto each page. And you do want to look at each page, because you have no idea what each will end up looking like. Believe me, when you do this, you will get lost in this process. It is SO mesmerizing. I love patterns and I love abstraction and you will get lots of that!

SECOND...I prefer spraying the Citra Solv to "painting" the pages with it. I also learned that spraying outside will give you different results than if you do it inside. I know this because an hour into my playing, it started to rain and I brought everything into my cellar. (with lots of ventilation....although I love the smell!) The reason you get different results I believe, is that it was a little windy and I'm not sure the pages were getting completely covered. On the other hand, when I painted them with Citra Solv they got too wet.....which of course was probably MY fault. This is NOT an exact science! Have fun experimenting.

THINGS TO KNOW:
1. The National Geographics must be post 1970. Have tried 80s, 90s and 2009....they all worked!
2. The process is affected by temperature and humidity.....humidity may slow down drying time,
    and Citra Solv prefers the warmer temps.
3. Citra Solv dissolves thinner plastics.
4. I found my bottles of Citra Solv at the health food store.
5. Tear out all ads from magazine, they will not work with Citra Solv.

This is an ongoing experiment, I will be blogging again and hopefully doing a video by summer's end. In the meantime, I have already been scanning in the pages and altering them. There are SO many more things to do with these pages!!!