Alison Kolesar

How to Make Beautiful Earrings from Paper

I work with paper a lot - one hint on the varnishing that may (or may not) work. Add a layer of spray on finish (I use KAMAR) and then move on to a layer or two of the polycrylic. I've had pretty good luck with the spray on setting inks and unstable watercolors.

I like your designs! I also have some trouble with the color running when I am varnishing. I use Minwax Polycrylic, and I have to make sure I do as few strokes as possible. If I pull over the design again, it will start to drag color. This happens with watercolor paint and India ink (all I have experimented with so far). So I use a broader brush and do multiple thin layers of varnish, making sure to wipe off my brush often so I'm not recycling color into the varnish.

Bigger brush, that may be the ticket.  Thanks for the tip!  I thinkI will try again with some heavier paper, too.

I love what you made Lisa, but I'm sorry you were having problems with the watercolor bleeding. I think you may be right that it had to do with the kind of paper. If the paper was less absorbent and the colors were sitting on top, they may have been more inclined to bleed. Also, if at all possible you want to avoid getting glue on the surface. I tend to put a little on and spread it around with my finger so it's a thin layer. I also have paper towels to hand to wipe my fingers which inevitably do get gluey.  I hope you do give them another go. You could try collaging pre-colored papers if the watercolor continues to give you problems. Best, Alison

I was intrigued by this class, and I was very eager to try it out. &nbsp;Unfortunately I had lots of problems with these two pair of earrings. &nbsp;In the future I will try some different paper and possibly some different glue. &nbsp;The watercolor paint bled when I tried to glue it as well as when I varnished it. &nbsp;Here is the final result:
<img style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" src="https://static.skillshare.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=80,width=1000,format=auto/uploads/project/2533295311227e4d95abb49d4edd7a6c/79b748c6" alt="Honeycomb and Christmas Bulb Earrings - image 1 - student project" srcset="https://static.skillshare.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=80,width=600,format=auto/uploads/project/2533295311227e4d95abb49d4edd7a6c/79b748c6 600w, https://static.skillshare.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=80,width=1000,format=auto/uploads/project/2533295311227e4d95abb49d4edd7a6c/79b748c6 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 600px, 100vw" loading="lazy">

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