Hello! I’m Alison Heikkila and I am really excited to share today’s project with you. I was in a bit of a funk….I wasn’t in a good mood, and I wasn’t really feeling very creative. When this happens, one of the things I like to do is paint. It always helps me to “reset” and feel better. I decided I was going to paint something really vibrant and happy, in a sort of graffiti-style. Originally, I was going to use this art on the Beverage Caddy, but I liked it so much, that I decided to sublimate on the Sequin Pillow Case instead, because I personally would get more use out of the pillow. That’s one of the great things about Artesprix projects! Since you’re just working on paper and not the actual “Blank” or substrate, you can change your mind as often as you like. Let me show you what I did.
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What is Iron-On Ink?
Artesprix Sublimation Markers, Ink, and Paint are specially formulated to allow you to use basic copy paper to: color, stamp, stencil, and monoprint anything you wish and turn it into a heat-transferable design. These designs are then applied to a polyester or polyester coated substrate with heat and pressure. You can use a heat press or a home iron! These designs, through this process of sublimation, will become permanent on your substrates.
Materials:
Sequin Pillow Case
Acrylic Paint Set (I mixed many colors. See Artesprix’s free Color Mixing Chart for details.)
Ink Pads (I used Black)
Sublimation Markers (I used only Black)
Protective Paper
Heat Tape
Heat Source: Home Iron or Artesprix Heat Press
Bubble Wrap
Pencil
Copy Paper
Brushes
*Optional: Blick Plastic Storage Cups (really helpful when mixing/storing paints)
Step 1: You’ll see here that the Beverage Caddy was traced since initially I was going to use this art for that. But since the pillow case is bigger than my paper, you don’t need to trace anything. Just start sketching in whatever you’d like to paint. Remember, that everything will transfer backwards, so be careful if you’re doing any lettering.
Step 2: Paint your art. I used a range of imagery and colors to get the look I wanted. Arteprix’s Color Mixing Chart was extremely helpful in deciding what colors to put where, since the paint looks much duller before it’s sublimated.
Step 3: Add additional details. I scribbled some lines and traced my design with the Black Sublimation Marker to make everything stand out, once my paint was dry. I also applied some of the Black Sublimation Ink Pad to some bubble wrap and stamped it around my design for some faux texture.
Here’s my completed artwork. It’s so vibrant and happy already, I can’t wait for you to see it once it’s sublimated!
Step 4: Tape your design to the Sequin Pillow Case with Artesprix’s Heat Tape. ***Be sure that all of the sequins are showing the white side*** I decided to add my design to the center, but you can place it anywhere you want. If I choose to, I can add additional art later, since I still have a lot of room.
Step 5: Let’s make our Sublimation Sandwich. I added a piece of Protective Paper to the inside of the pillow case, even though it may not be necessary. Then I have my case, with the art face down, then another layer of Protective Paper on top. If our Heat Press is heated up to 400 degrees, then we’re ready to sublimate!
Step 6: Press the Sublimation Sandwich (art side at the top) for 60 seconds.
Step 7: Time for the Peek Test! Carefully lift a small portion of your art off of the Blank to ensure a good transfer. If you need to re-press your piece, you can do it since you haven’t moved the art out of place. I’m really happy with this transfer, so I can remove the art from the Blank.
Here is the completed pillow case with the original art. I never get tired of seeing just how bold the colors become after you sublimate!
Look at how fun this pillow case is once you’ve filled it with a pillow form! I totally love it. Making this piece definitely got me out of the “funk” I was in. That’s what art is about, right?
Here, I’m showing you what it looks like if you flip the sequins over. This pillow case has rose gold sequins, but there are 2 other options available on the Artesprix website too.
Seriously, how fun is this?! I love this project, and I hope you do too. Even if you decide to use stamps or stencils that you own instead of painting your own art, this is such a fantastic project to try. How would you like to get more ideas on using Artesprix’s Sublimation Ink Pads, Markers, and Paint? There’s a Facebook Group that’s just for fans of Artesprix! You can click HERE to join. Also, don’t forget to visit the Artesprix store to see all of the available blanks and bundles, so you can get started with sublimation. You can use my code, ALISON10 to save 10% off of your purchase. Thanks so much for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!
Thank you so much for your kind words!