[Mandy Moo]

Hey folks, I've been commisioned to do a 3-panel canvas spin art piece. In the past, my paintings have mainly been detailed artwork rather than abstract pieces so I'm requesting your ideas on what technique I should adopt for this piece as the appearance will heavily depend on it. I have attached an example of a spin art painting for you to look at to give you an idea of the kind a thing my client is after, only she has asked for reds, silver and gold.

Here's my thoughts...

Media: Acrylic. Oil isn't my bag, I'm more accustomed to acrylic plus it drys alot quicker.

Technique: I would place all three canvases together and cover them with the main colour (which would be a red) in a spinning movement from inner to outer. Then while the paint is still wet, I'll spin in blue, white, black and yellows to give the red different shades, apply more white and black when the paintings drier to give more highlights and shadows to the piece, do a few splodges. I haven't really thought about the gold and silver... perhaps adopt an icing technique (see pic) where I'll put the paint in an icing bag and squeeze the paint onto the canvas to create silver and gold liner?

What do you think? Anybody done a spin art piece before? Oh reckon it's an outdoor job?



Icing Techique

[sub]

Sounds like a fun project. Expect some unexpected results!
Possibly thin the metallics with white spirit?

[Mandy Moo]

Originally Posted by sub

Possibly thin the metallics with white spirit?

Never thought of that but it sounds good, I would like the metallics to be a lot thinner. I've done a little research and white spirit tend to used with oil paint. Can it be mixed with acrylic?

Other options are...
flow enhancer
matte medium
gloss medium

I've only ever thinner acrylic with water so don't know which is more suitable. I would like the metallic to have a transparent gel-like effect. Any suggestions?

[sub]

Yes, white spirit is for oils - which I thought your metallics were, for some reason.

Why not experiment with different options.
Pick the one you feel more at ease with?

[Pugsley]

sorry i can't help you but that sounds like loads of fun. how do you spin it? do you literally put the paint on and spin it?

[roo]

I'd suggest getting some kind of motor and mounting bits of balanced card on there first and practicing... just make sure your final canvas's are stuck together firmly with clamps on the back of the frames... if one of them moves or comes off completely whilst spinning it could be messy, and ruin it all!! How are you planning to spin it? Also.... definately an outdoor job unless you somehow manage to spin it inside an inflatable paddling pool? hehe

[Mandy Moo]

Erm.... I was going to use a thick paint brush & hand slab the paint on in a spinning movement rather than using a motor device, infact I wouldn't have a clue how to make it. The example looks to me as if it's done by hand. What does everyone think?

[sub]

There's no way that's done by hand.
The circles are too symmetrical.

You could use an old turntable at 45 rpm (canvas might be too heavy) or potters wheel?

[roo]

Well the bits flying out looks like it was caused by centrefugal force, but yeh it does look hand done because it's not quite a perfect circle... but that may be because the canvas's are apart and were clamped together when spun. I bet it'd take ages to do by hand!

I'd try and make something to spin it... maybe something that fixes to the frame of the center canvas with wood... see my sketch, sorry it's really crude, I could only find a marker in the office and my boss is never too far away *destroys sketch after scanning in*.

I'd make a frame as shown after careful measuring to find the center of the canvas and screw something in the middle like a screw (and glue it to stop it from spinning)... clamp the screw into a drill, find a way of standing the drill up so the canvas would spin horizontally... find a way of holding the drill switch down at a certain slow speed, give it a spin myself to start it up and then let it spin! Work from above and watch the canvas doesn't catch your legs

A potters wheel maybe...? It's a bit ambitious but I've always been a have a go kinda person and that's how I'd do it.

[roo]

Take some process pics whichever way you do it... I'd be interested to see

[Mandy Moo]

Roo,
After doing more research, you are absolutely bang on correct. Alfons Schilling was the man who created this process of action painting in the 1960s, Damien Hirst has since copied of it (although not half as well), very few talented artists has since mastered the art and produced it well... one was this artist who I have been given an example of. Oh my god... what have I got my self into? But I like the challenge. Cheers for the advice, I've most certainly found the technique that I need to adopt. One good thing is that I have plenty of time and I'll post some pics for you to look at.

Hopefully it won't be too hard to find a second hand pottery wheel or hire one, I do live in 'Pottery land'.

[roo]

Glad me and Sub were able to help... looking at the pic tho... I'd definately say it's an outdoor job haha!

I've got another suggestion.... when clamping them together if you put a spacer in between them, as long as the client leaves an amount of space equal to the width of the spacer when they put them up on the wall then the lines will flow better between each canvas if you get me?

Good luck, don't get a manual potters wheel or you wont be able to turn it without getting clipped!

- Roo