Hints and Tips

This page is for everyone to help each other. Pass on your helpful hints and tips by email for listing – your email address will not be published, but it would be nice to know your name, or at least your first name, so that others know who to reply to as a discussion. Send your contribution to:
peter.murrayhlg@gmail.com
Thank you.
Here’s a useful tip, sent in by Cheshire artist Lynn Daley. She recently attended a demonstration and remembered a money saving tip to pass on. If you paint in any water based medium from tubes and they have gone hard over time, carefully cut the tube along the middle flat section, open up the flaps and use your watercolour, acrylic or gouache with water in solid form! You probably have a few tubes which you thought were beyond redemption, but don’t throw them away, as they now have a new lease of life. (I can vouch for the fact that this works – Peter).
I’ll start the ball rolling with an answer to all those picture wrapping problems which every artist has encountered when preparing work for travel to galleries and exhibitions. Bubblewrap, string, rubber bands, plastic bags, even pillowcases and towels – I’ve seen them all. Then, when I was queuing in 2012 to drop my entries off at the East Cheshire Hospice exhibition, I saw a young lady carrying her work in shiny silver bags. I gave her a lift to unload the work from the boot of her estate car and said “these are brilliant – where do you get them?”  Breathlessly, she smiled and replied “Stiffybags – Google them.” So there you have it. These tough, padded bags can be used indefinitely and have an indestructible feel about them… just slide your artwork in, fold down the flap and Bob’s your uncle! They come in all sorts of sizes and are great value. Find out more at www.stiffybags.com or call 01622 850300 / 07901903049.
Posted by Peter Murray on 13/11/13.  Next tip, please….