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Let’s Play and Use a Can of Compressed Air in an Art Journal

How to use a can of compressed air in your art journal

It turns out that I have been using a cleaning product without even realizing it!  Compressed air is sold as a way of removing dust.  Never fear, I am not going to use it for cleaning. I am going to use it for art journaling in this week’s Let’s Play video.

Once again, an Oops (Outstanding Opportunity Presenting Suddenly) shifted my plan!  See how one little “mistake” made a huge change in the video!

How does this help me play? There is no wrong way to do this so the pressure is off! After all there is no “right” way to use compressed air in an art journal!

Watch How to use compressed air in your art journal on YouTube.

Let's Play Video series all about how to rediscover play again!What is Let’s Play?  It’s all about rediscovering the ability to play. Each month I share a specific strategy that helped me ditch the stress and rediscover how to play. You can see all the previous ones here.  Each month has a theme, and this month’s theme is turning non art supplies into art supplies.

Giveaway! This month’s giveaway is a $50 gift certificate to Dick Blick! Leave a comment to be entered -details at the end of this post.

How to use a can of compressed air in your art journal This month's Let's Play theme is all about turning non art supplies into art supplies!

Want to see more Let’s Play videos? You can find all the weekly posts here.

Sharing your play:   Why Facebook?  I’ve listened to your feedback about how and where you’d like to share your play.   Instead of the link party as in previous months, we’re sharing it in the Facebook group called A Colorful Place to Play.

Monthly giveaways:  Just leave comment on any (and all if you’d like more chances) of the weekly Let’s Play blog posts to be entered and one winner each month will be chosen by random.org.  Want more chances to win a $50 gift certificate to DickBlick.com?  Pin any of the images from the page or share about it on Facebook- then come back and leave a comment telling me what you did and you can have more chances to win! Giveaway closes the Sunday, July 3rd at 11 pm EST and the winner will announced on the blog the following Monday.

Here are the supplies I used. Some of these links are affiliate links which means I get a small percentage. It doesn’t cost you anything extra and you are helping me keep this blog and my videos ad free! Thank you- I don’t like ads any more than you do!

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  • Annie June 14, 2016, 3:53 am

    Thanks! I’m inspired to start playing with the compressed air I already have for a long time.

  • Suz June 14, 2016, 9:38 am

    I loved this! Very cool results. Beats blowing through a straw any day!

  • Kara Rogers June 14, 2016, 9:49 am

    What an amazing find for me today! I can’t wait to watch your previous videos! Thanks for sharing your inspiration!

  • D.Ann C June 14, 2016, 10:12 am

    Cool! Love the feathery look!! I have used the manual Tim Holtz marker sprayer tool thingy (don’t recall what it’s really called) and used it to move around some ColorBursts to look like they’re bursting away from the center of my piece. Your ink and compressed air looks WAY cooler! : )

  • Lisa June 14, 2016, 10:41 am

    What a very cool idea, much more efficient than me blowing crazily on the ink! Also cannot figure out how I am not familiar with that particular stencil… I thought I knew them all …. sigh.

  • Deb June 14, 2016, 11:59 am

    Love this! Never thought of that as a tool! Kind of like an airbrush in reverse!

  • Joan Webster June 14, 2016, 1:57 pm

    Oh Carolyn, I just love everything you do. Wish I could learn to play with the ease you do everything. We so need some art supplies here in my town, we don’t have much, & I’m 74 years old & don’t do the computer very well, so ordering from it is out of the question for me. The phone is my best bet, & most places only what computer orders now. That leaves me in the dark ages, that’s what happens when you get old !!!! But thanks for the wonderful videos !!!!!!

    • Jan Krassner June 26, 2016, 6:50 pm

      Joan, it’s never too late to learn those computer skills. Ask your grandchildren, or a neighborhood teenager to teach you. If you go to a church, I’m sure you could find someone there. I am 71. I order almost ALL my clothes and shoes online. I just ordered some sheets. Art and jewelry supplies, that I can’t find locally, I buy online. I have literally made hundreds of purchases online. You CAN do it!

  • Mardi Weber June 14, 2016, 2:29 pm

    Carolyn, that is SO cool! And, I don’t even have to buy it! My husband has it in his shop! Yay! I’m going to go check it out.

  • Bobbi J Garris June 14, 2016, 2:53 pm

    Love this ! Always fun. Thanks.

  • Caro Lef June 14, 2016, 3:00 pm

    Great idea. Beats using a straw and needing asthma inhaler afterwards! Love the black on green

  • Kristiina June 14, 2016, 3:48 pm

    Those fuzzballs really make me smile! I’d love to give them eyes and maybe some tiny feet… 🙂

  • Valerie Whittier June 14, 2016, 5:11 pm

    This is so cool! Have done the straw technique but would not have thought of this! New to mixed media art, learning so many interesting things.

  • Annette June 14, 2016, 8:42 pm

    Ooo! Great idea. I’ve tried doing this with straws and my own breath and I can see now where I need to get more horizontal with it. :o) And, guess who has a can of compressed air . . .

  • Mary L Hockett Thoma June 14, 2016, 8:48 pm

    This seems like the organic silhouette of tall grasses or brush. But messy hair does it for me too!

  • Lou June 14, 2016, 10:15 pm

    Love love love this idea!! I can’t wait to try it! Thanks for sharing.

  • Paulida June 19, 2016, 7:41 pm

    I have just subscribed to the Permission to Play workshop. Al I want to say is “Thank You!” I am 53 years old, done with raising my kids, still working, and looking after our parents. I do have a lot of craft supplies, but the paints are drying out, like my soul, because – I do have too many obligations to fulfill – too much must do things. After watching your video, I have made a decision to sign my own Permission form after “messing” it up, and everyone depending on me, waiting for me to support them, will have to WAIT, because I will be Playing… So THANKS A MILLION, for my gateway…..

  • Sue G June 21, 2016, 9:36 am

    WOW….this looks so cool. Can’t wait to give this a try!

  • Melissa June 23, 2016, 6:40 pm

    Wow! What a neat idea…using a can of compressed air!
    Thank you for sharing 🙂 🙂
    I always enjoy learning new things from you Carolyn!
    You make playing with art…lots of Fun! 🙂

  • Diana June 26, 2016, 5:21 pm

    oh how cool! I have to go try this now!

  • Jan Krassner June 26, 2016, 6:40 pm

    I love using “non art” supplies! For me everything is a potential art supply. Love shopping in Home Depot, thrift stores (especially kitchen utensils), garage sales, etc.

  • Di Caust June 26, 2016, 8:36 pm

    I really enjoyed the air lol
    I blow my ink with a straw and get terribly dizzy.
    As usual Caroline, your videos inspire me.
    Thank you.

  • Linda June 26, 2016, 8:55 pm

    So glad I collect cleaning supplies but don’t use them for cleaning! Can not wait to use the compressed air for art journal!

  • Connie Akers June 27, 2016, 12:45 am

    Love the splatter of ink with canned air. Thinks for the new idea.

  • Terry Owenby June 27, 2016, 2:04 pm

    Oooh, this is the coolest thing ever! Thank you for the awesome video. I am going to try this.

  • MelodyJ July 7, 2016, 4:48 am

    Interesting and educational post.

  • Christy Essen July 13, 2016, 5:13 pm

    I love this,and your whole Oops mind set, this will be helpful to me as i’m still stuck in the make it perfect mindset, and am missing out on so many projects. I will be checking out you blog and free classes, thank you so much